University of Virginia Library

Righteous Crusaders

I would like to express
concurrence with the attitude
expressed in the September 25th
issue of this newspaper in both Mr.
Ison and Mr. Worrall's letters and in
Mr. Whitaker's article. The defense
of reason, moderation, and
tolerance which all implied is a
welcome counterforce to those who
advocate extremism and force.
There is no doubt that the
"righteous crusaders" which our era
has produced are at least familiar
enough with the ideals most men
share to give their various
campaigns a highly moralistic and
idealistic note. But for whatever
reasons, whether from insincerity
or failure to connect the means
with the ends, those who most
vehemently preach brotherhood,
love, beauty, justice, etc., have only
seemed to place us farther from
these goals. Perhaps it is a problem
of method - it does seem true that
force usually breeds more force.
Ironically, those who most criticize
"police repression" or "lack of
freedom" may do most to bring
them about. The ultimate product
of the efforts of the flower children
and the campus radicals may be the
rise to power of someone like
George Wallace. In fact, as a
supposed opponent of "intellectual
rebels" and "anarchists," Wallace's
star seems to be rising now. Is it
really so hard to understand why?