SOA

BORTZJL@conrad.appstate.edu
Sun, 26 Feb 1995 21:53:15 -0600

Victor's original comments were not racist but rather an attempt
to argue against racism. It would appear that the attack on Victor was
based on a misreading of his text, was unwarranted, and certainly
unacademic.
On the School of the Americas, the argument is not that the
School caused torture - which it clearly did not - but whether it
sanctioned or participated in torture, which it may have. The SOA is
part of the U.S. government, represents the people of the United States,
and ought not to participate in or sanction torture.
Two kinds of evidence would be relevant. If the School would
open its recent archives to outside historians, perhaps judgement could
be made. In the absence of this measure, the military representative of
the SOA on the net appears self-serving. Second, there is a large body
of evidence from witnesses and respectable journalists that SOA graduates
have participated in torture and massacres. Blame the SOA? Not
necessarily. Is the SOA innocent? Not necessarily.
Jeffrey Bortz
Appalachian State University