University of Virginia Library

Veiled Vitriol

A series of letters-at least one
of which, sadly, contained thinly-veiled
vitriol-appeared in the
April 10th issue of The Cavalier
Daily and emphatically condemned
the violent reactions occurring in
many of our cities following the
murder of Dr. Martin Luther King.
There cannot be much doubt that
the basic sentiments with regard
to this violence which were expressed
by the writers of those
letters are shared by a majority
of the University community. My
own response to these letters, however,
deals with their all-too-apparent
deficiencies.

For, where in these letters is expressed
the writers' condemnation
of a society in which men cannot
voice their opinions in public
without fear from violent attack
by night riders or hidden assassins?
Where is the righteous indignation
that men with the moral
character and public stature of Dr.
Martin Luther King and Medgar
Evers have been gunned down from
ambush with high-powered rifles
-weapons which can be obtained
by any individual who is old
enough to sign his name and has
the inclination to use them. Where,
indeed, is the indignation that not
even the President of the United
States is free from such attack?

Gentlemen, I share your disapproval
of violent response, but
let us now condemn the acts of
racist violence which generate this
response. Let us condemn the
atmosphere of bigotry and
collusion which allows and tacitly
approves of these terrible murders.
And let us work toward effective
legislation to control the distribution
of deadly weapons, so that
they might not so readily come into
the hands of violent men.