The Lincoln-Kennedy Connection: Exploring the Eerie Parallels
I’ve always been fascinated by history, especially the strange coincidences that pop up throughout. One that’s always sent chills down my spine is the connection between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. I’m not talking about shared policies or political ideologies, but the eerie parallels in their lives and assassinations. After years of reading snippets here and there, I decided to delve deeper, and what I found both intrigued and unsettled me.
The List: Where it All Began
My journey started with a tattered photocopy of a list my grandmother gave me years ago. It detailed all the alleged coincidences between Lincoln and Kennedy. Some seemed like pure happenstance, while others were downright creepy. I learned later that this list had been circulating since shortly after Kennedy’s assassination, appearing in magazines and newspapers, further fueling the public’s fascination.
The Numbers Game: More Than Just Chance?
The list is packed with numerical connections, some more convincing than others. For instance, both men were elected to Congress 100 years apart (Lincoln in 1846, Kennedy in 1946) and then to the presidency 100 years apart (Lincoln in 1860, Kennedy in 1960). A bit spooky, right? But then there are weaker connections, like the number of letters in their names. While interesting, these felt more like reaching for connections that might not exist.
Life and Death: Unsettling Similarities
Beyond the numbers, the parallels in their assassinations are what truly get under my skin. Both were shot on a Friday, in the head, and in the presence of their wives. Adding to the unease, Lincoln was shot in Ford’s Theatre, while Kennedy was riding in a Lincoln convertible made by Ford. It’s enough to make you wonder if someone was messing with the fabric of reality.
Digging Deeper: Separating Fact from Fiction
As I researched further, I discovered that not everything on the list holds up to scrutiny. Some are flat-out wrong, like the claim that Lincoln’s secretary was named Kennedy. Others require a very loose interpretation of “coincidence.” For example, both presidents had successors named Johnson, but this ignores the fact that Andrew Johnson and Lyndon B. Johnson had very different backgrounds and political leanings.
The Power of Apophenia: Our Need for Patterns
The more I learned, the more I realized how much our brains crave patterns, even when they don’t exist. This phenomenon, called apophenia, explains why we see shapes in clouds or hear messages in random noise. It’s this same tendency that makes us attribute meaning to the Lincoln-Kennedy connection, even if it’s just a series of unfortunate coincidences.
My Conclusion: A Fascinating Puzzle with No Easy Answers
So, what’s the verdict? After all my research, I can’t definitively say whether the Lincoln-Kennedy connection is proof of some grand design or just a bizarre quirk of history; I’ve gone back and forth, trying to reconcile the eerie similarities with the logical explanations. Ultimately, I’m left with more questions than answers. But that’s the beauty of history, isn’t it? It keeps us guessing, debating, and exploring the mysteries of the past. And I, for one, wouldn’t have it any other way.
