AIH

To the Editors of the Crimson:

When I originally agreed to speak to Nicholas P. Caron for his article "American Indians at Harvard," (11 28 84) my hope was to publicize the tenth anniversary of the organization American Indians at Harvard (AIH) and to help create a greater awareness of Native-American issues. Unfortunately, this did not happen. The article was instead a negative and greatly misleading account of Native Americans at Harvard in addition to being a misrepresentation of my views as an officer of AIH. Although Caron's original goal was to dispell stereotypes of Native Americans, in some instances he has succeeded in achieving the opposite effect. I would like to take this opportunity to correct the misleading impressions and erroneous facts produced by this article.

As a Harvard student, I will be the first to say that I am not representative of American college students in general, simply because I do go to Harvard. This is not to sound elitist, but to state a fact. I am therefore angered by Caron's statement that "...each of the 18 students here brings interesting and important experiences that are surprisingly representative of Indians nationwide." How can Caron actually believe that after talking to five students he has enough evidence to make such a grossly erroneous statement. If we are representative of Native Americans nationwide, then why are there only eighteen of us out of 5600 people in the college? Yes, it would be nice if everyone's father, like that of Yvette D. Roubideaux '85 as described in the same paragraph, could be the first Indian lawyer for the state of South Dakota This, however, is not the case. Michael P. Tsosie and I expressly told Caron that we are a fortunate few who have had the economic and educational opportunities to bring us to Harvard. The majority of Native American youth have not been fortunate enough to receive these opportunities due in part to enforced racial stereotypes. Caron obviously chose not to mention this.

If Caron tends to generalize statements, he also tends to use words lightly. Supposedly I said that my "studies mean freedom from oppression and stereotypes." The word "oppression" should only be used to describe dire circumstances, not the experience of middle class students who go to Harvard. I would never use that word to describe my own situation and neither should Caron.

The fact that Caron is preoccupied with stereotypes is shown in the sentence. "They say they have no qualms about using the white man's way." I have heard the phrase "the white man's way" used in old Billy Jack movies but it is not something I use myself. I prefer to say "dominant society."

There are two other technical faults I would like to point out. Flrst, Michael P. Tsosie is not the president of AIH, the president is John E. Murphy. Had Caron checked his notes carefully, he would not have made this error. Second, the statement made by Michael P. Tsosie and myself "that coming to college is to 'go capitalist'" in addition to my comment "You're out for yourself first" were taken out of context from two separate topics of conversation. I wish that Caron would have left these statements out or elaborated on them.

A picture may say a thousand words yet those words may not tell the truth. I am referring to those three large photos which accompany the article. I said earlier that the article was unsuccessful in dispelling stereotypes about Native Americans. I would now like to add that these pictures enhance the stereotypes created by this article. At the top of the page is a picture of two long haired Indians with guns leaning on a log cabin. The caption reads, "A choice between the reservation and mainstream America." The two bottom pictures are of Michael and me in our preppy sweaters. The implication appears to be that we were, uncivilized and uncouth, trapped on the reservation. However, now that we are at Harvard, we have adapted and become like everyone else, a part of the mainstream. If the pictures had only been replaced by text, the article may have been more informative and less misleading.

I sincerely believe that Caron's intentions were honorable in writing this article and I appreciate his interests in Native American issues. I believe the blame does not really lie on Caron, but on the stereotypes created in American society through textbooks, movies, TV commercials, tacky tourist shops, etc.

It is my hope that through this letter I can correct the faults I see in this article and encourage people to become more aware of these issues. Rohana L. Fines '86   Vice-president, AIH