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On Mon, 20 Nov 1995, Ed wrote: > Thank you for finally addressing an issue that I feel needed to be > brought forward here at this University! No one should be afraid to > discuss issues about race and the history of this country with race and the > school itself. The people who continually attack and confront a person > for their opinion on the basis, "That because you are white, and you were > brought up in a country with a history of abuse along racial lines, means > you can not participate in the debate due to your skin being white." is > very wrong. Ed: I agree. It is very wrong for someone to be told what you cite here. Now, sir, I will ask you to do what white people are always telling people of color to do when they are shut out: Prove that this has happened. There is plenty of archival information from UVM today. Show us all where this has been said. And if you don't have the time perhaps Cooley, Bishop, Rein, or any other white person who is insinuating that they have been shut out can show all of us that this has happened. While you are at it, maybe some of you who are claiming to be so clear on the issues would try at least *once* to articulate the central arguments and principles which the Commission and OMA and ALANA students at large were presenting. The perception I have of the people who are crying "shutout!" is that they cannot articulate the platform of the opposition and therefore cannot be viewed as 1) people of good will 2) responsible members of the UVM community and 3) anti-racist. It seems to me that "goodwill" and responsibility go hand in hand with good faith.