April 22 Letters to the Editor
Once again, Princeton University has shown its true colors.......and they are white, white, and white. As expected, the White leaders (and their Black placaters), ruled to continue the status quo. Their decision to maintain the Wilson name in its place of prominence at the university, demonstrates the lack of understanding and sensitivity about what is necessary to begin to heal the racial divide, which continues to be the most important issue in this country.
It's like saying, "Well yes, I dehumanized, enslaved, brutalized, raped and massacred your people (Native Americans and slaves)....but hey....no one is perfect. So let's let bygones be bygones and pretend that everything is better", so we can continue to keep the 1% in power (just like our country began). People whose names are honored need to be held to the highest values and standards. I don't think that being racist qualifies.
The argument about it being the cultural norm of the time cannot be used as an excuse, and does not make the genocide of Native Americans and atrocities of slavery any less horrific. Courageous leaders of honor speak out and stand against injustice. Would we want buildings and schools named after a Nazi because she/he made positive contributions?
Agreeing to provide accurate history "sounds good". It could be, if a new core curriculum course was required of all students (as well as administrators, faculty and staff). I don't think that's going to happen.
Hiring a Director of Diversity also "sounds good", assuming she is not just a puppet of the administration.
Plaques located around campus (and in town), acknowledging accurate history such as positive efforts addressing racism, as well as, the not so pretty racist truths of Princeton University and Princeton, would help to keep folks aware.
This is a wonderful opportunity for Princeton to provide exemplary leadership in beginning to heal racial trauma. This can only happen if Princeton is willing to make a sincere effort to acknowledge its past and present complicity in continuing subtle, unconscious, and unintentional racism, along with it's positive contributions to racial justice.
Roberto Schiraldi
Princeton
Sunday, April 24 will mark to the day the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising also known as the Easter Rebellion in Ireland by Irish Republican Brotherhood for an independent Irish Republic. One of the seven members of the military council of the IRB was an Irish union man named James Connolly who lived in Newark for a time. On Monday, April 25, the Mercer County Central Labor Council plans on honoring him and other Irish Americans in the labor movement with a plaque at Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 1.
Also on this day we will be celebrating a workers memorial Mass there also to honor all workers who were killed at work or injured and later died of their injuries. Since the job safety laws were passed more than four decades ago, the United States has taken great strides to make workplaces safer and to protect workers. Because workers and their unions organized, fought and demanded action from employers and the government, fewer men and women are being killed on the job. Nearly every safety and health protection law on the books today is there because of working families who joined together in unions to win these protections. It is working people who, through their unions, won passage of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), and demanded and won stronger standards to protect workers from asbestos, benzene and other hazards. Workers' Memorial Day is this Thursday, April 28. On this day we will come together to remember all the workers killed and injured on the job and renew the call for an end to the unnecessary deaths of our fellow workers. Last year 4679 workers did not come home to their family that's an average of 12 workers a day. On this day let us all remember them and their families and mourn for the dead and fight for the living.
Michael Maloney
Mercer County Central Labor Council president
Feedback: We encourage online readers to use their real names when commenting. It improves the dialogue and increases the chances your comment will be used in print.
Follow The Times of Trenton on Twitter @TimesofTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.