H____ Layton
Los Angeles 4, California

Mayor Earl Cabell--

Dear Sir,

Via the news media I understand that Mayor Yorty of Los Angeles sent you a telegram a few days ago wherein he stated that "the right-minded people of Los Angeles sympathize with you" etc.

Such is not the case at all -- & Mayor Yorty is certainly not voicing the sentiments of "the many!" -- I know because I live here too!

There hasn't been a day since tha monstrous day of infamy that my family & friends haven't wept -- & we shall mourn our beloved President Kennedy until we die.

You -- (the vast majority) in Texas have taught us something up here that I know "the many" have never felt prior to that infamous act in your city.

You've taught us to loathe the lowly ignorance of your citizens -- to loathe your lack of national respect -- & to loathe your complete absence of pride for your own country.

In bringing complete shame & disgrace to our country -- believe me -- you've all made Texas an extremely "dirty" word.

I understand that your newspapers were carrying on a campaign of editorial vilification prior to President Kennedys visit. A deliberate plan to incite the population to a greater degree of hostility then they already had.

And -- what about the fact that President Kennedy had been warned repeatedly not to visit Texas -- as it wouldn't be safe for him?-- This -- I read in our newspapers a few days before he made his fateful trip.

That must be a great place -- when our "commander in chief" is warned not to make a peaceful visit to Texas. It sounds more like the "dark ages" to me with a devil lurking in every corner. But then -- we now know what to expect from Texas -- with its overtones of violence and evil!

Since so many of your "well trained citizens of hate" have been "expectorating" on visiting dignitaries since 1960 -- including our now-President Johnson -- what could one expect?

Furthermore -- I don't believe that any of us will ever forget that Texas was ready to greet Kennedy with placards reading "traitor!" And what about the hate indoctrinated children who -- upon hearing of Kennedy's murder yelled "Yippee -- he's dead & we're free!" -- And -- Dallas wasn't the only city in Texas where that occurred.

I -- amongst many others consider Texas the "Venezuela of North America" -- & I do hold the citizens responsible for the overtly reprehensible acts of which the great majority of you are guilty!

Should I ever have the great misfortune of meeting a denizen from that state of hate -- shame -- & anarchy -- I shall wordlessly turn my head & leave them flat -- for I would rather be in the company of a leper with festering sores than what I consider to be unspeakable -- untouchable hoodlems! Yes -- hoodlems of a supposedly civilized country which they have reduced to less than nothing!

And in closing -- may I add -- that any future effort toward building a new "image" of Texas will only be met with failure!-- We've got the picture up here from every lousy rotten angle -- & we'll never forget it!

Most sincerely,

H____ Layton

 

From the Earl Cabell Collection, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University. Used with permission.