CLUH Criticizes Plan For ROTC

The Civil Liberties Union of Harvard (CLUH) is urging the University to act now to break ties with the ROTC program, in order to send a message that the University does not tolerate discrimination.

In a two-page statement last week, CLUH responded to a report issued in October by the student-faculty committee on ROTC. The committee implied that Harvard should wait for President-elect Clinton's expected repeal of the military's ban on gays and lesbians.

Though the CLUH document supported the committee's central conclusion, it disagreed with several of its specific suggestions.

The student-faculty report, released in October, did advise that Harvard cease involvement with the program because of the military's policy barring gays and lesbians, but also stated that the University should delay action until the fall of 1994.

Clinton said during his campaign that he would repeal policy, though he said recently he would form acommission to investigate before issuing anexecutive order.

Despite this promise, Harvard should still planto stop supporting students enrolled in ROTCthrough MIT next fall, when the class of 1997enters as first-years, CLUH said in its report.

The CLUH report says that despite Clinton'spromise, ROTC should be banned from campus untilthe policy is fully eliminated.

"It's dangerous to judge what will happenpolitically, especially with the waveringClinton's been showing since the election," saidJol A. Silversmith '94, CLUH co-director and anauthor of the report.

The CLUH report also criticizes the decision bythe committee to terminate the presentrelationship with ROTC in the fall of 1994,calling instead for the University to stoppayments to MIT next fall.

"We've felt that Harvard has been slow actingon ROTC for a long time," Silversmith said. "Wesuggest Harvard act before the admittance lettersare sent in the spring."

CLUH expressed concern that vague language incertain parts of the committee report will giveHarvard more leeway in instituting its new policy.For example, in one part, the committee allows a"symbolic connection with discriminatoryorganizations."

"The use of the terms 'symbolic' and 'direct'versus 'indirect' in the report are unclear," saidCLUH assistant director Robert W. Yalen '95, alsoan author of the report.

"Only in a more carefully worded report can youmake sure the spirit of the report is followed,"he said.

But both Yalen and Silversmith said that CLUHdoes not support ending funding given to currentROTC members.

Silversmith acknowledged that CLUH'ssuggestions may not be easy to put into practice.

"We've taken an ethical stance. We realize thedifficult implications of some of our opinions,but we feel it's necessary for us to take thisposition," Silversmith said.

The CLUH leaders said the organization has noobjection to maintaining ties with ROTC if theanti-gay policy is ended by Clinton

Despite this promise, Harvard should still planto stop supporting students enrolled in ROTCthrough MIT next fall, when the class of 1997enters as first-years, CLUH said in its report.

The CLUH report says that despite Clinton'spromise, ROTC should be banned from campus untilthe policy is fully eliminated.

"It's dangerous to judge what will happenpolitically, especially with the waveringClinton's been showing since the election," saidJol A. Silversmith '94, CLUH co-director and anauthor of the report.

The CLUH report also criticizes the decision bythe committee to terminate the presentrelationship with ROTC in the fall of 1994,calling instead for the University to stoppayments to MIT next fall.

"We've felt that Harvard has been slow actingon ROTC for a long time," Silversmith said. "Wesuggest Harvard act before the admittance lettersare sent in the spring."

CLUH expressed concern that vague language incertain parts of the committee report will giveHarvard more leeway in instituting its new policy.For example, in one part, the committee allows a"symbolic connection with discriminatoryorganizations."

"The use of the terms 'symbolic' and 'direct'versus 'indirect' in the report are unclear," saidCLUH assistant director Robert W. Yalen '95, alsoan author of the report.

"Only in a more carefully worded report can youmake sure the spirit of the report is followed,"he said.

But both Yalen and Silversmith said that CLUHdoes not support ending funding given to currentROTC members.

Silversmith acknowledged that CLUH'ssuggestions may not be easy to put into practice.

"We've taken an ethical stance. We realize thedifficult implications of some of our opinions,but we feel it's necessary for us to take thisposition," Silversmith said.

The CLUH leaders said the organization has noobjection to maintaining ties with ROTC if theanti-gay policy is ended by Clinton