HRSSR Supports Draft Resisters

To the Editors of the Crimson:

In yesterday's letter to The Crimson from the Harvard Republican Club, the HRC publicly comes out against the First Amendment of the Constitution by condemning Draft resistors for their expression of their values in a way that we of Harvard Radcliffe Students for Social Responsibility (HRSSR) feel is so necessary and vital in our violent world. Instead of being impressed with the moral strength of those who have failed to register and who have opposed the Selective Service System, as several judges who have tried and unfortunately prosecuted resistors themselves have felt, the HRC has voted to "support registration, prosecution of those refusing to register, and the cutting of student aid to such individuals." It is said that in such an enlightened community as Harvard that students would insist upon coercion to prevent free expression.

That the HRC wishes to cut aid to students who have not registered is a primitive form of coercion. Even at Yale University, an institution of nearly equal reputation and academic quality as Harvard, the administration took it upon itself, before the need became acute, to pledge financial support and full compensation for any government aid lost because of their refusal to register for the draft. We of HRSSR applaud Yale's decision and strongly urge Harvard to adopt a similar policy.

We feel that the views expressed by HRC do not in any way represent the views of the Harvard community, and that even a unanimous vote by its 72 members fails to measure to a significant degree the attitudes of Harvard students in general.

This is why HRSSR urges everyone to go to Science Center D on Wednesday night, December 1, at 8 p.m. to hear Mr. Thomas Turnage, director of Selective Service, speak on the Draft. If you are united in opposition to the Draft, are undecided on the issue, or even support the views of the HRC, we feel that is important for you to attend this event to let your views be heard by others. In this way we can show that there is sympathy and support for Draft registration-resistors--for the 480,000 unregistered men and the handful of men who have been unjustly singled out for prosecution by the Justice Department. It is important that those of us who have views that differ from HRC attend this forum and utilize this opportunity to express our views. In this way we can turn HRCC's forum into a proper use of our rights to free expression and association as guaranteed by our Constitution. Jeane Wirka '86   Nicholas Horton '86   Heidi Meyer '84   Barry Zellen '85   Robert Serscher '83   Heather Ecker '86   Peter Bologh '86   Members of HRSSR