DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972 | 1972-03-01 Daily Iowan Letters to the Editor: 'Reactions to Herrnstein' Page 2

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Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972

1972-03-01 Daily Iowan Letters to the Editor: 'Reactions to Herrnstein' Page 2

"Reactions to Herrnstein"
2 (of 2)
DI 3/1/72

To the editor
Along with the Hawkeye Chapter of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, I would like to register my protest of the actions, of the S.D.S. at the cheduled Herrnstein lecture on Friday. In addition to the usual arguments of the S.D.S. abridging Herrnstein's right to speak and my right to hear, pre-censorship; etc., it would seem that any spealer who comes to campus whose research indicates that an individual, or at least an individual's ancestry, is "responsible" for his life situation rather than the system being at fault had better stay home, as we only want freedom of expression whe it agrees with our viewpoint.
Carol Vogt
University of Iowa
librarian

To the editor:
It is a sad state of affairs when a person (such as Prof. Herrnstein) cannot speak his mind no matter what his thoughts are. Yet it is quite ironic that the very same people (SDS et. al.) who use the right of free speech for special privileges, would abridge the right of another person. Power to the anarchists and the privileged few who can speak.
Dave Johnson
North Liberty, Iowa

To the editor:
The University of Iowa died a little on Friday afternoon, February 25, 1972.
On that day occoured the clearest, most unambiguous denial of intellectual freedom which I have witnessed in more than forty years of service as a member of the university administration, faculty, or student body can tolerate...
To repais the breach in the fortress of our intellectual liberty, what must be done-now and for the future? First, we must sen Mr. Herrnstein an earnest, bona fide invitation to return and give his talk on a feasible date in the present semester. We must assure him that he will be allowed to speak in a satisfactory, congenial setting and atmosphere. We must take public and widespread announcement of the invitation and the assurance. The probability or improbabilty of his acceptance has nothing to do with any of this. These are steps which we must take to restore our integrity as a university. 
For the farther future, we must re-assert and re-establish the principle and practice of free intellectual discussion on this campus. We must see to it that every invited speaker is treated with courtesy and enabled to speak to the audience for which he has been invited. Although we all share these responsibilities, we look to the president of the university, or his representative, for their primary assertion and primary execution... It is incredible as well as intolerable that a little bunch of irresponsible people should be permitted to destroy-or to threaten-the essential life of the university. Yet, if the administration cannot deal firmly, adequately, and definitively with the situation , I see no alternative save for the individual members of the faculty to do so, each on his own.
John C. McGalliard
Professor of English

To the editor:
Let's get one thing straight. The SDS Herrnstein controversy involves a single overriding issue: Academic freedom as it is embodied in the doctrine of free speech. It does not, or at least should not, involve the scientific and-or social validity of the ideas sought to be expressed.
Thus, I found it most distressing that under the guise of presenting a balanced picture of the incident. The Daily Iowan found it reasonable to present my veiled defense of free speech in juxtaposition to a sordid and undenyably revolving discussion on Herrnstein's ideas as embroydered by the Thunderbolt. This ploy should fool no one.
Free speech is not one side of the issue. It is the issue, and it has no second side. To suggest that the right to free speech exists only to the extent of a person's willingness to defend his ideas to a hostile, if not violent, audience has no basis in our constitution.
If The Daily Iowan can not force itself to be objective, it should at least refrain from intentionally confusing vital issues.
Gordon D. Greta
404 Sixth Street
Coralville, Iowa

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"Reactions to Herrnstein" 2 (of 2) DI 3/1/72 To the editor Along with the Hawkeye Chapter of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, I would like to register my protest of the actions, of the S.D.S. at the cheduled Herrnstein lecture on Friday. In addition to the usual arguments of the S.D.S. abridging Herrnstein's right to speak and my right to hear, pre-censorship; etc., it would seem that any spealer who comes to campus whose research indicates that an individual, or at least an individual's ancestry, is "responsible" for his life situation rather than the system being at fault had better stay home, as we only want freedom of expression whe it agrees with our viewpoint. Carol Vogt University of Iowa librarian To the editor: It is a sad state of affairs when a person (such as Prof. Herrnstein) cannot speak his mind no matter what his thoughts are. Yet it is quite ironic that the very same people (SDS et. al.) who use the right of free speech for special privileges, would abridge the right of another person. Power to the anarchists and the privileged few who can speak. Dave Johnson North Liberty, Iowa To the editor: The University of Iowa died a little on Friday afternoon, February 25, 1972. On that day occoured the clearest, most unambiguous denial of intellectual freedom which I have witnessed in more than forty years of service as a member of the university administration, faculty, or student body can tolerate... To repais the breach in the fortress of our intellectual liberty, what must be done-now and for the future? First, we must sen Mr. Herrnstein an earnest, bona fide invitation to return and give his talk on a feasible date in the present semester. We must assure him that he will be allowed to speak in a satisfactory, congenial setting and atmosphere. We must take public and widespread announcement of the invitation and the assurance. The probability or improbabilty of his acceptance has nothing to do with any of this. These are steps which we must take to restore our integrity as a university. For the farther future, we must re-assert and re-establish the principle and practice of free intellectual discussion on this campus. We must see to it that every invited speaker is treated with courtesy and enabled to speak to the audience for which he has been invited. Although we all share these responsibilities, we look to the president of the university, or his representative, for their primary assertion and primary execution... It is incredible as well as intolerable that a little bunch of irresponsible people should be permitted to destroy-or to threaten-the essential life of the university. Yet, if the administration cannot deal firmly, adequately, and definitively with the situation , I see no alternative save for the individual members of the faculty to do so, each on his own. John C. McGalliard Professor of English To the editor: Let's get one thing straight. The SDS Herrnstein controversy involves a single overriding issue: Academic freedom as it is embodied in the doctrine of free speech. It does not, or at least should not, involve the scientific and-or social validity of the ideas sought to be expressed. Thus, I found it most distressing that under the guise of presenting a balanced picture of the incident. The Daily Iowan found it reasonable to present my veiled defense of free speech in juxtaposition to a sordid and undenyably revolving discussion on Herrnstein's ideas as embroydered by the Thunderbolt. This ploy should fool no one. Free speech is not one side of the issue. It is the issue, and it has no second side. To suggest that the right to free speech exists only to the extent of a person's willingness to defend his ideas to a hostile, if not violent, audience has no basis in our constitution. If The Daily Iowan can not force itself to be objective, it should at least refrain from intentionally confusing vital issues. Gordon D. Greta 404 Sixth Street Coralville, Iowa