Long shadow of the Kent State shootings

+ call when you get a steep medical bill US Edition - Today's top story: In a new era of campus upheaval, the 1970 Kent State shootings show the danger of deploying troops to crush legal protests [View in browser]( US Edition | 31 August 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( As a new academic year starts on college campuses, many schools expect another wave of protests over Israel’s war in Gaza. For Brian VanDeMark, a historian at the U.S. Naval Academy, the shadow of the 1970 shootings at Kent State University hangs over these discussions – especially as some politicians advocate using military troops to manage protests. In his new book, “Kent State: An American Tragedy,” VanDeMark recounts how students opposed to the Vietnam War clashed with National Guard troops at Ohio’s Kent State University, leaving four students dead and nine wounded. In his view, Kent State’s tragedy “shows how critical it is for authorities to be thoughtful in responding to protests, and extremely cautious in [deploying military troops to deal with them](.” This week we also liked articles about [China as a U.S. election issue](, ancient architectural techniques that [helped people stay cool in hot places](, and a [groundbreaking TV series that’s finally streaming](. [ [One great story every day, texted directly to you](. ] Jennifer Weeks Senior Environment + Cities Editor Today's newsletter supported by [readers like you.]( Ohio National Guard soldiers move in on war protesters at Kent State University on May 4, 1970. AP Photo [In a new era of campus upheaval, the 1970 Kent State shootings show the danger of deploying troops to crush legal protests]( Brian VanDeMark, United States Naval Academy The author of a new book about the 1970 shootings at Kent State University explains why using armed troops to respond to protests is a risky strategy. Disagree with that medical bill? It might be worth calling your hospital billing office. damircudic/E+ via Getty Images [Got an unaffordable or incorrect medical bill? Calling your hospital billing office will usually get you a discount]( Erin Duffy, University of Southern California Researchers found that nearly 74% of patients who reached out about a billing mistake received bill corrections. For those who negotiated their bills, nearly 62% saw a price drop. Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz has visited China about 30 times. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images [The specter of China has edged into US election rhetoric − for Republicans much more than Democrats]( Fan Yang, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Of the four presidential and vice presidential candidates, only Tim Walz did not mention China in his convention speech − and he is the only one with personal knowledge of the country. - [‘Homicide: Life on the Streets’ laid the groundwork for Peak TV – and it’s finally available to stream for new and old fans of the series]( Summit Osur, Quinnipiac University Due to conflicts over music rights and the high cost of adapting the show to HD, the series had become overshadowed by its spiritual successor, ‘The Wire.’ - [Creative arts therapy programs can help health care workers dance, write and draw their way through burnout and on-the-job stress]( Marc Moss, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; Rafaela Mantelli, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Long before the pandemic, health care workers were experiencing high levels of stress, burnout and compassion fatigue, all of which contribute to reduced quality of care for patients. - [5 lessons from ancient civilizations for keeping homes cool in hot, dry climates]( Adriana Zuniga-Teran, University of Arizona Builders knew how to keep people cool in hot, dry climates thousands of years ago. It’s time to get that knowledge back. - [People with physical and mobility disabilities need to work out, but there are a lot of obstacles in their way]( - [2 solar probes are helping researchers understand what phenomenon powers the solar wind]( - [Today’s school children practice running for their lives – but there are better ways to keep students safe from shooters]( - [If new technologies snarl your airline experience, here are old-school strategies to cope]( - [How the 14th Amendment prevents state legislatures from subverting popular presidential elections]( - [Each Jewish couple’s story starts long before the wedding − and so does the celebration of their life together]( - [26 states may soon need to regulate cannabis – here’s what they can learn from Colorado and Washington]( - [Democratic men are stepping up for a woman president by stepping back, at last]( - [Black voters, Latino voters and other voters of color show solidarity at the ballot box]( The Conversation News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Fritz Holznagel, The Conversation Here’s the first question of [this week’s edition:]( A new study, released in June, analyzed the United States' "orgasm gap." What is the gap the study referred to? - A. The U.S. now trails China in orgasms per capita - B. Women still have fewer orgasms than men - C. Gen Z has been having fewer orgasms than Millennials - D. There is no gap − orgasms remain widely popular [Test your knowledge]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [Giving Today]( [New!] • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Follow us on social media: • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon]( • [Threads]( • [Nostr]( • [LinkedIn]( • [Instagram]( • [Facebook]( • Or [get a daily text from us]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to [help you make sense of our complex world](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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