January 29, 2007
Dr. Shirley Tilghman
President
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ 08544
Dear Dr. Tilghman,
Racial jokes are intolerable in our country. All of us should mutually respect each other, especially in institutes of higher education. When your student newspaper, the Daily Princetonian, used racial jokes, it negatively affected the entire Princeton University student body as well as the image of the administration of Princeton.
Racial remarks and jokes divide citizens of a community, therefore this type of insensitive and derogatory behavior should be condemned and the offenders should be reprimanded. We trust the integrity and wisdom of your office will surely understand the gravity of this offense and take appropriate action in order to restore the confidence of your student body as well as the community at large.
80-20 Initiative, our nation’s most effective cyber civil rights organization with over 700,000 supporters, hereby urges you to take immediate action to properly apologize to the Asian American community of our country and to properly reprimand the offenders. Your decision to take appropriate action will most certainly send out a strong signal to your student body and to our nation that Princeton University does not tolerate any insensitive language or behavior and that Princeton University operates with utmost integrity.
The Asian Americans of our country have always considered Princeton University one of the most elite institutes of higher education and we certainly wish to be able to continue to consider so.
Your sincere consideration of our recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Kathleen To
President, 80-20 Initiative
www.80-20initiative.net
kto@tstar.net
cc: 80-20 board of directors and supporters