Date:    1/2/98 10:12 AM
     
     
Mr. Arthur Levitt
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 5th Street, NW
Washington, DC  20549
     
Dear Mr. Levitt:
     
I strongly oppose SEC's proposed rule S7-25-97, which would preclude 
open debate and deliberation of many issues that are central to maintaining 
a justly structured society.  The proposed rule would prevent motions and 
information on issues including fair employment practices (such as sex and 
race discrimination and harassment), child labor practices, and gender balancing 
of boards,  from being brought to stockholders' attention.  
     
As  Benjamin Barber suggests in a book entitled Strong Democracy, 
Participating Politics for a New Age, it is only through open discussion 
and deliberation about how we as a community want our society structured, 
that we will be able to temper the forces of the free market place.  By 
quashing such discussion, the SEC will be contributing to a further 
disenfranchisement of public values in favor of private profit motives.
     
Sincerely,
     
Babette J. Neuberger, JD, MPH
Assistant Professor
University of Illinois-Chicago
School of Public Health
2121 West Taylor Street
Chicago, Illinois 60612