Ture visit results in discussions

Dye meets with Abusa, explains position

The issues raised by Kwame Ture's visit continue to echo throughout campus. President Nancy Dye met with members of Abusua on March 17, and a letter signed by 71 faculty members appeared in the March 22 issue of The Observer.

Ture, a renowned civil rights activist and leader of the Black Power movement, addressed Oberlin students on March 11. He delivered two lectures, one on Pan-Africanism and one on Zionism. Ture's ideas drew criticism from students, faculty and administration who called his views hateful and anti-Semitic. Other people felt that these criticisms were used to invalidate other elements of Ture's message.

Members of Abusua, along with the students who helped bring Ture to campus, met with Dye to discuss Dye's letter to students concerning Ture's speech, and to voice their reactions to her words. In the letter, Dye condemned Ture's views, calling him "a man consumed by rage."

The meeting, said junior Kyo Freeman, co-chair of Abusua, was called to "reiterate our disappointment in her choice of writing this letter."

Freeman explained that Dye's letter came under special scrutiny because of her position.

"As President, she is supposed to represent all communities. ... [We felt] she was representing one community who complained to her," Freeman said.

"No one is saying that students did not deserve support for whatever threat they felt," said junior Diepiriye S. Kuku, who was also present at the meeting. "But why are we selectively supporting a particular group?"

Freeman said he felt that Abusua was able to explain its position to Dye, but he was not sure what effect it would have.

"We are leary of working with the President," he said, "but at the same time we realize that we need to."

Dye said she thought the issues stemming from the discussion helped her to understand other perspectives better.

A letter appeared in the March 22 issue of The Observer in support of the convictions expressed in Dye's letter. The letter, written by Professor of German Sidney Rosenfeld, was signed by 70 faculty members.

"We join you in repudiating the message of hate that Kwame Ture brought to Finney Chapel," the letter stated.

"Knowing what I do about the debate over this issue, I would write the same letter. The letter speaks for itself," Rosenfeld said.

Rosenfeld, who attended only the speech on Zionism, declined to comment further.

Kwame Ture visit sparks campus debate (3/15/96)

Kwame Ture sparks campus debate (3/15/96)

Speaker discusses views on Zionism (3/15/96)

College has responsibility to teach but should never limit free speech (4/5/96)