It doesn't take much, these days, so not your fault. That may have been the first time I have read an account from one of the guardsmen. As a mother and grandmother it guts me to imagine what those young men have dealt with since. A friend recently asked me if I got counseling after that. In 1970? We didn't know about such things then. Many people in my community thought more should have been shot and I was physically assaulted by a customer in my summer restaurant job. My reaction now is a desire to sit with that “young man” and hold his hand. Maybe we could cry together over what the world stole from us that day.
I was only 15, already a rabid news junkie, with 5 older siblings (19 to 22) including a brother in Vietnam. I still remember my shock, the sadness. I have been thinking about it almost constantly for the last week as I watch the police using excessive force on peaceful protests. I fear what could happen this summer when a deadly confrontation is exactly what this administration wants.
This article and the history of that day are an important heartbreak that we need to not turn away from...I was not there, but this piece combined with these times...the gravity of how we move through these next moments is palpable...thank you
Thank you for reading. I’m old enough to remember the heartbreak the country felt after this happened. I pray to god we don’t have to go through it again.
I read it this morning and it has stayed with me. I knew the military personnel involved would have had a variety of strong emotions tied to the event, but reading this brought my awareness to a whole other level.
My husband (who lost a brother in Vietnam) was tear gassed the following day at a protest at the U of AZ ROTC building and may never be ready to read this.
After all these years, it’s still far too raw.
I hold tight to the hope that no lives will be lost during our current crisis - and that the military personnel hold tight to their ethical standards and do nothing they will regret.
Your words mean more than I can say. The history we carry is not just found in books or documentaries,it lives in the grief, resilience, and unanswered questions of those who were there, those who lost, and those who still wrestle with its echoes today.
Your husband’s experience is a stark reminder of how deeply these moments cut, how long they linger. I fully respect that some wounds remain too raw, even after decades, and that remembrance is sometimes more about protection than revisiting.
I share your hope that history will not repeat in tragedy, that choices made in the heat of conflict will be guided by conscience rather than impulse, and that the weight of regret will never be added to those already carrying so much. Thank you for sharing this piece of your story.
It's stunning how many young people have never heard of the Kent State shooting. I recently read a thread of commentary from University of Michigan students. They were discussing current events. One participant referenced Kent State and SO many others had no idea what it was. I was shocked.
It's sobering, isn't it? The Kent State shooting was a defining moment,one of those tragedies that should never slip from collective memory. Yet here we are, watching history fade, replaced by algorithm-fed headlines and shrinking attention spans.
Maybe it's not just about Kent State, but about how we teach history,what gets preserved, what gets forgotten. If the lessons of May 4, 1970, don’t resonate, what else is being lost?
If younger generations don’t know, it’s on us to make sure they do. Because history doesn’t just repeat itself,it waits for ignorance to make it easy.
I was there that day in 1970, at the bottom of the hill. I am crying as I read this, like it was yesterday.
I’m sorry if this made you upset. I think you’ll agree, it’s a story the can’t be forgotten.
Never.
It doesn't take much, these days, so not your fault. That may have been the first time I have read an account from one of the guardsmen. As a mother and grandmother it guts me to imagine what those young men have dealt with since. A friend recently asked me if I got counseling after that. In 1970? We didn't know about such things then. Many people in my community thought more should have been shot and I was physically assaulted by a customer in my summer restaurant job. My reaction now is a desire to sit with that “young man” and hold his hand. Maybe we could cry together over what the world stole from us that day.
I get it. I was in D.C.
Had to be so much worse to be right there, to know people, to be so frightened and shocked. I’m sorry you have that memory. ❤️
I remember that day. The shock of it. May, 1970.
You have to be older, like me, to remember the shock and pain, and the aftershocks.
I don’t want another Kent State. Ever.
Me too. I started researching this article once this whole National Guard thing started.
I was only 15, already a rabid news junkie, with 5 older siblings (19 to 22) including a brother in Vietnam. I still remember my shock, the sadness. I have been thinking about it almost constantly for the last week as I watch the police using excessive force on peaceful protests. I fear what could happen this summer when a deadly confrontation is exactly what this administration wants.
Me too. Been thinking about it since all this started last Friday - not even a week ago.
It has that same ominous vibe. I bet we’re not the only ones.
It’s what I think of as the “Buffalo Springfield feeling”… as in, “Something’s happening here… What it is ain’t exactly clear…”
Unfortunately, this time, it’s crystal clear what’s happening here.
I am stunned. Remembering Ohio State like it was yesterday.
I remember clearly. The fault was put on the students, not the issue. Young people striving to do right. I cried, “No, no, no, no!”
Now, it’s happening again.
Extremely powerful piece!
Thank you
It's something you never forget. And now we have daily reminders. I fear the worst is yet to come. I hope I'm wrong.
https://youtu.be/4g7zF7-rJEc?si=qJq11qEQrw6JvhNa
Always good to see Neil!!
This article and the history of that day are an important heartbreak that we need to not turn away from...I was not there, but this piece combined with these times...the gravity of how we move through these next moments is palpable...thank you
Thank you for reading. I’m old enough to remember the heartbreak the country felt after this happened. I pray to god we don’t have to go through it again.
I apologize. I mistitled your text. I wrote "The girl in a dress" as I was offering you some coffee. I'm feeling so dumb and confused. I'm so sorry !
It’s all good😀😀
Oh what a relief to read this !!! Thanks !!!
So powerful. Well done, Sir!
I read it this morning and it has stayed with me. I knew the military personnel involved would have had a variety of strong emotions tied to the event, but reading this brought my awareness to a whole other level.
My husband (who lost a brother in Vietnam) was tear gassed the following day at a protest at the U of AZ ROTC building and may never be ready to read this.
After all these years, it’s still far too raw.
I hold tight to the hope that no lives will be lost during our current crisis - and that the military personnel hold tight to their ethical standards and do nothing they will regret.
Your words mean more than I can say. The history we carry is not just found in books or documentaries,it lives in the grief, resilience, and unanswered questions of those who were there, those who lost, and those who still wrestle with its echoes today.
Your husband’s experience is a stark reminder of how deeply these moments cut, how long they linger. I fully respect that some wounds remain too raw, even after decades, and that remembrance is sometimes more about protection than revisiting.
I share your hope that history will not repeat in tragedy, that choices made in the heat of conflict will be guided by conscience rather than impulse, and that the weight of regret will never be added to those already carrying so much. Thank you for sharing this piece of your story.
It's stunning how many young people have never heard of the Kent State shooting. I recently read a thread of commentary from University of Michigan students. They were discussing current events. One participant referenced Kent State and SO many others had no idea what it was. I was shocked.
Thanks for this article.
It's sobering, isn't it? The Kent State shooting was a defining moment,one of those tragedies that should never slip from collective memory. Yet here we are, watching history fade, replaced by algorithm-fed headlines and shrinking attention spans.
Maybe it's not just about Kent State, but about how we teach history,what gets preserved, what gets forgotten. If the lessons of May 4, 1970, don’t resonate, what else is being lost?
If younger generations don’t know, it’s on us to make sure they do. Because history doesn’t just repeat itself,it waits for ignorance to make it easy.