News of the Day for March 31, 1971 - The Lt. William Calley verdict, aftershocks continue in Southern California after February earthquake, Jimmy Hoffa denied parole, North Vietnam, Cambodia fighting and 69% of people questioned thought TV news coverage was fair. Imagine that.
March 31, 2011

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Lt. William Calley - considered by many to be a scapegoat for an even darker side.


No end to drama or news on this day in 1971. Starting with Sentencing of Lt. William Calley for his role in the My Lai Massacre to life without parole at hard labor and a mass outpouring of support for Calley and suggestions he was scapegoat for an even more sinister involvement to the U.S. Military view of the Vietnam war. Aftershocks continued over Southern California with the latest registering between 4.0 and 4.5 after the big earthquake in February. The Senate Sub-committee, looking into the pension funds of 87 corporations found that only 10% of employees who participated in them ever saw any money (surprise). Jimmy Hoffa was denied parole from prison for a second time. Fighting was continuing in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam while the Pentagon came out with the (sort of) good news that the May draft call-up would be only 15,000, which was 2,000 less than the previous month and lowest for the year so far. A Bill introduced in the Senate to abolish the Draft was defeated by 73-11 and the National Association of Broadcasters released the results of a Roper Poll on People's Attitudes Towards TV News with the findings that most people still got their news from TV, with newspapers, radio and magazines following in that order. 49% thought TV news was most believable (?) - almost 50% believed no more government control was needed than was in place in 1971. And (get this . . .) a whopping 69% believed TV news was fair as far as political stances were concerned.

And . . .Deputy Attorney General Richard Kleindienst said the Nixon Administration was against limiting political contributions. Fancy that.

All in a days news - this one via NBC Nightly News for Wednesday March 31, 1971. And the word for today is - "Pucker Power".

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