First Published: Columbia Daily Spectator, Volume CXV, Number 5, 29 September 1970.
Transcription, Editing and Markup: Paul Saba
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To the Editor: I found your account of my encounter with the Young Lords on Tuesday quite at variance with the facts. I was walking across South Field when two Lords came up behind me and asked, “Are you PL?” I said that I was a member of the Progressive Labor Party. They then proceeded to grab me by the arms and told me I had to leave campus. I told them to get their hands off me. They then whistled for help. About 15 more Lords arrived on the scene. Several other people had also gathered around by this time. The Lords again attempted to drag me off campus. I resisted and told them that the only other group that had, harassed members of the Progressive Labor Party on campus in this manner were the campus cops, and that they should reconsider their actions. They remarked that they had their orders. I stated that their attacks on Communists were fascistic. They said that their attacks were justified because “Communists suck blood from the people.” At this point several of the bystanders entered the discussion, and attention passed from me. I then quietly walked over to College Walk to sell Challenge (the PLP newspaper) while they continued to argue.
The statement attributed to me by Spectator (i.e., “fascist pigs in league with the cops”) was never made by me.
The exclusion of people from the conference, the attacks on leafletters and people selling Challenge, and the attack on me, were all directed at the PLP and not at SDS.
Michael Golash
Progressive Labor Party
Sept. 28, 1970