In May 1971, students at Kent State University in Ohio staged a series of protests that resulted in some rock tossing and damage to some buildings, including the burning of the ROTC headquarters. The Mayor of Kent, Leroy Satrom asked Ohio Governor James Rhodes to send in the National Guard.
We then had the chilling scene of young Americans standing against a war in Vietnam while other young Americans stood in uniforms with rifles to keep the peace. No one involved was trained or ready for what happened. The soldiers were set up for failure.
For reasons still unclear to this day, the National Guard opened fire and four students died:
- Allison Krause
- Jeffrey Miller
- Sandra Scheuer
- William Schroeder
It is still hard to wrap one’s mind around the fact that students were killed by their fellow Americans. It seems so sad and unnecessary.
In the aftermath, Neil Young saw a photo in the newspaper of a student crouched over the body of one of her fallen classmates. Overwhelmed with grief, he transformed his emotions into a song. On May 21, Young and his bandmates, Stephen Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash, entered a studio and recorded “Ohio.” The guitars rage, Neil Young spits out the bitter and angry lyrics and his bandmates add a surging backing chorus:
Tin soldiers and Nixon’s comin’
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drummin’
Four dead in Ohio
The song did not heal the divide – radio stations banned it because of the attack on President Nixon – but gave voice to the anger and chaos confronting the country.
The song seems sadly relevant today, our country bitterly divided, anger mounting, the government taking increasing police actions, protests building. I am not sure that we learned anything.
#Songoftheday #ohio #neilyoung #tragedy #kentstate
YouTube: https://youtu.be/VOFNLQtEWZ8?si=2tfpO9p5pamnOeq-
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4oC11US2tUMb9WaxoniIiR?si=19c00a5487de4d93