Commentary by Rich Corbett

In his compelling 2024 work Kent State: An American Tragedy, historian Brian VanDeMark revisits one of the darkest chapters of modern American history — the deadly clash between student protesters and National Guardsmen on May 4, 1970. What began as demonstrations against the Vietnam War spiraled into chaos, culminating in the deaths of four students. VanDeMark’s narrative captures both the recklessness of those in the crowd and the grave cost of state force when the line between protest and violence becomes dangerously blurred.

More than half a century later, we’re watching similarly combustible forces simmer in today’s streets. But this time, the hostility is increasingly directed not at a war overseas — but at the very institutions tasked with enforcing the law at home.

Under the Trump administration, federal immigration officers with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) were repeatedly vilified — not for misconduct, but for doing their jobs. Protesters have blocked courthouses, swarmed detention centers, and, in increasingly frequent cases, hurled rocks, bottles, and threats at agents. These are not peaceful protests; they are violent confrontations dressed in the language of social justice.

And yet, as tensions escalate, where is the national outcry? Where is the media scrutiny or the principled calls for de-escalation from elected officials?

Instead, we hear words from Democratic leaders — some in Congress, others behind microphones at rallies—openly invoking “blood in the streets” as a necessary means of resisting perceived injustice. Whether metaphor or malice, such rhetoric is beyond irresponsible. It is the spark that ignites tragedy.

The tragedy at Kent State was not inevitable — but it was predictable, given the rising intensity of demonstrations and the breakdown of order. VanDeMark’s book reminds us that when law enforcement is put into impossible situations — surrounded, demonized, and physically attacked — disaster becomes more likely than not.

President Trump, for all his polarizing traits, took a firm stance in defending law enforcement and securing the border. His administration backed ICE agents with resources, political support, and moral clarity. In a time when mobs chant to abolish ICE, when officers are ambushed, and when cities offer sanctuary to lawbreakers, that stance is not merely defensible — it is essential.

Let Kent State serve as a warning, not a blueprint. America cannot afford to see blood spilled again because we allowed protests to morph into riots, or because political leaders saw chaos as a means to an end.

Words matter. So do the rules of law and order. If we are to preserve this republic, we must reject the violent fringe and support those sworn to protect us — even when their job is unpopular.

Corbett writes about myriad subjects at My Desultory Blog.