Introduction
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
— Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 King James Version
During the Vietnam War era, political and social divisions divided the United States of America. On 4 May 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard fired into a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators. Four students were killed. Nine were wounded. The event triggered a national student strike. Colleges and Universities were closed.
On 13 June 1970, the President of the United States of America established the Commission on Campus Unrest. The purposes of the Commission were:
- To identify the principal causes of campus violence, particularly in the specific occurrences of this spring.
- To assess the reasons for breakdown in the processes for orderly expression of dissent.
- To suggest specific methods and procedures through which legitimate grievances can be resolved.
- To suggest ways to protect and enhance the right of academic freedom, the right to pursue an education free from improper interference, and the right of peaceful dissent and protect.
The Report of the President’s Commission on Campus Unrest is available here.
Lessons learnt
It is useful to cite the lessons learnt. The Report gave recommendations under
- For the President
- For Government
- For Law Enforcement
- For the University
- For Students
Underlying themes
Most student protesters are neither violent nor extremist. But a small minority of politically extreme students and faculty members and a small group of dedicated agitators are bent on destruction of the university through violence in order to gain their own political ends. Perpetrators of violence must be identified, removed from the university as swiftly as possible, and prosecuted vigorously by the appropriate agencies of law enforcement.
Dissent and peaceful protest are a valued part of this nation’s way of governing itself. Violence and disorder are the antithesis of democratic processes and cannot be tolerated either on the nation’s campuses or anywhere else.
Too may students have acted irresponsibly and even dangerously in pursuing their stated goals and expression their dissent. Too many law enforcement officers have responded with unwarranted harshness and force in seeking to control disorder.
Actions - and inactions - of government at all levels have contributed to campus unrest. The words of some political leaders have helped to inflame it. Law enforcement officers have too often reacted ineptly or overreacted. At times, their responses has degenerated into uncontrolled violence.
For Students
Some of the recommendations are:
Students must accept the responsibility of presenting their ideas in a reasonable and persuasive manner. They must recognize that they are citizens of a nation which was founded on tolerance and diversity, and they must become more understanding of those with whom they differ.
Students must protect the right of all speakers to be heard even when they disagree with the point of view expressed. Heckling speakers is not only bad manners but is inimical to all the values that a university stands for.
Students must face the fact that giving moral support to those who are planning violent action is morally despicable.
All students, and particularly elected leaders, have a duty to condemn absolutely and unequivocally the use of force and violence. The aura of respectability that appears to surround violent protest when those protests are made in support of legitimate grievances must be eliminated. Possession or use of weapons on campus by students should be strongly condemned.
For Law Enforcement
Some of the recommendations are:
At the same time, we recognize that there have been dangerous and sometimes fatal instances of unnecessary harshness and illegal violence by law enforcement officers.
We therefore urge that peace officers be trained and equipped to deal with campus disorders firmly, justly, and humanely. They must avoid both uncontrolled and excessive response.
Specific comments from the Kent State Report
The actions of some students were violent and criminal and those of some others were dangerous, reckless, and irresponsible. The indiscriminate firing of rifles into a crowd of students and the deaths that followed were unnecessary, unwarranted, and inexcusable.
Specific comments from the Jackson State Report
The FBI manual, Prevention and Control of Mobs and Riots, emphasizes that,
No aspect of the program [for mob and riot control] is more important than planning. Unless the plan is organized … the operation will be doomed to failure.
Similarly, the Mississippi Highway Patrol manual for crowd control states, “Never move into action without a plan.” Following this elementary principle of effective law enforcement action might have prevent gunfire and deaths at Jackson State College.
The National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders also noted:
No matter how well trained and skilled a police officer may be, he will be relatively ineffectual in dealing with civil disturbance so long as he functions as an individual.
The policy of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol - that each officer may decide for himself when he should fire his weapon because of danger to his or another’s life - is contrary to this principle.
Epilogue
Jesus went unto the mount of Olives … And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? … So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. … And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
— John 8:1-11, King James Version.