Kent State by James Michener

This book written by James Michener in the aftermath of the May, 1970 shootings at the Ohio college is very well written. Michener, an author, whose books I devoured in my twenties acted the part of historian, sociologist and concerned citizen to try to shine a light on the events of that weekend.

Always being a history buff I wrote a paper on the Kent State events in college and this book was a resource I used. Michener writes in an evenhanded way, having sympathy for the dead students, but recognizing that the events could be interpreted by others as being justified.

For Middle America in the late sixties America was unraveling. Just twenty years after the end of World War II the American Dream that had been enjoyed was dismissed as meaningless to a minority of the young. It should be stressed it was always a minority who demonstrated, but the majority of the youth were against the war. The Vietnam War permeated everything. The Smothers Brothers were kicked off television despite great ratings because of the political material, Laugh In was less obvious but also full of subversive humor if one looked.

Into this environment President Nixon, elected in 1968 with a secret plan to end the war, admitted on the last day of April, 1970 in a televised address that American troops were in Cambodia rooting out Vietnamese rebels.

I have often stated that had we the draft today the wars we have in the Middle East would have died long ago. Americans today can justify military deaths by stating that the serviceman knew what they were in for when they volunteered and to some extent that is true. However by not having a draft we are isolated from the cost in blood of our adventures.

The draft in 1970 was the issue. The events are well known. That the Guard acted in a way that was inappropriate seems clear. I felt that way in the eighties and feel that way now. I am glad my perspective has not changed greatly. I do have more sympathy however for the citizens of Kent and the folks of Middle America from my perspective and age of 2011 however. When I see my son with his pants bagging and hat on backwards I am bothered. Were my daughter when she is in high school start talking in four letter F words I would be mortified. I think the culture of rap music is degrading and valueless but realize that is not far from the comments that the rock and roll I treasure was just noise.

In short there is never a time where there is not a clash of cultures between the young and old. !970, Kent State was just the perfect storm. Failure to communicate, a college administration that had bent so far backwards to be allowing of dissent that when discipline came the students did not know how to react, a clash of cultures in terms of dress and language, a National Guard system that had troops on duty too long and poorly trained and a war that was splitting the country in half.

It seems hard to believe that could happen again, I think it is unlikely. It seems today like most of of our young folks are too apathetic to care about anything. Circumstances change however and this book does offer a good perspective on a time and place and all that can and did go wrong. We would be wise not to forget it.