Just a couple of comments related to Theresa Wilson’s column. First, since, as Wilson notes, “everybody is offended by something,” might we not want to negotiate and dialogue BEFORE decisions are made about something as important as naming a building? Notice, Ms. Wilson, THAT NO ONE IN THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO NAME A BUILDING AFTER MALCOLM X. Hasn’t even been suggested, to the best of my knowledge.

Second, the suggestion that Catt later recanted her racist and xenophobic remarks is unsupported. The September 29th Movement has repeatedly asked for such a citation and gotten only vague answers. We’ve had members making visits to the Library of Congress, phoning the New York Public Library, and burning up the fax lines to the University of Wisconsin Library, and guess what? No evidence from any of Catt’s papers so far that she ever stated regret or dissatisfaction with her previous statements. The closest we come is the vague statement that she “was a regular jingoist” when she was younger. So, to Ms. Wilson — and to President Jischke, who claims to have read “all” the material before deciding she wasn’t a racist — WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE? Primary sources, folks — Catt’s own speeches, essays and letters. We’re looking. What are you doing?

Kel Munger

Graduate Student

English

Shameless Agitator