Mass Protests Imperative, Walzer Says

Sanford Lakoff and Michael Walzer agreed last night that Tocsin and the so-called "peace movement" must act within the political process, but then clashed violently on the question of what actually constitutes that process.

The discussion was part of a debate sponsored by Tocsin on methods of student political action.

Lakoff, assistant professor of Government, attacked demonstrations such as the recent Washington Project for being outside the regular channels of representative government. He said that by using other than conventional methods peace groups mark themselves as "alienated outsiders" and cut themselves off from the very community they seek to influence.

Walzer, an instructor in government and Tocsin faculty advisor, answered that "the existing institutions do not exist for us," a predicament historically common to all groups presenting opinions opposed to those of the governmental "establishment." On this basis he justified the Washington Project as participation in the political process since it made "publically visible" a legitimate opinion that otherwise would have been stified.

Demonstrations Stir Public

Another value of public demonstration is a vigorous stirring of a country that has accepted President Kennedy's "unity" for President Eisenhower's "passivity." Either way the result is an unhealthy and unjustified "trust" in existing governmental policies, Walzer said.

Lakoff then noted the immense problem of conducting a foreign policy in an open society. He suggested that students today "must accept a surrogate to democracy" in this area in the form of debate within the executive branch of the government itself. There is no reason to believe the Administration is approaching anything monolithic, Lakoff said.

"The key question is whether we are to surrender political participation or are we not," Walzer answered. He asserted that each individual must come to a decision "even if he lacks sufficient information." We realize we may make a wrong decision, Walzer noted, "but the only alternative is acceptance of a garrison state."

Alternative to Public Demonstrations

In response to a question Lakoff cited activity such as the reform Democrats in New York as a responsible alternative to public demonstrations for politically aware students. Government officials must make the decisions, but the public still has the power to decide who those officials are, he said. Lakoff added he had worn a blue arm band last year during the Tocain demonstration, but declined this year because the group had not fulfilled its primary function-- confronting its own community with the problems of disarmament and nuclear testing.