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Show Another Letter Ami Moss Again Dear Editor, ASUU Pres. Jim Moss gave a short introductory speech Monday prior to Congressman King's speech concerning Student Stu-dent Protests and U.S. Policy in Viet Nam. Although I agreed heartily with many portions of Congressman Con-gressman King's speech, some things that Pres. Moss said were deeply disturbing. He stated that there was some question as to the legality of using a state supported institution institu-tion as a political platform for political demonstrations such as the anti-war in Viet Nam committees. He apparently didn't feel that demonstrations or provocative discussions on current foreign policy were necessary or . desirable on.a college campus. He seemed to feel that a "quiet, Ivy-league atmosphere" where important topics should be quietly studied, quietly discussed, and quietly forgotten would be more appropriate. At this point I became sick at heart, for the most important purpose of a college is to be a "market place for ideas" where all views can be discussed, displayed, yes, and even actively promoted. pro-moted. Another point that Mr. Moss called to our attention was that political organizations with a national affiliation were especially repugnant. I think this arises from the fear that the Student Action for Social Justice might be Communist-led Communist-led by a national committee although al-though its on-campus affiliates probably don't have any Communist Com-munist Party affiliation. Thus the students might be dupes to world communism. I don't think this problem lies within the jurisdiction of the university uni-versity community to decide or discover. If these student groups do have any Communist Commu-nist affiliation, I'm sure the FBI will let us know and will start exposure procedures with specific and verified facts. If the university takes, the responsibility re-sponsibility to control nationally national-ly administered organizations, we will have to put a stop to the John Birch Society, the Young Democrats, the Young Republicans, various other nationally na-tionally affiliated organizations like the Interfraternity Social System. The case against civil disobedience dis-obedience or hampering of the war effort is well taken, but it should be noted that this campus has not resorted to civil disobedience, i.e. burning draft cards, stopping railroad troop movements by lying on the tracks, or disrupting traffic traf-fic in school halls or on public pub-lic streets. Perhaps "our" student stu-dent protests are given too much publicity by public news media, but this is what makes news and thus what sells papers. Our most fundamental Constitutional Con-stitutional rights are the rights ' to free speech, free thought, petition of government for the redress of grievances, and finally our fundamental right to differ in our individual opinions. opin-ions. It seems to me that students stu-dents are entitled to the basic rights of American citizens on or off the campus. In closing, I stand with Voltaire, who says I may disagree dis-agree with everything a man has to say, but I will fight to the death for his right to say it. Perhaps student protests or doubts about our foreign policy pol-icy are disturbing, perhaps we would rather have no dissent or doubt, but I for one will worry most when I can't hear a protest anymore, for then I fear, our society will have died. Frank W. Kyriopoulos |