University of Virginia Library

SDS-SSOC Cited

Gee, it just warmed the cockles
of mah heart to see all those folks
in their coats and ties, beards and
beads, and yes may be even a skirt
and blouse (or two) marching
around The Lawn Monday. Twas
real togetherness like we haven't
seen at U.Va. in oh so many years.
And besides that, it was for a good
cause!

But how many people really give
a damn about the cause? How
many people would have been out
there doing their thing if it hadn't
been for a lot of posters saying,
"backed by student leaders?" How
many people would have felt
obligated to express their moral
conviction had they not known
that this was "not a radical event"
and that those moral degenerates,
SSOC and SDS, had "dissociated"
themselves from said event? Unfortunately,
it seems that without this
knowledge precious few would have
ever shown up.

And just who are the real
student leaders? Who researched
the Board of Visitors in the first
place? Who was first to present to
them the very demands on which
this demonstration is based?
Shipley, Schenkkan, Gwathmey,
Hayes, etc.? NO! Rather, they are
those very SDS and SSOC members
who have been conveniently swept
aside by the on-rushing demonstrators.
Without people like Steve
Squire and Al Long, the University
community would probably never
have even heard of C. Stuart
Wheatley.

I do not wish to condemn the
above-mentioned Big Men on Campus,
for it is gratifying to see their
active support of an important issue
such as this. Neither do I criticize
Monday's demonstration, for it was
equally gratifying to see representatives
of all parts of the Student
Body pushing together to end
racism at U.Va. I only ask that the
organizers of the demonstration
give credit where credit is due and
stop treating a display of moral
conviction and demand as "their
baby." It's everybody's baby. Stop
pushing who's behind the thing,
and start pushing what the thing is
all about.