During the run of a previous incarnation of this poll, a majority of those who participated made it clear that to suggest Oswald and Ruby were not acquainted would be a minority opinion. My personal stance on this question is this:
While it may be possible, perhaps even plausible, that Jack Ruby and LHO were acquainted with each other, there is no indisputable evidence of which I'm aware that proves a) the nature/degree/details of that familiarity, b) whether any relationship/familiarity/knowledge or awareness actually existed, or c) it is necessary for these men to have had any relationship at all for Ruby to have killed Oswald on instruction from some other authority.
I am always willing to reconsider my positions. I have concluded that no relationship of any significance has been established between these individuals. I do not believe they knew each other. I do not believe that Jack Ruby was coerced, blackmailed, threatened, or hypnotized to kill Lee Harvey Oswald. I believe Jack Ruby was emotionally and mentally unstable, and that his act was a silver platter that fate gifted to those responsible for President Kennedy's removal.
If we relax the urgent necessity of assuming an association between Oswald and Ruby as part of the ultimate unraveling of these crimes, we eliminate one distracting and time-consuming misdirection which has taunted us during the many years of these investigations.
I could be wrong.
Thank you for participating.