University of Virginia Library

Virginia Gentleman

The recent editorial of Messrs.
Lopatkiewicz and Yates concerning
the keynote address by Richard
Obenshain, recent candidate for
Attorney-General, at the convention
of the Young Republican
Federation of Virginia is in desperate
need of clarification. Since I
also was there as a delegate, I shall
attempt to set the record straight at
this time.

The gentlemen, particularly Mr.
Yates, were so preoccupied with
reacting like one of Pavlov's dogs to
the ringing of a bell, that they
entirely ignored the context of the
remarks concerning Robert E. Lee
and Stonewall Jackson. They were
not cited as exemplary of Virginia's
past greatness. The upbringing of
Robert E. Lee and the rigorous
mode of life of Stonewall Jackson
were instead cited as exemplary for
all of mankind. Indeed, if either Mr.
Lopatkiewicz or Mr. Yates can find
proof that Robert E. Lee or
Stonewall Jackson was pro-slavery,
or even anti-Negro (which I doubt),
they will have made a new contribution
to the historical record.

The gentlemen also indicated
Mr. Obenshain for demonstrating
"a lack of rapport with the very
people he is identified with, the
Young Republicans of Virginia."
Both Mr. Yates and Mr. Lopatkiewicz
witnessed and took part in the
standing ovation which Mr. Obenshain
received before he spoke.
Apparently, neither of the gentlemen
were there at the conclusion of
Mr. Obenshain's address, when he
again received...a standing ovation.

I do not condemn either Mr.
Yates or Mr. Lopatkiewicz for
walking out, that is acceptable
conduct. I do condemn them,
however, for their vocal outbursts
during Mr. Obenshain's speech, an
act which caused many of us in the
delegation from the University to
suffer acute embarrassment. Perhaps
the gentlemen (??) should use
Robert E. Lee and Stonewall
Jackson as models, and attempt to
behave like the Virginia gentlemen
that these two great citizens of
Virginia were.