American Indian Movement Chairman Dennis Banks had more than his new autobiography, Ojibwa Warrior, to address Monday night to a standing-room only crowd in the SUB's Lobo room.
Banks was aware of the events that transpired at the Duck Pond on April 1, and saw the videotape of the incident.
"I'm disappointed in the response of the president of the University to that incident," Banks said. "It's more than just being insensitive. His letter is what might be more insensitive."
Banks vowed to raise the incident at the next AIM meeting so that others will speak out about injustices that may be happening in their community.
"If this man continues here as a student, he has a license to commit another act," he said. "He wasn't unplugging the three men in this band, he was unplugging a nation."
Banks also said he wouldn't be opposed to a national boycott of UNM. His daughter, Tasina Banks, is a UNM student. Although he is a strong supporter of the University's Native American Studies Department, he would like for people to "point the finger" at the University's officials.
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"To me that was a very direct assault against Native people," Banks said. "The University's response, as late as it was, I would have to reject that letter. I cannot speak for the University or the Native American Studies Program, but I can speak for AIM, and to me an act of racism is an act of racism, and it has to be dealt with."
Banks's passion about this stems from his concern for the education of American Indians.
"You who have made it, have run though a gantlet of many kinds of discrimination whether it's racial, literary or of skin color," he said. "Instead of getting educated to go to work, I think we should get educated to create our own jobs, write our own books, create our own movies - to use our full creative knowledge to create jobs."
Banks said the incident on campus wasn't an isolated event.
"Across the country I see a lot of complacency," he said. "During the late '60s when I was in prison, I came out and knocked door-to-door trying to start a movement. I wanted to be part of a movement that was saying things for Native people."
Banks told stores of his early days in AIM when members of the movement were sent to prison in droves, and many times beaten by police. Banks said he witnessed this in the 30 times he was arrested.
Banks not only encouraged students to speak out against discrimination on campus, but also on the war in Iraq.
"I see little, almost zero, participation," he said. "How many people have called for peace?"
Although Banks' frustration with the University was evident, he ended on a positive note.
"I feel good about being here," he said. "I feel good about what the Native American Studies Program is about."
