Warren Commission (09 of 26): Hearings Vol. IX (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (09 of 26): Hearings Vol. IX (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. BALLEN. Yes. I think he had referred sarcastically to some of our
religious institutions, or all religious institutions, and I think he
referred with some venom and sarcasm to some race prejudices in the
United States. I cannot document that with any specific items which
were discussed, but it is pretty strongly a general feeling that this
had come out during that discussion.
Mr. LIEBELER. Was it discussed in terms of the Negro race problem?
Mr. BALLEN. Negro and all forms of human hatred. In other words, the
meeting that I had with this individual, which was very limited. I had
a certain element of attraction towards the man because I felt that
this man did express, at least in an intellectual vein, feeling of
compassion for mankind generally.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did he indicate that he was not in accord with policies
which had as their end racial prejudice?
Mr. BALLEN. Yes. In his general categoric manner, he would have felt
that this was a form of stupidity as well as a form of injustice.
Mr. LIEBELER. Was there any specific discussion, as you can recall, of
any extremists groups or so-called "hate" groups?
Mr. BALLEN. No.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did you form any impression of the man that would enable
you to make a judgment as to the extent to which he would be influenced
by racist or hate propaganda?
Mr. BALLEN. You will have to make your question more specific.
Mr. LIEBELER. Do you think that Oswald was the kind of person who
would be influenced, by propaganda or by people who were associated
with, say racist or extremist groups, to engage in any particular kind
of activity? You mentioned before, for example, that Oswald took the
position or expressed the attitude that as far as the Soviet Union
and the United States generally were concerned, it was a sort of
plague-on-both-the-houses, he was not going to let anyone substitute
their judgment for what he regarded as the basic reality of the
situation. Did you gain any impression about Oswald's attitude toward
hate groups? Do you think he could have been moved or motivated by them?
Mr. BALLEN. I think I understand your question, and there would have
been no expression advanced by Oswald of contempt for a particular
organization.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did he indicate that he had experienced certain
difficulties in securing or holding employment because of his trip to
the Soviet Union?
Mr. BALLEN. Yes; he said he ran into difficulty, and that he was not
ashamed of his background and wasn't going to conceal it, and that in
this particular geographic area that he was just finding it hard as
heck to gain employment.
I could understand that, and I said, "Well, let's see what kind of
training you have, if you get employment."
And I was struck with almost a total lack of any meaningful training
other than what he had mentioned which I have already covered.
Mr. LIEBELER. Did he tell you any specific details of the kind of work
he did in the Soviet Union?
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