I trust that Christian S. White's
motivations of social consciousness
in petitioning the Board of Visitors
to deny further funds to The
Virginia Weekly (letter, Thurs.
September 23) will of themselves
dispose the Board not to accede to
his request.
Since he views the law as
essentially static and beyond
question, he naturally would have
The Weekly both subject to the
letter of the law (and be prosecuted
under the statute prohibiting
abortion advertisement) and denied
the spirit of the law (by having the
Board as a reprisal cease its subsidy
and presumably thus force the
termination of the publication).
I suggest that the Board dismiss
his petition in view of more
practical and enlightened reasons.
Despite the regrettable and
misguided way the paper has
chosen to challenge the abortion
law and even allowing for The
Weekly's content of marginal value,
the paper should continue to be
funded by the University if only to
give voice to its more absurd
opinions.
For the Board, presumed
protector of Mr. Jefferson's
principles of liberal education,
would hardly contribute to a
University of diverse viewpoints if,
in denying funds, it succeeded, as
Mr. Christian apparently hopes, in
stifling them.
