Shootings In Iran, Kent State, Jackson State - Painful Then, Painful Now

Hopefully the painful, tragic loss of life will lead to freedom in Iran.

Last  night's news reports reminded me of the shootings almost forty years ago on the campuses of the Unites States.

    "Armed soldiers opened fire on  protesters....

Kent State : For an unknown reason, during their retreat, nearly a dozen National Guardsmen suddenly turned around and began firing at the still scattered students. In 13 seconds, 67 bullets were fired. Some claim that there was a verbal order to fire. Four students were killed and nine others were wounded. Some of the students who were shot were not even part of the rally, but were just walking to their next class.

Jackson State Accounts disagree as to what happened next. Some students said the police advanced in a line, warned them, then opened fire. Others said the police abruptly opened fire on the crowd and the dormitory. Other witnesses reported that the students were under the control of a campus security officer when the police opened fire. Police claimed they spotted a powder flare in the Alexander West Hall third floor stairwell window and opened fire in self-defense on the dormitory only. Two local television news reporters present at the shooting agreed that a shot was fired, but were uncertain of the direction. A radio reporter claimed to have seen an arm and a pistol extending from a dormitory window.

Comments

[R.J.]

Don't forget Tiananmen Square.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989

Initial reports 2,600 dead. Later government "official" reports 241. Ah well, that's the price of managed equality I guess.