Hackney in bind over 'DP' matter

President Sheldon Hackney is in a bind. Last week, over 14,000 copies of The Daily Pennsylvanian were stolen from distribution points across campus, while a sign left behind said the "Black Community" is unwilling to accept "the blatant and voluntary perpetuation of institutional racism against the Black Community by the DP" and by the University. In reacting to the situation, Hackney would be expected to live up to his national reputation as a fighter for free expression. But at the same time, the black community also expects a sympathetic ear from Hackney by continuing to promote diversity on campus. "This is an instance in which two groups important to the University community, valued members of Penn's minority community and students exercising their rights to freedom of expression, and two important University values, diversity and open expression, seem to be in conflict," Hackney said in his first statement on the issue. Hackney's response appeared indecisive. But under growing pressure to take a stance, Hackney has gradually modified his statements. In this week's Almanac, he said he does not "condone" the newspaper confiscation. And last night, he went a step further. "I would have felt an obligation to protect [the protesters'] right of expression as much as I feel an obligation to protect the DP if they had used another means," he said. "But confiscating the newspapers is not an acceptable form of this, in my opinion." While Hackney seemed to defend the DP by invoking the Open Expression Guidelines, he still has not publicly labeled the incident a crime or a theft, possibly because of the political consequences of not supporting the "Black Community." This is not the first time in Hackney's tenure that he has appeared to "straddle the fence." During the long-running debate over whether the University should kick the Reserve Officer Training Corps off campus because of the military's ban on gays, Hackney took a middle course. He said he disagreed with the ban on gays and realized that it conflicted with the University's non-discrimination policy. But he never felt it necessary to kick ROTC off campus. And though he said he fully supports the diversification of Locust Walk -- "[it] is something that I believe in and something that I think is quite necessary" -- the issue has seemingly faded from the forefront and not much progress has been made. But in 1987, when 1,000 copies of the DP were removed from distribution points in two Wharton buildings, Hackney took a firmer stance. He said in a statement at the time that all students must respect the paper's right to publish. "I would remind all members of the campus community that while I understand the frustration which many of us -- myself included -- have felt at one time or another when a publication presents news in a matter with which we disagree, tolerance is required in a community such as ours that is devoted to the free exchange of ideas," he said in 1987. While Hackney was willing to take a strong stance then, this time other "important University values" seem to be getting in the way. Even syndicated columnist Robert Novak of the Chicago Sun-Times said Hackney should be defending the freedom of expression more strongly. During Sunday's edition of Capitol Gang on CNN, Novak cited Hackney's reaction to the stealing of the newspapers as the "outrage of the week." He ended his statement with, "By the way, this guy Hackney is President Clinton's nominee to head the [National] Endowment for the Humanities." Novak's not-so-subtle comments identify a sure sore spot for Hackney right now. Beyond any possible effects this incident might have on the NEH nomination, Hackney clearly does not want to leave the University in racial turmoil. "I feel very badly that we haven't been able to create the sort of harmonious atmosphere [at the University] in which all communities feel valued . . . I'm working very hard at that right now," he said last night. The fact that Hackney is on his way out should encourage him to take an even stronger stance on this issue and maintain the ideals which he has defended before -- and will be expected to defend in the future.