[IPSM] âBlack/Mohawk youth faces discrimination (fwd)

[IPSM]

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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 13:33:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: OCAP <ocap at tao.ca>
To: undisclosed-recipients:  ;
Subject: Black/Mohawk youth faces discrimination

*Please forward widely*


Ontario Amateur Softball Association appears to tolerate racism within its
ˆranks.

10-year-old victim of racial slur prevented from transferring to another
team.


The Ontario Amateur Softball Association, a member affiliate of Softball
Ontario and Softball Canada, has a team operating from Stone Mills,
Ontario.

The 10-year-old pitcher for the Stone Mills team was Daniel Rudder. Daniel
carries an obvious mix of black and Mohawk heritage and was the only child
of black ancestry on the team.  During a tournament in 2003, another
child’s parent identified as Richard Lemon yelled to the opposing team,
“What do you think, we are all fucking niggers!”

Daniel’s mother, Amey Salter was standing only a few feet away when this
comment was made.  None the less Daniel was looking forward to playing for
Stone Mill in 2005 until it was learned that the Coach for the team would
be Richard Lemon.

OASA correspondence sent in response to the family’s formal request for
release state “No extenuating circumstances were found to warrant the OASA
granting a ‘Special Permission’” for the child’s release.

A gross vulgarity has been directed against a 10-year-old boy.  Racial
comments of this nature are not accepted anywhere in our society.  Surely
the OASA should recognize this situation as both ‘special’ and
‘extenuating’, show this boy even the most basic level of compassion and
understanding and transfer him from a team where he feels neither welcome
nor safe.

The OASA Mission Statement speaks of “promoting accessibility to the
game”. Apparently their version of “accessibility” is one in which
children are subject to racism, their parents and friends are expected to
quietly tolerate it and those who perpetrate it are brought into positions
of respect and authority within the Association.

You can support Daniel by contacting the following
individuals/organizations who appear to be keeping him from playing
baseball.

Al Hamilton, President, Stone Mills Baseball Association
Ph:  (613) 358-5191

David Cleugh, President, Ontario Amateur Softball Association
Ph: (705) 653-1833, cleugh at trytel.net

Wendy Cathcart, Executive Director, Softball Ontario
Ph: (416) 426-7150

Hugh Mitchener, Executive Director, Softball Canada
Ph:  (613) 523-3386, Fax:  (613) 523-5761


For more information e-mail: ocap at tao.ca