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Show CHRONICLE MAILBOX S Full Rebuttal To Levy Tenure Cushion actually invited Mr. Lillanthal or who sponsors his extensive tour of the Middle East each year, he and others like him on both "sides of the coin" should be listened to and their positions rationally evaluated. We do understand the anonymous "theys" have also invited a pro-Israeli pro-Israeli speaker to present his views. What Mr. Levy said about the Anti-Defamation League could equally eq-ually as well be expressed about the American Friends of the Middle East "it seeks to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens and to put an end to unjust and unfair discrimination against any sect or body of citizens." Curtis Callaghan Editor: In your March 4 editorial, "Tenure "Ten-ure Bugaboo," you bemoan an unfortunate un-fortunate reality, professors "sitting "sit-ting on their tenures." The situation situa-tion is hardly local. Too often one has only to separate sep-arate the asthmatic pants from the yawns along a department corridor cor-ridor to tell who's who. Exciting, even competent teaching becomes cushioned by policy, not, as it should be, stimulated. How unfortunate unfor-tunate that a professional practice, the clear roots of which are insecurity in-security and complacency, should be so nationally widespread that even the best, the most exciting and ambitious of the profession, sometimes get caught in it. And although it is true that hospital hos-pital staffs and law firms are hardly hard-ly free from employee padding and cushioning, it is clear that the general continuing level of competition, compe-tition, incentive and ambition in such professions is less undercut by policies which provide an unfruitful un-fruitful rather than a fruitful form of security. Perhaps such nagging seems a pain in the tenure, but it appears there are a lot of people and this University's situation is much better than many who would best get up off their tenures or get out. David Kranes Department of English Traffic Problems? Wait A Minute... will continue to, offer such sophistries sophis-tries as the argument that there are unused spaces every day. But wait a minute. Those are the spaces I'M bitching about. They're closer to BYU's or Weber State's campuses cam-puses than to ours. One More Time But wait a minute. I've already said it. They will try to do what, by. whim, they please, and there is nothing we can do about it. So why not simply try. to ignore the. whole thing. That won't solve anything, any-thing, but neither will trying to change the minds of the Traffic Planning Committee see again the above readings. But wait just one more minute. Why is it that the reread version has a place reserved for the parking of its car as close as it is physically possible to get that car to the front door of its building? Enough said. I hope that the Traffic Planning Committee does not bore me further with its defensive de-fensive inanities. No one, I should hope, takes them seriously anyway. ' '. . ' . - - ' Rodger Weaver Re: The editorial on parking in Tuesday's Chronicle: But wait a minute. What makes you think the Traffic Planning Committee read the administration reread President Presi-dent Fletcher is going to bother to justify anything they do to the studentbody- The fact of the matter mat-ter is that the Traffic Planning Commitee see the above readings read-ings has decided that lawn read snow, dust' and mud and healthful walking read plowing through the above read lawn on cold winter days are to be imposed im-posed on the studentbody in opposition opposi-tion to the Philistine read easier, eas-ier, more comfortable, quicker, more equitable, etc. policy of providing sufficient parking, near their buildings, for all students. This decision is based solely for emphasis solely on the whim of the Traffic Planning Committee again for emphasis: see the above readings. They feel no obligation to justify their policies and actions. Certainly they have, and probably 5V Editor: it.- !' Walter Levy, Community Con-I' Con-I' sultant of the Anti-Defamation League made some incorrect as-,' as-,' sertations about the American Friends of the Middle East (AFME) u which we feel should be cleared i up. v AFME is a "private, non-profit organization dedicated to a better . understanding between the peoples of the United States and the peoples of the Middle East-North African lands. Membership is open to all." (Report AFME 1966 fiscal year) :: It was formed by Dorothy Thompson Thomp-son and Garlind Hopkins in the ; early 1950's. Hopkins and Thompson Thomp-son felt AFME should be a political organization disseminating pro-Arab pro-Arab propaganda while others felt AFME's purpose should be cultural cul-tural working towards increased understanding by Americans of this vital area. Thompson and Hopkins left the organization to form their own group and AFME's aim was left to be cultural. Aids Students AFME has been mainly concerned con-cerned with education. It helps to place college c-fur1 from these areas in Ameri . ersities, by giving English . jm, hensive exams, ex-ams, transcribing grades from each school's system to American equivalents, equiv-alents, and by working with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Board, College Entrance Examination Board, Institute of International Education, National Association for Foreign Students, American Economic Association, Harvard International Seminar, the Experi- ment in International Living, and the National Science Foundation. It also obtained $68,000 for scholarships scholar-ships and fellowships for Middle Eastern-North African scholars during the 66-67 academic year. AFME also works with the Trans-world Trans-world Management Corporation to train Middle Easterners for manpower man-power requirements using up to date machinery. Well-Kept Records In the information fields, AFME has a lending library of 4,400 books, 16,000 articles on Middle Eastern subjects appearing in either eith-er American or foreign periodicals or in pamphlets and documents published by the governments or learned institutions of the area. A log is also kept of mentions of Middle East affairs in the Congressional Congres-sional Records. Researched reports re-ports are done and added to a Basic Facts Series and a monthly magazine "Mid - East - A Middle East-North African Review" is published. This magazine tries to give in-depth coverage to the historical his-torical background and current development de-velopment of the areas, to short stories by area authors, and pictorial pic-torial portrayals. A quarterly newsletter is also published to give AFME news. Lectures and Films In the field of cultural exchange, exhibits (original art works, graphic graph-ic displays), lectures by AFME staffers and well known Middle East experts like Dr. S. Badeau of Columbia University (a former resident of Cairo, Egypt and American Am-erican Ambassador there under President Kennedy) and Dr. John Fisher (expert on Abu Simbel) and a lending film library are available. avail-able. AFME traditionally has had offices of-fices in Amman, Jordan, Baghdad, Iraq, Cairo, Egypt, Damascus, Syria, Tehran, Iran, Tripoli, Libya and Jerusalem. However since the June Arab-Israeli War, its offices in Damascus and Baghdad have been closed. AFME has repeatedly asked to set up offices inside Israel, but has been refused on the grounds that AFME is anti-Zionist (not anti-Jewish or anti- Israeli) and propogates the pro-Arab point of view. Both Sides This statement is partly true in relation to the fact that the members mem-bers of AFME believe the United States should hear and be concerned with the affairs of both the Arabs and the Israelis. While AFME members generally agree that the foundation of Israel in that particular partic-ular area was a mistake, it does believe that because Israel is there, it is in the best interests of both the Arabs and the Israelis to solve their difficulties and live in peace. AFME has often been called an Arab front organization by such people as Mr. Levy and by the groups he represents. While AFME tries to help Americans understand the fears the Arabs have about Israel, its main purpose in the United States is to help Americans learn about the total Middle-East-North African area; its histories, cultures, religions, about each individual in-dividual country and how they relate re-late to us. Conversely in the area countries, AFME staffers try to help these peoples to learn more about individual Americans, our history, culture and ideas and not to generalize about all Americans from one bad tourist. AFME tries to perpetuate an endless Middle East-North African-American dialogue. dia-logue. It is not a front organization for any Arab nation, but an organization organ-ization of Americans trying to view every facet of these areas so we can communicate with each other and achieve better understanding. Fill 'er Up Mr. Levy's charges that AFME receives funds from the American oil interests is probably true. It would only be logical that because these Americans live in the area, they would be for American-Arab friendship, not only for its sentimental senti-mental value but for its practicality, practical-ity, However other Americans, lawyers, educators, students, diplomats, dip-lomats, people concerned with having hav-ing American ideals expressed in non-governmental language, also contribute heavily. - Although we are not certain who Have A Fig Leaf Cluster Editor: Who is Kay Israel? What is he? Is he a writer on the loose from Playboy, or is it more like Mad? Is he an undeclared candidate for President, running on the Ute Mock Convention platform? Is he Bob Hope with a face-lift, presenting the Issie Awards to deserving un touchables? For laying bare the BYU Universe Uni-verse mentality, for stripping the gold leaf from the Warhol legend, for these stalwart services is Kay Israel hereby voted the Figleaf Cluster with Crossed Pigeon-feathers, and a chorus of huzzahs. Michael Vitus Stevens Says Editor: What an honor you pay me, Mr. Israel. I'm all choked up, speechless speech-less almost. I notice that you didn't second my nomination of Mr. Bauman for the Richard Milhous Nixon award. That surprised me, but I'm sure you only stepped aside to give the honor to Professor Appleby. His personal experience with Mr. Bauman gives him a certain priority. I observe that you mention occasional oc-casional poor taste by letter writers. writ-ers. Considering your several columns col-umns on our sister institution to the south, I suggest that you could use a few lessons in "politesse" yourself. Ridiculing them because of their problems seems to be about as tasteful as Mr. Bauman calling the Campus Police "roaches." Thanks anyway for the nomination, nomina-tion, I surely hope I get my award. You can mail it or present it personally per-sonally over a few brews in the Huddle. James L. Stevens, Jr. Our Ma rtyred Few Editor : In the Chronicle for March 4, I saw an ad asking for applications from those interested in writing Chrony columns. The way columnists colum-nists catch hell from all over the University community I'd say a person would have to be nuts to be one. But then maybe the pay is good . . . By the way, why don't Mr. Richard Rich-ard J. Merrill and Mr. Bangs L. i Tapscott get lost and quit cluttering clutter-ing the Chrony's pages with their worn out arguments. It seems that neither of them is willing to yield to the other's point of view, or even recognize those valid points their opponent is making. I think if they must continue their arguing they should do so on their own time and not at the expense of Chronicle readers. Conrad Carlyle |