Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

tulipsandroses

(5,093 posts)
Wed Jun 3, 2020, 11:57 PM Jun 2020

This Is How Kent State Happened It's happening again.

I cannot get past the parallels between what Trump has said over the last week and what Ohio governor Jim Rhodes said in a speech on Sunday, May 3, 1970:

The scene here that the city of Kent is facing is probably the most vicious form of campus-oriented violence yet perpetrated by dissident groups and their allies in the state of Ohio. . . . Now it ceases to be a problem of the colleges in Ohio. This is now the problem of the state of Ohio. Now we’re going to put a stop this, for this reason. The same group that we’re dealing with here today, and there’s three or four of them, they only have once thing in mind. That is to destroy higher education in Ohio. . . .

Last night I think that we have seen all forms of violence, the worst. And when they start taking over communities, this is when we’re going to use every weapon of the law-enforcement agencies of Ohio to drive them out of Kent. . . .
They’re worse than the brownshirts and the Communist element and also the night riders and the vigilantes. They’re the worst type of people that we harbor in America. . . . It’s over with in Ohio. . . . I think that we’re up against the strongest, well-trained, militant revolutionary group that has ever assembled in America. . .
We’re going to eradicate the problem, we’re not going to treat the symptoms.
The governor’s speech was broadcast not only to the press and the voters, but was piped into the National Guard’s bivouac on the campus of Kent State University.

On the next day, May 4, 1970, a group of National Guardsmen fired indiscriminately into a group of unarmed students on the Kent State campus at a moment when the students presented no immediate threat. They killed four of the students and wounded nine others.

[link:https://thebulwark.com/newsletter-issue/this-is-how-kent-state-happened/|

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
This Is How Kent State Happened It's happening again. (Original Post) tulipsandroses Jun 2020 OP
Exactly and then BittyJenkins Jun 2020 #1
Jackson State Divad123 Jun 2020 #2
White privilege makes a Mississippi massacre less newsworthy than one in Ohio. Alex4Martinez Jun 2020 #3
I was thinking of Kristin Lems' song, "I Wasn't Surprised" earlier today. In it, she references niyad Jun 2020 #8
I've been haunted Archetypist Jun 2020 #4
4 people died at Kent State in 1970. Laelth Jun 2020 #5
I think the point of the article, is Donald Trump calling on armed forces to quell protest tulipsandroses Jun 2020 #6
Point taken. I don't disagree. Laelth Jun 2020 #9
This message was self-deleted by its author geralmar Jun 2020 #7
Interesting timing. Corgigal Jun 2020 #10
Still just breaks my heart. smirkymonkey Jun 2020 #12
Except all hell will break loose if the shoot protesters now. roamer65 Jun 2020 #11
This is how Tiananmen Square happened MoonlitKnight Jun 2020 #13
Kick burrowowl Jun 2020 #14
 

Divad123

(93 posts)
2. Jackson State
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:05 AM
Jun 2020

Most folks of a certain age remember Kent state, but how many remember Jackson state, where troops in Jackson Ms started FIRING INTO THE DORMS and killed several students.

niyad

(112,435 posts)
8. I was thinking of Kristin Lems' song, "I Wasn't Surprised" earlier today. In it, she references
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:27 AM
Jun 2020

Jackson State, amoung so many atrocities. The list is endless, and growing daily.

tulipsandroses

(5,093 posts)
6. I think the point of the article, is Donald Trump calling on armed forces to quell protest
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:23 AM
Jun 2020

Not so much how many people died there vs now. Its what can happen when you bring in armed forces to quell protests.

Laelth

(32,017 posts)
9. Point taken. I don't disagree.
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:30 AM
Jun 2020

But, as bad as the Kent State massacre was, I don’t want anyone to believe that our current situation isn’t utterly dangerous, already more deadly, and far more serious. It is. Face it, hippies and love children. 2020 is FAR WORSE than even your most precious and well-beloved “resistance” years.

-Laelth

Response to tulipsandroses (Original post)

Corgigal

(9,291 posts)
10. Interesting timing.
Thu Jun 4, 2020, 12:35 AM
Jun 2020

I just shared this on my Facebook page, with a warning to all the young Americans. They would do it again in a heartbeat.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»This Is How Kent State Ha...