I started as a student at OSU for the fall semester in 1979. Iran took 52 American diplomats hostage on Nov 4, 1979. ABC started Nightline that came on at 10:30 each evening and nightly news was born.
OSU at the time had a large Iranian population. They protested and emotions ran high. I lived in Stout Hall and was on the dorm meal plan
One day me and about 4 of my friends go to eat, and there was 2 lines to get food. The Iranian students had separated and made a separate line. They all already had their knives and forks. We looked at each other and we got our knives and forks and got back in the American line. Everyone had knives and forks, it was mostly silent. Both sides just stared and glared at each other.
Some American students were afraid and stopped eating at the dorm, we did not eat at Stout but another residence hall.
The Iranian Student Organization decided to protest on the strip.
There was a bunch of American students on both sides of the side walk as the Iranian students protested. I was not not at this protest, but had several friends (Jeff, Eric, Greg, and David) that was there and witnessed it.
The Iranian students pulled out an American Flag and lighter fluid. When that happened, the Stillwater Police told the students if they light that flag we are turning our backs and walking away and they are all yours boys.
They burned the flag, the cops turned their backs.
My friends did not participate in beating the crap out of those Iranian students but that is what happened. Eric said the crowd literally was mopping the streets with those students.
There was never another attempt to burn an American on or near campus that I knew of.
Many of those students left OSU.
It is hard to describe the tension that was on campus. Was the actions against the Iranian students illegal? Yes. Does the reaction of the OSU students then reflect how sacred they felt about our flag and country and how that contrasts against today? Yes.
Back then, the US was in awful in inflation, the economy was horrible, and the US was taking a beating around the globe. Our President was Jimmy Carter, by any measure a good man, but not fit for the job. It looks very familiar.
Just a few weeks later, the US Hockey team defeated Russia, and for the first time in a long time, Americans were proud to chant USA, and a feeling of, if our Hockey team can produce a miracle, what is America capable of?
OSU at the time had a large Iranian population. They protested and emotions ran high. I lived in Stout Hall and was on the dorm meal plan
One day me and about 4 of my friends go to eat, and there was 2 lines to get food. The Iranian students had separated and made a separate line. They all already had their knives and forks. We looked at each other and we got our knives and forks and got back in the American line. Everyone had knives and forks, it was mostly silent. Both sides just stared and glared at each other.
Some American students were afraid and stopped eating at the dorm, we did not eat at Stout but another residence hall.
The Iranian Student Organization decided to protest on the strip.
There was a bunch of American students on both sides of the side walk as the Iranian students protested. I was not not at this protest, but had several friends (Jeff, Eric, Greg, and David) that was there and witnessed it.
The Iranian students pulled out an American Flag and lighter fluid. When that happened, the Stillwater Police told the students if they light that flag we are turning our backs and walking away and they are all yours boys.
They burned the flag, the cops turned their backs.
My friends did not participate in beating the crap out of those Iranian students but that is what happened. Eric said the crowd literally was mopping the streets with those students.
There was never another attempt to burn an American on or near campus that I knew of.
Many of those students left OSU.
It is hard to describe the tension that was on campus. Was the actions against the Iranian students illegal? Yes. Does the reaction of the OSU students then reflect how sacred they felt about our flag and country and how that contrasts against today? Yes.
Back then, the US was in awful in inflation, the economy was horrible, and the US was taking a beating around the globe. Our President was Jimmy Carter, by any measure a good man, but not fit for the job. It looks very familiar.
Just a few weeks later, the US Hockey team defeated Russia, and for the first time in a long time, Americans were proud to chant USA, and a feeling of, if our Hockey team can produce a miracle, what is America capable of?
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