Critical Mass

By Dan Gelernter

Yale University’s Political Union (a debate society) is made up of six parties: the leftist Liberals, Progressives, and Independents and the right-wing Conservatives, Tories, and the Party of the Right. Our story is about the Tories, who are perhaps the classiest political party, and have in particular one truly extraordinary moment they can look back on: on May Day, 1970, they rescued the American flag.

In the 70s, America’s college campuses were hotbeds of left-wing anti-Americanism (which has now moved from the students to the faculty). In 1969, under pressure from the Left, Yale had stopped allowing academic credit for ROTC. On May Day, 1970, the radicals on campus made a grab for something Americans hold dear – the flag.

Rioting liberals pulled down the flag hanging from Yale’s ROTC building, planning to burn it while other leftists prepared to burn an American flag in Beinecke Plaza. A small group of about ten Tories managed to rush in and save both flags.

Three photographs preserve the ROTC event.

The first shows a rabble of four hundred radicals ripping down the flag.

 In the Second, In the second, the Tories (in ties and jackets) have charged in to fight the libs, managing to beat them back and wrestle the flag free. I noticed in an enlargement of the second photo one protestor looking at the struggle from the steps of the ROTC building. Hand on his chin, he must be wondering what sort of affection could possibly have possessed this tiny group of students. What makes that piece of cloth so dear to them?

Finally, Tories triumphant, Stars and Stripes safely in hand. Holding the flag in the last photo are Kevin McKeegan, Yale '71(left) and Pat Quinn, Yale '72. The photographs belong to McKeegan, who wrote of the event:

"For Tories these were glorious days. On their shoulders rested the task of organizing resistance at Yale. During the awful first week of May, 1970 the Tories saved the American flag from desecration both at Beinecke Plaza and at the ROTC building. This defeat of some four hundred by ten probably better points up the physical weakness of the Left than the immense vitality of the Right. Still, let it be remembered with fondness."

Modern Tories must be worthy of a great tradition -- we do our best.