Last night there was the story of Kent State. I knew the broad outlines but learned the story in a new way. I wasn't even aware of the burning of the ROTC building or the ruthlessness of the Ohio Governor or that all the Guardsmen had live bullets.
My wife remembers some of this from television. I said to her we didn't watch television very much (right?), so we missed a lot of what others were seeing. And yet we had a front row seat to the drama as well when it was played out in 5th City and Chicago.
In my mind I thought 5th City was my Vietnam (better than Trump's). Now I see being a soldier in Vietnam was altogether different. Being a civilian in Vietnam was altogether different from the violence we experienced. Being a member of the Viet Cong, the South Vietnam army or the North Vietnam army was altogether different. And being a prisoner of war in North Vietnam is beyond my tragic imagination.
I was struck in the series that one poll found that 64% agreed with the way the protesters were treated at the Chicago convention and 58% agree with the way the National Guard handled Kent State. I feel I have been living in a bubble. What to me is the underbelly of America that propelled Nixon and Reagan and now Trump to victory may not be the underbelly at all.
Even my generation that grew up in the 60s and were in these marches and protests is not so progressive now.
In last night's series the back and forth between Woodstock and Vietnam was so moving. We hippies and New Left people were so far removed from the reality of Vietnam. So many of the privileged in the US were able to avoid the war. I was a 1st LT in the reserves after completing ROTC and was on deferment. I became ordained and was able to resign. I received an honorable discharge. That's my story.
Herman