DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972 | 1972-03-01 Des Moines Register Article: 'In Democracy's Name!'

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

1972-03-01 Des Moines Register Article: 'In Democracy's Name!'

6                   Wed., Mar. 1, 1972
The Des Moines Register
An Independent Newspaper
Gardner Cowles, Chairman of the Board
David Kruidenier, President and Publisher
Kenneth MacDonald, Editor
A. Edward Heins, Managing Editor
Lauren Soth, Editorial Page Editor
Louis H. Norris, Business Manager

In Democracy's Name!

   The Hawkeye chapter of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union is distressed because student hecklers at the University of Iowa prevented a speech by a Harvard professor who wrote an article saying blacks are inherently less intelligent than whites. This view is considered "racist" by some critics.
   All who value their constitutionally-protected right to express themselves must share the distress of the Divil Liberties Union, but especially members of the university community.
   Dr. Richard J. Herrnstein was to have talked at a psychology symposium about his experiemtns with pigeons which have led him to conclude that some groups of people are genetically inferior. One does not need to agree with such a conclusion, but any scientific opinion reached through application of scholarly methods deserves a hearing at a university - which is supposed to be a market place for the free exchange of ideas.
   The Students for a Democratic Society, whole hecklers drove Dr. Herrnstein from the platform, seem unable to understand what a democratic society is. They claim a "big success" in silencing Dr. Herrnstein, but they forget that constitutional projects apply to those with whom they disagree, as well as to themselves.
   Mrs. Hanna Weston of Iowa City, speaking for the ICLU, pointed what should have been obvious to those fuzzy-thinking young zealots: "In forcing Dr. Herrnstein to cancel his talk, the SDS not only trampled on his rights but on [the rights of] those who wished to hear him."
   It is too bad that the U of I was unable to assure its guest a hearing because one element of the university community - shouting "freedom" - practiced repression of a view it does not like. It was a sorry show all around.

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6 Wed., Mar. 1, 1972 The Des Moines Register An Independent Newspaper Gardner Cowles, Chairman of the Board David Kruidenier, President and Publisher Kenneth MacDonald, Editor A. Edward Heins, Managing Editor Lauren Soth, Editorial Page Editor Louis H. Norris, Business Manager In Democracy's Name! The Hawkeye chapter of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union is distressed because student hecklers at the University of Iowa prevented a speech by a Harvard professor who wrote an article saying blacks are inherently less intelligent than whites. This view is considered "racist" by some critics. All who value their constitutionally-protected right to express themselves must share the distress of the Divil Liberties Union, but especially members of the university community. Dr. Richard J. Herrnstein was to have talked at a psychology symposium about his experiemtns with pigeons which have led him to conclude that some groups of people are genetically inferior. One does not need to agree with such a conclusion, but any scientific opinion reached through application of scholarly methods deserves a hearing at a university - which is supposed to be a market place for the free exchange of ideas. The Students for a Democratic Society, whole hecklers drove Dr. Herrnstein from the platform, seem unable to understand what a democratic society is. They claim a "big success" in silencing Dr. Herrnstein, but they forget that constitutional projects apply to those with whom they disagree, as well as to themselves. Mrs. Hanna Weston of Iowa City, speaking for the ICLU, pointed what should have been obvious to those fuzzy-thinking young zealots: "In forcing Dr. Herrnstein to cancel his talk, the SDS not only trampled on his rights but on [the rights of] those who wished to hear him." It is too bad that the U of I was unable to assure its guest a hearing because one element of the university community - shouting "freedom" - practiced repression of a view it does not like. It was a sorry show all around.