DICKINSON COLLEGE, CARLISLE PENNSYLVANIA
WASHINGTON REDSKINS CAVORT IN THE SHADOW
OF INDIAN CHILDREN'S GRAVES
IN THE CITY WHICH INVENTED THE INDIAN MASCOTCARLISLE PENNSYLVANIA
PROTESTING MEN HARASSED ON PUBLIC PROPERTY BY DICKINSON COLLEGE SECURITY POLICE
August 21, 2001
Dr. William G. Durden
President, Dickinson College
Post Office Box 1773
Carlisle, PA 17013Dr. Durden,
I am a man of Cherokee descent writing to you regarding an matter of concern.
I want to call your attention to a recent harassment of Mr. Gerald Pressman and his son, Mr. Keith Pressman, by Dickinson security, during their protest August 14, 2001 on the public sidewalk, across from the Belvedere Street entrance to Herman Bosler Biddle Field, Dickinson College, Carlisle Pennsylvania. The Pressman's were there to protest the presence of a team your college sponsors and is associated with Indians. This team is calling themselves by the well known hate name of "Washington" Redskins. They did this in Carlisle Pennsylvania the same town which has victimized, destroyed and abused so many Indian children and their familles.
For this protest of the violation of human dignity, the Pressman's were harassed by Dickinson College security. I ask you to terminate the college support of any activities by this team. We hope they are not the targets of harassment in the future when more persons will join them in protest of the presence of this professional sport team which entertains people through the use of the hate name, redskins. As long as the Washington redskin is present in Carlisle their actions call attention to the history of hatred for Indians in Carlisle which is supported through Dickinson College. That is an indisputable fact brought about by your decision to bring that name into your city.There are many in the United States who are ignorant and do not have the benefit of a college education. With your doctorate and your position as college president, you are an educated man. I will not insult you to suggest you do not know of the history of hatred behind the name redskin and you also know of the international embarrassment the United States has brought upon itself by embracing this hate name as an entertainment icon. However, it is amazing that you have allowed Dickinson College to be such a high profile example of the entertainment value of America's long standing bigotry toward Indian families.
THE SACRIFICE OF REDSKIN CHILDREN AT CARLISLE- Is this now the Dickinson College Legacy?-
You will remember the boarding school at Carlisle PA was run by the motto, "Kill the Indian, Save the Man". Universally called redskins, the unbelievable suffering endured by the survivors of the facility at Carlisle is still a cavern of human shame and humiliation for all persons in America.
This word, redskins, is more than just a name, it is a concept which powers the engine of anti-Indian hatred. Using the concept of redskin, Carlisle Indian School, molested and destroyed countless families and put many of the children of Carlisle into graves which are still visited at the facility. The Redskin concept remains a vehicle for hatred and hate crimes in contemporary practice.
You are sacrificing your reputation as an institution of higher education at Dickinson College, Carlisle, by bringing the Washington Redskins football team to live and work in the same community where the concept of Indian as mascot was created, the Indian Educational facility at Carlisle Pennsylvania.
It is now possible to stand over the grave of a so called redskin child at Carlisle Pennsylvania, and tell her that, even though she is never actually mentioned, the sacrifice of her life as a redskin in the Carlisle Boarding School is somehow, some way, supposed to be honored locally through the promotion of professional football by Dickinson College.
STAND AND BE COUNTED
The Pressman family men, standing on the public sidewalk at the practice fields of Dickinson College have sent out a call for human dignity. They have done what you as president of Dickinson should do and what we encourage all Americans to do. They have formed a direct action which confronts bigotry in America..More persons are stepping out of the comfort provided by mainstream society to show their faces publicly in the towns and cities where they live and work in order to speak out against racism, bigotry and America's ongoing policy of destruction of Indian people. We ask that you take this step and terminate the association of Dickinson College and Washington Pro Football, Inc. who are now calling themselves redskins.
By this direct action the Pressman's at FIND ANOTHER NAME, join the ranks of those persons of dignity who have stood and publicly born witness. They are counted among the courageous. We ask you to learn from their example, just as the rest of the nation is learning from the poor example set by Dickinson College and negotiate an end to this hateful disgrace of the children who were kept at Carlisle Boarding School for Indians.Enclosed, you will find a copy of the 20 minute VHS cassette, REDSKIN A 500 YEAR HATE CRIME. This educational experience will help you to present some of the history behind this hate name of redskin in the United States to those who have not been able to enjoy the benefits of receiving a higher education.
You will also be able to direct any one who would like to read this letter of concern or who might need background on this issue to the world wide web at www.iwchildren.org/dickinson.htm.
Sincerely,
Matthew Richter
editor, American Comments Web Magazine
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copyright American Comments Magazine, 2001
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