Dear George,

May I post a belated comment on the Campbell letter? In its offensiveness it has perhaps sent us off in the wrong direction. I admire and agree with the letters that have exposed his ignorance, obtuseness, and insensitivity. My frame of reference is the late 50s and early 60s when people not unlike Mr. Campbell railed against every anti-segregation protest of whatever nature. Most of them were so far removed from the reach of rational discourse that, as we quickly learned, arguing with them was of little value. Much more important was planning the actions that would effectively undermine the Jim Crow structures and values that gave them a comfortable perch. That was accomplished by the civil rights movement and many a segregationist from those days, in time, came to make an adjustment to the new realities. Some even denied their earlier racist views.

If the experience of the civil rights movement is relevant here it seems to me that one can safely ignore the Brian Campbells (who, in fact, have little influence anyway) to focus on the next necessary steps. Among those should be a campaign to get both the city and the University to refuse to sanction events or housing sponsored by them to take place in establishments that do not pay a living wage. In the sixties we did something akin to this, prohibiting university sponsored events (including lodging and meals for visitors, prospective appointees included) to be held in segregated establishments. This will be railed against, of course, with all manner of excuses, but I think it is an idea whose time has come. With the living wage movement gaining momentum throughout the nation one can see it becoming the new civil rights movement. The Labor Action Group and the Virginia Organizing Project have led the way here. More power to them in the future.

Paul Gaston (electronic mail, June 6, 2001).