ABSOLUTE BLINDNESS'

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

The essence of free speech is that its exercise must be measured with absolute blindness to the merit of its political or moral content. This is the lesson taught by Justices Holmes and Brandeis. It was tragic that those Justices spoke for a minority half a century ago; it is horrendous that in this University today Holmes and Brandeis would still have to speak the voices of dissent. How incredible it is that the majority and one minority CRIMSON editorial would ground the denial of free speech on the moral inferiority of the speaker!

How equally tragic is it that Archibald Cox, who in his years as Solicitor General applied his intellectual energies to protect black speakers and demonstrators from the dictatorial powers of redneck sheriffs, should find himself purged by the dictatorship of those who claim association in this University.

How can we fail to ask those who disrupted Friday night to be accountable for their actions? Do we not demand accountability of Lieutenant Calley, the Saigon and American generals, the Washington policy makers? One injustice does not excuse another equally serious.

And what is the disrupters' excuse? That an unresponsive university was failing to meet legitimate demands? That they were being denied the opportunity to bring their own position into public debate? Hardly! Merely that they "absolutely refuse to hear anymore" [editorial of Ignatius and Darling], and deliberately decided that no one else should hear, either. No practice could be more offensive to the University's existence, or more deserving of its sanctions.