Printed March 9, 1962
Dear Sir:
What are “little” Student Senators made of? Sugar, spice, snails puppy dog tails? Whatever the substance I submit that their heads and abdomens are porous voids.
The proposed resolution on discrimination in Southeastern New Mexico, defeated by the Senate yesterday afternoon did not ask them to take up arms and march through the streets of these southeastern towns singing, “We shall not be moved.” It merely asked them to pass a resolution urging the state legislative representatives to inquire into the need for legislation governing racial discrimination in public accommodations.
Photography and tape recordings were used to prove a point, that being: there is racial discrimination in public accommodations in New Mexico. An attempt was made to eliminate the emotional aspect by producing factual evidence, documented evidence, prov- (sic) If we had wanted to reply or base our resolution on emotions rater than intellect, we would never have gone on the survey, but merely appealed to the Senate on an emotional basis.
It is evident that those who voted against the measure did so because of emotions. My reasoning for this statement is based on observation and on the fact that no arguments were placed on the floor against the resolution, just a lot of questions.
It was either emotion or that the wording of the resolution was beyond their mental scope of comprehension. It seems rather odd to me that just an hour later the Student Council passed a more rigid and demanding resolution based on the same facts that the Senate couldn’t understand.
—Rogers Banks
