Free Flambeau, March 21, 1960

free flambeau 60 1.jpg
free flambeau 60 2.jpg

Title

Free Flambeau, March 21, 1960

Subject

Florida State University--History.
Civil rights demonstrations.

Description

The Free Flambeau was printed in response to the "sitdown" demonstrations that occurred in Tallahassee on February 20, 1960.

Source

Free Flambeau, March 21, 1960

Publisher

Special Collections, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Fla. [digital version]

Date

1960-03-21

Rights

Items in this collection are provided for educational use under fair use as outlined by current U.S. Copyright law and accompanying guidelines. Written permission from The Florida State University Libraries Special Collections Department or the rights holder must be obtained before using an item for publishing or commercial purposes.

Language

English

Type

Newspaper

Identifier

free flambeau 60 1, free flambeau 60 2

Text

Page 1:
Free Flambeau
March 21, 1960

“The time, it is hoped, is gone by, when my defense would be necessary of the ‘liberty of the press’ as one of the corrupt or tyrannical government”

This quote is taken from an essay written by John Stuart Mill in 1859 . An essay in which Mr. Mill stated that liberty cannot exist without a minority opinion being freely expressed among the people. This basic truth of a democracy was not only recognized by the constitutional fathers, but also by every grammar school r.tuder.t in American government. That neither national, state, or city government shall at any time interfere with the communication of the people is an essential law for both liberty and democracy.

Mill further states that no matter how infallible an individual or group think their ideas are, suppressing them i s to suppress democracy. Do not the past leaders such as Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini attest this? And indeed when we look at such contemporary examples as Castro and Trujillo we cannot help but feel a sense of horror at the thought of government suppression.

The real tragedy, however, is that we no longer have to look to history or the Caribbean for an example of such plagues of democracies. We have only to turn our heads eastward and look at the capital city of this state. We, whether we realize it or not, are being deprived of our rights as citizens of the United States of America and, for that matter, the state of Florida . Here are a few examples of suppression in our locality.

1. The peaceful picket or protest demonstration, long a toll of minorities in a c!emocracy, is forceably suppressed by the police and their "Gestapo" (in this case the secret aid of the white Citizen's Council).
2. Suppression of all mass media of communication which attempts to relate events exactly as they were experienced.
3. Arrests of individuals of an opposing opinion and prejudicial treatment of
the same. Biased trials without a jury where conviction is presupposed.
4, Use of official capacity to assume authority to make decisions for the people and not allowing the people to speak for themselves (Council on Human relations rejected by City Council).

To those of us who are apathetic enough to think that this is not a real danger, we suggest a reading of William Whyte's "Organization Man.” Just how far are we willing to go in subjugating ourselves and minds to the powers that be? As we students watch our rights and privileges being taken away from us and as we faculty are forced to forget that we as citizens are entitled to our own opinions, we should be able to hear the cries from history of those who
fought and died for what we have today. Have we become so satisfied that we are willing to let so precious as freedom slide from our grasp like wet sand through an open fist?

Page 2:
FOR THE NEGROES... FREEDOM

I am writing to present an opinion on an issue which we are all involved in, in one way or another. In recent weeks, the city of Tallahassee has been a witness at an attempt by some People to gain the rights which every person is guaranteed in our constitution and by God . These attempts are what is called a "sit-in strike." I feel that it is my obligation to communicate to you the ideal behind the real issue. No one likes the idea of having to go and sit-in somewhere, but no other choice has been given. Sit-ins are merely a means to an end. These people have waited years and years for some tangible evidence to erupt from talking. They will wait no longer. It is time for some action.

There is no doubt at all that this action must come from bi-racial conferences which can produce tangible evidences of talking. The end is the goal ; freedom, equality and opportunity for all . These things that each of us know so well, are being denied to others . It is up to each one of us to search for , and demand an answer for the very stressing problem which confronts each of us.

CITY IN FLORIDA WORTHY OF ITS CHARTER, ST. AUGUSTINE

It is with great pride, being citizens of Florida, that we can point to at least one city in the state which supports the democratic ideals put forward in the constitution. In a recent outbreak of lunch counter demonstrations within the city, it was only those persons who showed signs of violence that were arrested. The city officials realized that the negroes were only utilizing one of the most basic methods of passive demonstration. In contrast to the tyrannical capital city of Florida, St. Augustine quickly set up a bi-racial committee to discuss human relations. It is cities such as this which give hope to the preservation of democracy in the country.

___

Three cheers to the Rev . Glenn James of Trinity Methodist Church, who yesterday preached his sermon on "What it Means to be a Christian." lt would indeed be a real witness if those who professed and called themselves Christians would show forth the light of what they believed.

___

COMMENTS:
We apologize for not revealing our names. However, we feel sure our readers will understand our position since they too live under the threat of the "Gestapo" and other suppressive devices used by the powers that be. If, because of the articles in this paper, you feel committed to action, please see the suggestions in the article on the right.

___

“A Minority without a voice is a people without liberty.”

The past two weeks have been times of soul searching evaluations and decisions. We have witnessed the struggle of a large minority of Americans for human dignity . We have seen them arrested by an ignorant "gestapo,” and convicted by an unjust, biased, bigoted court. 'We have heard the court say again and again during the trial that the defendants were not arrested because of their race; only to reverse itself when pronouncing sentence and say that the whole matter hinged upon segregation versus integration . Within the next few weeks, another group of Americans will go on mock-trial before this "Jim Crow" court . Among these will be several white students from F.S.U. Their only crime was drinking a cup of coffee at a local lunch counter (to
which the public is invited) with some of their friends.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN...

... for us as concerned faculty members and for students at Florida State University? What can we do about it?

This means that, in spite of the fact that we are Americans, we are not free to peacefully demonstrate against un- American and un-Christian practices in our local communities, even though the constitution gives us that right . It means that as members of an academic community, we are not free to express our ideas if they conflict with the local ignorant cracker prejudices . It means that we have to submit our lives to the judgements of courts which have no idea or understanding of impartial judgements. It means that our fellow faculty members and students who dare to be free, find themselves censored by their fellow professors or threatened with the loss of jobs or expulsion by an unsympathetic legislature.

What can we do? We can protest. We can write our United States Senators and representatives. We can write the President of the United States and the Governor of this State. We can protest the actions of the Student Senate which elected one person to speak for 8000
students to the United and Associated Press. We can protest the nazi-like notion of the Board of Publications in its flaunting of the U.S. Constitution . We can protest the confining action of the
administration which acted behind the president of the University’s back . We can write our friends and relatives and relatives and urge them to do the same. And until we find the Flambeau taken away from us, we still have recourse to the letters-to-the-editor section.

The South is hearing the rumble of the masses . The outward manifestations which only partially expresses the discontent from which they grow. A tremendous social revolution is on the
verge of erupting causing a new society to come into being. We call upon all students and faculty to rise up in protest to this slavery and help usher in a kingdom beyond caste.

___

BECAUSE OF PRINTING COSTS, ONLY 5000 of these have been printed, please pass this on to your neighbor, thank-you!

Collection

Citation

“Free Flambeau, March 21, 1960,” Integration at The Florida State University, accessed March 28, 2024, https://fsuintegration50.omeka.net/items/show/69.