University of Virginia Library

SDS Gives ROTC Position
Lists Quotes To Back Stand

The debate-discussion (which
generally would be better called
"moral oratory") concerning the
validity or non-validity of ROTC
within the University environment
proved to be inherently superficial.
This observation is applied to both
sides represented. Why?

Within the moralistic rhetoric of
the specific issue (ROTC on campus)
only slight reference was made
to the broader and much more
critical question facing the world
population in general -

—Andre Gorz

As individuals dedicated to end
the perpetuation of such an existence,
SDS looks at the situation not
only moralistically, but analytically
as well. ROTC is an instrument of a
large militaristic machine and the
purpose of SDS is to affect that
instrument so as to destroy the
machine. In a sense we must confront
and educate the members of
ROTC. To accomplish this we must
be in contact with ROTC members.
It has been said that you can
educate people by talking to them.
The fact that the ROTC initiated
the discussion shows their concern
for the issues affecting our society.
The more the ROTC member
thinks about these issues, the more
difficult it may become for him to
fight an illegal war.

The university environment is
the one place where it is impossible
for the military to completely shatter
and atomize these students in
order to provide members for the
military machine. These students
become "soldiers" who do not represent
the best interests of that
machine because they think.

By advocating the removal of
ROTC, activists advocate exactly
what the military wants - the
opportunity to put these students
into the completely indoctrinated
environment of a service academy.
For example, how much of an
affect has radicalism had in the
West Point or Air Force Academy
environment? Those who exist in
such an environment are never confronted
and therefore never exposed
to the reality of dissent.
ROTC members are exposed to this
and they must be affected by it. Is
this the kind of army mentality
Herr, Westmoreland, etc., would
like?

The ROTC members live with a
lie: the credibility gap between
reality and their uniform.

—Carl Davidson

It is the duty of SDS to perpetuate
that condition. ROTC
members in the university environment
are unconscious radicals. That
radicalism becomes conscious in the
Vietnamese jungles when they (still
fresh from an environment that
questioned the validity of that war,
that machine, that system) are confronted
by the reality of that war.
SDS thanks the ROTC for taking a
stand in the best interests of the
movement. They should be commended
for their desire to be here
as individuals free to choose their
own path. Unfortunately that path
has already been chosen for them.

SDS actively supports ROTC on
these environmental grounds.

We must realize that the educational
environment becomes a
battle ground. We still must fight
for the reform of the educational
system and the liberation of all
students. As this occurs ROTC students
shall be watching and although
they may think they are far
removed from it - they are, in fact,
an integral part of it. This is not a
matter of congeniality between
ROTC and SDS to bring about
reforms affecting all students.

However, to simply ignore
ROTC, or to try to remove them in
the way advocated by pacifists, anarchists,
and other groups (which is
no different than any tactic of a
Mayor Daley or a George Wallace)
only demonstrates their impotence;
this will in turn strengthen the
autocratic imperialistic war machine,
and eventually lead to the
ultimate destruction of this society
by that machine.

Virginia Chapter - Students for
a Democratic Society