In addition, Duke is obligated under the agreement to lobby other universities to join in opposition to the CLC's code, which is still in the process of revision. News events, even when published in the New York Times, as the Duke protest and agreement were, can rarely be interpreted in black and white, but there is still a reason to try. In that effort, let us take a look at some contrasting viewpoints from Tuesday's press conference held by the Madison Anti-Sweatshop Coalition. The activists who held the press conference do not have a history of being subtle or diplomatic, and they did nothing Tuesday to rewrite the history books. They should have spent half the time trying to get an appointment with Ward to discuss it away from the glow of the TV cameras rather than nursing media members at their events.
Understanding goes a long way toward reaching common goals.
Madison native Tico Almeida of Duke's Students Against Sweatshops said Georgetown University was also close to calling for a stronger code. Hopefully the administrations at these other universities will listen to students, as it seems the UW-Madison and Duke administrations have. While it is unfortunate the MASC had to find out in an awkward and confrontational way, Ward has tentatively saved the university's reputation for public good and promotion of social change, which had become the essence of the debate surrounding the CLC's code. Now the administration and students across the country must fight to ensure UW-Madison and Duke are not alone. Read the full text of the university's CLC proposal.