The Franklin Wrestling Club

C/O Coach Wendell Donathan

Franklin Junior High School

136 East Sixth Street

Franklin, Ohio 45005                                                  March 22, 2001

To the wrestling team:

The motorcycling community nationwide has been notified about the incident that happened regarding the poster you made up as motorcycle riders to raise funds for the team.

Your worthwhile effort was the subject of the worst kind of bigotry promulgated by your own school officials, including your superintendent and high school principal as well as some school board members. 

We know that your so-called community leaders would like this incident to just go away.  However, hatred and bigotry, like so many other evils, never goes away.  They have to be challenged and fought the second they raise their ugly heads.  The editor of  your local paper told me on the phone that this was overblown and that “it’s all over and done with now and no one even remembers it”.  He was wrong.  The millions in this country who ride motorcycles and know they are part of your American neighborhood just like anyone else have not forgotten.  When you ignore stereotyping and bigotry you simply give it a chance to grow and fester.

We applaud you and think your poster was a creative and unique effort to raise funds.

We believe that you, as a team, have much to teach some of your parents, school officials and school board members about acceptance, inclusion and tolerance.  They were apparently trying to teach you the opposite.  A very poor role model, indeed.  I have enclosed a check for twenty dollars for your wrestling team, wish you the best of luck in the future and hope that in your adult lives, you will not forget what has happened in your community.  It may seem small now, but it isn’t.  One of our most precious rights is freedom of expression. Another is freedom to associate.  Some in your town have forgotten some of the principals on which this country was founded.  I can only hope that you never do.

                                                            Sincerely,

                                                            Larry Schwartz

                                                            President, District III

                                                            American Motorcyclist Association

                                                            Member, Motorcycle Riders Foundation

                                                            Member, Abate of N.Y.,Pa.,Mass.