Griffin Johnston, 4th period, Dallas LOVE Project

           After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, the city of Dallas was seen by many as the “City of Hate.” Other events surrounding the assassination including the irate and largely unsupportive Dallas citizens evident during the visits of certain individuals in Kennedy’s administration (before the assassination), reinforced this image. However, in light of the 50-year anniversary of the assassination, almost thirty thousand works of art representing love will be shown throughout the city as part of the Dallas LOVE Project. Art made by anyone ranging from students to senior citizens will be arrayed along the route that Kennedy took into the city as well as various other locations in Dallas (including the hospital where Kennedy was taken, and the Dallas Public Library in downtown).

            In today’s media, we are inundated with negative images and stories that seem to be so prevalent throughout the nation (and world). This constant flow of negative information has an effect on us and our way of thinking. In the article, a fine arts director at Keller school district said, “even with the young ones we talked about what love was…and what hate can cause people to do.” The Dallas LOVE project seems to be something more than just proving wrong the claim that Dallas is a “City of Hate.” It is a reminder to us all of the importance of focusing on the good in the world. We are all innately good and we all have the capacity to love, but the media sometimes makes this hard to believe. It is encouraging to see that people are strengthening image of goodness in the world. By doing so, positive images become more active in our thoughts which causes more acts of kindness and love in the world.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/21/jfk-assassination-anniversary-in-dallas-to-be-marked-with-works-art-on-love/