University of Virginia Library

Pitiful Sight

Pretrial publicity on this case
has been widespread. The
Richmond Times-Dispatch and the
Washington Post have covered the story
in their papers, as has the Daily
Progress. The "Virginia Five", as
they like to be known, have sent
out a flier publicizing their fate.
The University Young Republicans
have sent out a newsletter (1,000
copies) to their members and
handed out the rest on the eve of
"University Tuesday" to those
present on the Lawn. They are
attempting to link this action with
their club to further their own
cause against expansion, at the
expense of the two students. The
American Civil Liberties Union had
to take the ban to court to save
face in this area. They admit that it
is a ban directed at the Confederate
flag.

Where we stand now is a pitiful
sight. Two students are being tried
for an offense because they are
opposed to expansion. They were
singled out because of their views.
Pretrial publicity has made all of
those directly involved in the
adjudication of the ban aware of the
facts and the misrepresentations
before they were brought out in
trial and have gone so far as to
publicly state their opinions of
the penalty that will be handed
down.