University of Virginia Library

Letters To The Editor

Marchers Urged
To Keep Heads

Estimates from 100 to 600
thousand have been projected for
this weekend's peace march in
Washington. The Mobilization Committee
has made careful plans to
thwart the possibilities of violence
as it is generally known that
violence will greatly hurt the cause
of peace.

I have personally taken part in
peaceful demonstrations at the
University of California at Los
Angeles and Berkeley campuses and
at San Jose State College. Experience
has shown me that when
masses of people congregate violence
is easily provoked by few
troublemakers.

I am in favor of a peaceful
demonstration to air anti-war sentiments.
However, from my own
experience in mass demonstrations,
I greatly fear the outbreak of
violence this weekend. Each individual
has to decide for himself if he
will actively participate in this
march. I do warn those who
participate to be aware of the
potential of violence by the few.
There is a tendency for the
individual in a large group to easily
respond to the snow-balling effects
of violent incidents whether intentionally
provoked or not. It takes a
great deal of individual determination
to not be swept along by
the crowd. Be prepared for violence
and for its effect on the individual
and be prepared to maintain nonviolent
actions on the face of
violence.