May 4
Though many folks revel in the fourth of May's rechristening as the May the Fourth be With You Day, complete with Star Wars costumes and movie marathons, for me it will always resonate with the shootings at Kent State University, 45 years ago in 1970.
In 1991, I was a returning student at Kent State University, studying music. Being a history buff, I was curious about the shootings twenty years before, and it turned out I walked past the site of the shootings every day on my way from the house I was living in off-campus to the School of Music. I thought it sad that the spots where young people needlessly died had cars parked on them with engine oil leaking on them (since I graduated, the spots where they died have been blocked off to cars).
I regularly attended the annual commemorations, usually dry affairs of speakers saying "Never again," and "They will not be forgotten." I even sang background vocals in a chorus for Peter, Paul, and Mary as they sang "Blowin' in the Wind" at the 25th commemoration which included more high profile speakers (former senator Howard Metzenbaum and Mary Ann Vecchio, the horrified girl in the famous photo of the shooting. She was a 14-year old runaway who happened to be in Kent the horrible day 45 years ago).
Though I was not given to thoughts on mortality at that point in my life, a couple things resonated at the vigils. They began with a candlelit procession around the university campus, ending at the spots where the four kids where killed. When the procession arrived one year, I noticed one member looked exactly like one of the kids, Jeff Miller, would look 25 years later. At first I thought it was his father, but realized it was his brother. Another year I took a one hour vigil in the middle of the night holding a candle at the spot where William Schroeder died. The spot was surrounded by candles left behind by people in the procession. As I stood there, some candles waned and fizzled out. It made me think of lives, once shining brightly, fizzling out to nothing. Back then, I thought of the victim's lives. Now middle-aged, I think of my own life.
I was surprised at opinions of people in northeast Ohio about the shootings both at the time of the shootings and when I lived there. Some older folks thought the kids had was coming to them for making trouble. Even other students who sang background vocals in the chorus thought it was the students' fault that they were shot, for causing trouble. In some ways the division of opinion on the shooting conforms with the divisions in opinion on the assorted cultural issues that divide the US today.
Though I am not usually swayed by the opinions of Pat Buchanan, his comments on a PBS special "The Day the Sixties Died" are rather appropriate. He pointed out that, in response to the shootings at Kent State University and Jackson State University in Mississippi a week later (usually forgotten, as the victims were black), as well as the other unrest in the US at the time, there was a conservative shift in politics in the US, in many ways the creation of Pat Buchanan's boss, Richard Nixon. His Southern Strategy to build Republican support in national races spread beyond the borders of Dixie. Conservatives became gradually more successful in being elected and pushing their mostly economic agenda. One look at state and federal legislatures and the string of conservative presidents in the past 40 years shows the long term effect.
At the same time the conservatives were ascendant in politics, there was a liberal shift in culture, found at first in academia and the media, but gradually spreading through society. As people became more educated and more informed and lived in more heterogeneous communities, values and culture slowly changed, leading, albeit gradually, to a more liberal and accepting society, embracing more diversity and rights for all. It seems that positive change generally takes a long time, whereas negative change tends to be instantaneous.
Looking at pictures of the commemoration yesterday, the events appear sparsely attended, especially for a year that is a multiple of five (those years usually get more attention). The now middle-aged siblings of the victims spoke on the Commons (an open field on campus) to a sparse crowd of people sitting on blankets, resembling a scene at a picnic or outdoor amphitheater concert. Lectures later in the day appeared emptier than when I was there 20 years ago. Though it is likely the commemoration will continue in future years, I have to wonder whether the speakers who say "They will not be forgotten" are being a tad optimistic.
In 1991, I was a returning student at Kent State University, studying music. Being a history buff, I was curious about the shootings twenty years before, and it turned out I walked past the site of the shootings every day on my way from the house I was living in off-campus to the School of Music. I thought it sad that the spots where young people needlessly died had cars parked on them with engine oil leaking on them (since I graduated, the spots where they died have been blocked off to cars).
 |
| The view of the parking lot from where the National Guard opened fire. The sculpture on the left still has a bullet hole. |
 |
| Mary Ann Vecchio at the scene of the shooting. |
I was surprised at opinions of people in northeast Ohio about the shootings both at the time of the shootings and when I lived there. Some older folks thought the kids had was coming to them for making trouble. Even other students who sang background vocals in the chorus thought it was the students' fault that they were shot, for causing trouble. In some ways the division of opinion on the shooting conforms with the divisions in opinion on the assorted cultural issues that divide the US today.
Though I am not usually swayed by the opinions of Pat Buchanan, his comments on a PBS special "The Day the Sixties Died" are rather appropriate. He pointed out that, in response to the shootings at Kent State University and Jackson State University in Mississippi a week later (usually forgotten, as the victims were black), as well as the other unrest in the US at the time, there was a conservative shift in politics in the US, in many ways the creation of Pat Buchanan's boss, Richard Nixon. His Southern Strategy to build Republican support in national races spread beyond the borders of Dixie. Conservatives became gradually more successful in being elected and pushing their mostly economic agenda. One look at state and federal legislatures and the string of conservative presidents in the past 40 years shows the long term effect.
At the same time the conservatives were ascendant in politics, there was a liberal shift in culture, found at first in academia and the media, but gradually spreading through society. As people became more educated and more informed and lived in more heterogeneous communities, values and culture slowly changed, leading, albeit gradually, to a more liberal and accepting society, embracing more diversity and rights for all. It seems that positive change generally takes a long time, whereas negative change tends to be instantaneous.
Looking at pictures of the commemoration yesterday, the events appear sparsely attended, especially for a year that is a multiple of five (those years usually get more attention). The now middle-aged siblings of the victims spoke on the Commons (an open field on campus) to a sparse crowd of people sitting on blankets, resembling a scene at a picnic or outdoor amphitheater concert. Lectures later in the day appeared emptier than when I was there 20 years ago. Though it is likely the commemoration will continue in future years, I have to wonder whether the speakers who say "They will not be forgotten" are being a tad optimistic.
Comments
Post a Comment