Dear Friend and Listener:
Please pardon one last inbox intrusion for the weekend, unless there is a breaking story. This pertains to the Kent State anniversary.
When the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed Kent State students on May 4, 1970, we lived through one of the darkest days in American history — and there have been many. Students Allison Krause, 19, Jeffrey Glenn Miller, 20, and Sandra Lee Scheuer, 20, died on the scene, while William Knox Schroeder, 19, was pronounced dead at Robinson Memorial Hospital in nearby Ravenna shortly afterward.
Please listen to my interview with Allison’s sister Laurel, which is part of last night’s Planet Waves FM. You may listen to my first interview with her here, from 2018.
On that edition I also interview Gerald Casale, bass player for the band DEVO. He and several of his future band mates were on that lawn and survived the massacre — and decided that day to do something productive with their lives.
The two most disturbing facts I learned yesterday speaking with Laurel were that there was a known provocateur on the lawn that day, who fired one or more shots that where then used as an excuse to open fire. I knew about the command — but not the first shots, nor that they were fired by a known COINTELPRO informant.
Second, I learned that Allision may have been specifically targeted, as the official agenda called for neutralizing anti-war student protesters unaffiliated with any group or organization. This is not easy subject matter. I understand if you don’t want to listen.
The conversation is gentle and I think suitable for young adults.
Thank you. — efc
RELATED:
Statement of Vassar College President Elizabeth H. Bradley, May 2, 2024
Recent heartbreaking headlines from campuses across the country exemplify the tragic consequences when college campuses cease to have dialogue and fail to imagine creative ways forward. I, along with the senior leadership team, am committed to resolving these issues in ways that allow our relationships across the college community to endure and even flourish. I ask every student, faculty member, and employee to help us avoid the divisiveness that has beset many campuses. We have had too much tragedy already this year. Let us be creative and wise enough to bridge our differences.
Kent State: This History Must Be Known