[Editors' note: A large group of concerned students and faculty met Wednesday night to discuss the administrative reaction to the performance of Tribe 8. This letter is the first in a series of actions resolved by the group.]
To the Editor:
It has recently come to our attention that certain members of the administration are concerned about the decay of Oberlin's "moral fiber." In our opinion, the moral fiber of Oberlin is best exemplefied by its defense of free speech and expression.
It is the responsibility of the administration to foster an environment in which each indivdual can determine his or her own set of morals. For the College to impose any set of values on the entire campus is not only condescending, but completely inappropriate. An attempt to regulate expression - artistic or otherwise - is a clear abuse of administrative power. Furthermore, to prevent artists from performing as they see fit would be a blatant act of censorship.
The fact that the administration is taking steps to do exactly that at the 'Sco (most recently in response to the Tribe 8 concert two weeks ago) has prompted us to write this letter.
Many of us came to Oberlin because we wished to be part of a community that celebrates its progressive past by reaffirming its liberal tradition. For the administration to jump on the censorship bandwagon belies this past and is an embarrassment to those of us who came to Oberlin expecting it to live up to the ideals so grandly espoused in its literature. All concerned students and faculty are urged to attend a meeting at Wilder this Sunday.
Copyright © 1996, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 125, Number 9; November 15, 1996
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