Ten year round Vineyarders were among the 25,000 to 50,000 persons who took part in the march on Washington Saturday to protest the Unites States’ role in the Vietnam conflict.

 

The Vineyarders, most of whom made the trip down by bus, were Mr. and Mrs. Austryn Wainhouse, Mr. and Mrs. David E. Lilienthal Jr. and their son David, Mrs. Robert W. Nevin, Mrs. Nancy Hodgson and her son Tom, and Mrs. Milton Mazer and her daughter Ruth.

 

The group had with them a Martha’s Vineyard banner, and notice of it was taken in several mainland newspapers, including the Boston Herald and the New York Times.

 

 

 

 

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

 

In regard to the ten Islanders who won notice in the Washington march protesting the United States role in Vietnam, I am a little confused. Most of the fine outstanding citizens (and they are) are involved, if I remember correctly, in the civil rights movement, and took it upon themselves to travel down to North Carolina to help fight for the equal rights of the individual. These same citizens, plus a few more, travelled to Washington, D.C., to protest the United States role in Vietnam. The role of the United States in Vietnam has been clearly defined many times as being to protect the rights of the Vietnamese people.

 

What gives?

 

To put the frosting on the cake, this group carried with them a banner of Martha’s Vineyard. This may be within their rights; however, I hope they did not mean to represent the entire Island. If these people wish to travel around the country, that is certainly their right, but please leave Martha’s Vineyard out of it.

 

A Non-Traveller,

Gerald A. Maciel

Edgartown 

 

 

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

 

I know that many of your readers were interested to learn from last week’s Gazette that ten year-round Vineyarders carrying a Martha’s Vineyard banner to protest our government’s role in the Vietnam conflict.

 

The right to dissent is not questioned in this case, but many other year-round residents, including myself, in numbers far more than ten, resent the performance described that caused “several mainland newspapers including the Boston Herald and the New York Times” to draw the obvious inference that this group was representing Martha’s Vineyard.

 

Let any person join any splinter group he pleases but let not he nor his group, particularly when off-Island, deceive others to the effect that he or they represent the rest of us.

 

E. Jared Bliss Jr.

Edgartown

 

 

 

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

 

In a recent anti-government demonstration, a member of the American Legion appeared in his organization’s uniform to join the demonstrators. He was promptly disciplined by the Legion. His action, in appearing in uniform, was condemned because it had involved a whole body of loyal Americans by seeming to represent them.

 

In Washington, ten people, referred to as “year round Vineyarders,” resumed to claim to be our representatives by carrying a Martha’s Vineyard banner in their anti-government protest march. This action seemed to incolce as many as 40,000 Vineyard lovers in a demonstration without their knowledge or approval.

 

We cannot discipline these people for their action. We can only express our disapproval. They have, no doubt, the approval of our enemies.

 

Sidney N. Riggs

West Tisbury

 

 

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

 

Veterans organizations are conducting programs to offset the many demonstrations and protest marches against the United States participation in the Vietnam conflict. Let’s make a show of patriotism in support of the President, and in tribute to those who have, are, and will give of themselves in support of our nation’s policies. Let’s have a show of U.S. flags daily from 8 a.m. to sunset (weather permitting) for the remainder of the year. Most impressive would be a street of flags (main street of each town), but if you possess a flag large or small, DISPLAY it.

 

Ralph Sargent, BMCM

U.S. Coast Guard

 

 

 

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

 

The letters in last week’s Gazette concerning the Washington demonstration cannot remain unanswered. It must of course be conceded that, by linear measurement of justice, those of us who condemn those “year round Vineyarders” who identified themselves as Vineyarders and thereby provided a few newspapermen with an unwarranted assumption, are mathematically justified. The small question obtrudes itself: Just how should they have identified themselves? As residents of Massachusetts? As American citizens? And would such an identification have involved the state? The country?

 

Be that as it may, I am no wide authorised to rise up in defense of those of my friends who took part in the demonstration. They are entirely capable of speaking for themselves. I speak only for myself. Assuming that it does not trouble us that we share in atrocities we have condemned in others, is there, in the hates and passions engendered, nothing to put fear and despair into our hearts for the future?

 

The Martha’s Vineyard marchers are no less aware than the rest of us that this war has long since passed the point of no return, that, atrocity for atrocity, we are condemned to go on to some problematical resolution. They are looking sadly and painfully into the future, not only of this country but of all mankind. Are we to fight an unpredictable succession of wars in order to stand by a promise whose implications could not have been foreseen?

 

For this one of their friends, their identification of themselves as Vineyarders is in some sort of tribute to this uniquely endowed Island whose integrities they treasure and uphold. They merit a less insular, more sympathetic understanding of their act of devotion from their fellow Islanders.

 

Pauline Rosenthal

West Tisbury

 

 

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

 

Does anyone who happened to have been born on Martha’s Vineyard realize that there are more than three and a half billion off-Islanders? Martha’s Vineyard is a very lovely Island, which is why I’ve chosen to live here, but who has a right to represent it? The Indians?

 

What signs (or sign) did those people who went to Washington have the right to carry? Detroit, Michigan? Meridian, Mississippi? New York City? Chicago?

 

I think that Vineyarders should be proud to have been represented by human beings who are against all kinds of war, for whatever ‘noble’ cause. War is idiotic. It is high time we humans rid ourselves of it.

 

Alston Anderson

Vineyard Haven