Dartmouth AD apology

Luke 05 · November 22, 2006, 07:43:18 PM

http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=20061121023c

"I am writing to strongly denounce the historical and recent affronts to the Native American community at Dartmouth and to offer the support of the athletics department in playing a leading role to combat racial, ethnic and sexist ignorance and intolerance on our campus.

At the same time, I must offer a sincere apology to the Native American community, and the Dartmouth community as a whole, for an event that will understandably offend and hurt people within our community. In late December, we will host a men's ice hockey tournament that includes the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. UND is one of 14 colleges or universities that continue to maintain a Native American name and image to represent their athletic teams.

Let me state clearly that UND's position is offensive and wrong. When we scheduled UND nearly two years ago to participate in our tournament, we did so without considering their team's nickname and symbol. Perhaps we should have, but I deeply regret that we didn't.

On Friday, as I was traveling on College business, a member of my staff met with the Native American Council to discuss our hockey tournament and to offer our apology for the pain that it will cause. In the days and weeks ahead, I will develop a specific and continuing plan to address issues of respect and tolerance within the athletic department as well as considering a policy for scheduling athletic contests against institutions that support offensive nicknames and symbols."

KeithK · November 22, 2006, 07:51:55 PM

This statement makes me want to fly to Hanover and cheer for the Sioux and the Dartmouth Indians.

Roy 82 · November 22, 2006, 09:17:42 PM

[quote KeithK]This statement makes me want to fly to Hanover and cheer for the Sioux and the Dartmouth Indians.[/quote]

Yeah, yeah, I know the NCAA is hypocritical blah blah blah but why do you want to get all kramer* on Native Americans?

*Is this officially a new word yet?

jtwcornell91 · November 22, 2006, 09:18:03 PM

[quote KeithK]This statement makes me want to fly to Hanover and cheer for the Sioux and the Dartmouth Indians.[/quote]

Why not the Miami Redskins for good measure?

marty · November 22, 2006, 11:05:42 PM

dietlbomb · November 22, 2006, 11:18:34 PM

[quote Luke 05]http://www.thedartmouth.com/article.php?aid=20061121023c

"I am writing to strongly denounce the historical and recent affronts to the Native American community at Dartmouth and to offer the support of the athletics department in playing a leading role to combat racial, ethnic and sexist ignorance and intolerance on our campus.

At the same time, I must offer a sincere apology to the Native American community, and the Dartmouth community as a whole, for an event that will understandably offend and hurt people within our community. In late December, we will host a men's ice hockey tournament that includes the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux. UND is one of 14 colleges or universities that continue to maintain a Native American name and image to represent their athletic teams.

Let me state clearly that UND's position is offensive and wrong. When we scheduled UND nearly two years ago to participate in our tournament, we did so without considering their team's nickname and symbol. Perhaps we should have, but I deeply regret that we didn't.

On Friday, as I was traveling on College business, a member of my staff met with the Native American Council to discuss our hockey tournament and to offer our apology for the pain that it will cause. In the days and weeks ahead, I will develop a specific and continuing plan to address issues of respect and tolerance within the athletic department as well as considering a policy for scheduling athletic contests against institutions that support offensive nicknames and symbols."[/quote]

So, so... lame. Have we come to apologizing for our opponent's nickname? Get a grip.

(we being anyone... I feel bad as a human)

Trotsky · November 22, 2006, 11:47:59 PM

[quote Luke 05]I will develop a specific and continuing plan to address issues of respect and tolerance within the athletic department as well as considering a policy for scheduling athletic contests against institutions that support offensive nicknames and symbols."[/quote]

Betcha it doesn't include kicking the Sioux out of the tourney and taking a chance on the courts. I love empty rhetoric. "We will do everything in our power, except the one thing that's in our power."

jtwcornell91 · November 23, 2006, 02:38:35 AM

[quote Trotsky][quote Luke 05]I will develop a specific and continuing plan to address issues of respect and tolerance within the athletic department as well as considering a policy for scheduling athletic contests against institutions that support offensive nicknames and symbols."[/quote]

Betcha it doesn't include kicking the Sioux out of the tourney and taking a chance on the courts. I love empty rhetoric. "We will do everything in our power, except the one thing that's in our power."[/quote]

If they're somewhat serious about it, they could not use the nickname over the PA or in any promotional material. I'd say also make UND wear uniforms without the Sioux logo, but they'd probably have all the players get Fighting Sioux tatoos.

Liz '05 · November 23, 2006, 05:04:43 AM

[quote Luke 05]
"I am writing to strongly denounce the historical and recent affronts to the Native American community at Dartmouth and to offer the support of the athletics department in playing a leading role to combat racial, ethnic and sexist ignorance and intolerance on our campus.[/quote]

Anyone know anything about these recent affronts? If there have been issues with racist behavior or racial slurs this semester, I certainly understand the AD's position and agree with his decision.

Rosey · November 23, 2006, 06:18:14 AM

LOL. Leftist guilt is sometimes so over-the-top, it's actually funny instead of just sad.

Kyle

marty · November 23, 2006, 06:57:45 AM

[quote Liz '05][quote Luke 05]
"I am writing to strongly denounce the historical and recent affronts to the Native American community at Dartmouth and to offer the support of the athletics department in playing a leading role to combat racial, ethnic and sexist ignorance and intolerance on our campus.[/quote]

Anyone know anything about these recent affronts? If there have been issues with racist behavior or racial slurs this semester, I certainly understand the AD's position and agree with his decision.[/quote]

She's the AD:

Will · November 23, 2006, 08:57:35 AM

I think Liz got the possessive pronoun right the first time.

Jeff Hopkins '82 · November 23, 2006, 09:20:07 AM

I find the AD's statement offensive. ::yark:: I want an apology.

Too bad we've already played Dartmouth at Lynah. There's material here.

Willy '06 · November 23, 2006, 11:30:23 AM

I went to the Cornell volleyball game at Dartmouth this year and they had a Native American group sing the National Anthem in their tribe's native language (I forget which tribe it was). I usually am the sole person yelling red at the volleyball games... well when they saw the Native American singing group I first got a look from the Assistant Coach, then my girlfriend, and then a nudge from the woman sitting next to me. They clearly didn't trust me, even though I knew better than to do it. I waited until after the song was over and threw in a big RED before play started.

Anyways, my point is this: Isn't it kind of ironic to be having a group of people singing the national anthem of a country that nearly extirpated them in a language that had also almost vanished. In a way it seemed kind of offensive to the people singing to it.

I believe the reason they had the group singing was that Dartmouth's Assistant Coach is Native American.

Anyways, just an experience with Dartmouth's ideas on Native Americans.

bandrews37 · November 26, 2006, 11:50:36 AM

So is that why the official seal of Dartmouth College depicts a pair of Native Americans coming out of the woods to be "educated and cultured" by the white man?

And is that why Buddy Teevens (Dartmouth's football coach) has a tattoo of an indian on where the sun don't shine (that's a pretty well documented thing up there).

Why not force their own college to get rid of their own offensive images? Why not force the football coach to have that offensive tattoo removed? (Personally, I'm offended he would put an indian on his ass - he's sitting on indians every time he parks his rear someplace, and that's offensive to me)

Buncha hypocrites....