Dear Dr. Tritton:

I read with great dismay the appalling article entitled "The Black Squirrel’s Burden" by David Langlieb in the Fall 2006 issue of Haverford Alumni Magazine.

Certainly the author is entitled to his views, and in a land of free speech is entitled to publish them in any medium that is willing to print them. But is it in the interests of such a prestigious institution as Haverford to print such views? Neo-Nazi parties also have the constitutional right to spout hatred about untermenschen Blacks and Jews – would your magazine publish it?

And yet you publish bigotry aimed at untermenschen Poles. How does that relate to "the values of individual dignity, academic strength and tolerance upon which [Haverford] was founded", as stated on your web site? Evidently, your institution failed miserably in conveying these values to this particular alumnus, who in his article ties his views to his Haverford education.

Perhaps David Langlieb will say that this was meant as a joke, a parody. I submit to you that a slur, ethnic or otherwise, is no less hurtful in a joke. The nation was recently outraged by another joke gone bad, by Senator John Kerry. And even if Mr. Langlieb meant it as such, it is impossible for the reader to tell where his views end and the parody begins. In that case, Haverford has failed in yet another of its educational missions, that of teaching effective writing skills.

Dr. Tritton, you owe the good people of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the entire 9-million strong Polish-American community, a sincere apology. We expect you to strongly and publicly disavow Mr. Langlieb’s views and to prevent such venom from being published in the future.

Respectfully,

Thaddeus Mirecki
Member, Council of National Directors
Polish American Congress