University of Virginia Library

Wheatley's
Resignation

I would like to take this opportunity
to reply to the several articles
in the February 17 edition of
The Cavalier Daily concerning the
resignation of Mr. Wheatley from
the Board of Visitors. In doing so I
ask the community of the University
to demonstrate some rationality
and reason. I indeed question
whether such logic has been considered.

Let us rationally look at the
situation. Firstly, do we know that
Mr. Wheatley is a racist? Is it
possible for anyone to know that
but for Mr. Wheatley himself? Is it
not possible that Mr. Wheatley
simply opposed the Integration
Acts of the 1950s because he
believed that such decisions should
be left to the discretion of each
state, rather than to the Federal
Government? If so, then he was
indeed acting in the shadow of
Jeffersonian concepts of States'
rights.

Let us now suppose that it can
be established that Mr. Wheatley is
indeed a racist, (even though this is
impossible to establish without a
public statement from Mr. Wheatley
himself). I question as to
whether this allegation is reason
enough for his resignation. If
indeed he is a racist, does that make
him an invalid element of legislative
debate? Does that make him any
less wise in administrative and
administrative policy? One might as
well say that since Edgar A. Poe
was a dope addict that his writings
are worthless!. I repudiate the
statement that "this man can bring
no good to the University." That
would be to say that only good
policies are formed by similarities and
that diversity in opinion is evil.
Such a statement is absurd!

I wonder if the University is
using good judgment in this issue or
just massive emotionalism in the
plight of the black man. I have
always been known as a 'liberal,'
yet I question another of Mr.
Rosen's demands: "to put a Black
Virginian on the Board..." Why
must this man be black? Would not
any capable man suffice? I wonder
if the University is not overly
enthusiastic with 'tokenism.' Why
must there be a "token black" on
the Board? Can we that easily
deceive ourselves? Tokenism is
worthless, as any honest person will
admit, and a token Negro on the
board will be just as worthless. I
wonder if this community is not
overly reactionary to its past.

In closing, I ask that we
honestly examine this situation,
and divert from the paths of
emotional and impulsive action.
When the facts are made public,
action should be taken, but not
before that time. As John F.
Kennedy once wrote in a speech to
be delivered in Dallas, Texas:
"leadership must be led by the light
of learning and reason, and we can
hope that fewer people will listen
to nonsense." Is a new "Joe
McCarthy era" to begin?