Furious Twitter sleuths have complained that there was no need to classify the newly released JFK files – because some of the documents are ‘illegible’.
The US government released a mammoth, long-awaited trove of more than 2,800 secret files on the killing of president John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963.
But those scouring the National Archive files have already complained that many of the faded papers are impossible to read.
Many of the typed pages are too faded to decipher while some are in handwriting that Twitter users have described as ‘illegible’.
‘Furious Twitter sleuths have complained that there was no need to classify the newly released JFK files – claiming some of the documents are largely ‘illegible’. One of the pages is pictured
Those scouring the National Archive files have already complained that many of the faded papers are impossible to read
The US government released a mammoth, long-awaited trove of more than 2,800 secret files on the killing of president John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963
One Twitter used complained that there was ‘no need to classify’ the documents ‘because the writing is illegible’
Robyn Hammontree, took to Twitter to complain: ‘The main thing I’ve learned so far from the JFK docs is that there was no need to classify them because the writing is illegible.’
Another, Michael Shoag called the records ‘completely illegible’ and claimed this was because of ‘poor scans’ before suggesting: ‘Almost like they don’t want us to read them’.
Cray Llamas wrote that she was going to decipher the ‘so illegible’ files and joked: ‘See you in 20 years’.
One woman said she had 30 years experience as a teacher and while she could read ‘anyone’s writing. I can’t read this’.
The US government released a mammoth, long-awaited trove of secret files on the killing of president John F. Kennedy, offering intriguing new insights into events surrounding one of the most infamous assassinations in history.
While many of the 2,891 records released by the National Archives were raw intelligence and uncorroborated, they were almost certain to reinvigorate rampant conspiracy theories about the November 22, 1963 slaying of JFK in Dallas, Texas.
Another, Michael Shoag called the records ‘completely illegible’ and claimed this was because of ‘poor scans’ before suggesting: ‘Almost like they don’t want us to read them’
Others gave advice to sleuths on where to start with the files, warning that the first one is ‘handwritten and illegible’
The US government released a mammoth, long-awaited trove of secret files on the killing of president John F. Kennedy – but some are hard to read
One Twitter user joked that it could take her 20 years to decipher some of the illegible pages
Some Twitter users had sympathy for those given the task of deciphering the trove of documents
John McKinney called for a ‘transcriptionist’ to help decipher some of the poorer quality pages
One teacher said she had 30 years of experience deciphering handwriting – but said of the JFK files: ‘I can’t read this’
The released files are vast in number and scope, covering everything from FBI directors’ memos to interviews with members of the public in Dallas who came forward trying to provide clues after that singularly unforgettable moment in US history.
Trump said in a memorandum he had agreed to hold back for further review some records relating to the killing following pushback from intelligence agencies.
‘I have no choice – today – but to accept those redactions rather than allow potentially irreversible harm to our nation’s security,’ he said.
Trump gave agencies six months – until April 26, 2018 – to make their case for why the remaining documents should not be made public.
The 2,891 records approved for release in compliance with a 1992 act of Congress are viewable on the National Archives website, in full and unredacted form.