I loathe political correctness. According to Merriam-Webster, the term means “conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated.” Good luck with all that.
Liberal types think they know what’s best for the rest of us. They come up with strange and various ways to control speech and thought to the point of absurdity, and shame on us for falling for it.
According to rumor, Jesse Jackson was the first person to use the term “African-American” regularly. When I first heard it back in the 1980s, being the liberal I was, I considered it an honor and a duty to refer to myself as African-American, a term that reflected both my nationality and ethnic background.
I’m glad I wised up.
If specificity is required, refer to me as an American of African descent. The country of my birth trumps my ethnicity.
Political correctness is a nonsensical and counterintuitive agenda. With the rise of speech codes on college campuses and “hate speech,” the government seeks to intrude upon and interfere with our freedom more each day by regulating our words and punishing us for what we say or think. While freedom of speech is not absolute, the government’s power to regulate offensive words is very limited, according to the U.S. Constitution.
I suspect that the term “Native American” isn’t commonly used among American Indians themselves. (An acquaintance once said that my reference to “Indian Summer” was racist. Dumb, I know.). At least one Indian, Russell Means, doesn’t like it. What paternalistic thought cops either don’t realize or ignore altogether is that anyone born in the United States is a Native American.
I was prompted to write this post after reading an article about John Kerry. While pandering to a group of Indians, he seemed to alternate between using “American Indian” and “Native American.”
According to Wikipedia:
The terms “Indian” or “American Indian” were born of the misconception on the part of Christopher Columbus who believed that the Caribbean islands he had reached in 1492 were the islands in Southeast Asia known to Europeans as East Indies. The replacement term “Native American” was introduced in the United States by anthropologists who considered “Indian” quaint and inaccurate. That word had also been too loaded with prejudice by 19th century American press and 20th century Western movies (epitomized by the saying “the only good indian is a dead indian”).
Nevertheless, the words “Indian” and “American Indian” continue in widespread use in North America, even amongst Native Americans themselves, most of whom do not feel offended by the terms. Indeed, many just want to be called “Indians” since it was the term applied to their forefathers. The use of the term “Native American” may be more current among politically correct academics than it is among Native Americans themselves. [my emphasis]
I’ll take the word of Means over any academic: “I will not allow a government, any government, to define who I am.”
{ 25 comments }
It’s actually Indians from India who objected to calling Native Americans Indians. Since there’s no relation between the two, you might think we should get rid of the confusion that created this overlap of name.
As for ‘African American’, isn’t the noun the primary determinant? If one trumps the other, that’s how I would expect it to go. If that’s so, then your preferred term isn’t emphasizing it much differently. That’s not how everyone sees it, though, I guess.
Well at least now I know what American Indians prefer to be called, if their tribe is unknown to me. Thanks.
I had a PC liberal (white) correct me last summer telling me that they should be called Native American, and I’ve been confused ever since. Until then, if it wasn’t clear which Indian I was talking about I would throw in American to make the distinction from Indian Indian.
I think it was right after 9/11 that I took the ‘IRE’ sticker I had on my truck off. (The ‘IRE’ is one of those oval stickers that identifies with a European nation – in this case Ireland).
I was proud to have that sticker on my truck – proud to ’show off’ my Irish ancestry, but that changed on 9/11.
That was the day that I knew that I was nothing but an American. And I haven’t flinched on this ever since.
For the Red Rock gathering, I’m afraid it’s just the same old “umgawa, umgawa”.
Clinton could have been the 1st American Indian president as well, but instead sided with big brutha whenever it was an issue of soverignty–Arkansas issues included. It’s gonna be the same with Kerry, because anything else would mean letting them get off the “reservation” without the gubmint’s assistance.
Over the years, I have traveled to most tribal communties in Arizona. I have met with many of their educational leaders. Not once have I ever heard a tribal member refer to him or herself – or to another members of their communities – as “Native Americans”. The term used was and is always “Indian”.
My wee wifey’s father’s family has been on this continent since the late 1600s; one ancestor is commonly mentioned in histories of the Revolution. Before we moved from our common birthplace she routinely asked “How can I be a native Chicagoan but not a Native American?”
As for “Indian Summer”, that is the name used by the tribes in the Milwaukee area for their annual public event at the Festival Grounds, so they must not have a problem with the phrase.
Ms. Barber, are you familiar with the work of Charles Moskos the military sociologist from Northwestern? He makes a distinction that I think is useful. He distinguishes between “African American” and “Afro-American”. Both you and, say, Kim du Toit (who was born in South Africa) are African American. Afro-American is according to Moskos a part of the American core culture.
His work on inclusion without quotas and without affirmative action is very interesting.
Another “Indian” commentator you might want to look at is David Yeagley. His is “a direct descendent of Bad Eagle (quin-ne kish-su-it), headman of a Antelope (kwerharenu) Comanche band (1839-1909).”
David is conservative and as outspoken against most Indian “leaders” as you are against most “African American” leaders. His columns appear regularly at David Horowitz’s FrontPageMagazine.com.
Lots of good information in the post and in the comments. I also find the term ‘Native American’ confusing. Hey, if the Indians wants to be called Indians, then that’s fine. Dinesh D’Souza calls himself an Asian Indian immigrant, distinguishing from American Indian I presume. Political correctness is for the birds. In the book Fahrenheit 451, political correctness seems to be the reason for books being burned.
link
I grew up with Indian friends, and I clearly remember their mom ranting and raving one day about the term “Native American.” She hated it. She said, “I was born an Indian, I grew up an Indian, and I’m still an Indian. No one’s going to come along and tell me any different.” So, in deference to her (who’s opinion I value more than those who think they need to be politically correct), I will be calling them Indians.
Oh, college campuses are absolutely vile.
La Shawn, I don’t know if you heard about the incident at UNC-Chapel Hill a while back, it was national news.
An English teacher sent out an email to the whole class berating a guy who said, in class, that he thought that it was disgusting when his friend told him a story about when he was hit on by a guy guy. The email said he was a great example of white male heterosexual Christian privilege and that he was engaging in hate speech.
Well, I was running for SBP at the time, I got hold of the email b/c my platform was pushing for balance. We started a federal investigation and everything.
Goes to show you, if you speak up and cause a stir, we can stop some of this absurdness.
I wrote a post a good while back on “Campus Intellectualism”
And as far as Native Americans, Indians, American Indians…my roomie is Lumbee; she thinks it’s absolutely ridiculous that people get all up in the air over such–especially when they want to change mascots and sports’ teams names.
Isn’t the word “indian” also derived from the Latin word “indigena” meaning “indigenous”?
Is a white person allowed to be called an African-American if they were born in Africa?
Athena- Are you talking about Elyse Crystall? I blogged about her (link) back in February. That was at your school?
Sodom Watch. That’s rich, Rocky. I read your too-brief bio. God is good all the time, isn’t He?
Thanks for reading and commenting, everybody!
Yes, the infamous Elyse.
Consequentially, she doesn’t like me very much, nor does the Chair of the Faculty.
But hey, I’ll take it.
But it wasn’t really Mike Adams that exposed her!
It was me!
You did that, Athena? Months ago when I read the story, I had no idea I’d one day “meet” the person who turned her in! The world is getting smaller.
Way to go, Athena!
My family has been in America for three hundred (maybe four hundred) years. I’d consider myself a “Native American” by this time, contrary to what liberals might say. I certainly don’t consider myself “European-American.” What they might not realize is that we’re all from Eden originally, so we really should all be “Native Edenites.”
The whole concept is silly. If someone is born in a country, he/she should be considered a native of that country. It’s simple as that.
David Yeagley, a Comanche who writes for FrontPagMag.com, thinks the term “American Indian” is best, and “East Indian” for the real Indians. In fact, all of the Indians I’ve ever talked to think the term “Native American” is silly.
Shayne
Is a white person allowed to be called an African-American if they were born in Africa?
The Du Toit’s were Huguenots who fled France in the 16th century and went to South Africa. My husband’s family has been in Africa for nearly 500 years. That’s the problem with “African-American.” It doesn’t do what it is intended to do. He is an American now, and that’s how he refers to himself (proudly).
My great-grandfather was a half-breed (I had to put that in!), His mother was Apache. You know, that means absolutely nothing to me as far as who I am.
We are having major difficulties here in Hawaii with these issues. Government ie the federal law makers and the govenor,who I deeply respect, are pushing the Akaka Bill in Congress. This bill would say that Native Hawaiians are “Native Americans” the way the Indians are “Native American” this is catagorically false. Hawaii was a sovereign nation with a Queen, a constitution, and democratic elections prior to our government seizing the country in 1989, and deposing the Queen ( a 19 year old Christian who they locked up in her room for 9 months forcing her to sign away her birth right. ) They are not Indians, and should not be treated as such. How do you treat the desendents of a conquered people? I dont know?
this whole thing with catagorizing people and giving government handouts because of it is going to impode on its self and this bill may help to do just that. Thats why Bill Frist put it aside…for this year. You ought to check on this one, as it has great implications on race relations, on how the UN may get dragged into this and cause the US serious embarassment. Love your Blog !
I guess it’s who you talk to on what to call natives.
Some of us call our selfs: Native American
American Indian
Indian
But we like people to know we all have the respect for one another. Some tribes do have diffrent things about them and to act as if a tribes are all the same thats wrong.
We have diffrent tribes,clans
I am proud to be Native
NATIVE PRIDE BABY
The definition of American Indian, Indian, & Native American Indian are common in the USA. But in Canada the terms are: First Nation, Aboriginal, Indian, and North American Indian.
What drives me crazy is the lack of education people have about Indian people. Beliefs that are odous and politically motivated to represent/mis-represent indians as a whole.
Comments on this entry are closed.