Crashk: ...I realized I had just witnessed American military kill Americans and began to understand what the rightwing will do to get their way.
This is what I was addressing, in case you missed it.
I agree with you, it was a needless tragedy, and there was no excuse for what happened. That said, I have NEVER heard anyone articulate anything different! It WASN'T a case of "the rightwing doing anything to get their way!" It wasn't premeditated or orchestrated by the Nixon Administration, the National Guard, or the governor of Ohio. It wasn't because the law and order conservatives didn't want kids protesting on campus! None of that is the case, none of that is true, and to insinuate, 40 years after the fact, that such a thing IS true, is disgusting and reprehensible.
I honestly believe the NG thought they were being fired upon, and returned fire... I'll always believe that's what happened, because that is the only thing that makes logical sense to me. They stopped shooting immediately when they realized they weren't being fired on, but the damage was done. Not making excuses, just offering a reasonable explanation of what happened... Maybe they WERE being fired upon, these people did torch the ROTC building... but it still wasn't right, it still shouldn't have happened. It simply wasn't some Grand Nixonian Plot or Rightwing Militia Action. In actuality, it wasn't much different than Ruby Ridge or Waco, aside from the difference between National Guard and ATF guns.