Declassification of Assasination Records: A Step Towards Transparency and Truth
The federal government has finally taken a major step towards transparency and truth by ordering the declassification of records related to several high-profile assassinations in the 1960s. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, making it mandatory for the government to release all records related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
A Long-Overdue Move
More than 50 years have passed since the assassinations, and the government has not released all of its records related to these events. The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Act of 1992 required the government to fully disclose all relevant records by October 26, 2017. However, the government has allowed redactions of some information and postponed the release of some documents, citing national security, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or foreign relations as the reason.
A New Era of Transparency
Trump’s executive order marks a new era of transparency and truth. The President has determined that the continued redaction and withholding of information from records pertaining to the assassination of President Kennedy is not consistent with the public interest. The release of these records is long overdue, and the President has given the attorney general and director of national intelligence 15 days to present a plan for the full release of records relating to President Kennedy’s assassination.
Release of Documents
The executive order requires the release of 3,000 documents that have not been made public and the inclusion of redactions in another 30,000 documents. The majority of records related to President Kennedy’s assassination have already been made public, with about 97% of the five million pages related to the JFK assassination already available to the public.
Conclusion
The declassification of these records is a significant step towards transparency and truth. It is essential for the government to release all relevant information to the public, allowing us to understand the events that shaped our history. With this move, the government is showing its commitment to openness and accountability, and we hope that this trend continues in the future.
FAQs
Q: Why is the release of these records important?
A: The release of these records is important because it allows us to understand the events that led to the assassinations and to learn from them.
Q: What is the significance of the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Act of 1992?
A: The act required the government to fully disclose all relevant records by October 26, 2017, and to allow presidents to postpone the release of related information that might compromise national security, intelligence operations, law enforcement, or foreign relations.
Q: What is the scope of the documents to be released?
A: The executive order requires the release of 3,000 documents that have not been made public and the inclusion of redactions in another 30,000 documents.
Q: When will the documents be released?
A: The documents will be released within the next 15 days for President Kennedy’s assassination and 45 days for the assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.