"Four dead in Ohio . . . ."

schwarcw

May 4, 1970, a few of us here are old enough to remember the tragedy 37 years ago. I was a freshman in college, we didn't have too many anti-war demonstrations. I was not a peace activist, I was probably a pro Viet Nam person. I had friends over there, lost friends over there, but I believed it was the right thing to make a stand against the threat of Communism. I remembered the Cuban missile crisis, the assassination of JFK and was very pro government.

When the Ohio National Guardsman killed four students at Kent State that day, I wasn't outraged. I figured that were out of control. After all the war protesters had burned the ROTC building in Michigan, sit ins, shut ins, etc. I thought it was all ****.

Today, I look back at it as a sad day for Americans. I feel for the families of those kids, the Guardsman, all of whom paid a high price for freedom. The freedom to express their opinions no matter what they are. There were very few stories written about this today. As I started to Google the opinions and commentaries about this shootings 37 years ago, I was startled that none of the news media bothered to mention the names of the four dead students who lost their lives that day.

Rest in peace: Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, Sandra Schuer and William Schroeder.

janmike

Well Carl, even though I am north of the 48th, hell I'm north of the 60th parallel, I clearly remember that day. I was your typical protesting student back then and that was a sad day indeed. Innocent people killed for a cause. Go figure. RIP all.

audiobliss

Hats off.

Willow

schwarcw wrote: »

Rest in peace: Jeffrey Miller, Allison Krause, Sandra Schuer and William Schroeder.

Thanks to you, they now will appear !

F1nut

A sad day indeed. RIP.

hearingimpared

Good one Carl, I had the same sentiments back then although I was younger than you. They'll post all this **** about Paris Hilton and the effing "Former, Current Alaska Lawmakers Charged" who really gives a rat's behind about this kind of crap. . . Rest in Peace you four. . .we remembered!

george daniel

Carl, I remember that day well, I was in the US Army,had orders to go to RVN,I'll never forget those days

schwarcw

George, thank you for your unselfish service to our country. I salute you.

That's Jeffrey Miller on the ground. He died from a bullet straight through his mouth. He died instantly. That famous photo was on the cover of Life magazine and won the photographer a Pulitzer prize. It captures the moment of terror, grief and disbelief for the female student. No one ever believed the Guardsman would shoot. This thread was not intended to pass judgment on anyone's actions. I just was saddened by the fact that none of the commentaries that were trying to draw parallels to the anti war movement now, to those crazy days of the late '60's and early '70's didn't have the decency to remember the dead and wounded students.

danger boy

forgive me for being so uninformed.. but is this the anniversary of the Kent State shootings?

We should never forget events like this one where innocent people gave their lives for standing up for what they believe. Throughout history we look back several years later and say "why?", how could we as humans let this happen?

It's good to remember those that are gone and paid the ultimate price, but also made history.. we should never forget what they stood up for.

janmike

As Carl indicated on the first post, May 4, 1970. - yesterday.

madmax

I was quite young at the time but later read a book about it. I almost went to college there but decided to go to one closer to home.
madmax