BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF CIVILITY

To the Editors of the Crimson:

One of the questions recently asked by certain members of Dunster House was whether there is "hard evidence" of any harassment of Professor Richard Herrnstein. As the statement signed by over one hundred faculty members made clear, no one was alleging that any illegal harassment, of the sort that might lead to disciplinary action, had occurred. What has occurred, and what many of us regard as incivil conduct that goes well beyond the bounds of, and indeed inhibits, serious discourse, is the following:

--The distribution of leaflets and placards labelling Professor Herrnstein a "racist," a "fascist," and a "pigeonman":

--The circulation of statements accusing Herrnstein of uttering "fascist lies" and "racist slander", of attempting "to rationalize the extra oppression of black and other workers," and of reaching conclusions that are "reminiscent" of the theories "promoted in Nazi universities," which ideas "provided the rationale for the slaughter of millions of peoples";

--The festooning of Professor Herrnstein's classroom with placards calling him a racist and a fascist, badgering him in class on at least one occasion with irrelevant and ad hominem questions (e.g. "is that why you think Attica prisoners should have been murdered?"), and of reading a long and disruptive statement in class:

--The accusation that Professor Herrnstein is "cheerleading his favorite Nazi ideologist";

--The staging of a mill-in in the office of Professor Newman demanding that Professor Herrnstein be fired;

--The issuance of statements that distort or misrepresent Professor Herrnstein's views.

In supporting its argument that Professor Herrnstein should be fired, the University Action Group states that nobody should be allowed to teach at a university unless he "uses his knowledge to advance mankind." Presumably the UAG would decide who is doing this and thus who can teach.

Professor Herrnstein has not been physically abused; he has been the object of a systematic effort to degrade his so as to inhibit him and others from discussing views that a small, self-appointed minority find distasteful. It is the creation of such an atmosphere that so many faculty members find objectionable. Doing this may be legal, but it is not conducive to the existence of a free university.

It is hard to understand why a faculty statement supporting civility and forebearance in academic, discourse should be regarded by some as "insidious," while a campaign of personal vilification passes with the comment that it is simply a "political response" for which Professor Herrnstein should be prepared. James Q. Wilson   Professor of Government