Kennedy

To the Editors of The Crimson:

I hope that today's Crimson [May 1] misreported the views of Professor Randall Kennedy on the disruption of speeches by South African officials. According to your story, he though such action appropriate because those who invited them "are not authentically curious about what they have to say." The invitation, he claims, "is a political action and not an educational endeavour." When asked whether it would be appropriate to beat or even kill such speakers, Professor Kennedy replied that it was "a close call, something I'd have to think deeply about." Has our deep thinker considered that there are many students who would find abhorrent the appearance on campus of a Louis Farrakhan, Angela Davis, or a spokesman for the current Nicaraguan regime? Professor Kennedy doubtless does not believe that such speakers "represent an advocacy that is beyond the pale," but his utterances are an invitation to disruption by those who do. It is saddening that an officer of the American Civil Liberties Union, which once took highly principled stands on such issues, apparently believes in freedom of speech except for people with whom he disagrees. Stephan Thernstrom   Winthrop Professor of History