A Message from the President
Dear Panther Family,
I pray that you and your family are well during these unprecedented times. The COVID-19 has forced us to adjust to a new normal. Unfortunately, as we all are working to stay safe and healthy, our country has experienced another unjust death of an unarmed African American male at the hands of law enforcement. While we know that the overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are good and just persons, it is unfortunate that the few bad ones have outweighed the good ones.
I, like many of you, am extremely saddened by the senseless violence, which resulted in the loss of life for Mr. George Floyd. Like him, I am an African American male and father, who, although not perfect, strives daily to exist in a country where people who look like me have often been and still often are marginalized. However, as hurt and even disgusted, as I have been over this matter, we must always remember that violence begets violence, and “an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth leaves everyone blind and toothless.” Thus, I encourage you to express your views and concerns; however, please do so in a non-violent manner that does not taint the death of Mr. Floyd nor allow the media to shift the focus from his senseless killing to the looting and other unlawful activities which followed his death.
Racism is one of the most misunderstood yet prominent issues in our society. The more we pretend it does not exist, the worse it gets. The story of the lion and the hunter will also show the hunter as the victor if the hunter is the author of the story. Don’t give the media content for disgracing Mr. Floyd’s memory nor the legacy of those who have fought for truth, justice, and honor for disenfranchised persons.
You are Denmark Technical College. You represent a legacy of graduates who enrolled here since 1947 in search of a better way of life. As you express yourself, always remember those ancestors who you represent.
My prayers are with you all. We shall get through this and work in concert with those leaders who understand and support equality and justice for all citizens. Please remember to vote and to research the positions of the persons for whom you give your confidence at the ballot box. This is where change will truly begin.
Forging onward!
Willie L. Todd, Jr., Ph.D.
President and CEO
