Page Two

EDITORIAL

Politics or People?

The protest of Playboy, was not only a protest against
the commercialism that ignores those aspects of women that
stand for humanness, but an assertion by several individuals
of their belief in communication, sensitivity and human dig-
nity.

A protest is an attempt at symbolic communication, one
of the unique aspects of the human animal, Unfortunately,
the society, the press, and even some of the most sensitive
people will not think of the individual communication and
sensitivity expressed by these people. Because of this, peo-
ple are hurt, improper correlations are made, things like the

nstitution’s losing money or fearing for its reputation occur.
Someone in Des Moines gets scared and starts an investiga—
tion. An investigation of what?

Will an impersonal, “no comment,” secretly prying
group of men increase (or even desire to increase) under«
standing, communication, or sensitivity? The motivation, EX<
pressions, and nature of their work, makes any honest in-
vestigation impossible.

The Attorney General’s office has brought fear to the
campus through their approach and their goals. This seems
to be a perfect example of what the demonstration was pro-
testing against —- impersonality and dehumanization. The
investigators have missed the point of the protest by being
here at all.

The state attorney has sent four men including the as-
sistant state attorney to prosecute trivial crimes. The dam-
age to individuals inyolved is not a consideratioato this
3131:; WE? (in radicals. When will human values replace poli‘
tics?

Communication, sensi vity, human dignity; they are all
positive aspects of the human situation. The happenings of
the past week diminish one’s hope that these are in reality,
the values of the society, the community or some individuals.

 

1——

.._1

To The Parents of M . Low and M . Thompson

Dear Parents:

Your children have been identified as
those among a group of Grinnell admin-
istrators who have apparently misused
the responsibilities of their respective
positions, First, they have circumvented
the regular college procedure for viola»
tiou OI social regulations as prescribed
i.“ the “Student Handbook” and the
"Grinnell College Bulletin." In their lei-
Ier to the Playboy pmtestors and their
parents they have acted as boih prose-
cumr, judge, and jury. Their letter he—
gins “You have been identified as one
of a group or students who dlsrobed in
Gales Lounge" yet who identiﬁed them
and with what authority? Not only have
these students been unofficially accused,
but. they have also been unofficially
round guiliy. one wonders why your
Son/daughter did not use the established
judicial process and chose to go outside
all legal procedure.

lt is also my unfortunate task to in-
toun you that your son/daughter acted
in a way which did not do honor to
their proiession, Since when do the deans
write students’ parents without inform—
Eg the involved students first? Such a
procedure appears at once irregular
and unethical, beneiidng neither those
[orients involved nor their parents. In
fact, it would appear that your letter
has benefited no one. What purpose did
your son/daughter have in mind? One
wonders when such practices will be
put to an end.

I quote the shove mentioned letter in
mien-ice not to the protesters but rather
to your children:
“...Wedoml.ke|hepdntthltyour
action in let! the hum-n issues less
I|seflllly detlned, Ind in some gunners
has generated I nuﬂon antagonistic. lo
the college nod to lo education-l nah.
“column/cl, vac loam-lib
problems [oriented by a conﬂict It this

sort (that is, problems created by doing
impulsive damage to the institution that
you presumably are beneﬁting from)
are becoming steadily more complex.”
I invite you to discuss the implications
of this incident at your convenience.
Sincerely yours.
Lee Maril

The Scarlet & Black

soudeni Newspaper of
Grinnell College.
@rinnell. Iowa

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owo paper 171.: um wet y,

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> and examination Periods.

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lenﬂﬂel: , Lynn Adlms, lmny lull,
David pry-u. clm rroulicu,

no Hirsch, Cathy Jana,

Molly McGuire. Marx-m Mueller.
Muk sob-luau, Rich Schmlechel.
.iomlhnn Stein

, susAN KAESER
BRUCE smom

SCARLET AND BLACK

LETTERS

Concern for reputation

To the editor:

It has become Increasingly apparent
that a minority or students on the cam-
pus of Grinnell College are creating an
image that 15 not representative of the
entire student body. The image of Grin-
nell as a radical institution has not
merely appeared subsequent to the dem-
onstration against Playboy Magazine. it
has, rather, been evolving over a period
at time that has been punctuated by a
variety of controversial incidenis. In the
light of the philosophy of a liberal arts
college, we have too long silently toler—
ated these occurrences, and we now
feel compelled to express our opinions.

1. it has become increasingly more
difficult to study in an atmosphere in
which everything from our human dig—
nity to our intelligence is being insulted.
The events which have taken place have
ranged, in our opinion, from the inane
to the offensive and i“clude the Guer-
rilla Theater's presentation on Satur-
day, October is at the Symposium for
Parent’s Weekend and at second semes—
ter registration, the mosi recent issue of
the Plel‘odactyl, and mo Playboy den-l-
onslration. The last of these is the cul-
minalion of the tone that has been prop-
ogaled by the minority.

2. These events have had ramifica-
tions outside the student community
Siiiémehts released to the Des Molnes
Register have been expressed as rep<
resentative of the majority of the stun
dent body; we doubt that this is so.
Them has been a resultant loss of pres-
tige as regards the college. This is evi-
denced in rhe canceled enrollment of
several prospective students and the
dissatisfaction voiced among present
students, parents, and alumni.

3. With reference to the Playboy dem-
onstratlon in particular, we ﬁnd it ironic
that those who were protesting the com-
mercializailon of the human body used
the identical methods to iuriher the ac—
tions of people loosely affiliated with the
campus.

4. Misrepresentation of student opin-
ion extends inio other sectors of college
life. We understand that the Student
Senate is to be sensitive to the views of
the entire student body. From its actions
this year and last, we feel that [his is
highly questionable. For example, a 33m
appropriation was made to the Piemd-
lay! on October 2, 1968. This money was
appropriated under the guise of a single
ad. If this publication is not college‘
sponsored, we ask why college funds
were utilized. $300 seems an exorbant
amount to cover only one no.

We realize that the mere statement
of opinions is not sufficient. The solu-
tions to these problems that will induce
change he perhaps in greater partici-
pation of the majority in szudem elec-
tions, the Student Senate, and concerned
reaction to activities at the campus.

Barbara Schnurman
Janet Williams
Nora Sansone
Stephanie Schen‘ck
Joy Canard
Patricia Later
Gina Mills

 

Hollow-Grind Ice Skate Sharpening

DONE WITH PRECISION IV MACHINE

AT

Harry's Sport Shop

. us Mob.

Friday. February, l4. I969

Don’t waste your money

To the Editor:

As we all know, attorney general
people are on campus to investigate, as
they say, “some matters.” Apparently
their main concern is the strip, the nasty
and heinous protest that occurred a
week ago and which, for the first time
in our minds, brought extensive atten-
[ion to the fact that “Playboy," exploits
women's beauty, to be sure, “Play-
boy’s" grotesque concept or beauty.

Assuming these men earn at least
$7,000 a year. which figures in wages
to around $4 an hour, together they are
paid $128.00 a day. We assume that they
do not work in the evening since on
Tuesday night one of the men accom«
panied by a man not known for certain
to be an agent, both apparently drunk,
asked us where the john was. Unless
they were employing some kind of tactic
to extract information by feigning
drunkenness we assume they work an
eight hour day. Surely they would not
carry on their mission in a drunken
stupor.

These men have been here since Tues-
day and will leave Thursday or Friday
we think. So, around $500 will be spent
on their salaries alone. Add on to this
figure another $500 for further adminiS‘
trative work and miscellaneous ex’m
passes. it something like hearings 0')? "
trials result, the expense would perhaps
add up to $5,000.

We suggest that the attorney general
get the hell out of Grinnell College and
the state spend this money in a ghetto
or, it the state insists on spending the
money on law and order, we suggest
that it be spent against the maﬁa In-
stead 0! against some people who took
all their clothes,

David Llndblom

Wilhelm Defense

To the Editor:

Neil Fischer’s and Greg Schmidt's pro-
gram on the college radio station KDIC
on February 11 during which they
claimed that 1 organized the recent nuda
demonstration against Playboy maga-
zine in order in make money by selling
photographs to the press, is a complete
distortion of the facts. It is an insult
ro those who actually did organize the
protest. The organizers of course can’t
reveal themselves at this time due to
the investigation by the state Attorney
Generals office. This information will of
course come out in time and Neil and
Greg will prove themselves to be liars.
Many oiher statements made during the
radio program were also completely un-
true. Neither Neil nor Greg not anyone
else contacted me about their information
helore or after the program.

Since that time Mm Ruth. Prescott.
representing the college puhue relations
ellice, has sent copies of the program
in the Associated Press, United Press
International, Grinnell radio station
KGRN, the Gn'nnell Register, and ill.
Des Moines Register, She did not check
are facts stated on the programwiih me.
and admitted to me when 1' allied he:
that she knew some or the information
presented on the program was not car-
reel. She said the Public Relations nffiCI
sent the program out as a matter 3!
"information."

Anyone who is interested in discussing
this matter or what Krystyht Nou-
man and l are dainf in Grim" is
welcome to come over to our house at
1408 East Street and mlk with B. You
Ire also welcome in View the photographs
presently hanging in our gallery. Th-
;allery, by the way, was never conceived
or intended Io be a hiatus enterprise.

Milling].

 

