And We Are All Mortal
Memorial, Conference, Lobby Day
June 10-11, 2001
American University, Washington, DC

The Coalition on Political Assassination is sponsoring what may be the first of several events marking the 38th anniversary of the famous speech given at American University on June 10, 1963, calling for an end to the arms race and the Cold War because "we are all mortal". Many believe this speech reflected the primary differences that JFK had with the Pentagon and the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower had warned of, and that led to his assassination.

Memorial:
On Sunday, June 10, 2001, COPA will hold a memorial service at the site of the speech on campus at American University at 1:00 pm. This will take place at a memorial plaque that marks the location on the sports field where he delivered the speech. Several prominent members of JFK's White House staff have been invited to attend and speak.

Conference:
From 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, COPA will host a conference for researchers. Two main items on the agenda will be the announcement of a petition to be filed with a federal grand jury seeking a reopening of investigation into the murder of President John F. Kennedy, and pressing Senate and House oversight committees to hold hearings on the unfinished work of the JFK Asssassination Records Review Board to secure full release of the files. There will be discussion of current efforts to secure release of the files on the Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination as well.

Lobby Day:
Monday, June 11, will be a lobbying day for participants to visit their Senate and House representatives and to lobby for hearings on this issue. Judge John Tunheim, among others, is ready to testify about the shortcomings of the Act and the files that still have not been released. If you are able to attend and to lobby, please contact your representatives now for an appointment on June 11. Senate Governmental Reform Committee members are listed at: http://www.senate.gov/committees/committee_detail.cfm?COMMITTEE_ID=438 House Government Reform Committee members are listed at: http://www.house.gov/reform/107memb.htm .

Here is a sample letter, which I sent to my non-voting represenative,

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

Dear Congresswoman Norton,
I am a DC resident and a board member of the national Coalition on Poltical Assassinations. We were instrumental in the passage and implementation of the JFK Assassination Records Act, which effected the release of over 6 million pages to date, the largest release of classified documents in our history. However, the Congressionally approved Review Board noted in their final report that several agencies were still withholding records and that additional files had never been released. We are seeking hearings on this matter from the appropriate Congressional oversight committees. Federal Judge John Tunheim, former chair of the Review Board, and others are willing to testify. We are also seeking full release of the files relating to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including but not limited to those reviewed or created by the House Select Committee on Assassinations in the 1970s, but locked up by House Rule 36 for 50 years. I would like to have a meeting with you on these matters on Monday, June 11, following our memorial conference at American University on the 38th anniversary of JFK's speech at American University about ending the Cold War. If this is not a possible date, please advise a better one.

John Judge, for COPA

PS - We are hoping to hold this event annually in June.