Upon the solemn 42nd anniversary of the shootings at Kent State University we remember with love and compassion those who were affected. There are many of us who remember where we were when the news broke that the students had been killed. We will never forget how this tragedy changed our nation. News of the shootings sparked massive nation-wide protests and defined the way a generation of Americans interacted with its government.
What happened as a result of the shootings is well-documented. What we still don't know, to this day, is why the shootings took place. An audio recording of the events of May 4th may have answers.
The only known audio recording of those events was made by Terry Strubbe, who placed a microphone out of his window and recorded 29 minutes of audio. At least two copies of the Strubbe tape were made, with one ending up in Yale University's Kent State Collection in 1989. In 2010, the Cleveland Plain Dealer engaged forensic audio engineers to examine a copy of the Yale recording made by Alan Canfora, one of the thirteen victims of the Kent State shootings. That analysis found that shots were fired before the National Guard opened fire. That evidence could be significant, because it could connect an FBI paid informant who was on campus that day and who possessed a gun that might have been the one caught by Strubbe's microphone.
As Chairman of the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I requested that Yale University make another copy of the Strubbe tape to ensure its authenticity, and sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder requesting that the Department of Justice undertake a forensic analysis of this authenticated recording. The DOJ concluded that the tape was unintelligible, but that the sounds preceding the fire from the guardsmen were likely to be the sound of Strubbe's dorm room opening and closing.
Despite the detailed response from the Justice Department, significant questions remain. There was no attempt to reconcile major discrepancies in conclusions among expert analysts. The role of Terry Norman, the FBI informant on campus that day was not discussed. In order to lay these questions to rest, I wrote to the Justice Department requesting the full analysis used to reach their conclusions.
The Kent State shootings remain a significant event in American history, and my heart goes out to the families of those affected by this tragedy. Nothing less than a full investigation is warranted.
Follow Rep. Dennis Kucinich on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RepKucinich
George Hanson: They're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em.
Billy: Hey, man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody who needs a haircut.
George Hanson: Oh, no. What you represent to them is freedom.
Billy: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That's what it's all about.
George Hanson: Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what's it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it, that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.
Billy: Well, it don't make 'em runnin' scared.
George Hanson: No, it makes 'em dangerous.
Regardless, too much time has passed, people who might have had answers are dead, there will never be a definitive explanation because of all the zaniness. The result some may be looking for will not occur.
And at this point, what will it accomplsh? What will an apology do? Everyone knows the government sanctioned this in some from or another. As horrible as the Kent State massacre was it's a waste of resources to revisit it.
It is very important to keep this history alive, especially considering today's government's intrusive and suppressive tendencies. Occupy Wall Street is undoubtedly a target of government spying much like college protesters in 1970 were.
FYI - Dennis' District was combined with that of Nancy Kapur by a Republican State
Government, and she won the primary. The reason Dennis was targeted is clear: He's one of the few Federal Legislators that understands the issues and has the courage to act on his beliefs, which IMO are right on target.
Dennis, Russ Finegold and Alan Grayson are not going away. The Koch brothers hold on the USA's political system will be broken and Trolls like you can find something else equally useless to do to occupy your time.
Release the Pentagon 911 Videos ..... Release the Videos NOW !
Howard Scott Pearlman
Kent State made clear that the fate of JFK, RFK, and MLK could befall anyone who challenged power in America, and college kids were not immune to murder.
The picture you paint is vivid.