The son of an Akron Beacon Journal printer, Steve Wright, comments on what When Truth Mattered means to him. To read this blog post, click here.
The Traverse City Record Eagle says "truth matters always"
The Traverse City Record Eagle endorses the essential message of Robert Giles’ book: “Truth matters, then, now and always.” Read it here.
The parallels to the protests today
Above, Brig. Gen. Robert Canterbury, left, the National Guard commander, and Prof. Glenn Frank of Kent State University faced off on May 4, 1970, as Frank begged Canterbury not to advance on students after the shootings. (Akron Beacon Journal)
By Robert Giles
Armed soldiers moving against protesting citizens, teargas grenades, incendiary language, destruction of property, law and order, a threatened First Amendment.
These characteristics, and more, define an America today struggling to come to terms with the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer abetted by three fellow officers.
If you turn back time 50 years, you can envision a chilling parallel to the moment, May 4, 1970, when four students were slain and nine wounded by Ohio National Guard soldiers on the campus of Kent State University.
For the past 18 months, I have been living in 1970.
My book, When Truth Mattered: The Kent State Shootings Fifty Years Later, tells the story of the Akron Beacon Journal in its relentless effort to learn the truth about the murder of those students peacefully protesting the Vietnam War.
The book was published on March 30, just as the nation was going into a lockdown against Covid-19.
In the weeks since, I have been interviewed nearly 50 times by radio newscasters. Inevitably, I am asked this question: “Do you see parallels between Kent State and today?”
“Yes,” I respond. “And the number of parallels is chilling.”
Kent State demonstrators, angered by President Nixon’s decision to send U.S. troops into Cambodia, believed they could protest without fear, protected by First Amendment freedoms.
Compare that horrible moment of violence in 1970 with what is playing out now around the White House and the streets of America’s cities. The parallels go on and on:
Incendiary Language: Shortly after his speech, President Nixon called anti-war activists “bums.” On Sunday, May 3, Ohio Governor James Rhodes made a brief visit to Kent State. He described student protesters as “worse than the Nazi brown shirts.”
Destruction of Property: On Friday night, May 1, Kent State students threw beer bottles through tavern windows in downtown Kent. The following night, they rallied at an old, wooden ROTC building, burning it down. Acts of poor judgment that heightened the tension.
Over-reaction by public officials: After students trashed downtown bars, the mayor of Kent called the Ohio governor and asked for National Guard troops to be sent in both in town and on the campus.
A political victory as the first priority for campaigning officials: Ohio Gov. James Rhodes arrived in Kent on Sunday morning, May 3. He was in a tight race with Rep. Robert Taft Jr. for the Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate, an election to be held the following Tuesday, May 5.
Leaders played to their political base: Rhodes rejected suggestions to close the campus, saying that would be seen as giving in to the “anti-war radicals.” He wanted to be known for being tough on the protesters.
Trampling on freedom to speak out against the unpopular war in Vietnam: When told of the Kent State demonstration planned for noon Monday, May 4, Rhodes ordered the National Guard to break up the protest; “There will be no assembly, peaceful or otherwise.”
National Guard soldiers over-armed and under-trained: Dressed for combat to disburse unarmed student demonstrators, the soldiers wore steel helmets, gas masks, and carried M-1 rifles with bayonets fixed. Few demonstrators knew their weapons carried live ammunition.
Fired tear gas grenades at demonstrators: The spring breeze blew the smoke away, making the tear gas ineffective.
Without orders, the Guardsmen turned and fired at the students: Never before had U.S. soldiers purposefully shot and killed American college students on their own campus.
Guard commanders threatened to shoot again at students: After killing four students and wounding nine, officers threatened to shoot again if protesters refused to disburse.
Viewing the press as the enemy: After the Beacon Journal published the summary of the FBI investigation –– that the Guardsmen were not in danger and did not need to shoot –– President Nixon said he was going to have the story “shot down.”
Failure of leadership: Kent State President Robert White’s absence created a leadership vacuum that was filled by Gov. Rhodes and the National Guard. Guard commander, Brig. Gen. Robert Canterbury, failed to exercise the qualities of command and leadership indispensable for a commanding officer.
A presidential mantra of “law and order:” This became a powerful theme for President Nixon in the 1960s.
Thinking back 50 years, what did we learn then? How should it guide us now?
Author to donate to GroundTruth Project
Robert Giles and the GroundTruth Project announced on May 4, 2020, that a portion of the profits from When Truth Mattered will go to this nonprofit journalism organization. Read more here.
Pulitzer Prize staff holds Q and A with the author
Giles, the 1971 Local General/Spot News Reporting Pulitzer Prize contributor, conducted a question and answer session with Sean Murphy at the Pulitzer Prizes. Click here to read the interview.
The Washington Post writes of Kent State and the Giles book
Media columnist Margaret Sullivan writes that the book “meticulously chronicles what happened inside the newspaper and how its journalism played out in the reeling nation.” See the column here.
The Fulcrum reviews the book
Peter Copeland, the review author, is a former Washington bureau chief for the E.W. Scripps Co. and editor of Scripps Howard News Service. Read the review here.
Here and Now interviews the author
NPR’s Here and Now show interviewed Robert Giles today. Lisa Mullins of WBUR did the interview.
To listen in, click here.
Q&A with the author
There's a great Q&A with Bob Giles at MyNorth, the web publication from Traverse magazine. He talks about the dinner conversation that got him writing the book, the former coworkers who inspire him and the importance of local journalism, and much more.
Click here to read.
Radio tour scheduled
Robert Giles is starting a revised media tour. He's scheduled for several radio and print interviews, so keep your ears and eyes open. And please let us know if you'd like to interview him, have him in by phone, Skype or Zoom, write a blog post for your website or participate in a Q&A.
Upcoming radio interviews (all times ET)
April 1: WOCM-FM, Salisbury MD, 8 a.m. (live interview)
April 1: WGVU-FM, Grand Rapids, MI (taped interview)
April 1: WVXU-FM, Cincinnati, OH (taped)
April 1: Arroe Collins nationally syndicated show
April 1: KKNW-AM, Seattle WA (taped)
April 2: WICC-AM, Bridgeport, CT, 4 p.m. (live interview)
April 2: John and Heidi Show (nationally syndicated)
April 6: Talk Radio Europe, 10:30 a.m. (live interview, internationally syndicated)
April 7: WTKF-FM/WJNC-AM, Greenville-New Bern-Washington NC, "Coastal Daybreak" show, 7 a.m. (live interview)
April 7: KTRS 550 AM, St. Louis, MO, 8:50 a.m. (live interview)
April 7: WYCL-AM "Brainfood from the Heartland: The Louie b.Free Show," Youngstown, OH, 10:05 a.m. (live interview)
April 7: WWDB-AM, "The Brian and Lee Radio Show, Philadelphia, PA, 5-5:30 p.m. (live interview)
April 8: "MyNDTalk" with Dr. Pamela Brewer, nationally syndicated show, (taped interview)
April 9: NewsRadio WOOD 1300 AM/106.9 FM, Grand Rapids, MI, 2 p.m. (live interview)
April 17: WINA-AM/FM, "The Schilling Show," Charlottesville, VA, 8 a.m. (live interview)
April 23: KMOX-AM, "Overnight America," nationally syndicated show, 9:30 p.m. (live interview)
April 27: KSVY-FM, Sonoma, CA, 11:20 a.m. (live interview)
April 29: WERE-AM, Cleveland, OH, "America's Work Force," 7 a.m. (taped interview airing later the same day)May 1: WRKF-FM, "Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster," regionally syndicated, 10:05 a.m. (live interview)
Nieman Reports publishes excerpt
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard published an excerpt of When Truth Mattered on March 30, 2020.
To read it, click here.