'Year of Civility'

To the Editor:

Last week, the campus of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst was leafletted by posters proclaiming a rally for "Utopia," a previously unknown organization. They declared among their goals the elimination of the Third World Students newspaper, the establishment of white supremacy and ridding the campus of "Chinks, Gooks and Niggers." The rally was scheduled for the same afternoon the posters appeared. The University administration issued a statement that any students attending the Utopia rally would be arrested on the spot. Progressive student organizations immediately organized a counter-demonstration to the Utopian rally: three hundred people attended. Subsequently, one of the speakers (and possibly two more), a Black man from the People's Gay Alliance (PGA) received death threats, informing him that he had only a week to live.

University of Massachusetts Amherst officials had previously declared 1981-82 the "Year of Civility," during which intolerance to Third World and other minority groups such as lesbian and gay students would no longer be acceptable. Tony Creighton, student director of the Office for Third World Affairs, saw the posters and death threats as continuing the violence and threats which occurred on New England campuses last year, citing Harvard, Cornell, and Williams Colleges as examples.

The H-R Black Students Association extends our support to our fellow students in Amherst. We commend the Progressive student organizations for their rapid and effective response in time of threat. We applaud the strong response of the UMass officials in taking action to safeguard students and prosecute offenders. And we send our support to our brother from the PGA in hopes for his safety and in honor of his courage. The H-R BSA joins with students of all races, genders and sexuality in demanding an end to violence and intolerance on our campuses. Gaye Williams '83   Pres., H-R Black Students Assoc.