University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor:

Readers Examine Human Equality, Snobbery;
'Puerile' Protest Describes ROTC Vandalism

The "Barber Bigots" is
something which absolutely cannot
be tolerated. Sanctions must be
applied immediately. Although not
directly related to the university,
this incident has as much relation
to our community as the Fry
Springs episode last year. A formal
statement should be issued by the
university not to patronize these
places.

Accordingly, direct picketing
should be organized by the
students. In some circles there is
talk that some "protest" must be
applied to shake the university
community from its complacency.
Well, for any intelligent person —
this is an issue which cannot go-by.

Student Snobbery

I read with interest Dr. Frank
M. Shepherd's letter to the editor in
Tuesday's Cavalier Daily. I can
appreciate the concern Dr.
Shepherd has in recognizing the
cruelty of some people, who
through ignorance do not
understand that "all men are
created equal."

However, the gist of this article
is not in what Dr. Shepherd says,
but in the humorous after-comment
by the editor. Our editor seems to
think that "it is highly ironical that
such an act of discrimination could
take place within 100 yards of the
grounds of the so-called bastion of
intellectuality of the state of
Virginia." Surely this statement is a
quote made by some adventurous
tourist who, by accident wandered
into The Cavalier Daily office. It is
a well-established fact that the
general attitude of the average
University of Virginia student is
one of pure snobbery.

Our editor also seems to take
pride in that the University put
Charlottesville on the map. This
may be so, however, I wonder how
many of the University's first
students accepted the attitude that,
I am a mighty "Virginia
Gentleman," I am too good to
farm, I am too good to be
courteous to ladies, I am too good
to speak to blue collar workers; in
fact the only thing I can do and
hold my gentlemanly head high is
sit in the Newcomb Hall Grill, in
my respective school group, and
express through motion only how
much intelligence my parents'
check bought me. Remember, Mr.
Jefferson himself was, at times, a
common laborer.

My purpose is not in
degradation of the University
student, but to point out that as a
University Community our problem
is not simply race discrimination
but Basic Human Discrimination.

ROTC Vandalism

The vandalism to the Army
ROTC exhibit this past weekend
was a most unfortunate incident.
Anonymous petty pilfering and
glass-breaking does no real harm to
the military system, serves no
educational purpose of exposing
and clarifying issues, and simply
redounds to the shame and
discredit of those involved. More
lamentably, it tends to cloud
legitimate efforts to achieve an end
to the war and the draft system.

Certainly it is possible to assert
that the present undeclared war in
Vietnam is an evil to which good
citizens should not assent. The
desiccation of the countryside of
South Vietnam alone and the
permanent and wanton destruction
of property there, one could argue,
far outweigh in violence,
irrationality, and sheer sin this
small amount of destruction. One
could also contend that the cost to
America both in terms of lives lost
and disrupted and of the
development of militaristic
mentalities justifies protest against
an aspect of the responsible system.
And, lastly, one could never come
close in evil to the obliteration of
human life to which this nation is a
party in Asia.

Even assuming all of the
foregoing, however, I find the
vandalism of the weekend to be an
inexcusably puerile and cowardly
act. Honest civil disobedience
undertaken with an educational,
communicative purpose and
executed with enough manly
courage of conviction to
acknowledge one's deed and accept
its consequences is something quite
different. The action of the
"Catonsville Nine," currently on
trial in Maryland for the napalming
of draft records, can serve as some
measure. Virginia gentle boys — if
such ye vandals be — grow up!

On University Reform, II

Police Problems

In response to the letter of 8
October of Dr. O'Brien, I would
like to say that admittedly there are
at least two sides to every issue.
Small town copism can be no
different. As everyone speaks and
writes with his own bias so do I as a
student.

Last fall I had the misfortune to
be ticketed while parked along
Oakhurst Circle. (Oakhurst Circle is
to the right as one comes out of
Cabell Hall onto J. P. Ave.) I
received a ticket for parking in a no
parking zone, parking with the left
hand side of the vehicle to the curb,
and parking as to obstruct traffic. (I
was driving a VW.) The remarkable
thing about the ticket that I
received is, Oakhurst Circle is a one
way circle with parking on both
sides (so exactly half of all cars
parked there will have their
left-hand side to the curb). The sign
that prohibited parking was
situated on Jefferson Park Ave. and
"No parking here to corner."

I was advised on the ticket that
I could remit $$7.50 and plead
guilty and not go to court, or if I
wished to plead my case all I would
have to do was go to traffic court.
So, I went to court and proved my
innocence of the first two charges
and of the third upon asking,
"where is the corner of a circle?"
My case was dismissed, and I was
convicted of contempt of court at
the cost of $17.50. Can this be
small town cop-ism?

Rick Lasser

Rick Lasser's campaign slogan
"would you elect a faculty member
to represent you on the Student
Council" is, I think, the most
important question to come out of
this or any election campaign for
Council.

Who listens to student?

The students of this University
must have open representation —
the kind with leverage enough to
make the Faculty and
Administration listen.

A student proposes, fate
disposes.

The faculty must be made to
listen. They will listen to one of
their own who is working for a
TRULY free University.

Bud Ogle

As members of this fair
community are aware, Friday of
this week, October 11, will witness
the election of a Graduate School
representative to the Student
Council.

Hurrah! Bud Ogle is a
candidate! This young man would
be a real asset to the Council,
something which they sorely need.
At a time when conditions in the
University and the larger
community provoke widespread
and serious criticism, when
traditional approaches to
problem-solving seem more and
more ineffectual, we have reached a
critical juncture. The Council is
admittedly seeking fresh ideas and
new directions. This Bud Ogle
would clearly help to provide.

This young man displays
sensitivity, insight, and a realistic
and mature view of his role as a
student and as a member of this
community and society. He has a
strong sense of integrity and
sterling qualities of leadership and
initiative.

I strongly urge my colleagues in
the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences to support Bud Ogle as a
candidate for the Student Council.