The State of Protest in America: 1970-2017
May 4th, 1970 - The only school shooting in American history the government and media want us to forget. The day the Nixon administration and the Governor of Ohio ordered armed troops and police present on an American college campus in response to a weekend of escalating violence stemming from anti war protests. On this day the crowd refused to disperse, 4 unarmed college students were gunned down in cold blood by our very own National Guard troops. Political dissent in America was now a crime, punishable by immediate execution.
A Gallup Poll showed that the public was outraged. However, they werent upset with their government or the National Guard, 58% of the public blamed the protesters for their own death. Only 11% placed the blame on the National Guard. Many people openly proclaimed that they wished more protesters would have died. The consensus of American public opinion was that war protesters deserved to die.
The fog of war trumped the Constitution on the campus of Kent State. The American people were polarized, divided into two warring tribes. Those who supported the government's use of force against Americans and those who opposed the violent actions of their government in America and abroad.
How much has changed in America since May 4th, 1970? America is still polarized. American citizens still protest their government. Although the issues of the division may be different today. There is still a movement to hold government officials accountable and there are still people who viamently oppose the idea of holding those in a position of authority accountable for their actions, they often say things like, "dont break the law." or "comply or die."
Today, the American government isn't openly organizing the execution of college students on campus. However, the number of Americans killed by their government unjustly is still an issue. Protests are still quelled with government sanctioned violence and militarized forces. What have we learned from the tragedy at Kent State? Why wasn't the public outraged? Could it happen again? 