University of Virginia Library

Legal Forum Blasts Hecklers
In Open Letter To University

future and in the complementary
belief that in effect such censure
has already been manifested by the
attitude of the remainder of the
audience, the attitude evidenced by
the overwhelming majority of the
student body in response to reports
of the event, and the attitude
expressed in the editorial which
appeared in The Cavalier Daily on
Monday, December 15. No further
purpose would be served by proceedings
which formally pronounce
the condemnation so clearly felt by
all responsible segments of the
University.

Of course it is clear that such
conduct cannot be tolerated in an
academic community, and should
further Forum events be disrupted
in the same or a similar manner,
other approaches will have to be
pursued. The Legal Forum cannot
and will not permit its choice of
speakers to be dictated by the level
of verbal abuse likely to be
generated. The Forum was founded
by the late Senator Robert F.
Kennedy for the purpose of permitting
all sides to be heard. It has
presented speakers more attractive
to those who disrupted on this
occasion, speakers like Senator
George McGovern, Congressman
Allard Lowenstein and Mr. Roy
Wilkins. It intends to defend its
right to present, and the right of
the University community to hear,
speakers like Mr. Kleindienst who
may not enjoy the same exalted
position of acceptance by the
minority who sought to withhold
from him a fair opportunity to
state his case.