description:
Page Eight - The SKYSCRAPER - May 17, 1968 Editorials U.S. cult of order frustrates justice The cliche cleanliness is next to godliness has been re placed by a new one. For now, law and order is next to godliness; it's the national religion of the United States. At worst, law and order is a static faith and a superficial attempt at solving the problems in American society. At best, there's not much one can say for it. Obviously, the enforcement of law and order is necessary to maintain any stability in society. For anarchy would create more problems than it would solve, if it would solve any. Yet law should be placed in its proper perspective, as a social insti tution with the flaws that all social institutions have. It's a social institution that must adapt to social change or be changed by violence. Sounding Board The superficiality of the law and order syndrome is demon strated by the government's attempt to curb race riots by training more policemen in riot control rather than correcting the underlying causes of riots such as poor housing, lack of jobs and education. Riot Training It's even demonstrated by the adminis tration's refusal to comment on the Kerner Com mission Report until three weeks after its issue. The problem isn't white racism, the administration seems to be saying, but end the lawlessness. It's a system of laws that hasn't done much to protect the rights of poor people, black people, war objectors and sometimes even of students. It's exemplified by the House's recent 384 to 5 vote to refuse financial aid to students involved in demonstrations disrupting a university's operations. The religion of law and order also is intol erant. Its believers won't listen to the viola tors of order, the demonstrating and rioting heretics, who are screaming, I've got a problem I'm unhappy Won't you help me? Law Violations And that's just it: the religion has become so confining one has to scream to break the law and order sound barrier. What's the answer? How can law reflect the new social changes? Secularize law and order. New library hours? It's up to students With the abolishment of five-day residency next year Munde lein will continue its trend toward a resident student body. Week end library hours, however, may remain geared to a com muter college, unless students indicate otherwise. Saturdays the library is open from 1-4:30 p.m., according to Mrs. Richard Barton, reference librarian, mainly because of lack of student interest in extending the hours. Next year when the library moves to the new Learning Resource Center other problems involved in such an extension will include finding staff and student aides to man the library during any extended hours. Yet, according to Sister Clara Bormann, head librarian, student proposals for new hours will be considered. For students, the time to ask for a change is now before staff schedules have been finalized. A resident student body deserves a library geared to its needs. The Skyscraper description of the April 27th Peace March seemed to express only one view of the march, the march ers' view. From the marchers' point of view the police were antagonistic and brutal. How ever, from the point of view of a Chicago policeman, or from the point of view of a Chicago citizen, the marchers could be seen as irresponsible and thoughtless of the rights of others. Although the injuring of marchers by police cannot be condoned, one wonders wheth er or not the police were pro voked to take such action. Had the march taken place in the Grant Park area, had it taken place on a college cam pus, had it taken place on the main street of a small town or suburb, the police possibly would not have had to be so forceful. But this march look place in the heart of Chicago's Loop on a busy Saturday af ternoon. Because of repairs, the Civic Center was closed to the marchers; and the pres ence of counter demonstrators increased the tension of the inarch. To the police force, this seemed an explosive situation. Not only did the police have to respect the rights of the marchers, they also had the responsibility of protecting the right of Chicago citizens to ac cess to the Loop area and to its facilities. It was this res ponsibility to the citizens, it seems, that the police were fulfilling when they insisted that the marchers obey all traffic signals, and forbade carrying signs that stretched across entire streets. Might it be that in response to these efforts the marchers them selves were antagonistic and responsible for the mount ing tension during the march? Also, many of the marchers did not seem to recognize their responsibilities as parti cipants in the march. Whether it was the fault of the march's leaders, or that of the partici pants themselves, it appears that the April 27th marcher;, were not very well informed. Perhaps, while we call for more tolerance and restraint from the police, we could also call for more consideration and respect of the rights of other Chicago citizens on the part of those who exercise their right to participate in marches and, at the same lime, expect better informed and organized marchers. Margaret Desmond Mobilization March After reading about the Stu dent Mobilization March on April 27, I find myself con vinced of the sincerity of the Mundelein contingent, but highly doubtful of their com mon sense. Members of the group seemed to observe the situa tion very well in the May 3 issue of the Skyscraper, but they failed to make what seem to be obvious logical connections between incidents. To begin, some frustration was experienced at Grant Park because the amplifier system promised by the Park District failed to materialize. However, although the ab sence of an amplifier system brought an expected amount of confusion, the march be gan and at this early stage it was well organized. Later, though, all agree that the po lice action from the time the group reached Michigan Ave nue appeared designed to cre ate tension. At this point, a marcher should have asked herself the reason behind these actions. Neither the Park District nor the police were aiding the were probably still tense from the extra duty only a week before. Presumably, the marcher wanted to serve a positive purpose. Thus, it seems logical that a marcher leave the march before the Civic Center Plaza. Since a number of Munde lein paraders did not leave be fore the Civic Center, I must ask why. Is it that you cannot or did not make connections between these incidents to get a view of the whole situation? Is it that you did not know of apparent resistance? If so, why did you not know? Why did you commit yourselves if you did not know the situa tion? Or is it that you are not only willing to suffer, but also Secularize Law march. Knowing this, it seems apparent that Mayor Daley did not want the Student Mo bilization March to be success ful marching into the Civic Center Plaza. Since the police were successful in creating tension (rumors filtering back, singing and chanting begun), and since the CPD is noted for its efficiency, further po lice action seemed inevitable. If disrupted by police vio lence, the march would no longer be peaceful, organized, or non-violent. Presumably, the marcher would not want to become part of a herd driv en and beaten by police who wanting to suffer for this cause? Finally, I will comment on my own opinion: I respect my own opinions and the thought behind them. Also, I want and expect others to be able to see worth in my judgment. There fore, I try to avoid situations in which my opinion will not be respected. This is what I expect from others. This is why I expected the Mundelein group to leave the march be fore the Civic Center. I can only hope that future action of the Student Mobiliza tion will be more prudent. Cathy McLeod THE SKYSCRAPER Mundelein College 6363 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, 111., 60626
title:
1968-05-17 (8)
publisher:
Women and Leadership Archives http://www.luc.edu/wla
creator:
Mundelein College
description:
Student newspaper for Mundelein College
subject:
Newspapers
subject:
Religious communities--Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
subject:
Students
subject:
Universities and colleges
subject:
Women's education
relation:
Mundelein College Records
type:
Text
language:
English
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coverage:
Chicago, Illinois
coverage:
Mundelein College