Rally at Cal State Will Support Fasters : U.S. Policy in Central America Protested; Media Taken to Task

A group of Cal State Fullerton professors and students plan to rally at noon today in support of a Vietnam War veteran who has gone without food since Sept. 1 to protest U.S. policy in Central America.

Orange County supporters of veteran Charles Liteky said Tuesday that they are using the rally, petitions and an information table at the campus to overcome what they called “a news blackout” of his fast, which began in Washington.

Frustrated by what they termed a “gross absence” of news coverage, about 15 members of the local support group of Veterans Fast for Life demonstrated outside the Orange County Register building during the noon hour Tuesday. They arrived at the Los Angeles Times’ Orange County plant in Costa Mesa shortly afterward to deliver news releases.

“We’re just citizens protesting the silence in the press about this important news story that is impacting all of America. A man is dying for his country,” said Bea Foster, who represents several local groups supporting the 55-year-old Liteky.

Liteky, who was the first man ever to renounce his Medal of Honor, and three other war veterans are on a water-only fast at the nation’s Capitol. Liteky and George Mizo began their fast Sept. 1. Two other men joined them Sept. 15.

They are fasting to express opposition to Reagan Administration policy in Central America and congressional approval of $100 million in aid to U.S.-backed rebels known as contras, who are fighting Nicaragua’s Sandinista government.

Hans and Judith Leder, professors at Cal State Fullerton, said Tuesday that the media have all but ignored the men’s efforts.

Register Editor N. Christian Anderson said Tuesday that the newspaper has covered the veterans’ fast.

“We’ll continue to monitor it from time to time, and we’ll report on it,” Anderson said, but he added, “It’s not something we feel is appropriate to cover on a day-to-day basis.”

“What could we possibly report every day? He went out to the steps of the Capitol and handed out pamphlets (again) today?” Anderson said.

Times Managing Editor George J. Cotliar said Tuesday that The Times covers every aspect of Latin American issues, including Nicaragua and Liteky’s fast. The veterans’ fast is but one element of a multi-faceted story which the newspaper does its best to cover, Cotliar said.

Of Liteky, Cotliar said: “This is one of a number of people who are making a statement. It’s next to impossible, if not impossible, to cover everyone who makes a statement. I won’t argue that he is valid and newsworthy. But so are a lot of other people. We just have not dealt with him as well as they might like.”

Foster said she would prefer to see a daily account on Liteky and his three colleagues, even a short one.

“We get the feeling it’s not news until he dies,” Foster said. “And then it’ll be a couple of quickie stories saying this man died naively believing he could change the conscience of America.”

At Cal State today, speakers will discuss the fast outside the Humanities Building, beginning at noon. Students and faculty will be asked to fast for the day in a show of solidarity with the veterans.

Leder, an anthropology professor, and his wife, Judith, an English professor, said they have joined others over the last several days in collecting about 75 signatures on petitions opposing U.S. policy in Central America. They have had an information table set up near the University Center between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Many who have been staffing the table have taken turns fasting, they said.

Among the local groups supporting Veterans Fast for Life are the Orange County Alliance for Survival, the Committee in Solidarity With the People of El Salvador, and the Latin American Solidarity Network.