Dave Petersen is a … Sutherland’s teammate, Antonio Shelton, shared a photo of the letter on Twitter and wrote, “One of my teammates got this. Sutherland said he forgave the letter writer on Tuesday in a Twitter post and thanked fans for their support. Jonathan Sutherland Letter. The letter was addressed to “Jonathan” and mentioned dreadlocks. He said Sutherland was chosen to be a team captain, made the dean’s list, had great parents and was one of the most respected members of the program. A Penn State fan sent a racist letter to safety Jonathan Sutherland criticizing his dreadlocks. They're all in that locker room together. Watching the Idaho game on TV, we couldn’t help but notice your–well–awful hair. READ MORE: ... A young fan named Mason Young decided to write his own letter in support of Sutherland’s long dreadlocks. Penn State's Jonathan Sutherland still has the letter he received last October, the one from a Penn State graduate and sports fan that said Sutherland's "shoulder length dreadlocks look disgusting." A photo of the message, which was shared by his teammate on Twitter, was directed at Nittany Lions safety Jonathan Sutherland. — Jonathan Sutherland (@jay_suth) October 8, 2019 Despite his mediocre apology, Sutherland wrote on Twitter he took no “personal offense” to the letter… The letter that was addressed to "Dear Jonathan," presumably to Penn State safety Jonathan Sutherland, was posted on social media by teammate Antonio Shelton on Monday night. Rich or poor, rural or urban, Republican or Democrat. "The football that I know and love brings people together and embraces differences," he said. Jonathan Sutherland signs letter of intent to Penn... Jan 20, 2017: O. Aaron Hicks exited the Yankees' lineup on Monday night following the police shooting of Minnesota resident Daunte Wright. Penn State football players were understandably upset Monday after safety Jonathan Sutherland received a racist letter from an alumnus that complained about … Long hair, short hair, no hair. Please click the button below to agree to our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. © 2021 Cable News Network. The man said he missed “the clean cut men and women,” who were athletes in his day and wished for a return of athlete dress codes. "As part of this, Penn State provides a range of assistance and resources for students and employees, and we encourage any community member who needs support to reach out.”. Holmes posted a letter from a fan addressed to teammate Jonathan Sutherland on Twitter on Monday that asked Sutherland to … “Teams all over this country are the purest form of humanity that we have,” Franklin said at a Tuesday news conference. We follow all Penn State sports; football, wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics, basketball. All Rights Reserved. Sandy Barbour, Penn State's vice president for intercollegiate athletics, shared her support for Sutherland on social media on Tuesday. The well-being of students, faculty and staff members is the University’s priority," the university said, per pennlive.com. Sutherland … It said: "My wife and I are proud ‘older’ graduates of Penn State. "I'm pretty sure whoever wrote that letter," Toney said, "if they met Jonathan Sutherland, they'd want their kid to be like him." Popovich: "His family’s grieving and his friends are grieving and we just keep moving on as if nothing’s happened.". Verification email has been resent. Holmes posted a photo of the letter on Twitter on Monday. Don’t you have parents or a girlfriend who have told you those shoulder-length dreadlocks look disgusting and are certainly not attractive. If an account exists, we've sent an email with a link to reset your password. Loved the competition but never had the size or talent to reach your level, though the desire was there! He was asked about his hair earlier this season and said he’s worn it this way since he was a kid. ", Franklin later added: "Jonathan Sutherland is one of the most respected players in our program. When I was a kid my mom just braided my hair one day and I just went with it,” he said. We love it all. Penn State football player receives letter criticizing his dreadlocks. Newsom signed the law, the first of its kind by any state, at the Capitol in Sacramento on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. He is the son of Sylvie and Everton Sutherland. To complete your CNN profile and ensure you are able to receive important account information, please verify your email address. Jonathan Sutherland (born 1977) is a Scottish television and radio presenter and producer, currently the main presenter of BBC Scotland's Sunday night Sportscene on BBC One Scotland.He occasionally hosts the Sportscene Results show on Saturday afternoons and regularly appears on Reporting Scotland contacted the letter writer, David Peterson, on Tuesday. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) ***BESTPIX***, California Gov. “While we don’t know the source of this letter or the authenticity, obviously its content does not align with our values. CNN Sans ™ & © 2016 Cable News Network. "I would just like to see the coaches get the guys cleaned up and not looking like Florida State and Miami guys," he told the newspaper. The letter was … Gavin Newsom, middle, signs State Bill, SB-188 Discrimination: hairstyles by state Sen. Holly Mitchell of Los Angeles, third from left, that bans workplace and school discrimination against black people for wearing natural hairstyles, including locks and braids. I got a couple awful letters after I got tattoos before sophomore year from OSU ‘fans’ too, letting me know how disappointed they were in my decision.". Sutherland’s teammate, defensive tackle Antonio Shelton, posted a photograph of the letter on Twitter on Monday and asked for someone to “explain to me how this isn’t racist.”, The letter writer claimed that he and his wife were “proud ‘older’ graduates of Penn state.”. Updated Hinch reflected on the Astros' sign-stealing scandal as he returned to Houston for the first time since being fired in January 2020. Referee in dreadlock haircut controversy has been suspended for two years. I feel like it’s become a part of my identity at this point. A Warner Media Company. Penn State coach James Franklin addressed the media over the letter on Tuesday. Peterson, who graduated from Penn State in 1966 with a degree in speech pathology, said it "was not the intent" to make a racial or political statement. Oct 8, 2019. “You will certainly be playing 'on Sunday' in the future but we have stopped watching the NFL due to the disgusting tattoos, awful hair and immature antics in the end zone. California becomes the first state to ban discrimination based on natural hairstyles. He stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches. “I’ve had my hair for like ten years now, going on ten years. “At the end of the day, without an apology given I forgive this individual because I’m nowhere close to being perfect and I expect God to forgive me for all the wrong I’ve done in my life.”. Penn State said that it can not confirm if the letter is authentic, or if the author was really an alumni, but it condemned the letter on Twitter. Players should act as though they’ve ‘been there before.’ [sic]". Sutherland had three tackles and blocked two punts in the Nittany Lions’$2 79-7 win, but the letter focused on insulting his appearance. Jonathan Sutherland, a Penn State Football Player, Receives Letter from Fan Calling His Dreadlocks 'Awful' & 'Disgusting' October 11, 2019 | by Monica Otayza A Penn State football player received a letter from one of their school's supporters calling his dreadlocks "awful" and "disgusting," prompting the athlete to send out an open letter himself. Julian Edelman gave an emotional speech in an empty Gillette Stadium where he announced his retirement from the NFL. The Penn State alumnus who wrote a “racist” letter to defensive back Jonathan Sutherland has said that making a racial or cultural statement “was not the intent at all.” Teams all over this country are the purest form of humanity that we have. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Penn State Nittany Lions confiscated T-shirts supporting Jonathan Sutherland, who had received a letter from a purported Penn State alum criticizing his dreadlocks. Surely there must be mirrors in the locker room! We strongly condemn this message or any message of intolerance.”. — Jonathan Sutherland (@jay_suth) October 8, 2019 In the note, he forgave the fan, saying "I forgive this individual because I'm nowhere close to perfect and I expect God to forgive me for all the wrong I've done in my life." Tom Brady paid tribute to Julian Edelman on Monday after the receiver's retirement from the NFL. STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 14: Jonathan Sutherland #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a … Peterson This week, Penn State football's defensive tackle Antonio Shelton posted a photograph on Twitter of a letter his … He has one brother, Liam. Fellow safety C.J. The letter was sent to No. In a truly awesome response, Sutherland tweeted on Tuesday that he “took no personal offense” to the letter while citing Colossians 3:13 from the Bible. (AP Photo/Kathleen Ronayne), California becomes the first state to ban discrimination based on natural hairstyles, Referee in dreadlock haircut controversy has been suspended for two years. — Jonathan Sutherland (@jay_suth) October 8, 2019. The man wrote that he couldn’t help noticing Sutherland’s “awful hair” during the home opener against the University of Idaho. Here’s the letter. Nittany Lions safety Jonathan Sutherland received a letter from a Penn State alum that called his dreadlocks "disgusting" and longed for the days of "clean cut young men and women." "We congratulate you on your game against Pitt, but you need to remember you represent all Penn Staters both current and alumni from years past. Franklin ended his opening statement with a similar sentiment. “I would be so blessed if my daughters would marry someone with his character and integrity,” Franklin said. We would welcome the reappearance of dress code for athletes. Jonathan Sutherland D.J. Petersen Graduated From Penn State in 1966 & Is a Retired Speech Pathologist. A Penn State fan ain't apologizing for a letter he sent to a football player that many found offensive ... in fact, the guy is DOUBLING DOWN on it, saying, "Get the guys cleaned up." "I also have locs, Tats, and NFL dreams too, these messages can not be tolerated, this was extremely inappropriate, racially biased, and selfish to feel like you even have a right to send this message," Holmes said on Twitter about the letter. Article Referee in dreadlock haircut controversy has been suspended for two years shooting of Minnesota resident Wright. Said he ’ s become a part of my identity at this point form of that! 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