DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Virginia Harper NAACP Correspondence, 1971-1996 | 1984-03-11 Virginia Harper to Editor, Fort Madison Daily Democrat Page 1

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Virginia Harper NAACP Correspondence, 1971-1996

1984-03-11 Virginia Harper to Editor, Fort Madison Daily Democrat Page 1

March 11, 1984
Editor
Daily Democrat
The members of the Fort Madison Branch, of the NAACP, recognizing that it is difficult to speak out on an unpopular subject, would like to commend the writer of the letter that appeared in the March 1st edition of the paper. 
There is evidence that there is an extreme lack of awareness and sensitivity towards racial minorities, in our community. So there will be no misunderstanding, or must say that we realize that not everyone lacks sensitivity, but certainly, there is enough to cause concern. 
It is difficult to understand, how a teacher can tell mature adults, they did not hear what they know they heard. This is as defenseless a position, as having someone who has never been Black, telling a Black person what he or she should not find offensive. It would seem to us, that it would be better to explore the reasons for the feelings which have been expressed, than to declare there is nothing wrong with the material, because it has been used, many, many times. 
At no time, to our knowledge, has anyone ever said the students were to blame for any of the materials used in the presentations. Rather, is is our feeling that the young people should be applauded for their efforts.
Our concern goes farther than the Speech Departments of the local High Schools, for what we are seeing, is but a microcosm of a problem which permeates

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March 11, 1984 Editor Daily Democrat The members of the Fort Madison Branch, of the NAACP, recognizing that it is difficult to speak out on an unpopular subject, would like to commend the writer of the letter that appeared in the March 1st edition of the paper. There is evidence that there is an extreme lack of awareness and sensitivity towards racial minorities, in our community. So there will be no misunderstanding, or must say that we realize that not everyone lacks sensitivity, but certainly, there is enough to cause concern. It is difficult to understand, how a teacher can tell mature adults, they did not hear what they know they heard. This is as defenseless a position, as having someone who has never been Black, telling a Black person what he or she should not find offensive. It would seem to us, that it would be better to explore the reasons for the feelings which have been expressed, than to declare there is nothing wrong with the material, because it has been used, many, many times. At no time, to our knowledge, has anyone ever said the students were to blame for any of the materials used in the presentations. Rather, is is our feeling that the young people should be applauded for their efforts. Our concern goes farther than the Speech Departments of the local High Schools, for what we are seeing, is but a microcosm of a problem which permeates