Eventually, Marguerite Oswald and her son, Lee, left New York and settled once again in his birthplace New Orleans. The Oswalds’ new living arrangements in the notorious French Quarter were, at the time, in the epicenter of the city’s underworld, populated by shady criminals. It is believed, however, that Lee Harvey Oswald himself may have been somewhat insulated from the world around him by a growing interest in left-wing politics.
Frontline PBS claims that John F. Kennedy’s killer became interested in politics and world affairs during this time, particularly when he learned about the execution of the accused Soviet spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. He later made the seemingly patriotic gesture of joining the U.S. Marines, where he became an accomplished sharpshooter. But he also became an avowed Marxist who would openly share his political affiliation with his fellow Marines. Later, Oswald defected to the USSR for a period of three years, and in 1963 he attempted to gain a visa to travel to communist Cuba.
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However, it would be wrong to describe Oswald’s motives in the assassination of Kennedy as truly political. As noted by the author Stephen King, whose novel “22/11/63” focuses on the horrifying events of that day, Oswald was at heart a damaged individual, who craved the adulation and attention that he was denied in the early years of his life (via The New York Times). “Damaged, dangerous people like Lee Harvey Oswald are loaded guns; the combination of hatred and political extremism is the trigger,” King wrote.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
