NEW STUDENT SPEAKS OUT:

AS A RESULT OF THE CONTINUED EFFORTS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND ON THIS CAMPUS TO BRING JUSTICE FOR THE MAY 4TH MURDERS, MANY STUDENTS NEW TO KENT HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH ABOUT MAY 4, 1970. AS WELL AS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MOVEMENT ON CAMPUS.
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS WRITTEN BY A NEW STUDENT WHO IS JUST BECOMING AWARE OF THE TRUTH AND IS A SEARING TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT THE TRUTH CANNOT BE BURIED.
* * * * * * * *

I am sitting on the floor in the hallway outside the campus hearing room...
Why am I here?
I am a conscientious student who could be home studying, knowing that the operation of my university is in competent hands. After all, I keep up with the times--I read the Daily Kent Stater and I wasn't informed today of any campus event that directly concerned me, as a student.

But, while looking through my daily collection of leaflets, I ran across an item of definite interest. One of my fellow students was standing trial for "disrupting the good order of the university." Yet, I had not been informed that the 'good order' had been disrupted. So, I wondered about the severity of his crime, and being interested in the workings of

and then a larger, organized and well-chaired group meeting. The members are varied, from easily recognized campus political leaders to faculty observers.

The open trial begins, and offers my chance to see my campus judiciary system in action. I see the "defendant" enter the hearing room and emerge a few minutes later, informing us of the Board's decision not to move to a larger room to accommodate the larger number of people who came to attend the hearing. The board makes it clear that there are only 25 seats available. My eyes scan the large crowd waiting to enter...how will they decide which 25 people can go in? Will I be the 26th?

Again , the people pull together for a decision. an immediate vote is taken and a unanimous decision is reached--either all attend-or none. Our unity will not be broken! For the first time, I really felt part of the "we" and the "us" that made this group so strong.

To my total amazement, the trial continues with no one attending, not even the defendant himself. We are informed that it will be done this way by a certain Mr. Bredemeier.

The remainder of the evening is a series of communiqués between the All University Hearing Board and Us; transmitted between the teo by Mr. Bredemeier, a red-faced, shaky man

who looked on the verge of a nervous breakdown. and it is this man who eventually brings the decision to us. Carter has been found guilty and will be expelled from school.The Board members leave the hearing room, walking past us as though we did not exist. The people continue discussion on further action in response to the injustice against our fellow student.I could not leave...I wanted to remain a part of the unity that remained there.

The first thing the next morning, I practically ran to the nearest Stater bin, expecting to find an adequate summation of the event I had witnessed. Instead, I found only a brief summary of the Board's actions with no mention of the presence of the many supporters, nor their significance. My God! What else had I missed.

All at once I realized that what I had believed to be a credible source of information was not only lacking in depth, but also in its moral responsibility to the students on this campus.

I have come to the realization that in order to obtain the truth, I must seek it out myself. And, when the truth is found, it demands justice.

Suddenly, it all makes sense.

THE TRUTH DEMANDS JUSTICE...NOW!

my campus, I decided to attend this hearing.

Stepping off the elevator on the third floor of the student center, I entered into a rather unique environment--a crowd of about fifty people, some sitting, some standing, some walking, and all talking. Conversations were easy to start, friendly and mostly political in nature. I could hear the questions of many..."Is it Carter's turn yet?" "No, not until the hearing of the student who played with the fire extinguisher is done."

As the conversations continued, I became aware of the use of the words "we" and "us" rather than "I" and "you." I sat down on the floor to join them.

A lady with a guitar is singing... spontaneous group discussions begin all around me,

are extremely provocative and unnecessary.

All of these recent attacks and attempts to maintain the cover-up of murder and injustice at Kent State are doomed to failure. Golding has pleaded that students "stay away" from the May 4th Task Force programs this May 4th. He has denounced the Task Force programs as "inappropriate" and "irrelevant." However, university officials, the police, and the courts cannot silence the voices of thousands of people of conscience who will gather at KSU on May 4th this year.

Our slogan this May 4th is once again, THE TRUTH DEMANDS JUSTICE. The truth demands that "the abusive few" who run this University--Golding and the Trustees--cease their attacks against the movement for justice and instead, openly condemn the actions of Rhodes and the National Guard on May 4th, 1970.

In 1970, Governor Rhodes, the day before the shooting, incited the guardsmen to commit murder by saying, "These Kent students are the worst criminals we harbor in America...we're going to eradicate the problem." On the following day, May 4, 1970, four young students were "eradicated" by guardsmen's M-1 bullets. Governor Rhodes must be condemned for these inflammatory and irresponsible actions.

In 1970, the National Guard brutally stabbed several students with bayonets on front campus during the evening before the shootings. On the following day, upon orders from their commanding officers, and according to a previously conspired plan, the national guard fired their high-powered rifles into a crowd of unarmed KSU students. Four students were killed and nine other wounded. These trigger men and their commanding officers in the Ohio National Guard must be condemned for these criminal actions.

President Golding, on behalf of Kent State University, must condemn the May, 1970 actions of Governor Rhodes and the national guardsmen. This would be most appropriate, considering that the Federal trial of the families of the 1970 victims against Rhodes and the guardsmen will take place in just a few weeks.

The families of the dead and wounded students, thousands of KSU students, and thousands of other sincere persons across the nation, demand justice. President Golding, on behalf of Kent State University, must condemn the real criminals of May 4, 1970, and not those of us who seek an end to injustice and cover-up.

THE RAGE OF BRAGE...
"The National Guard has suffered, I think as much as many of the victims...I really beleive--that they're the victims just as much as the others.
--Brage Golding on the
NBC Today Show 9/16/77

calendar

MONDAY 4/2478...
"People's Trial," Noon, at the Student Center Plaza

Rambo/Canfora Trial, 1:30, at Kent Municipal Court

University Policy Board meeting, 6:00PM in the Student Center

May 4th program Peace Marshall training meeting, 7:30PM in the Center for Peaceful Change, Stopher Hall basement.

TUESDAY 4/25/78...
May 4th Coalition meeting, 6:30 PM. Open Lounge, second floor of the Student Center

"Kent State, A Wake," reader's theater, 8:00 PM, U. Aud.

WEDNESDAY 4/26/78...
May 4th Task Force meeting, 7:30 PM, Student Center

THURSDAY 4/27/78...
Whiteslip hearings for "bullhorn defendants," 4:00 PM, 3rd floor Student Center

Vol. 1 No. 3, Page 2, April 24,1978

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