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Kent State: The Taciturn of Political Dissent? America is a country that is founded on political dissent and Americans have always had the illusion of free speech.
Submitted by Charkisharki on March 12, 2008
Category: English
Words: 1025 | Pages: 5
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America is a country that is founded on political dissent and Americans have always had the illusion of free speech. But at what price does that freedom come by? How high emotions can run equates with the consequences of our actions. Sit-ins, breaking windows, and even arson, it all builds up to something uncontrollable.; fear from both sides, the people and the government. When does it become more than just sit-ins and picketing? When burning draft cards and chanting escalates in an already emotionally charged atmosphere? The Kent State shootings led to an escalation of student protest and changed the nature of political dissent to a far more adversarial, and non trusting "us versus them" mentality.
What was thought to be just another anti war college protest turned into something much more sinister. On Monday, May 4, 1970 the Ohio National Guard shot 13 students at Kent State University. Four were killed, nine wounded. One of the most shocking facts included is that two of the students killed had nothing to do with the protest. In the days leading up to the massacre, the ROTC building had been burned down (Barry 4) and in many other preceding protests the students were tear gassed. At one point students attempted to go to President White's house but the national guard intervened. The national guard and police struggled to keep peace and maintain order and though these shootings weren't justified, there was a lot of arson and organized groups on campus causing anarchy. The most startling question remained. Why the shots were fired. With students shot and killed over a hundred feet away and some wounded over 300 feet, it was a wonder if the guardsmen were truly scared for their lives or if emotions were running high and purely accidental. The stories changed but ultimately it ended in eight of the guardsmen being indicted by a grand jury and the claim that they fired in self defense. The defendants agreed they regretted their actions saying "the shootings...
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