There is not much stronger bond than the ties we have to our families. And it seems to be the same for the "Public Enemies" even as they were on the lam, on the run or in hiding, often putting themselves and their families in grave danger.

Please comment, share thoughts and/or opinions about them trying to keep in touch with those they loved.

I forgot to add this youtube link of his father speaking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxAD2keR_oE

I think it supports that they loved their families but were somewhat victims of the times. I try to put myself in these families' shoes, and I probably would have done the same. I think it was sad that JD's father just wanted Dillinger to reassure him that he didn't killl anyone. I might be wrong, but didn't Dillinger purposely stay away from his family shortly before he died so as not to endanger them?

-Donna

I think the last few weeks he did stay away, after the big family get-together as Bryan notes in early June that Johnnie sent a note to his father using O'Leary.

But so many visited with family members so often, I was amazed.

Bonnie and Clyde also stayed close to family.

I wonder what the family members of these public enemies thought about their loved ones?

Don't we all have those "ties" that take us to where we grew up? They weren't any different. I mean, family, wives and girlfriends were all they had that was average, normal, like everybody else. Is that right?

I think the close family ties enabled Dilligner to maintain a sense of acceptance, a brief period of pure happiness and purpose for his actions. On page 283 Burrough draws a picture of Dillinger lying on the living room couch surrounded by his family laughing at his exploits from a pile of papers his dad had saved-perfect example of "ego massage". Dillinger made sure his family thought he still had some sort of moral code when he told his beloved niece Mary that he never killed anyone and never would (p.284) and when he presented Billie as his "wife". The family members knew that happy-go-lucky Dillinger was a farce when they saw him become tense and nervous when a plane was flying over the farm and when FBI cars were seen in the area during the family visit (p.281-286). I think that Dillinger's dad unconditionally loved him (as Depp often states about the importance of family) but also did not excuse his crimes-he would face the consequences as his dad feared on page 410 when he learned of Dillinger's death. I really enjoyed the way Burrough's took time to research the family ties of all the main gangsters in the book-makes them easier to relate to as people not just as amoral goons with submachine guns. :) Anne r

That's right. It was important to him, I mean like you said about him wanting family to see he had a moral code. I agree that Burrough did great showing us how important is was to Dillinger that family thought Billie was his wife. Burrough found a realism in these guys.

Remember George Jung's family in BLOW---how his mother turned him into the police when he returned home? It's interesting to me that these families didn't think of turning in their children. I still wonder what I would do if in that position. It is interesting, as Heidi/Anne have said, that no matter what happens, these "criminals" had families that saw their children in a different way.

You're right Karen---it was interesting that B&C visited home so often, especially after their cold blooded killings. Those 2 & BFN were my least favorites out of the bunch.

-Donna

Oh man, so many times during the reading of PE, I wondered what I would do if my boys were into bank robbing and murder. I remember, as my kids were growing up and getting into trouble, I told them not to use their only phone call on me; I wouldn't bail them out. Tough talk from me, but I wasn't sure if I had the backbone to follow through. Fortunately, my kids never got into that much trouble, and I didn't have to find out. (Breathing heavy sigh of relief! They've grown into fine young men with families of their own.) I think I would want them to just stay away from me. I really don't think I could turn in my own kids. Staying away would be the best option.