University of Virginia Library

First, he sent a letter to The
Cavalier Daily. Then, one of his
letters appeared in The Daily
Progress. And on Thursday, he was
a featured speaker at courthouse
square. This is an account of our
own Mr. Bud Ogle's activities last
week.

I applaud Mr. Ogle's devotion to
the Vietnam problem, and I recognize
his right as an American to
voice his opinion as his conscience
directs. The fact that he and I hold
divergent views on the means of
ending the war is not the basis for
this letter.

I wish rather to question
whether Mr. Ogle is not in fact
considering "self" over and above
the interests of the student body as
a whole. I believe I am correct in
saying that Mr. Ogle was elected to
the office he currently holds. It was
the students, with varied beliefs and
interests and belonging to numerous
different groups or organizations,
who put him into that office.
If my memory holds once again, he
campaigned on issues pertaining to
the University, and the Student
Council in particular.

Mr. Ogle: Lately, you have
become the "mouthpiece of the
University," booming your opinion
throughout Charlottesville. Once
again, I repeat, I do not wish in this
letter to argue the issue of Vietnam.
But, I must ask whether you have
considered the implications of your
actions?

First, Mr. Ogle, in protesting
President Nixon's Vietnam policy
publicly, you, as President of the
Student Council, are taking the
position of the minority and
subordinating the majority voice of
the University students. I believe
that it is essential that the Student
Council head should attempt to
maintain a semblance of neutrality,
at least in public utterances, on the
"heated" issues. Second, you were
not to my knowledge elected on
the basis of your Vietnam views.
You were chosen because the
students thought you could serve
the University as a whole. It was
not expected that you would use
your office solely to further your
"protest" ideas. Finally, your expression
of your opinion on this
national issue, both vocally and
through the media, cannot help but
polarize thought and create division
at the University. This will occur in
two ways: student vs. student on
this issue itself, and among students
who support you vs. those who do
not.

For these reasons then, Mr.
Ogle, I think it would be better -
indeed, it is required of a person in
your position as spokesman for all
the students - that you confine
your public utterances to intraUniversity
issues.

Because you found it necessary
to take a public position on this
issue, you may have lost the
support of the majority who
elected you. One cannot help but
consider whether one of those
other candidates who was not
elected would have handled the
situation more adequately.

Mr. Ogle, your name is rapidly
becoming a household word. But,
which do you consider more
important: "self" or the University?

Silence is golden, Mr. Ogle.