University of Virginia Library

Teapot Confrontation

Evans, Ogden, Teaspoon

By Robert Rosen

In the going dispute between
Liberals and so-called Radicals at
the University, there is merely a
confrontation in a teapot, with two
teaspoons of "dialogue." Here we
find Rick Evans, an individual who
has perhaps contributed more to
the "liberal movement" at the University
than anyone else in the
Establishment, making a complete
fool out of himself by playing
junior executive University President
as "confronted" the "confronters"
at their own "confrontation."
Another Hayakawa, electric
loudspeakers and all. The Student
Council President finds himself, like
Moses trying to uphold the Ten
Commandments, hoping to enforce
the unenforceable. The "sensible"
rules Mr. Evans seeks to enforce
serve no other purpose than to
make people mad.

Certainly, it is eminently sensible
for the Student Council to ask
demonstrators to give 24 hours
notice and to give the Council a
rough estimate of how many will
participate (so, according to Mr.
Evans, the Council can inform the
Security police in order to protect
the students). But the necessity of
the Council playing middle-man
here is nowhere proven, and, indeed
it can be argued that the Council's
rule is duplicating that of the University
police. Further, the rule
works a hardship on those groups
who seek to hold "spontaneous"
demonstrations. But, it is all too
obvious that in reality the rule
merely serves as a convenient
grounds for dispute between the
Ogdens and the Evanses, between
the "slow progress" liberals and the
self-styled "revolutionaries." It is
an area where we all lose from any
dispute whatsoever.

It is not the function of the
Council to play police force. We
have witnessed no trouble from the
hapless Virginia New Left, and
there is no reason to think that all
of this discussion over rules will
lead to anything constructive. It
will lead, in all probability to more
demonstrations. In short, it is a
phony issue.

Mr. Evans would be wise to
keep his perspective and allow the
clowns of the "cadre" to provide us
with circuses at their convenience.
There is no harm done anyone.
Alan Ogden gets the opportunity to
exhibit his leadership qualities, his
not inconsiderable wit, and his girlfriend.
And the students of the
University are "confronted" with
the brutal reality of Dow, Inc. and
the pitiful means at the public's
disposal with which to control.
Dow's activities.

But even Mr. Jefferson, Rector,
did not aspire to the "authority"
sought by Mr. Evans. Quoth the
Sage, "We have though it peculiarly
requisite to leave to the civil magistrate
the restraint and punishment
of all offenses which come within
the ordinary cognisance of the
laws."

Liberals like Evans ought to
begin to realize that they need the
Ogdens to effect real change within
the University. It is an artificial,
unnecessary - and harmful - division
in the liberal ranks.