DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Students for a Democratic Society, 1965-1972 | 1969-11-18 Daily Iowan Article: 'SDS Founder Calls Movement 'No Joyride'' Page 1

Transcribe
Translate

Students for a Democratic Society, 1965-1972

1969-11-18 Daily Iowan Article: 'SDS Founder Calls Movement 'No Joyride'' Page 1

THE DAILY IOWAN - Iowa City, Ia. - Tues., Nov. 18, 1969-Page 3
SDS Founder Calls Movement 'No Joyride'
By GARY BRITSON
The joy and ease of the leftist movement in the United States are over, according to a former vice president of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).
"We first build a joyous movement. Next we found out that what we were fighting was more murderous. Now we know that beating an imperialist nation on its home ground is no joyride," the former vice president, Robert Ross, said. 
Ross, who was among the founders of SDS in the early 1960s and who is now first secretary of New University Conference (NUC) made the statement in a speech at the Chemestry-Botany Building - the final event of Friday's MOratorium activities at the University.
Calling the united States an "imperialist nation", Ross said, "We are not talking about my belief in an old theory - we are talking about things that can be objectively proven.
"Imperialism keeps society united around a series of symbols, and the war in Vietnam has become such a symbol. The Nixon administration has been very active in getting pro - administration sentiment among the people," Ross said.
"When Nixon said, "We cannot be defeated by the North Vietnamese; only Americans cans defeat Americans,' that was his attempt to blame protesters for the fact that America has lost the Vietnam war," he went on to say.
"The reason for this madness is imperialism and the fact that there is some truth to the domino theory of Southeast Asia. American industry needs Southeast Asia because the big American markets are now saturated. The big new markets are overseas," Ross told the audience. 
Ross also accused universities of foul play in matters concerning the war.
"The university is also, among other things, imperialist," he said.
He said that 30 per cent of university research work is financed by the Defense Department. 
"The university participates in promoting the war. The administration argues that we must do business as usual. Leaders are committeed to order. Although America commits war crimes, you should not blow up their buildings because that is not the way we do things in a democratic society. We cannot allow business to go on as usual," Ross said. 
Ross said that he had studied the New York Times and had concluded that the U.S. government releases optimistic reports regularly at threemonth intervals.
"Every month the National Liberation Front wages a fullscale attack to prove that they still are powerful and still control the population. The fact that American casualties are down is tacit proof that the United States has been beaten. They can no longer venture out into the jungle in large numbers," he said.
Ross commented on the trial of the "Chicago 8."
"The indictements were held up until Nixon could study them," Ross said. 
He added that the administration had decided how the trial of the antiwar protesters should go.
"Nixon wants to find out how much of the left he can put down brutally. He is seeing how far he can go. So we must make it very expensive to put those people away - Tom Hayden, Bobby Seale, Jerry Rubin and the others. They are just sitting in for us at the Chicago trial. They were only taking our places," Ross said.
The speech was sponsored by the NUC.
Ross received a B.A. degree in political science from the universitiy of Michigan in 1963. He holds an M.A. degree in sociology from the University of Chicago and has attended the university of London. He has had works published in the New York Times Sunday Magazine, the National Guardian, The Village Voice and other U.S. publications.

The Daily Iowan
Published by student Publications, Inc., Communications Center, Iowa City, Iowa, daily except Sundays, Mondays, legal holidays and the day after legal holidays. Entered as second class matter a the post office at Iowa City under the Act of Congress of March 2, 1879.
-
The Daily Iowan is written and edited by students of the University of Iowa. Opinions expressed in the editorial columns of the paper are those of the writers.
-
The Associated Press is entitled to the exclusive use for republication all local as well as all AP news and dispatches.
-
Subscription Rates: By carrier in Iowa City, $10 per year in advance; six months, $5.50; three months, $3. All mail subscriptions, $12 per year; six months, $6.50; three months, $3.50.
-
Dial 337-4191 from noon to modnight to report news items and announcements to The Daily Iowan editorial officers are in the communcations Center.
-
Dial 337-4191 if you do not receive your paper by 7:30 a.m. Every effort will be made to correct the error with the next issue. Circulation office hours are 8:30 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday.
-
[?? cuted text]

Saving...

THE DAILY IOWAN - Iowa City, Ia. - Tues., Nov. 18, 1969-Page 3 SDS Founder Calls Movement 'No Joyride' By GARY BRITSON The joy and ease of the leftist movement in the United States are over, according to a former vice president of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). "We first build a joyous movement. Next we found out that what we were fighting was more murderous. Now we know that beating an imperialist nation on its home ground is no joyride," the former vice president, Robert Ross, said. Ross, who was among the founders of SDS in the early 1960s and who is now first secretary of New University Conference (NUC) made the statement in a speech at the Chemestry-Botany Building - the final event of Friday's MOratorium activities at the University. Calling the united States an "imperialist nation", Ross said, "We are not talking about my belief in an old theory - we are talking about things that can be objectively proven. "Imperialism keeps society united around a series of symbols, and the war in Vietnam has become such a symbol. The Nixon administration has been very active in getting pro - administration sentiment among the people," Ross said. "When Nixon said, "We cannot be defeated by the North Vietnamese; only Americans cans defeat Americans,' that was his attempt to blame protesters for the fact that America has lost the Vietnam war," he went on to say. "The reason for this madness is imperialism and the fact that there is some truth to the domino theory of Southeast Asia. American industry needs Southeast Asia because the big American markets are now saturated. The big new markets are overseas," Ross told the audience. Ross also accused universities of foul play in matters concerning the war. "The university is also, among other things, imperialist," he said. He said that 30 per cent of university research work is financed by the Defense Department. "The university participates in promoting the war. The administration argues that we must do business as usual. Leaders are committeed to order. Although America commits war crimes, you should not blow up their buildings because that is not the way we do things in a democratic society. We cannot allow business to go on as usual," Ross said. Ross said that he had studied the New York Times and had concluded that the U.S. government releases optimistic reports regularly at threemonth intervals. "Every month the National Liberation Front wages a fullscale attack to prove that they still are powerful and still control the population. The fact that American casualties are down is tacit proof that the United States has been beaten. They can no longer venture out into the jungle in large numbers," he said. Ross commented on the trial of the "Chicago 8." "The indictements were held up until Nixon could study them," Ross said. He added that the administration had decided how the trial of the antiwar protesters should go. "Nixon wants to find out how much of the left he can put down brutally. He is seeing how far he can go. So we must make it very expensive to put those people away - Tom Hayden, Bobby Seale, Jerry Rubin and the others. They are just sitting in for us at the Chicago trial. They were only taking our places," Ross said. The speech was sponsored by the NUC. Ross received a B.A. degree in political science from the universitiy of Michigan in 1963. He holds an M.A. degree in sociology from the University of Chicago and has attended the university of London. He has had works published in the New York Times Sunday Magazine, the National Guardian, The Village Voice and other U.S. publications. The Daily Iowan Published by student Publications, Inc., Communications Center, Iowa City, Iowa, daily except Sundays, Mondays, legal holidays and the day after legal holidays. Entered as second class matter a the post office at Iowa City under the Act of Congress of March 2, 1879. - The Daily Iowan is written and edited by students of the University of Iowa. Opinions expressed in the editorial columns of the paper are those of the writers. - The Associated Press is entitled to the exclusive use for republication all local as well as all AP news and dispatches. - Subscription Rates: By carrier in Iowa City, $10 per year in advance; six months, $5.50; three months, $3. All mail subscriptions, $12 per year; six months, $6.50; three months, $3.50. - Dial 337-4191 from noon to modnight to report news items and announcements to The Daily Iowan editorial officers are in the communcations Center. - Dial 337-4191 if you do not receive your paper by 7:30 a.m. Every effort will be made to correct the error with the next issue. Circulation office hours are 8:30 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday. - [?? cuted text]