( – promoted by Ed Garcia)
Below the fold.
(Audio links)
This is a radio show that will air at 5pm May 4, 2006.
Sources include Wikipedia.
Afterthought: The audio pieces are not the songs listed. They are produced composites I created from news audio and interview bits I found in a variety of locations. Parts of this are gleaned from Mark Urycki’s WKSU documentary, including the brief narrator’s voice heard at the beginning of segment #2.
TODAY IN HISTORY (TOP 5 AT 5)
MAY 4, 1970: THE DAY THE SIXTIES ENDED
The Kent State shootings occurred at Kent State University in the city of Kent, Ohio, and involved the shooting of students by the Ohio National Guard on Monday, May 4, 1970. The altercation killed four students and wounded nine others.The shootings were the culmination of four days of increasingly agitated demonstrations by members of the student body. The students were protesting the American invasion of Cambodia which President Richard Nixon launched on April 25, and announced in a television address five days later.There were significant national consequences to the shootings; hundreds of universities and colleges closed throughout the United States fearing similar outbreaks, and the event further divided the country along political lines.
#5 NORMAN GREENBAUM “SPIRIT IN THE SKY”
Allison Krause was a student at Kent State when she was killed while protesting the
Vietnam war. The Guardsmen opened fire on a group of unarmed students, killing four of them, at an average distance of about 345 feet. Allison was shot in the back at about 343 feet, fatally wounding her. Allison is often remembered for her statement to one of the Guardsmen at Kent State during those days in May: “Flowers are better than bullets.”
At the time of his death, Jeffrey Glen Miller had recently transferred to Kent State from Michigan State University. Of the four students killed at Kent State that day, Jeff was standing closest to the Guardsmen. He was shot in the mouth by a single rifle bullet. He died almost instantly.
#4 IDES OF MARCH “VEHICLE”
Sandra Lee Scheuer (pronounced SHAW-yer) was 20 years old when she was killed. Sandy, an honors student in speech therapy, did not take part in the Vietnam War protests that preceded the shootings. She was shot through the throat from a distance of 130 yards while walking from one class to the next. She died within five or six minutes from loss of blood.
According to the account of a close family friend,
Sandy “was walking with one of her speech and hearing therapy students across the green. Neither Sandy nor the young man had anything to do with the assembly of students on the green, but yet, as an innocent passerby, Sandy was the victim of a confused National Guardsman’s rifle.
William Knox Schroeder.
At age 17, Bill applied for the Army Reserve
Officer Training Corps Scholarship.
Schroeder was killed with a shot in the back.
According to reports, he was not taking part in
the Vietnam war protests that preceded the
shootings, but simply going from one class to the next.
His college roommate stated that he believed Schroeder was trying to flee when shot. “Bill was
332 feet away from the nearest National Guardsman, not much of a threat. He was shot with a
textbook in his hand.”
#3 BEATLES “LET IT BE”
I walked across the peaceful lawn
In Washington DC
to the monument for the fallen
and touched the names of those who died
victims of war
And the names touched me back.
I walked across the peaceful lawn
In Kent, Ohio
to the monument for the fallen
and touched the names of those who died
victims of war.
And the names touched me back.
Fifty seven thousand entries carved in the black granite ledges
page after cold dark page, the roll of warriors sacrificed
Cold to my touch-dark, dead.
Which one took my place?
Four entries carved in the black granite ledges
One cold dark page, the roll of children sacrificed.
Cold to my touch-dark, dead.
Which one took my place?-Hermon R. Card
#2 JACKSON 5 “ABC”
Sometime in the spring of 1999, I found myself on the commons at Kent State
University. I looked at the monument, I read the names, and stood upon the spot where a 14-year-old girl named Mary Ann Vecchio cried over the body of Jeffery Miller who lay dead, killed by a bullet from the gun of a citizen soldier who had turned his rifle upon the children of his own country, because they stood up in protest against the actions of their government which they deeply believed to be wrong. I have no words to describe what I felt. Many say, “My country, right or wrong.” To which I would reply, “Yes. When right, to be kept right – when wrong, to be set right.” And I remembered the five words spoken by Allison Krause: “Flowers are better than bullets.” Some might consider that naive. I consider it eloquent and beautiful. Especially in the times we live in today, when dissenters are called terrorist sympathizers, and a commitment to peace is deemed traitorous. My fear is that what happened on that spring day 36 years ago today, could well happen again. When you reflect on this possibility, please try to keep in mind the simple truth that those words carry. It was true in 1970, and it remains true today.
Flowers, you see, ARE better than bullets.
#1 GUESS WHO “AMERICAN WOMAN”
American Woman, stay away from me
American Woman, mama let me be
Don’t come a hangin’ around my door
I don’t wanna see your face no more
I got more important things to do
Than spend my time growin’ old with you
Now Woman, I said stay away
American Woman, listen what I say-ay-ay-ay-ay-ayAmerican Woman, get away from me
American Woman, mama let me be
Don’t come a knockin’ around my door
Don’t wanna see your shadow no more
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else’s eyes
Now Woman, I said get away
American Woman, listen what I say-ay-ay-ayAmerican Woman, said get away
American Woman, listen what I say
Don’t come a hangin’ around my door
Don’t wanna see your face no more
I don’t need your war machines
I don’t need your ghetto scenes
Coloured lights can hypnotize
Sparkle someone else’s eyes
Now Woman, get away from me
American Woman, mama let me beGo, gotta get away, gotta get away now go, go, go
I’m gonna leave you woman
Gonna leave you woman
Bye-bye Bye-bye Bye-bye Bye-bye
You’re no good for me
I’m no good for you
Gonna look you right in the eye
Tell you what I’m gonna do
You know I’m gonna leave
You know I’m gonna go
You know I’m gonna leave
You know I’m gonna go-o, woman
I’m gonna leave you woman
Goodbye American Woman
Goodbye American chick
TOP 5 AT 5 EXTRA: CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG “OHIO”
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.
