Editor:

    I have raised three children of color in Scarborough.  Never has anyone intentionally made racist remarks to our family. Unfortunately, some racist comments have been made. When they were young I cautioned my children against hurt and anger, reminding them that innocence, ignorance, and curiosity were usually the basis for comments and name calling about their skin, their eyes, their ethnicity. But along the way my son has taught me that at some point lack of knowledge and lack of intentionality can no longer be excuses for racism.

    I don’t believe that anyone who is working toward returning the Red Storm to the Redskins has racist intentions. And it is only my experience in mothering these three children, who have heard deprecating language about their own ethnicities that helps me to understand personally how hurtful and damaging this term is to Native Americans. One would never point to a group of Native Americans and refer to them as redskins.  We all know this is racist. So when our athletic teams are known as the Redskins and when we have a silhouette of a Native American on our school building with the word Redskins next to it, this is racist.

   I have been immersed in racial differences for the last 25 years and I, too, have made missteps along the way – a missed opportunity to soften a racist joke, not speaking up when others tell my children how lucky they are to be here –minimizing and insulting their birth countries and birth families, standing quietly by when racist remarks are spoken, and, of course, saying inappropriate things myself.  

   So I don’t write this in judgment, but in support of my children and all people of color who struggle daily with insensitivity, with stereotyping, with cruel jokes and with outright racism. They will find this change offensive. I ask that you please rethink the importance this will have in your own life compared to the hurt and dishonor your quest will cause not only our Native American citizens, but all people of color.   

Becki Kupel

Scarborough

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