CCPLO

CCPLO

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The following text is a speech by an individual who is probably the leader of an organization with the letters CCPLO. I imagine the CC stands for concerned citizens. Anyway, this text, which was in the Roger DiPaolo collection in the KSU archives, is obviously authored by an individual who didn't much like what the students were doing up on campus concerning May 4 and the gym, in 1977 and 1978. It's kind of funny and, at the same time, a sad commentary on the power of ignorance in our society.

AT OUR LAST PUBLIC MEETING IN RAVENNA, I REMINDED MY AUDIENCE OF THE MANY NEFARIOUS EVENTS THAT PRECEDED AND LED TO MAY 4, 1970, AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY.

TONIGHT., I WILL TALK MOSTLY ABOUT KEN STATE, 1977. HOWEVER, WE MUST RECALL TO MIND SOME PLACES, ACTIONS, AND PEOPLE OF THE 60'S AND 70'S TO PUT TOGETHER ANY KIND OF REASONING TO ACCOUNT FOR CONTINUATION OF RIOTOUS ACTS SINCE 1970.

WE CANNOT FORGET THE MEETING OF "WEATHERMAN" IN FRED FULLER PARK WHEN IN SPEECH AFTER SPEECH IT WAS SAID THAT KENT STATE WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A NEW TYPE OF GOVERNMENT. JERRY LEWIS OF THE "BLACK UNITED STUDENTS" WHO RANTED ON AND ON ABOUT COMPLETE REVOLUTION. BOBBY SEALES, CARMICHAEL., ANGELA DAVIS, GREGORY., ALL PREACHED THAT MAY 4, 1970., MUST BE KEPT ALIVE TO SPUR THE REVOLUTION.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THE NEWS MEDIA HAS CONSISTENTLY SOFT PEDALED THESE THINGS, BUT I DO KNOW IT IS OUR RIGHT TO KNOW ALL OF IT AND OUR RIGHT TO DEFEND AGAINST THEM.

DO YOU REALIZE THE POWER THESE ANARCHISTS CAN CLAIM IF WE ALLOW THEM TO FORCE US TO MOVE, ALTER., OR TURN THIS BUILDING? THIS IS NOT MERELY A GYM, IT'S A COMPLEX EDIFICE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL TYPES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES, STUDIES., AND SERVICES. IT IS, OF COURSE, TO THEIR ADVANTAGE TO LABEL IT A "MERE GYM".,AND THEREBY MINIMIZE ITS IMPORTANCE. HOWEVER, IF THEY CAN FORCE ITS REMOVAL FROM THE PLANNED SITE, OR FORESTALL OUR BUILDING IT THEY CAN PROCLAIM LOUD AND CLEAR, "LOOK WHAT WE DID." AND SO ON. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THEIR GOALS OR UNDER-RATE THEIR DETERMINATION. THERE IS MORE THAN A GYM OR ONE UNIVERSITY AT STAKE, THERE HAS TO BE.

THAT BECOMES QUITE OBVIOUS WHEN ONE PAUSES TO WONDER WHERE THEIR FINANCES COME FROM. ALL THESE HIGH POWERED LAWYERS, MINISTERS, PROFESSORS, POLITICIANS, AND OTHERS AREN'T IN THIS TO MAKE A FEW MISGUIDED ANARCHISTS HAPPY. THEIR EXPENSES MUST BE TREMENDOUS, TRAVEL, COURT COSTS, FINES, LAWYER FEES, THE MONEY HAS TO COME FROM PEOPLE. WHAT ATTRACTS THIS MONEY? WHAT IS BEING PROMISED TO THEIR DONORS? FUND RAISING IS MY PROFESSION, I KNOW CONTRIBUTORS DEMAND SOMETHING. EVEN THOSE WHO SUPPORT CHARITIES INSIST ON A PROMISE OF EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE. SO THEY MUST BE PROMISING MORE THAN A FEW SMILING FACES. FOR THAT MATTER, WHAT HAVE THEY PROMISED THESE POOR DELUDED CAMPUS INFANTS WHO DO THERE DIRTY WORK, AND WHERE DOES THEIR SUPPORT COME FROM? WHO PAYS THEIR EXPENSES? I CHALLENGE A COUPLE OF YOU REPORTERS TO DIG INTO THAT PHASE OF THIS MESS, AND IF, YOU DO LIVE LONG ENOUGH, GIVE US THIS INFORMATION.

WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, TRY TO DETERMINE WHY NO ONE WAS PUNISHED FOR THE MAY, 1970, ARSON IN KENT AND ON CAMPUS. I'VE HEARD THE ALIBIS, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE TRUTH. WE ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW THESE THINGS.

GETTING BACK TO CURRENT EVENTS, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE PRESENT LEADERS OF THE SO-CALLED "MAY 4 COALITION."

KUNSTLER WHO TOLD THE STUDENTS THEY WOULD RECEIVE FREE LEGAL SERVICE IF THEY DEFIED THE LAW. NO COST TO THEM. PERHAPS., BUT SOMEONE IS PAYING THE BILLS. HE WOULD DEFINITELY MAINTAIN HE WAS NOT URGING THESE EMPTY HEADS ON, BUT IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE A STRONG SUGGESTION TO ME.

GREGORY, WHEN HE REPEATED TIME AFTER TIME, "YOU GOTTA KEEP THAT BUILDING OFF THAT HILL.

ANGELA DAVIS, WHEN SHE INSISTED, "THEY MUST FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT AGAINST THE ESTABLISHMENT AND NOT LET THAT DAMMED GYM GET BUILT."

WE KNOW WHO PAID THOSE LAST TWO, WE DID WITH TAX DOLLARS ALLOCATED BY THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION TO THE STUDENTS TO PAY AGITATORS UNDER THE GUISE OF FREE SPEECH. YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW, THAT IS ABUSE OF PRIVILEGE, BUT THE UN-AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION HAS SCARED SOME FOOLISH PEOPLE INTO GOING ALONG WITH THEIR ERRONEOUS VERSION OF CIVIL RIGHTS. OF COURSE, THE NEWS MEDIA GOES ALONG WITH THE UN-AMERICAN VERSION BECAUSE IT STRENGTHENS THEIR CLAIM OF FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE BILL WHITTAKER, A 1970 PARTICIPANT WHO IS NOW A COALITION LAWYER. AND THE CLEVELAND LAWYER WHO HARANGUED THE TRESPASSERS FOR NOT GOING BACK ON THE AS PLANNED AND THEN TOLD THE PRESS, AFTER THEY WENT THROUGH AND OVER THE FENCE, "HE HOPED HIS SPEECH HAD NOTHING TO D0 WITH IT."

CANFORA TOLD THE GROUP AT THE METHODIST CHURCH, JULY 3, "EVEN IF THE PROTESTERS ARM THEMSELVES., WE WILL SUPPORT THEM."

CANFORA'S SON AND A YOUNG AGITATOR FROM CALIFORNIA SAID AT THAT SAME MEETING, "THOUSANDS OF SUPPORTERS WILL COME TO KENT STATE AND MORE PEOPLE WILL BE SHOT, BUT THEY WON'T ALL BE OURS."

KNOWING ALL THIS, CAN YOU STILL BELIEVE THIS BATTLE IS FOR A GYM SITE? THAT ALL THERE IS AT STAKE IS A PIECE OF GROUND WHERE FOUR ANARCHISTS WERE SHOT? IF YOU DO, THEN TELL ME WHY EVERY ONE OF THEM, STUDENTS, PROFESSORS, LAWYERS, AND THE OTHERS WHO INTRUDE INTO THIS AFFAIR INVARIABLY GET AROUND TO "THIS ROTTEN GOVERNMENT THAT IS GOING TO GET CHANGED."

THAT PIE THAT HIT GOVERNOR RHODES IN THE FACE HIT EVERY ONE OF US FOR TO THEM HE REPRESENTS OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR SOCIAL SYSTEM. A PIE IN THE FACE TODAY, A KNIFE IN THE BACK TOMORROW.

I ASK YOU AGAIN, "DO YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO.LIVE IN FEAR OF KENT STATE AND ELEMENT THAT IS MAKING DEMAND AFTER DEMAND? OR DO WE STOP IT NOW WITH A DEMAND OF OUR OWN THAT LAWS BE ENFORCED, AND COURTS PROTECT OUR FREEDOM TO WALK WITHOUT FEAR?" WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR VAGRANCY LAWS,, INSTEAD OF GIVING FOOD STAMPS, ARREST THEM FOR VAGRANCY.

WE STARTED CIRCULATING A PETITION THAT QUESTIONED THE MOTIVE OF THE A.C.L.U., BY ASKING WHY THEY WOULD FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF ANARCHISTS, BUT WOULDN'T TAKE A CASE FOR A GROUP SUCH AS OURS. THE BEACON JOURNAL PICKED IT UP AND MISQUOTED IT IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO MAKE IT LOOK AS THOUGH WE WERE ASKING FOR THEIR SUPPORT. LET ME MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR, THE C.C.P.L.O. WANTS NO PART OF AN OUTFIT THAT WILL SUPPORT ROCKWELLS, SWASTIKA BEARING NAZIS., FASCISTS OR ANARCHISTS.

THIS PAPER I AM HOLDING IS A FLYER THAT IS HEADED, "CARRY ON THE SPIRIT OF KENT AND JACKSON--BUILD A REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH MOVEMENT." AT THE BOTTOM IT SAYS, "FORUM, TUESDAY, AUGUST 9. 4:00 P.m., 319 STUDENT CENTER." IN BETWEEN, IT TALKS ABOUT A CONVENTION AT KENT STATE OCTOBER 22, 23, and 24th, AND PROCLAIMS IT WILL BE. "THE FOUNDING CONVENTION OF A NATIONAL YOUNG COMMUNIST ORGANIZATION."

I WONDER IF THIS PAPER MIGHT BE THE EXPLANATION OF THE FRANTIC EFFORT OF A FEW SO-CALLED INTELLIGENTSIA TO PUSH THIS KENT STATE THING TO VICTORY FOR THE MAY 4 COALITION.

THINK ABOUT THESE FACTS OF WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN. IF YOU DO, GIVE THEM SERIOUS THOUGHT. I BELIEVE YOU WILL COME TO THE CONCLUSION, AS I HAVE, THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT A LOT MORE TROUBLE THAN A GYM BUILDING AT KENT STATE.

I THINK WE WILL HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS WHEN WE LEARN WHERE THEIR FINANCING COMES FROM AND WHO IT'S COMING FROM.

I DEFIANTLY BELIEVE IN THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, BUT WHEN THAT PROTEST IS AGAINST ME, I OBJECT TO PAYING BOARD, ROOM, AND SALARY FOR THE PROTESTERS.

IF POLITICAL SCIENCE IS TEACHING ANARCHY TODAY, THEN LET'S DROP FROM THE CURRICULUM. HAVE WE COMPLETELY LOST OUR SENSE OF DIRECTION THAT WE WILL ALLOW PERVERSION OF OUR SOCIAL STRUCTURE IN THE NAME OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION? ARE WE SO AFRAID OF LOSING FREEDOM THAT WE WILL STAY QUIET WHILE THESE PEOPLE STEAL IT?

IT'S TIME TO DEMAND THESE STUDENTS BE EXPELLED AND RULES LAID DOWN TO PROTECT US FROM FURTHER ABUSE. C.C.P.L.O. IS NOT GOING TO DISBAND, C.C.P.L.O. HAS PLENTY OF WORK BEFORE IT. WE, AS CITIZENS, CAN MAKE DEMANDS TOO, LIKE THROW OUT LAW BREAKING STUDENTS, IMMEDIATELY ARREST CRIMINAL TRESPASSERS, WHO IS PAYING TO KEEP THIS TROUBLE GOING ANY WAY? AND WE WILL.

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