Lessons of Kent State Still Important 36 Years Later

[kerrygoddess]

Lessons of Kent State Still Important 36 Years Later
May 4th, 2006 @ 9:43 am

Today marks the 36 year anniversary of the incident at Kent State, that is seared in the memories of so many across our country. It’s implications are strong still today, because as we enter into our third year in an unjust war, we see an administration today, that treats dissenters not unlike they were treated in the ’70’s. John Kerry in a poignant speech on April 22, reflected on the “right and responsibility to speak out.”

“I have come here today to reaffirm that it was right to dissent in 1971 from a war that was wrong. And to affirm that it is both a right and an obligation for Americans today to disagree with a President who is wrong, a policy that is wrong, and a war in Iraq that weakens the nation.”

A journalism major at Emerson College, Michael Corcoran, tells us in an OP/ED today, that “Kent State should remind us of what happens when a grossly misguided war divides a country.”

If we can speak candidly and openly about our history and our present — even the worst elements of it — then we can ensure that the lives lost on May 4, 1970, were not in vain.

Corcoran implores the youth of America, to not “ignore the lessons of Kent State.” He says, “The same mindset and failure in leadership that led National Guardsmen to fire at students of the same age and from the same Ohio hometowns is similar to what led US soldiers to torture detainees in Iraq.”

“Consider the similarities,” Corcoran tells us, “In 1970, just as today, we had an unpopular president carrying out an unpopular war for questionable reasons.”

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2865

[karendc]

1. My own memories

here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/5/4/164742/6170

[kerrygoddess]

2. Thanks for sharing that

I'm surprised not too many bloggers have mentioned it today. Just heard Thom Hartman while driving in the car, talking about it.

[zann725]

3. That WAS my generation. People from my high school went to Kent those yrs

Immediately right after that incident/'accident'(?), campus dissent stopped almost immediately. Clearly the "problem" went on, and has now come out of remission FULLY. Our now aging Boomers clearly remember it (if only subliminally, yet clearly)
...fear it, and no doubt is one of their 'justifications' to postpone dissent to eerily similar, intolerable Admin/War situation.

That is NOT an acceptable justification, yet...

[karynnj]

4. I can imagine how intense that was at Kent State

I was at IU. One similarity of our campus was that the center of campus had a huge meadow, where all protest rallies were held. To get to classes, we cut through the meadow. So, the fact that one girl was simply going to class made it even more terrifying. (Not that any one should have faced bullets, it was just that this made life seem less controlable.) The day after Kent State, some kids were afraid to leave the dorms - even though IU had had no violence. The administration itself because of this organisized a candle light rally. It really was needed, both to show that the administration condoned peaceful protest and to make students feel safe in their University home again.

(