4 dead in O-hi-o

Ah Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young... why is the catchiest line of your song the worst lyrics in the song?

Anyway, I've always been slightly fascinated with the shootings at Kent State. I think because when I told my father that we were learning about it in my history class, he almost fell off his chair. He could not believe I was learing about an event that happened when he was a grown man in history class. I'm sure I will feel the same way when my Baby Girl learns about 9-11 out of a history book.

Anyway, my parents started talking about what they remembered about that day (not that they were there... but both being in college at the time, it was an important event), and that's what made me realize that it was a real thing that really happened to people - and the people that were killed were my parent's age.

This all brings us the news today of the discovery that part of the audio tapes found in 2007 prove that there was a shooter that caused the National Guard to fire (you can listen here)

Take a minute and listen to it.

Can you honestly hear ANYTHING that you are supposed to be hearing? The only thing I can make out is a male voice saying "they got somebody". I cannot make anything else out. I'm fascinated by how they figured anything out on those tapes. I mean, they were recorded 40 years ago by some random dude in his dorm room who stuck a microphone out of his window. He was using 1970's technology (well, it was most likely 60's technology)... and it the quality is atrocious. I want to know how they were able to take that audio and break it down and figure out what is on it. Because I've listened to it about 20 times today, and I just can't hear any of it.
HOW DO THEY KNOW THOSE POPS WERE GUNSHOTS?? I'm in awe of the technology that takes a really bad recording from 1970 and figures out what was on it.

I don't think we will ever figure out what was going through anyone's mind that day... there is an answer as to who fired first, if an order to attack was given or not, if Terry Norman shot his gun or not. I'm just not sure we will ever know the answers.

Lastly, listening to that audio creeps me out a little bit. I can't fully explain why. Maybe because you can practically feel the tension and panic that was present that day?