In These Times

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• • 07 Oct 05
  • 9:12 pm

  I think it is important to realize that these sterotypes are harmful to children. Research by Dr. Stephanie Fryberg has proven that American Indian children exposed to these and other stereotypes experience negative impact on their self esteem while white children experience a boost to their self esteem. Further the negative impact was experienced whether the images were cartoonish (like Pochahontas or the Cleveland Indians or depictions of the "noble" savage like the plains Indian warrior in feathered headdress used by so many high schools. In addition to Fryberg's research, the American Psychological Association has written a resolution calling for the …

  Posted to Accepting the Slurs

• • 07 Oct 05
  • 10:00 pm

  Sheku David, Intentions count, and the well-intended may be more willing to listen, learna and change behavior that is causing harm. That said well-intended harm is still damaging. It is often difficult for people to understand across the gulf of different cultural perspectives. It is a true act of empathic courage to discuss as we are doing here these matters. Osk^n^su, Katehla

  Posted to Accepting the Slurs

• • 08 Oct 05
  • 8:27 am

  Sheku GhostRabbit, Yes friends can agree on any kind of affectionate teasing. The use of race-based stereotypes in societies institutions is a different matter. While professional sports teams promote these stereotypes it is our educational institutions where we see most of them. And in k-12 schools, colleges and universities they are pernicious because they teach children to tolerate a form of racism and even teach them how to do perform racist acts that are condoned by public schools. Our schools must not be the vehicle for teaching racism. Teach Respect - Not Racism

  Posted to Accepting the Slurs

• • 08 Oct 05
  • 11:26 pm

  Sheku Cyberella, Consider that Indian people living today are not merely "decendants, they are members of cultures that are living in the here and now. We cary on our cultural traditions and teach them to our children as our ancestors have done for us. We are here and now people, our cultures exist in the present. Consider this about the English construct "Braves", it is not what any Indigenous group calls its defenders or its young men for that matter. In Oneida language a male who defends is lask^?haketeha and a young man lanik^htlu? (the ? is a glottal stop). There …

  Posted to Accepting the Slurs

• • 09 Oct 05
  • 5:05 pm

  Sheku Major Major, Sooooo now that you have brought this dynamic to consciousness, let's grow up and create positive change. Osk^n^su, Katehla

  Posted to Accepting the Slurs