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COAIM BLOG CO AIM LATEST NEWS MEDIA
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April 15, 1992 Mr. Steve Newman Dear Mr. Newman: As a consequence of a decision taken at a duly constituted meeting of the American lndian Movement of Colorado, I am obliged to inform you of the collective decision of Colorado AIM regarding the Columbus statue that remains in Denver's Civic Center Park. It is the position of Colorado AIM that no action by the City of Denver short of the removal of the plaque honoring Christopher Columbus is acceptable to us. It is further the position of Colorado AIM that since it was a deliberate act of the City of Denver that allowed the statue and plaque to be erected, it should be a deliberate act by the City that removes it. Colorado AIM believes that moral courage, and not political expedience, should be the standard that directs the decision of the City to do the right thing with regard to the plaque. Colorado AIM further believes that it is not incumbent on Indian people to construct or suggest the methods by which the City should extract itself from its own racist, anti-Indian legacy. In our opinion. Colorado AIM has shown exemplary restraint and good faith in this matter, including proposing alternative language for the existing plaque, but official inaction requires us to re-evaluate our previous- position. Consequently, Colorado AIM is unwilling to accept the proposal of a second, co-existent plaque to be placed on the statue. Further, Colorado AIM is unwilling to participate in a process of proposing alternative wording for such a plaque. It is our belief that such a process simply promotes the perpetuation of the fallacy that Columbus and his legacy can be regarded as honorable and acceptable. We believe that 1992 provides the perfect opportunity for Denver to set the historical and political record straight, and to commence a process of removing divisive and destructive elements of life in the City of Denver. That process can begin with the removal of the Columbus statue plaque, and proceed with an examination of other elements of racism that are tacitly, or actively, accepted by the City. For example, the City has a number of streets honoring notorious Indian-killers, such as Custer, Carson, Sheridan and Evans. It similarly has parks and statues that honor a chapter in U.S. history that some may consider honorable, but that we consider genocidal. We do not believe that Denver can honestly lay claim to greatness while it turns a blind eye to racism within the very fabric of the community. Such racism only begins with these obvious emblems. It continues in every aspect of city life - ranging from education and employment to housing and health care. We appreciate your good intentions in this regard, but have noticed a pronounced lack of progress in most of these areas. It is our opinion that if the City cannot find the wherewithal to take the relatively simple step of removing a racist and divisive plaque, then we can expect little progress in more difficult questions regarding the allocation of resources for important, life-sustaining projects. The city may have a hundred explanations for the marginalization of lndians in its midst, but none of them adequately articulate effective responses to the critical needs of our community. We appreciate the facilitation that your office has provided in bringing us together with prominent city department heads, and we look forward to seeing where such meetings might lead. However, in terms of tangible, verifiable progress for the lndian community, the results have been negligible. To the degree that any of that lack of progress can be attributable to inaction on our part, we accept that responsibility. We also, however, recognize that the condition in which the lndian community finds itself is not the result of masochism, and we reject the tactic of "blaming the victim" for lack of opportunity and empowerment in the City. In conclusion, we look forward to continuing our dialogues with you and your office. We hope that this correspondence clarifies our position regarding the Columbus statue plaque. I have participated in good faith in the meetings and negotiations which you have facilitated, but I am required to represent the position of Colorado AIM as it is decided by our members. In doing so, I hope that you can understand, if not respect, the position that we have taken. Finally, I must communicate the consternation that the Colorado AIM membership has expressed regarding characterizations of Colorado AIM that have been attributed to your office. It is our understanding that Colorado AIM has been referred to as "radical" or "extreme" and even "unreasonable," and that AIM does not speak for, or represent, the lndian community of Denver. If these reports are inaccurate, I hope that you will communicate that to us. If not, allow me to respond. Although AIM may seem radical or extreme to some, we believe that our militant defense of lndian people is neither. We make no apologies for our positions or methods, and we base our program on four essential principles: spirituality, sovereignty, sobriety and support. Despite the prospect that our principles create discomfort for some, whether lndian or non-lndian, we will neither moderate nor compromise them. We have never claimed to speak for all indians, nor would we choose to do so. We are satisfied to represent those people who are committed to the uncompromising defense of lndian people, and our Movement is open to all Indians who subscribe to such a position. Although we do not represent all Indians in Denver, and no single organization does, we do represent a significant portion of the community, and demand respect in that regard. We look dimly on characterizations or pejoratives that seek to portray us in a bad light, and we hope that your office, above all, has not begun to sink to such depths. I look forward to our continuing communication on these and other issues, and I hope that the relationship between your office and Colorado AIM can remain cordial and respectful. Colorado AIM awaits your reply. For all our relations. Colorado AIM |
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© 2004-2005
Colorado AIM Contact us at
denveraim@coloradoaim.org or
303-832-2544 |
