Today, in 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire on anti-war protesters at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others. I am having a difficult time organizing my thoughts on the past week's political tension in light of my historical perspective of these conflicts.
It was just three days ago that we were reminded of the Haymarket Riots and the role of organized labor in establishing the middle class in this nation, a reminder glimpsed from behind the curtain of racism and jingoist rhetoric amplified across the traditional media and parroted by the reactionaries around me. (Haven't your heard the latest? Brown is the new black, this Spring, and bigotry is back in fashion again!)
The history of police violence against simple people acting peacefully with a simple cause is extensive, and also include the Lattimer Massacre - September 10, 1897 and the Ludlow Massacre - April 20, 1914. Follow me across the fold and bring this home.
Fewer will remember that on May 14 of the same year, two students at the historically black Jackson State University were murdered by police and several others wounded, under more questionable circumstances, and without arousing as much nationwide attention as the Kent State shootings had.
View each issue side by side: peace and justice. It is critical that the perpetual underclass of our country has the right to unite to influence our culture, of which they play a critical if underappreciated role. Their individual empowerment follows from their collective unity. That self-empowerment threatens our self-appointed aristrocacy, and so they retaliate,
This has been a heady week, full of tumultuous currents tugging at me as I fight for the future of my local political environment (featuring City Council elections and judges vieing for control of my city), struggle to bring attention to my governor's transparent political posturing as he prepares for reelection, and try to help temper the idealism of my allies without undercutting their enthusiasm.
At the same time, on the national and world scale, I am trying to process the Colbert Beat-down, the May Day Marches, the fight for Net Neutrality, the drums of war beating over Iran, the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, "Katrina Fatigue" in the media, and the pupeteering of the thinly veiled Christian Zionists.
Each of the following flashes as related and contributing voiced in a chorus that sings for justice:
- The Migration for Employment Convention of 1939
- The Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949
- Union Maid by Woody Guthrie
- The Motorcycle Diaries, chronicling the political development of Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
We have been here before and will be here again. Our best hope is to win the current battles as we continue to fight to defend justice and peace.
With respect to those who have risked their lives and their loves to help us win these skermishes time and again (regardless of whether the battle is in Iwo Jima or Matewan, West Virginia) let your actions speak for you today. Be progressive this evening, don't just be a Progressive.
speaking of peace:
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.
speaking for justice, on multiple levels
There once was a union maid, she never was afraid
Of goons and ginks and company finks and the deputy sheriffs who made the raid.
She went to the union hall when a meeting it was called,
And when the Legion boys come 'round
She always stood her ground.
This union maid was wise to the tricks of company spies,
She couldn't be fooled by a company stool, she'd always organize the guys.
She always got her way when she struck for better pay.
She'd show her card to the National Guard
And this is what she'd say:
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union, I'm sticking to the union.
Oh, you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union,
I'm sticking to the union 'til the day I die.
You gals who want to be free, just take a tip from me;
Get you a man who's a union man and join the ladies' auxiliary.
Married life ain't hard when you got a union card,
A union man has a happy life when he's got a union wife.
And nodding again to justice on multiple levels:
We shall overcome
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day
We'll walk hand in hand
We shall all be free
We are not afraid
We are not alone
The whole wide world around
We shall overcome some day