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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1965-1967
31858064848116_025
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[handwritten] DI Nov. 2, 1967 Allaire Condemns Bowen's Actions To the Editor: Pres. Howard R. Bowen acted with astonishing irresponsibility on Wednesday and thus deserves to be compared to those police officials in the South who used vicious dogs against civil right's demonstrators. On Wednesday morning, on the east steps of the Union, there was a group of perhaps 100 people demonstrating against the war in Vietnam. Their demonstrations consisted in blocking the path of those who wished to talk to the U.S. Marine recruiters. The demonstration was illegal, as the demonstrators themselves admitted,but it was also nonviolent. Needless to say, there were people who wanted to enter the Union ostensibly to talk with the recruiters. These people had a right to do so, a right which should have been enforced by the proper authorities. Bowen chose, however, to allow a small group to try to violently to enforce the right. By not immediately calling int he proper authorities and having the demonstraters arrested, Bowen... in effect turned loose on the nonviolent demonstraters a brutal, violent group of people. Naturally, some demonstraters were bloodied and hurt. Bowen's action must be condemned. Indeed, those whose rights he failed to enforce ought, at the very least, register a strong protest with the Board of Regents. He acted, in fact, in the spirit of President Johnson who, with complete disregard for justice, has turned loose a brutal force on the Vietnamese people. Edwin B. Allaire Professor of Philosophy Pelton Calls Mob Violence Deplorable To the Editor: My personal reaction to this whole affair is disappointment in many members of the student body, and in the lack of more prompt security force action between the two groups of studnets. I am sorry that the protesters were allegedly unlawful, but I respect their attempts to remain physically peaceful. And I deplore the actions of the several activist anti-protesters who attempted to take the law into their own hands. The mob violence was unnecessary... If this same situation arises today, I have been assured by the administration and University Security Department that they will prevent physical violence between studnets, but any arrests will have to be made by civil authorities... I hope now that both sides (protesters and anti-protesters) have learned that the law should be obeyed. It will be enforced by the police, not the students. Protesters are acting illegally in blocking free access to the Placement Office, but those who physically attack protesters are liable for criminal charges of assault and battery. Violence in any form should not be tolerated. John T. Pelton, A4 Student Body President
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[handwritten] DI Nov. 2, 1967 Allaire Condemns Bowen's Actions To the Editor: Pres. Howard R. Bowen acted with astonishing irresponsibility on Wednesday and thus deserves to be compared to those police officials in the South who used vicious dogs against civil right's demonstrators. On Wednesday morning, on the east steps of the Union, there was a group of perhaps 100 people demonstrating against the war in Vietnam. Their demonstrations consisted in blocking the path of those who wished to talk to the U.S. Marine recruiters. The demonstration was illegal, as the demonstrators themselves admitted,but it was also nonviolent. Needless to say, there were people who wanted to enter the Union ostensibly to talk with the recruiters. These people had a right to do so, a right which should have been enforced by the proper authorities. Bowen chose, however, to allow a small group to try to violently to enforce the right. By not immediately calling int he proper authorities and having the demonstraters arrested, Bowen... in effect turned loose on the nonviolent demonstraters a brutal, violent group of people. Naturally, some demonstraters were bloodied and hurt. Bowen's action must be condemned. Indeed, those whose rights he failed to enforce ought, at the very least, register a strong protest with the Board of Regents. He acted, in fact, in the spirit of President Johnson who, with complete disregard for justice, has turned loose a brutal force on the Vietnamese people. Edwin B. Allaire Professor of Philosophy Pelton Calls Mob Violence Deplorable To the Editor: My personal reaction to this whole affair is disappointment in many members of the student body, and in the lack of more prompt security force action between the two groups of studnets. I am sorry that the protesters were allegedly unlawful, but I respect their attempts to remain physically peaceful. And I deplore the actions of the several activist anti-protesters who attempted to take the law into their own hands. The mob violence was unnecessary... If this same situation arises today, I have been assured by the administration and University Security Department that they will prevent physical violence between studnets, but any arrests will have to be made by civil authorities... I hope now that both sides (protesters and anti-protesters) have learned that the law should be obeyed. It will be enforced by the police, not the students. Protesters are acting illegally in blocking free access to the Placement Office, but those who physically attack protesters are liable for criminal charges of assault and battery. Violence in any form should not be tolerated. John T. Pelton, A4 Student Body President
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