Despite all the political ramifications of the tragedy at Kent State, what it really comes down to is a very personal issue. Every parent sends a child to school thinking he or she will be safe. What happened at Kent State that day is every parent’s worst nightmare, but the fact that the four died at the hands of National Guardsmen still is a national disgrace, a travesty that has never been fully addressed. Those parents sent children off to college, and they were never coming home. Not because of an accident or because the kids did something stupid, but rather because they got caught up in moment that was supposed to be for peace, but it ended up like a war.
With the Guardsmen having been exonerated in criminal court, eventually the families did get a modest financial settlement, but this is nothing considering these people lost their children. Forty years later, those faces stare out at the world like the faces of any young people wanting and hoping for the best things in life; however, they would never be able to know anything past that May 4 in 1970.
Every American is called to remember those fallen in battles fought for this country. We even have an official American holiday, Memorial Day, that honors those soldiers who have died in conflicts. Well, May 4 should be a day to remember those four American kids who died in a different kind of battle: a battle for free speech, freedom of expression, and a push for peace.
We must remember the stories of Allison Krause, William Schroeder, Jeffrey Miller, and Sandra Scheuer. They were murdered on American soil, but their blood will not have been spilt in vain as long as their story is always told to honor their memory and in order prevent such a senseless travesty from ever happening again.
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Article comments
1 - Ruvy
Well written article, Victor. I remember that day also. The day after the shooting, the entire City University of New York went on strike. Two of the colleges, Lehman and Baruch, stayed on strike for the rest of the semester. The "P's" on my transcript (for "pass") from that semester testify to the fact that no finals were given in the Spring Semester of 1970 at Lehman College.
It turned out that the National Guardsmen had been sent from a strike in Ohio that threatened to turn violent - but didn't. This was the reason they had live ammo in their guns. Beyond this, the why's and wherefore's of all this are beyond me - but I, attending college at the time, got one message loud and clear. Revolution and civil disobedience was something one should do with the clear knowledge that one could die in the process. That little fact has remained with me for the last forty years, and has helped shape my attitudes.
2 - Jet Gardner
Jet submitted this to Digg and wrote: Victor Lana, one of BlocCritic's best writers, pens a rememberance of that fateful day at Kent State that inspired a generation to pay attention to the world around them
3 - Jet Gardner
Ruvy if you liked it so much why didn't you digg it?
4 - Victor Lana
Thanks very much, Jet.
5 - roger nowosielski
Thanks for remembering Kent State, Victor. Speaking for myself, it was this event, more than anything else, that turned me around.
6 - El Bicho
Touching remembrance, Victor.
Jet, if you are trying to help, it would be beneficial if you knew how to spell and punctuate the site's name properly.
7 - Kate
Kent State raised questions about the use of military action in a strictly civilian setting - questions still not answered. Thanks for noting the anniversary!
8 - Arch Conservative
"We must remember the stories of Allison Krause, William Schroeder, Jeffrey Miller, and Sandra Scheuer."
We must also remember Vicky Weaver.
9 - zingzing
even if we can't remember how to spell her name, eh, archie?
10 - Arch Conservative
Touche.
I sure as shit never spell Lon Horiuchi wrong though!
11 - zingzing
neither do i...