I am writing in response to Andrea Riguier's article, "The Tiananmen Square Massacre" (Dec. 90). It is true that what happened in Tiananmen Square was appalling. Those students, like any group around the world, should never have been repressed for expressing their beliefs, especially by such violent measures. That belief has belonged to Americans since the Revolutionary War. Still, the United States is guilty of the same crime.

Do you recall the incident at Kent State, during the Vietnam War? A group of students from Kent State gathered in protest of the war in Vietnam. The National Guard arrived on the scene with orders to disperse the protesting students. When the students did not disperse, the soldiers opened fire on the unarmed students, without warning. A few of the students were killed, and others were wounded. This happened right here, in the United States of America, the "Land of the Free."

We did not succeed in setting a very good example for the world. However, we must remember, that is in the past, and we cannot change it; we can only learn from it. We are the future. Our generation can shape a better course for this nation as we move ever steadily into the future. We can learn from our mistakes, and make the world a better place in which to live. The past gave us some bad examples; now it's our turn to set our own, great examples. n