University of Virginia Library

Hickman's Letter

I am writing in reference to the
letter written by Student Council
President Ronald Hickman which
appeared in Tuesday's Cavalier
Daily. In it, Mr. Hickman presumptuously
takes it upon himself to
apologize to Mr. C. Stuart Wheatley
on behalf of the student body of
the University for several "misguided
individuals" whose "ungentlemanly
conduct" consisted of
forcing Mr. Wheatley to clarify his
position on the issue of racism and,
specifically, his position on, and
role in, the "massive resistance"
movement in the late 1950s.

Mr. Hickman is sorely misinformed
if he believes that in this
letter he is speaking for the entire
student body. He is a leader very
much out of touch with those
whom he purports to lead. As was
evident at Tuesday's rally, most of
the students present were unwilling
to apologize to Mr. Wheatley for
anything. To the apparent surprise
of the coalition leaders, the loudest
response of the rally was to the
demands of several of the non-coalition
speakers that Mr. Wheatley
resign.

We take Mr. Wheatley at his
word. He said Saturday afternoon
that the only reason he would
repudiate his role in massive resistance
was that, as a realist, he
realized that massive resistance
won't work. Left unsaid, but
strongly implied, is the feeling that
perhaps Mr. Wheatley is still
searching for another way to prevent
meaningful integration. What
better way than to remain on the
Board of Visitors by means of
appeasing some students by saying
obliquely that of course his
opinions have changed in ten years?
I am not saying that this is
necessarily the case, but words are
cheap. Mr. Hickman proved that by
signing the vague coalition statement
on Monday and then by
refusing to take part in either of the
rallies on Monday and Tuesday, and
by his appalling behavior at Tuesday
night's Student Council Meeting.

At long last the time has come
to say emphatically that people
such as Mr. Hickman - and Mr.
Wheatley - do not speak for us and
that we shall not be bound by them
or by their ideas. Those who are
really concerned say that there has
been enough cheap talk and enough
vague threats and enough empty
promises. All that is yesterday; today
we must see actions taken -
positive actions. One of the first of
these should be the resignation of
C. Stuart Wheatley - and on the
side, an end to Mr. Hickman's
presumptions to being the voice of
Virginia's students.

Scott Caldwell
College 4

—ed.