April 2, 2001

8:26 AM

Kent State student senate denies funding for the annual commemoration of the May 4, 1970 shooting. The allocation request was for about $16,000, which is a good chunk of change (out of a $300,000 budget) -- until you consider that they shelled out $86,000 for a speech given by Barbara Bush. Should remembering this era in history be a political question? (via the Alt-log)
posted by norm (7 comments total)

Well, as a past member of student senates, it depends on what the money was being spent on. Yes, it seems like a drop in the bucket, but if they were planning something that wasn't worth the money, I would've voted against it, too.
posted by SpecialK at 9:19 AM on April 2, 2001

... her opinion is echoed by others, who believe the allocation committee is dominated by conservative Republicans who cut off funds on purely ideological grounds.

Gotta love the Young Republicans on that student senate who think remembering Kent State is a partisan concern.

I saw Kent State survivor Alan Canfora speak while I was attending college in Texas. I didn't know until his speech that two of the four killed by guardsmen were not protesters -- they were just trying to get to class, as he describes on his Web site.
posted by rcade at 9:29 AM on April 2, 2001

I'm sure a commemoration will still take place despite the partisan budget move. Perhaps if word gets out it will get more attention than it otherwise might.
posted by mecran01 at 10:01 AM on April 2, 2001

Virtually any issue is turned into a political question these days, and left / right positions assigned. The inclusion of Mumia Abu-Jamal in last year's event may have had a role in drawing the battle-lines, but the alleged "How many damn Kings are we gonna bring to this thing?" comment speaks volumes.
posted by gimli at 10:01 AM on April 2, 2001

Don't want to restart a drawn-out Abu-Jamal thread, but bringing his message and the baggage it contains last year was clearly a mistake, and distracted from an otherwise worthy remembrance.
posted by darren at 10:28 AM on April 2, 2001

I didn't know until his speech that two of the four killed by guardsmen were not protesters

How many of today's college students have even the slightest idea what the Kent State shootings were? The words are iconic and a ready touchstone for conservative/liberal arguments, and yet the real event has been forgotten.

When history is forgotten, it is far easier to convince people that things in the past were unimportant or insignificant.

(not picking on you personally, rcade, just an observation)
posted by briank at 11:22 AM on April 2, 2001

No most people do not remember what happened at Kent that spring day in May. Even people who were 20 somethings when it went down don't know. At the time it happened there were so many different stories it was hard to figure out who to believe. I have settled it in my own mind as a tragic accident of time and place. Remembering the students who were shot is a good thing. Turning it into what was done last year was not bad, just overdone(IMOO). I am sure there will be some sort of commemoration and if people want to come they will.
posted by bjgeiger at 1:02 PM on April 2, 2001