University of Virginia Library

Change Again

Is civil disobedience never acceptable
in history? Few, except
possibly David Lawrence, would so
confuse the ideal with the painful
reality of the "democratic system"
as to believe this.

Then, if one accepts the correctness
of civil disobedience, it is
then one's arduous task to decide
when it must be used. Unfortunately,
I am beginning to feel it is
necessary here, now.

Are concerned students willing
to tolerate the present and morally
unjust position of the University?
Should we, in 1969, after the
deaths of two Kennedys and a
King, B.B.T.O.U.; is a 150 year old
anachronism better than a twenty
year old one? If we can no longer
reasonably tolerate inaction, and
since the administration and the
unresponsive president of our student
council (it does not deserve
capitals) — and even the "Student
Coalition" — seem to ignore even
the ever-so-peaceful, sooo respectable
"demonstrations" we have had
(yes, boys, go back to your frats
and your President will create
another committee!), what is left
but civil disobedience to create the
"constructive tension" (the words
of the late Dr. M. L. King, Jr.)
necessary to officiate our necessary
changes.

There is always the painful
question of time. I — a northern,
white, middle-class person — am
not willing to wait; how can my
black brothers be expected to?
Equality should have been a reality
here many decades ago; to wait any
longer is absurd.

I do not advocate senseless
violence; I advocate action in
proportion to the necessity of our
goals. I do not advocate anarchy,
for, by civil disobedience, we ask
every person to decide the issue for
himself. If a majority supports us,
we will succeed. If a majority is
against us, we will fail, but I firmly
believe that honesty is better than
hypocrisy.

I truly regret that the time has
come when I feel this letter
necessary. I do beg that all
interested faculty and students do
all within their power to move the
administration before civil disobedience
is necessary. But looking
at an economics department debating
wage scales, to an administration
that feels that a new
committee is the only proper and
necessary action, to a student body
that puts the pleasure of "Dixie"
before getting more blacks at the
University, I am most apprehensive.
I know some will not tolerate
inaction.

I recognize that I have presupposed
the correctness of our goals.
This is not the time, however, to
justify them. I feel this has already
been done.

By the way, I am neither a
member of S.D.S. (nor is the U.S.A.
a cover name for it — this I do
hereby pledge) nor a Communist
agitator (take note, all ye papers in
Richmond). It is a sad commentary
indeed when I must include such
disclaimers in a letter to a supposedly
enlightened community.

One last thought: law and order
without justice is untenable hypocrisy,
even if it is the American
way!