OBSERVER Vol. 1 No. 2 April 22, 1983 Page 1 Civil Liberties In Reagan’s America ACLU President Speaks At Bard Noreen Regan Photograph Linda Gruntwagin Page 2 Viewpoints . [“ . Kevin Foley’s ‘Viewpoint,’ . Mr. Foley complaining about exactly?”] Ann Lewinson [“ . Observation about the weak organizational structure remains accurate.”] [“ . Time we seize power and start conforming to conformity.”] R. Conwell Goudy [“ . Received your flyer on the Milton Avery Graduate School of Art.”] Harvey Schaffer [“ . Developing radical conservatism . .”] Page 3 Issues and Opinions Housing Debate Continues Phyllis Hanson Cartoon R. C. G. College Marketing Laura Wendt Page 4 Confessions Of A Neurotic Stephen X Ask The Big Man Kelly Page 5 Carzooms B. J. Fabian-Elid-Jesse-Kate The Bard Late Show J. G. Salvucci It’s A Drab, Drab, Drab, Drab World To Z Or Not To Z - Episode 1 Lisa Gesmondi Page 6 Record Review: Join Together Scott E. Thomas St. Patrick’s Day Remnants Photographs Matt Witchell Page 7 Campus News: Page 8 * * * Sports * * * Softball Season Andrew Glasser and Aaron Glasser 1983 Bard College Intramural Softball Schedule 1983 Men’s Varsity Tennis Schedule 1983 Women’s Softball Clermont Race BARD OBSERVER Community April2.2, 1983 volume 1. number 2. Newspaper of the Bard ''Civil Liberties In Reagan's America'' ACLU President Speaks at Bard by Noreen Regan of separation of church fully the institutions of the system--the {On March 10 , ffiA Glasser , President of the was a contradiction of courts, Congress, media ... , to stop .. an American Civil Liberties Union,~poke at and state, and therefore also a violation 1 elected majority from denying rights is ... Bard on "Civil Lib a-ties in Reagan's Ameri-. the 1 ~ amendment. a very important political lesson, ..•" ca . " The following is from his lecture' However, the Administration's "ideal ogical commitment to undoing and weakening The Bill of Rights is a fragile instrument the very idea of rights "does not limit itself It is not abstract like a declaration in that to that area. It's attempts at reviving pre­ it is not simply a statement of ideals It ventive detention (incarcerating an individual is concrete and enforcable, rooted and cod­ without bail before trialb which is a power ified in the law. Nevertheless. the Bill that is always used politically and rarely of Rights remains a fragile instrument and for the sole purpose of crime prevention, that fragility has been made especially resembles the foundation on which politically apparent by the Reagan Administration's oppressive governments such as El Salvador continual attempts to dismantle it. and Guatemala establish their power. It was two and a half years ago that once According to Glasser, "only 1!'/o of criminal again the civil liberties of American citizens acts are committed by those on bail " To became imperilled. That th:reat however., prevent that 2.%, the rights of too many has not diminished and it continues to grow people must be violated. There is no leg it­ and become increasingly felt in Reagan's mate argument for its enac trnent. America. One might very well ask how is it Perhaps the Administration's most that we have come to. this point after winning dangerous move has been it's efforts to these "rights which·emerged out of a cauldron eliminate the jurisdiction of federal cou rts of real political struggle?" Why are a con­ to hear cases involving schod prayer, siderable number of Americans and their school desegregation, and abortion . These leaders losing sight of something as essen­ cases would have to be decided in the state tial as the guarantee of their rights? courts which are basically "forums most According to Glasser, ''the culmination reponsi ve to the local political majority of the undifferentiated resentment and anger since judges are elected," and therefore ... about where the country was go·ing found have more regard for the constituents than fruition in the Moral Majority movement and the constitutionality of the issue. to some extent . Reagan's election .. in 1980 The ACL U has been actively opposing the ... In early 1981, serious legislation started efforts of the Administration to diminish our to be passed, impinging upon the values of civil liberties. "The interesting thing," religious free.dom , in particular anti-evolut­ Glasser says, "is that those people haven't ion laws and the so called creationism stat- gotten anything ; not a single piece of leg­ utes ... , which were introduced simultane- islation that they spons ored in Congress in ously ... in eighteen different states in the these areas passed. What counts in these first two months of 1981. " The passage of struggles ultimately is never what they these laws meant that wherever evolution (Administration) do ... What always counts was taught in school, cr-eationism must is what we do in response . The ability of also be taught not as religion , but as an a relatively small number of people. .. to alternate scienti fie theory. Clearly, this mobilize themselves and to utilize success Photo by Linda Gruntwagin 2 BARD OBSERVER VIEWPOINTS • • • To the Editor: Dear Ann: Dear People: With regard to Kevin Foley's "Viewpoint, " Granted, Mr. Foley did not attend the I just received your flyer on the Milton "Budget Meeting Ends in 15 Mins. "; What is meetil:g; however, his observation about the Avery Graduate School of Art. It was bub­ Mr. Foley complaining about exactly? Poor weak organizational structure remains accu­ bling over with pride and enthusiasm. I attendance at the forum meeting? He wasn' t rate, It is one of several problems with the smiled... felt aglow ... was infected ... until there to count heads, and there were enough the student budget meeting. 3/4 of the way down when it dawned on me heads to count that evening to· make the voting Incidentally, a sound organizational struc­ what the actual realities were. procedure less aggravating than usual. A ture does not rest entirely on proper use of Since comments are welcomed: What weak organizational structure? Since when Roberts' Rules of Order. It also depends on are you doing? Well, I'm incredulous. is proper use of Robert's Rules of Order, re­ a good knowledge of the constitution which is Just how does one combine muse, wonder, sulting in the majority of people getting what something that at times is certainly lacking and the fertility of innoc.ence? How do you they want, evidence of weak organizational at our student forums •. This. is made evident by keep this integrity and also be a school, man.? structure? What was wrong with the student the repeated searching through it ; not just Produce on time, .Perform on schedule for a budget meeting? for purposes of clarification either. grade, tap your mysteries for others' judge­ Of course the meeting was attended well Surely Ann, you cannot ignore these prob­ ment? Since when does Creation Need a by the BBSQ LAO, and all those other rel­ lems. The only reason that enough people Credential ? atively important student clubs with large were present for a quorum was because of I know that forced awareness leads to an budgets to protect. The "small groups," as the money involved. Otherwise, the meeting uptight self-consciousness, a curse on the Mr. Foley calls the groups which I surmise would have been just like the one that follow­ soul. Infected by reason, the Tao flees; the were seeking to snip a little off those hefty ed most recently on Aprilllth, when we had soul a slave, the ego imperial, inspiration a budgets for themselves, either did not attend to round up the people still remaining in production of force , and creation a means of or were just silent. Kline in order to achieve a grand total of self-exploitation•... Guy Yarden' s motion to close discussion twenty people-·a fine representation of the Well, it's been twenty years since Bard; was approved because the groups represented Bard community! twenty years of fine memories, but now I feel by the attending students wanted the budget I find it difficult to believe that you coutl somewhat betrayed and truly embarassed. passed. These students kmw what ·they were forget Abe Levy, speaking on behalf of the What the hell is wrong? voting for, and that a truncated discussion Lit. Club, one of those "'small groups' Harvey Schaffer would ensure minimum shrinkage in their seeking to snip a little of those hefty budg...o Pompano Beach, Fla, budgets. The motion passed because a ma­ ets .... " Abe pleaded for what must have jority of students wanted the budget ratified seemed an eternity to those who were eage~ without amendments. That is called democ­ ly awaiting Guy Yarden's ·motion to shut him Editor's Note: The writer is a former Bard racy. up. student (1958-62). He is addressing his ques­ However, I do remember one student (I'd Despite the fact that this motion was in tions to the Bard community because his assume that he was representing one of the order, there is something very wrong with a letters concerning this matter and written to "small groups") who protested Guy's motion, system that initially allocates a mere $400 Leon Botstein and Jacob Grossperg have re­ screaming, "Do you know what you're doing! to one of the few organizations that brings ceived no reply. Do you know that you're voting to ratify the speakers to this campus; and then relegates budget! ", to which the majority with arms it to the status of "small group"; and finally erect answered "Yes!" He was out of order, when Abe tries to protest the organization's anyway.