<ong>Name: Tom Merrit ’66
Major: Government and International Relations
What are you doing: Currently retired and spends his time volunteering and traveling.
Activities you were involved in at Carleton: Participated in varsity sports, specifically cross-country and track, intramural sports and Men’s League, and performed a bit part in a musical. He says his favorite Carleton activity was intramural sports.
What is your favorite story from your time at Carleton?
In the fall (or possibly spring) term of my freshman term (1962-63), the College hosted a special convo featuring George Lincoln Rockwell, the then head of the American Nazi Party. I was proud that the College did not succumb to external pressures to cancel the event following its announcement. While I am confident no one in the student body, faculty, or administration agreed with Rockwells’ expressed views, I was proud that the College gave meaning to “freedom of expression,” “freedom of inquiry.” Disgusting ideas can be confronted when the proponent, e.g. Rockwell, exposes these ideas for the wretched abomination that it is. I am more proud today than I was back then because, I fear, we run the risk today of being constrained too much by “politically correct” fashion of the day.