South African Lecture Stirs Protest
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LIBRARY RECEIVED N0V2 31976 HARTFORD, CONN. Volume 75 THE TRINITY Issue 11 TRIPOD November 23,1976 South African Lecture Stirs Protest by Alan Levine from many countries come to work the white population fears Russian in South African mines and learn to intervention more than they fear a In an extremely controversial read and write in the process. black revolution; Russian favors talk last Thursday evening, Mini- South Africa is concerned with a de-stabilization while South Afri- >v ster J. B. Shearar of the South stable government in Rhodesia, but cans prefer stabilization. Most African embassy spoke at Trinity. not whether white or blacks rule. blacks, he felt, would encourage increased in vestment in South The presentation, offered by the At this point, the protesters Hartford World Affairs Council, Africa by Americans to advance noisily en-tercd the auditorium, their freedom. ' t > "i was met with loud and hostile shouting "Free South Africa protest by a si/eable group of black Now! and "Freedom Now!," forc- and white Trinity students waving Shearar believes that there is a ing Shearar to.stop talking and not "remarkable amount of good will signs and shouting, "Free South permitting him to continue. He left Africa Now!" between the races" and there are the auditorium, but, half an hour continuing efforts to reduce racial Shearar, who was appointed later, with security guards present 1 4 friction. He added that, among the minister in the embassy I. and protesters gone, the talk white population, there are those December, spoke softly and was continued in the Washington Room who are trying to advance black drowned out a number of times as a question and answer session. civil rights. early in his prepared speech by the Declaring that South African In reference to this past sum- shouts of the protesters. Even whites plan to retain their suprem- before Shearar stood up, a young mer's riots, he admitted that they acy, but (hat they are not opposed were a tragedy, but claimed they man in the audience stood up and to the principle of majority rule, he Students protest the appearance of Shearar at a lecture, Nov. 18. shouted, "This man represents a were localized and actually had Plniiii l>yJi-ffSfil)i-ri government that is killing and little effect on the population as a by Seth Price oppressing thousands of people!" whole. Personally, he viewed the This and the other protest set the riots as a "sign of advance, a sign Demonstrations against South Sheets were handed out with tone for much of the evening. of evolution"; out of these and Africa's policy of apartheid inter- possible questions, and demon- other events, will come a better Describing his country as one South Africa, rupted the lecture given by South strators were told that, while "in the process of change in a African Minister J.B. Shearar. The harassment should not be used, region of ferment," Shearar ex- lecture entitled "Change Through questions should be asked when- Referring to the situation con- pressed his belief that Africa cerning South Africa's position Accomodation," was sponsored by ever deemed necessary. should solve its own problems and the World Affairs Center of Hart- Kick Hornung, another protest between the United States and the should keep a low profile in the Soviet Union, he said that South ford. leader, said to the audience "as the foreign policy of the United States clock moves towards 7:45, people Africans do not regard their The protesters arrived early and as it has been doing. He said that situation as an east-west conflict, assembled in front of Austin Arts will try to go in. They'll see what he is "desperately concerned" happens. Those who get in will sit but it is being made a theatre of Center at 7 p.m., some forty-five with the fact that the Angolan east-west conflict. In his opinion, minutes before the scheduled dispersed in the auditorium. As for government is controlled even when and how and if the man is the United States should presently beginning of the lecture. Among more by a foreign superpower than South African Minister J. Shearar be working to reduce Soviet those demonstrating were both interrupted, (hat's a matter of the the South African government. situation. Ask questions in a tough in McCook. Plmui by Jt-ff Seilx-rr influence. South Africa wants students and professors from Trin- Further, he added that South neither strong American nor Soviet way. Heckle him if he doesn't 1 ity, students from Wesleyan and Africa is a stable, developing said that (he white government influence. He emphasized that he University of Connecticut, and a answer. Laugh, hiss, boo whatever nation in which all people are visualizes a system of separate is considered appropriate by you. If felt that there is freedom of speech number of private citizens. developing from primitive people. states, with the transkei being the and the press in South Africa and One of the first problems the man won't recognize us, those first to request and receive its .outside (in the lobby) will heckle." the right exists to speak out against tackled by the protesters was how At this point, he was constantly independence. He believes that the government. to gain admittance to McCook With that, at 7:25, the protes- ' being interrupted by hostile people everyone should have the ability to auditorium without paying the one ters headed for McCook, chanting, in the audience. When a vote was determine their self-destiny, but Obviously referring to the pro- dollar admission fee, which one of "Free South Africa Now," and taken, the audience overwhelming- not at the expense of others. In testers earlier in the evening, the protest leaders Mac Margolis waving posters which read "U.S. ly expressed their desire to hear answer to another question, he said Shearar said that one of the South said, "we will conveniently out of South Africa. Victory to the the remainder of Shcarar's speech that the white minority holds Africa's major problems is that waive." South African people," and "No and then have a question-answer control because, at the time of the people refuse to listen to its It was decided that the twenty More Lies. End Apartheid Now," period, rather than just allow formation of South Africa, every- viewpoint, and when they do listen, to twenty-five protesters who were among others. members of the audience to ask one agreed that a white minority they refuse to believe it. Winding to be in the auditorium during the The protesters were greeted in questions. Despite some protest at would always control the black up . the program, Trinity's Vice lecture would simply walk in. the lobby by representatives of the this decision by a few people, the majority. Further, he stated that, President Thomas Smitii apolo- Meanwhile, the other fifty demon- sponsoring World Affairs Center. majority showed their support for while white South Africans are not gized to the largely adult, non-stu- strators would stay in the lobby. As the chanting grew louder and ii. Shearar continued, stating that, necessarily racists, they are na- dent audience for the action of the While still in front of Austin demonstrators attempted to rush "I'm sorry my presence has been tionalists. He said that he thinks student protesters. Arts Margolis said that the idea of the door of the auditorium, the quite so disruptive. I hadn't the protest was "not to disrupt WAC representatives were forced intended to convince anybody Shearar." He added that if Shearar to retreat behind the closed doors tonight..." were avoiding issues, questions of the auditorium. should be asked. Meanwhile, some protesters Then Shearar, in referring to Van Purchase had gone around to the back of his nation's apartheid policy, McCook and entered the auditor- pointed out that South Africans Tripod ium unimpeded through a back "have little evidence that other entrance. They sat and chanted solutions have produced any better Approved Election Results while paid spectators attempted to results." He added that they are very aware of their nation's mineral Sunday, November 21, the enter McCook through the main The referendum to indicate the entrance. By the time Shearar wealth, strategic location and also student preference on the SGA van what seems to be a pro forma vote Tripod staff elected next semes- the diversity of people, an aspect by the Budget Committee and the ter's editorial board. The results arrived, he was faced with protes- purchase passed this week by an ters within, protesters outside, and that, he said, reports on South overwhelming margin. Despite SGA stands in the way of the van were: Editor-in-chief, Henry B. African events, do not seem to being in operation. In an interview Merens; Managing Editor, Jon paid spectators. some initial concern by the pro- recognize. South Africa favors ponents of the project, the final with Jeff Meltzer, the chief backer Zonderman; News Editor, Steve As the protest was developing, of the referendum, he stated that it became obvious that a disruption cooperation among African nations tally of 784-424 showed that the van Titus; Arts Editor, Ira Goldman; and has various degrees of relation- the large turnout and the sizeable Sports Editor, Howard Lombard; to the lecture itself was a realistic was supported by 65% of the elec- ships with many of its neighbors. torate. The large turnout of almost victory indicated to him, and Photo Editor, Mitsu Suyemoto. possibility. Addressing himself to hopefully would indicate to other the situation, Victor Tercle, WAC South African policy is to deal with 80% of the campus indicated a any nation if there is sovereign sense of concern about student life members of Student Government, Also elected were: Copy Edi- executive vice president said, "I that students really did want to see tors: Alan Levine, Trish Mairs, and don't regret having Shearar here to equality, mutual respect and a on campus.