Political or not political
"They had better take a look to be sure his skirts
are as clean as possible before they recommend someone
to be hired" said Regent Schwartzkopf in August after
the Board had turned down Michael Davis' appointment.
"I can only assume the Board had access to information
which neither Bob (Robert Dewey,' chairman of the Dept.
of Philosophy) nor I had seen," commented Melvin George,
Dean of Arts and Sciences. "I wasn't privy to the Board
meeting, but I prefer, to believe they acted on information
- I didn't have." he continued.
The two month period of secrecy that followed the
Board's August decision served mainly to whet the appetites
of those who were concerned with the case as well as
raise the general level of interest in the matter. Now
that the public is being permitted a good peek under
Davis "skirts," it appears that the Board did not have
access to special information.
All of the reasons given in their letter were known
by some members of the academic community perhaps
more factually than the Regents because some of them
had taken the trouble to contact Davis himself.
It is most unfortunate that the Regents chose to cloak
their movements for the best interests of the University
demand that these matters are public. The regents may
now find that their secrecy has forced the issue while
their position might have been stronger if they had released
the information in August.
Of the four reasons given, Davis repudiated the first
as entirely false, stating he did not even attend the reception
where he allegedly made offensive remarks. He also
repudiated as false the fourth charge that he accused
president Fleming of "repressive and noncommunicative"
attitudes, and this quotation was the mainstay of the Regents'
charge that Davis was not objective.
Reason three states merely that Davis had been arrested
and found guilty of trespassing. This certainly is a minor
point and Ignores the fact that he was involved in nonviolent
social protest to urge a county board to release surplus
funds to the needy. The letter also fails .to point out
that 206 others were arrested with Davis and that the
board changed their minds the next day and issued the
funds.
Finally, the Regents were critical of a four day fast
that Davis held in the Michigan Administration Building
and quoted from a statement that Davis wrote to explain
his action. Davis reply that the Regents received the
statement two months after their August decision bears
investigation for a substantial part of their argument rests
on quotations from the statement. In its entirety (in the Re
gents' selections) Davis' statement is a cogent, responsible
document which is constructive and nonviolent in its approach.
By being secret, not holding open meetings and not
contacting Davis to check their information, the Regents
may have condemned themselves to a diflcult, if not un
tenable, position. The examples cited in their letter are
open to question on matters of accuracy as well as im
portance. The Regents' approach to the whole matter has given
it greater significance and a wider audience than would
have been the case in August. And a matter that was
described as "social" by a Board member now appears
to be more a criticism of Davis' efforts to effect his
political beliefs.
Indeed, the two alleged incidents which might have
been Interpreted as social matters have been denounced
by Davis as false. That leaves only a conviction for
trespassing (based on personal convictions) and his fast
and siting in an administration building matters more
political than social.
The Regents' decision will undoubtedly be investigated
further, as it should be. At this point, it appears that
the Board has acted on Inaccurate information and that
their decision has Infringed on Michael Davis' political
and academic rights.
THE NEBRASKAN
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The Great debate
Dear Editor:
The debate between the
candidates for Governor of
Nebraska, held in the Union on
Oct 22, was no debate at all.
Once again the Democrats and
Republicans proved that they
offer no real choice between
them. I had visions of the 19G8
presidential election.
J. J. Exon perhaps was bet
ter in attempting to answer the
three opening questions, but his
direct addresses to Governor
Tiemann and his often-repeated
phrase, "if Jim Exon is your
governor," got in the way of
whatever real concern he has
for the issues of war, racism,
poverty, pollution, education,
and business in this state and
throughout the country.
Both candidates
demonstrated their concern for
the University only in terms of
budget. How much should we
or should we not spend for this
or that? Both men were given
the opportunity to deal with the
questions which are being
raised by students on every
college campus in the country,
when asked to comment on the
use of National Guard troops
and on the Scranton report.
Neither man availed himself
of this chance, but tried to
measure what amount of
"disruption" warrants the use
of troops. Our cry last spring
simply was, "No more business
as usual."
J. J. Exon and Governor
Tiemann appear to be men
willing to talk with young pe
ople in order to consider points
of view. However, I wonder fit
either man would be able to
come out from behind their
hand-shaking, back- slapping,
and personal diatribes, to con
sider the principles upon which
they would govern, that Is, to
serve the people of this state. I
was astonished at their little
tete-a-tetcs up on the platform.
Even Spiro T. Agncw would
have something to say about
this. Or would he?
Paul Sutf r
Still man project
Dear Editor:
Several inaccurate and one
sided comments have been
made In past articles about the
Stillman Program and its
participants. I want to present
my side of the issue, set some
facts straight and, hopefully, be
open-minded about it
The purpose of the Stillman
THE NEBRASKAN
Letters
Program Is to enable whites to
live with, work with and relate
to Blacks. Most of our hatred
and prejudice today comes
from fear, ignorance and just
plain not knowing the other
person.
I think of most people whom
I know closely with warmth
and affection, including friends
at Stillman friends I hope to
see again soon. In helping me
to live with, work with and
relate to Blacks, the Stillman
Program was very suc
cessful. My statement, "I agree that
Stillman is run like a high
school," may have been an
unfortunate statement on my
part, irrational and dffficult to
define. If one had come from a
high school of 2,000, it would be
hard to see any small college
as a college. Also, as was
mentioned, one cannot compare
Stillman College, with an
enrollment of 700, to the
University of Nebraska, with
20,000 students.
If I had wanted an academic
education, I would have re
mained at NU. Stillman just
cannot offer courses such as
Soil and Water Management,
Crop Ecology, and Range and
Forage Crops.
Stfilman has some poor
courses and teachers, but it
also has some very good
teachers and relevant courses
just as dear old NU has both
interesting and dull courses as
well as stimulating and stifling
teachers.
Perhaps my courses at
Stillman were easier because
I've had a good academic
education and the Blacks have
had to settle for second best,
but I've had a few easy courses
at Nebraska too. Some of us
exchange students are capable
of palling "A'l" at
Nebraska.
I wish I had become more
involved while I was at
Stillman, and there is op
portunity for Involvement. It
is just a matter of locking for
and recognizing the
possibilities. Involvement is the
best way to relate to people and
it generally makes life more
interesting.
I did have an opportunity to
visit Tuskegee Institute and it
it was a genuinely thrilling
experience. Their campus is
picturesque and natural beyond
words. A program with
Tuskegee is something to con
sider, out we cannot abandon
the established, successful
program with Stillman
Some people may think I was
on an ego trip and that I should
stay home from now on; some
may think I wasted my time
but I know it was very
worthwhile and that's what
counts. Only interaction
between people will bridge the
racial gap. I want to help more
people realize this and open the
door to this golden opportunity,
ity.
Roger Rinne
Co-Chairman
Stillman Exchange
Racist radio
Dear Editor:
On Friday, Oct. 16, at ap
proximately 9:30 a.m. on radio
station KLMS, racism reached
a new high in Lincoln. What's
that you say? You didn't think
it existed in Lincoln? Well it
always has, but until this time
it has been a bit more subtle.
I do not know the name of the
disc jockey but the remark
went something like this.
A public service announce
ment was being given con
cerning a coon-hunting
organization in the Lincoln
area. When reference was
made as to the location of the
next coon hunt meeting, the
disc jockey commented that it
would be held in the 22nd &
Vine St area, then of course
corrected himself and gave the
proper location. His bigoted
remark was of course intended
. for the Black people who live in
and around the 22nd & Vine St.
area.
Please spare me of remarks
that I am too sensitive or
reactionary. It is just this sort
of ethnocentric joke-making
which allows uninformed
persons to remain uninformed
and contradict much of the
dedicated effort concerned
citizens make to correct ine
qualities that exist between
lower class minority groups
and middle and upper class
persons.
I hope other sincere citizens
will respond as I am in
demanding at least a public
apology and removal of the
person who made the remark.
But even now it is too late.
The remark has been made,
tlie damage done.
I wonder if people will ever
learn to care? But no, it's much
easier to sit back smugly in
your easy chair at night and
hope that I and others like me
will let your mind be at ease.
Weil, I just won't do that!
Robert Vaa Cleave
PAGE 4
MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1970