Looking Behind the Shield

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

I cannot claim to speak for anyone else-still less for any of the organized groups-who took part in the disruption of the "Counter Teach-In" Friday night, but I am confident that all of us were united behind certain ideas and principles which deserve serious consideration by the University community-not to mention the country as a whole.

The validity of that teach-in's program is not an issue: the utter immorality of all that the participants represent is manifest and is taken as assumed. Our "liberal" critics perhaps share this judgment, but they condemn our abuse of their sacred, traditional liberty-freedom of speech. I assert, in reply, that no one has the right to commit the crimes which our government and its lackeys are committing in Southeast Asia. Such criminals-and such representatives of theirs as we saw on stage Friday night-forfeit any "sacred right" to mouth their lies in my presence. They must therefore be stopped, as part of the great people's struggle to halt their criminal activities.

"Liberals" are fond of casting at us the comparison with Nazi tactics during the Weimar Republic period in Germany. Besides inviting these critics to consider the content of our program, I would suggest that they take a closer look at this period in German history, for there is a lesson to be learned about the supposed "absolute" validity of the traditional liberties and the classical liberalism which supports them.

Adolf Hitler initially led his party in a reckless, illegal quest for power, culminating in the abortive Munich putsch in 1923. This failure brought about an important change in the Nazi strategy: henceforward they would seek power through the established, legal channels. Legalism does not rule out violence, as the SA's activities demonstrated (and the United States government continues to demonstrate), but further putsches were ruled out. During the next decade, the Nazis exploited the freedoms granted them and their tactics were rewarded with Hitler's constitutionally legal accession to the Chancellorship on 30 January 1933. History doesn't record if any grave liberals "gave him the finger" or turned their backs on him that day.

The lesson should be obvious; traditional liberalism can shield a criminal, fascist government just as easily as a criminal, fascist faction within the society. We must recognize what is behind the shield that Archibald Cox was trying to interpose in Sanders Theatre. That shield must be thrust aside and the crimes brought to a halt.