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Kent State

Kent State. Christina McGuinness. Justification?. The events at Kent State weren’t justified Protesters unarmed; National guard not needed Shots should not have been fired No command and control. Reason behind Protesting.

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Kent State

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  1. Kent State Christina McGuinness

  2. Justification? • The events at Kent State weren’t justified • Protesters unarmed; National guard not needed • Shots should not have been fired • No command and control

  3. Reason behind Protesting • Student riot started the day after Nixon ordered the invasion of Cambodia

  4. Why were guards sent? • After meeting with other city officials, Mayor Satrom decided to ask for the National Guard. • Threats were made to downtown businesses and city officials that “radical revolutionaries” were going to destroy the city (THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY…)

  5. Why were guards sent? • Mayor Satrom asked for the guards to be sent in because he was scared things would escalate • The Guards were close to Kent State so it didn’t take long for them to deploy to the campus • Local police may not have been enough… (THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY…)

  6. May 4th Rally Banned • It’s not clear who banned the rally, but many suspect the Governor, based on his feelings toward student protestors. • The rally of May 4th was banned because violence might have occurred • Others thought it should’ve been banned because of the tensions it created as well (THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY…)

  7. Right to gather • "(Student radicals are) the worst type of people that we harbor in America... We are going to eradicate the problem, we're not going to treat the symptoms." — Governor James Rhodes of Ohio, May 3, 1970 • By “eradicating” the problem, you’re taking away freedom of speech • Being told not to protest is against the 1st Amendment

  8. “Pigs off campus! We don’t want your war”(Kent State shootings) • The rally was peaceful until the ROTC Building was burned down and the national guard came • Students… • threw rocks • threw back tear gas • taunted the guardsmen • ...National Guardsmen to get them off campus

  9. “Pigs off campus! We don’t want your war” • Only 1 guard was hurt enough that he had to sit out for 15 minutes • He later shot the student who was taunting him earlier, 70 ft. away (Diemer.ca)

  10. Loss of command and control • Guardsmen took advantage of weaponry • No order to fire had been given • Things escalated quickly

  11. shots are fired • There was no need to fire weapons at the students, who weren't armed “Some of the Guardsmen on Blanket Hill, fearful and anxious from prior events, may have believed in their own minds that their lives were in danger. Hindsight suggests that another method would have resolved the confrontation.” statement signed by all Ohio national guard (THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY…)

  12. Shots are fired • There wasn’t a command to open fire • Most of the men were turned away from the students when shots were fired • The distance between the guards and students was constant and no one attempted to attack a guard (Diemer.ca)

  13. Students killed • The students weren’t that close to the guards when they were fatally injured (closest being 270 ftand farthest 390 ft) • They were all near Prentice Hall when they died • The names of the 4 students… • Jeffrey Miller • Allison Krause • William Schroeder • Sandra Scheuer (THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY…)

  14. “This should remind us all once again that when dissent runs into violence, it invites tragedy” (Richard, Nixon)

  15. Nixon’s statement • “THIS should remind us all once again that when dissent turns to violence, it invites tragedy. It is my hope that this tragic and unfortunate incident will strengthen the determination of all the Nation's campuses--administrators, faculty, and students alike--to stand firmly for the right which exists in this country of peaceful dissent and just as strongly against the resort to violence as a means of such expression.” (Richard, Nixon)

  16. Works cited • Diemer, Ulli. "Diemer.ca." the Truth About Kent state review. N.p., 2007. Web. 7 Jun 2012. <http://www.diemer.ca/Docs/Diemer-KentState.htm>. • "dept.kent.edu." THE MAY 4 SHOOTINGS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY: THE SEARCH FOR HISTORICAL ACCURACY. the Ohio council for the social studies review, n.d. Web. 10 Jun 2012. <http://dept.kent.edu/sociology/lewis/lewihen.htm>. • Richard Nixon: "Statement on the Deaths of Four Students at Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.," May 4, 1970. • Burg, David F. "Kent State shootings." Encyclopedia of Student and Youth Movements. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1998. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http:www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE52&iPin=student00387&SingleRecord=True (accessed June 11, 2012)

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