November 9, 2018 from the Allison Center for Peace
On November 9, 2018 Kent State University at the May 4 Visitor Center will unveil a new exhibit for one of the four student protesters against the Vietnam War killed on May 4, 1970. 48 years after the massacre Kent State’s ‘institutional view’ of a key actor from that day will be revealed and installed.
At the May 4 Visitor Center Dr. Mindy Farmer is charged with creating ‘tributes’ for the fallen four at Kent State. Years ago Farmer was hired at the University based on her resume with corresponding background, especially her most recent employment for five years at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.
For sharing her view of the story of the Kent State massacre, Farmer’s experience could not be more prejudiced or inappropriate. With Farmer in charge, along with KSU president Beverly Warren offering institutional power and funds, Farmer refused to take into consideration the wishes of surviving families or their views of their loved ones slaughtered at Kent State. Farmer emailed no invitations to the surviving family of the tribute she’s opening today on November 9th.
It was on November 4, 2018 when we were first heard of the November 9th Allison tribute unveiling. An email arrived from a 1970 roommate of Allison’s with the announcement attached. Upon receiving the news, we responded with sadness that Allison’s family had not been invited to her tribute. Allison’s roommate’s offered, “I’m so incredibly sorry to hear this, but somehow not surprised. And I wasn’t invited either. 49 years and still wrong!”
There are covert and menacing activities at work behind these actions of Kent State University and the May 4th Visitor Center. Ever since triggers were pulled at Kent State, the University has refused to involve all who were harmed that day, most notably the surviving families have been silenced.
Kent State University has worried so much more for the damage the KSU brand has suffered by the Kent State massacre, than for offering compassion, sharing an accurate story of what occurred back in 1970, or for setting history right. From an institutional view, Kent State truth to still so radioactive the University is busy intentionally erasing truth, offering instead their same old, confusing, in-credible Kent State cover-up at the May 4 Visitor Center.
Forgotten in all the Kent State exhibits are a few very important points … That the deaths of anti-war protesters in the Kent State and Jackson State massacres helped bring an accelerated end to the Vietnam War, thus also saving lives. Those who died as they protested the Vietnam War were heroes and American patriots, and they’re still not correctly honored for that act.
As Farmer and her colleagues plot to install ONLY their version of the Kent State massacre, censor all other narratives and hide Kent State truth, organizations like ours, the Kent State Truth Tribunal formed in 2010, are blackballed at the May 4 Visitor Center. Truth is essentially in exile at Kent State.
Not invited to participate in creating the Allison tribute, or to the opening of her exhibit, is an intentional act of malice to hurt and stick it to all who honor Allison. Kent State University exclusion has been going on since Allison was killed and it will probably continue long after her family passes away. Institutions like Kent State and the May 4 Visitor Center refuse truth, compassion or humanity in their acts to cover-up Kent State truth for the future. They must not be in charge of how we remember Allison.
So what would Allison want? My sense is she does not want Kent State University and the May 4 Visitor Center authoring her legacy or promoting false views of what she brought our world in her short 19 years. Allison hopes the lessons of her killing will help us heal and come together as peaceful Americans.
On May 4, 1970 Allison stood and died for the cause of peace. She was demonstrating against the Vietnam War and protesting when she faced a military firing squad of Ohio National Guardsmen that shot her dead along with three other students at noontime at Kent State University.
Even though the University invited the military onto the campus on May 4, 1970, 48 years later KSU continues to refuse to acknowledge their culpability or take any responsibility. Impunity has been their protection. Forget about amends being made, reconciliation or healing. Kent State was a military event bringing the Vietnam War home and they won.
Allison hoped the exhibit offered truth from those who knew and loved her. Kent State University and the May 4 Visitor Center have failed miserably in this regard. Farmer has intentionally refused all who loved Allison to share her story or to have a voice, and KSU president Warren stands with Farmer.
When our organization the Kent State Truth Tribunal took Kent State to Geneva, Switzerland before the UN Human Rights Committee in March 2014, I was surprised at how many people outside the United States knew about my sister Allison at Kent State. I realized Allison’s death has not been in vain. Her killing as a student protester against war struck a nerve around the world and has not diminished.
The Allison tribute her family wasn’t invited to illustrates how these institutional views continue to refuse basic TRUTHS of Kent State. In expressing their First Amendment right of protest, four Kent State students were killed by the military. From the United Nations Human Rights Committee I learned that Allison was target assassinated by the government and they killed her during her act of protest.
All who protest in America today are still very much at risk of being shot dead by the government, military and law enforcement because of this Kent State and Jackson State precedent, and the institutional failures to acknowledge these truths and related constitutional wrongs. There has been so little healing.
In the scheme of things this Allison exhibit doesn’t matter much until we remember the quickly approaching 50th Kent State massacre anniversary on May 4, 2020, just 18 months away.
Will it remain true that “History is written by the victors”? At Kent State, we’re hoping for the 50th … not this time.
Mendo Coast Current 