Kent State

[H2O Man]

Earlier today, there was a thread reminding DUers about the shootings at Kent State. I was thinking about them today as I drove with my son, a college student, and one of his friends. I asked them if they knew what special event in our nation's history took place on this date? Neither did.

Thus, I have looked through my library and found two books that they should read. The first is James Michener's "Kent State: What Happened and Why." (Fawcett Crest; 1971) It is, in my opinion, simply the best book on the events that led California Governor Ronald Reagan to say, "Maybe a little bloodshed in the streets will do these students some good."

That bizarre attitude is also reflected in one selection from Harrison Salisbury's "The Eloquence of Protest: Voices of the 70's." (Houghton Mifflin; 1972) In it, there is a strange letter from Dr. Paul Williamson of McComb, Mississippi to his son, a college student. Dr. Williamson decided to publish his letter in a small medical newsletter he edited, and it would become well-known as a result. In it, he calls his son "Snap" :

"The duly constituted authorities have been merciful beyond belief -- far to merciful, I think -- with students. Obviously, this patience is coming to an end. Snap, I have seldom heard of a student being shot at his study desk. When he goes in the open and contests the ground with the National Guard, he may very likely be shot -- and very rightly.

"Let us take, for example, that sweet little girl in Kent, Ohio. .... if she had been studying -- doing what her parents were paying for her to accomplish -- would she have died? ... In this case, the girl was a revolutionary and she got exactly what a revolutionary should expect.

"The same, Snap, would be true of you. If you care to challenge the US government, this is your affair. If you get killed doing it .... Mother and I will grieve but we will gladly buy a dinner for the National Guardsman who shot you.

"I am sorry for the colored boys who were killed at Jackson. .... I thought the duly constituted authorities were most gentle to take only two ...."

Of course, anyone riding in my vehicle, or who was within earshot, heard Neil Young's "Ohio" today.

[acmejack]

1. I am sorry for a Son with a Father such as that

Poor Snap, your Father is a mean spirited "patriot". The National Guard should not be about killing our children at their school places. Our Government should not be about killing US at all.

[H2O Man]

2. I find it

singular that the rigis doctor would call his son "Snap." What are the odds on that?

[ewagner]

3. I feel guilty

because I haven't kept the memory of those days alive for my son and all of his generation....

We were a proud, vocal generation back then....but we haven't adequately trained the generation to take over for us.......so...

we still fight....

[H2O Man]

5. Besides "Ohio" ...

... I also got out Steppenwolf's "Monster." I've got my old, old album, and a couple years back got it on CD. It still holds:

America where are you now
Don't you care about your sons and daughters
Don't you know we need you now
We can't fight alone against the monster.

Years ago, my associate who often reads DU, and who has only posted about a dozen messages (Baggins9), visited the campus and took some interesting photos. I'll have to see if I can find one in particular. I think people our age would really enjoy it.

[NorCalDem]

4. I think Kent State is in Ohio

and Gov. James Rhodes called in the National Guard. Reagan sent the NG to Telegraph Ave/Sproul Plaza to tear gas Berkeley Students :D

[H2O Man]

6. While that is correct,

the fact remains that people outside of Ohio heard about Kent State. Governor Reagan's statement was about the students killed there.

[DELUSIONAL]

10. I was a college student in California -- and yes Ray-gun

made that remark.

There was joy among some of the Ray-gun gang when the students at Kent State were murdered by the US Government -- using trigger happy N. Guards to murder CITIZENS of their own country.

Even today people don't understand what happened.

I still remember where I was and what I was doing when Kennedy was murdered -- I also remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard the news of college students gunned down by murdering cowards.

Ray-Gun was at war with college students. San Jose State University was was of the leaders in the anti-war movement. Ray-gun and Nixon came to town one day and incited a riot of the students by flashing the peace sign etc. The old white fat guys driving the freeways had hateful bumper stickers -- Nixon and Ray-gun had turned college students into the "other". It was o.k. to murder college students. And Ray-gun was at war with the college system. As another poster reminded us -- Ray-gun helped to end free and cheap college educations.

It was not a pleasant time to be a college student -- at the same time we were going to college with Vietnam Vets (the G.I. bill). I'd say that the mood against the war on colleges was in large part due to the men who had been in Vietnam and knew the truth. And it shocked the Vietnam Vets that their government would murder American Citizens.

Kent State is still an open wound -- the murdering N. Guard should have been jailed and they should still be in jail.

[NorCalDem]

13. got it :)

just confused because I always credit reagan with tear gassing students, not necessarily killing them :D

[kpete]

7. I remember it as though it was yesterday

Neil Young has helped to keep the memory alive.

Thanks for this post...

[Catrina]

8. I wonder where Snap is today? I did read the thread on Kent State

last night. It made me think that although things are pretty bad now, they were, apparently, much worse back then ~

I was intrigued also, by the FBI plant who was there with a gun ~ supposedly taking pictures. It's so incredible that schools in this so-called democracy are infiltrated by the FBI, military recruiters, and I found out, in some instances headed by former CIA agents (we discovered that when doing research on Nick Berg. There was a CIA link through all of the four colleges he attended, as I recall ~

I do feel a shift in the public's attitude lately. Today, with the protestors, including Ray McGovern, finally facing Rumsfeld with his lies, something the press knew about but never confronted him with. Then there was the man who challenged Bush a few weeks ago, telling him how the people feel.

Stephen Cobert also, and Cindy Sheehan last summer. I wonder if they would do it again, shoot people in the streets maybe, or on college campuses.

I read that Rumsfeld and Cheney were with Nixon when he made the decision regarding the NG. I have no doubt that those two, who have such little regard for life, would happily send out the troops against the American people.

I looked for more information on Cheney and Rumsfeld's part in the Nixon administration, particularly around the time of the Kent State shootings, but didn't find much so far.

If you get killed doing it .... Mother and I will grieve but we will gladly buy a dinner for the National Guardsman who shot you.

Snap's father was not a patriot ~ he didn't understand how democracy works. He gave his son conditional love. I've met fathers like that ~ their sons don't seem to do very well in life. So sad!

[alfredo]

9. The closest victim was 90 yards away from the Guardsmen. 7 of the

11 shot were either shot in the side or the back. Some threat. I believe one girl that got killed was not demonstrating, she was walking between classes.

I gave temporary shelter (in Detroit) to some Kent State Students who left town after the murders. A professor also escaped to Detroit. He was standing next to a fellow observer when the shooting began. the person next to him got shot. All were very traumatize.

I believe John Mitchell was the one that ordered the shootings. Whether he was the originator of the order or he was passing it along, I don't know.

The murders in Augusta were not covered because they were black. The ones murdered were looking through a plate glass window. They were no threat to anyone.

[stop the bleeding]

11. I was listening to "Ohio" yesterday, 2 versions

I am too young to have a memory of The Kent State Protest, but I did remind my lady that today was the day.

Let us not forget those who have come before us.O8)

[Terran1212]

12. Have you seen Thank You For Smoking?

You'll know why I ask if you have seen it.

[kath]

14. Yes, and I remember they showed a photo of the NG shooting the students at

Kent State, but I'm blanking out as to what the commentary about the photo was.
Help me out here.

(Loved that movie, BTW)