Evening star., 1960-04-02

Africa Firing" I am shocked
and furious.
Among other erroneous
conceptions of this issue Is
Mr.. Lawrence's statement
that Ito organize citizens
to defy the law and to par
ticipate in mass demonstra-
tions comes close to a con-
spiracy :" In fact, Mr..
Lawrence. this is a conspiracy
as was the So-called Bos-
ton tea party of which we
Americans teach our chill
dren with great pride.
Conspiracy, too, was the
statement Of Patrick Henry
when he said, Give me
liberty, or give me death"
Why were these revered
moments in our history cor
rect" in our point of view,
while the African demon
strations are not?
Mr.. Lawrence says that
the passes" which the
Negroes must carry are really
only Identification documents
which, after all, the whites
must also possess. He sees no
insult to the Negro VINO must
carry his on his person, while
the whites may leave theirs
at home. I wonder how this
gentleman might feel II a
similar thing were to hap
pen in this country. Sup
pose all Republicans and
Democrats we're forced to
carry party membership
cards, but Republicans could
leave theirs at home? This
would be proper, Mr.. Law
renee? Or maybe all Cath
olicS and Jews should be
made to carry identification
on their persons. Is this an
acceptable practice? I really
cannot see that this is less
degrading than that which
is being done to the Negro in
South Africa.
The philosophy that David
Lawrence breaches sounds
much too close to that Of
Nazi Germany under Hit
Ter. 1t took us much too long
to strike down such detest-
able legal interpretations as
the separate but equal"
provisions in our country. Let
us not condemn those in
other lands who are fighting
the same battles which many
of our own citizens have been
fighting for these many
years-let US instead work
for social justice which can
be obtained only through
equality and understanding.
Instead Of damning these
people who are fighting for
their human dignity. maybe
Mr.. Lawrence should give
thanks to them, for they. in
a sense, are fighting our bat
tie. AS long as there are peo-
pie in this world who are
willing to fight with sticks.
stones, and bare hands
against guns and tear gas
for their civil liberties, you
and I may go smugly on our
way enjoying peace, pros
perity, freedom and the right
to criticize. When the fight
erS for freedom knuckle un-
der. however, our days may
be numbered.
Here's to the day when
all Identification cards may
be burned and people learn
to live together as brothers.
Then we won't live In fear
OF nuclear and germiciGal
destruction. People who re-
spect each other won't oe-
stroy themselves.
Edward S. Shapiro.
I am so grateful for David
Lawrence's article about the
Facts in the South Africa
Firing" ] was indignant
when our country protested
the action of the govern
ment. We didn't know the
facts and at that point it
was none Of our business. Mr..
Lawrence gives details that
we never knew, and justifes
the action Of the police and
the government. We haven't
solved our own colored prob
lem and what a nerve We
have to tell other people what
to do.
Grace WOOding.
I was somewhat surprised
to read David Lawrence's de-
fense of Russian actions in
Hungary during the 1856
revolution. Are there no
other ways to get publicity
for what one considers 9