Native American Racial Tensions
Native American Civil Rights Since the Age of Discovery, the United States of America has failed to make great strides in civil rights concerning Native Americans. Since the Europeans first landed in the Americas, there has been racial, ethnic, and religious tension with the native people. The tensions and the issues that arose from them are still a major issue in present times. Examples of these racial tensions can be seen in literary works throughout United States history. It will be interesting to see what the far future holds, as well as the near future. Many Native Americans still do not receive the same opportunities as other citizens, even though we have struggled with these issues for centuries. One of the very first examples …show more content…
Throughout this book, a derogatory word is used to label Native Americans. The term “injun” is slang for the other, equally racist term, “Indian”, used to make reference to Native Americans. When Columbus first arrived in the Americas, he thought he was in India, so naturally he referred to the natives as Indians. After they realized they were not in India, they did not try to learn the real names of the tribes. Up to 300 years later, the degrading term “injun” was still being used. At another point in the book, Tom Sawyer writes a letter to try and blame the stealing of Jim on “a desperate gang of cutthroats from over in the Indian Territory”. This is another example of racism, as it sounds like he assumes that the Native Americans were …show more content…
The book tells the story of a young boy who lived on a reservation. It explains what his life was like and what challenges he faced. In the chapter “How to Fight Monsters”, Alexie tells the story of his first few days at a school off of the “rez”. Racism is blatantly obvious throughout the school. First of all, the students stared at him like he was “bigfoot” or a “UFO”. There are many examples of students calling him racist names and telling him racist jokes. Another point worth mentioning is the fact that the school’s mascot was a Native American. In my opinion, this is extremely racially insensitive (Alexie, “How to Fight
Stereotyping In The Great Death By John Smelcer
671 Words | 3 PagesDon’t let people talk about your region, when they are not from that region and criticize your country and offend you in someway. The author John Smelcer has been criticizing or stereotyping native americans, and i think he has no right to be writing about a Native American because he has not been born in and description of characters might irritate the native americans which would give a bad reputation for him and his book. I understand that people might say it’s fine because he is adopted by Native American parents , but that does not mean that he himself can write about Native American. In a way that would bother them. But there is no reason to put the Natives in the book ,“The Great Death” as if they are new to the world and never new anything because he is basically stereotyping.
Pros And Cons Of The Indian Removal Act Of 1790
1501 Words | 7 PagesNative Americans who emigrated from Europe perceived the Indians as a friendly society with whom they dwelt with in harmony. While Native Americans were largely intensive agriculturalists and entrepreneurial in nature, the Indians were hunters and gatherers who earned a livelihood predominantly as nomads. By the 19th century, irrefutable territories i.e. the areas around River Mississippi were under exclusive occupation by the Indians. At the time, different Indian tribes such as the Chickasaws, Creeks, and Cherokees had adapted a sedentary lifestyle and practiced small-scale agriculture. According to the proponents of removal, the Indians were to move westwards into forested lands in order to generate additional space for development through agricultural production (Memorial of the Cherokee Indians).
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1193 Words | 5 PagesMany nationalities came to America in hopes of a better life for them and their families. However, it was not easy time for them after arriving in America. Each nationality encountered obstacles, some more difficult than others, but in the end they each persevered. One nationality that experienced a considerable amount of difficulties were the Native Americans. There may have been over 2 million Indian people living in what is now the United States (Olson & Beal p.18).
Washington Football Team Controversy
440 Words | 2 PagesSchool systems that show negative images of American Indians give of a negative impact on the self esteem of the American Indian students. This also disrespects the spiritual beliefs and values of the American Indian people. In the State of Oregon they announced that their public schools are not allowed to use Native Americans as mascots or sports teams names like “Indians”, “Chiefs”, “Braves”, and “Redskins” but not “Warriors because it’s imagery did not specifically mean Native Americans. The schools were expected to change the names
Native Americans In The 19th Century Essay
832 Words | 4 PagesFrom colonial times until the end of the Indian Wars in 1890, the people in America went through a series of unfair and unfortunate events. Mainly for the Indians which are also called the first peoples. These events could have been handled with much more consideration for the Indians. There are many times when the Americans went too far including the Removal Act of 1830, the Reservation System, and the Act for the Government and Protection of Indians.
The Impact Of Westward Expansion On Native Americans
847 Words | 4 PagesNative Americans flourished in North America, but over time white settlers came and started invading their territory. Native Americans were constantly being thrown and pushed off their land. Sorrowfully this continued as the Americans looked for new opportunities and land in the West. When the whites came to the west, it changed the Native American’s lives forever. The Native Americans had to adapt to the whites, which was difficult for them.
African American Assimilation In America
1716 Words | 7 PagesThe African – American 's Assimilation into White America America is often considered the land of opportunities, a place where people can have a fresh start, a clean slate. America is a land that is made up of immigrants. Over the centuries America has been a place where people dream to live in, however the American dream wasn 't as perfect as believed; there were issues of race inferiority, slavery and social inequality amongst other problems. When a person arrives into a new society he has a difficult task ahead of him- to assimilate into that new society- which includes the economical, cultural, political and social aspects. In the following paper I will discuss how the African American, who came as slaves to America, has fought over the centuries to achieve equality in a white society that discriminated them.
Racism In Sherman Alexie's Lone Ranger And Tonto Fistfight In Heaven?
750 Words | 3 PagesOnce European men stepped foot onto what is now known as North America, the lives of the Native Americans were forever changed. The Indians suffered centuries of torment and ridicule from the settlers in America. Despite the reservations made for the Natives, there are still cultural issues occurring within America. In Sherman Alexie’s, The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, the tragic lives of Native Americans in modern society are depicted in a collection of short stories taking place in the Spokane Reservation in Washington state. Throughout the collection, a prominent and reoccurring melancholic theme of racism against Native Americans and their struggle to cope with such behavior from their counterpart in this modern day and age is shown.
Misrepresentation Of Native Americans
1058 Words | 5 PagesAdam Sorenson Prof. Riggs COMP 01112 2/12/18 Misrepresentation of Native Americans Native American’s for many years now have been viewed as lone warriors or squaw, some people don’t even know that they still exist! People just think of the Native American people in storybook tales and nothing more then that. The Native Americans have been living in the United States for awhile now and were the first ones on the country’s soil. They were here way before Christopher Columbus and the other European Colonists even discovered America and they are still present in the U.S.
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1262 Words | 6 PagesLosing one’s cultural knowledge, and therefore the reality of their culture, allows others to have control over their collective and individual consciousness as well as their destiny. In this case, it is clear that the United States government has had the dominant relationship over the Native
Native American Values: Respect Is Still Important Today
448 Words | 2 PagesRespect is a big part of our lives still. Although the presence of many of the virtuous Native American values is very meager today, this one still exists as a miniscule glimmer across our lives. One must have respect for others to first have respect for themselves. You make a choice of how people will see you: as a incorrigible person, or as a respectful person. People will usually treat you accordingly.
Native Americans In The Gilded Age
1707 Words | 7 PagesThis period was described as [one] whose Constitution is so perfect that no man suggests change and whose fundamental laws as they stand are satisfactory to all..” However, while both Native Americans and European immigrants theoretically experienced similar rights to those of citizens and were granted citizenship/naturalization in the early twentieth century, both groups lived in crude and unsatisfactory conditions in the 19th century; it would be inaccurate to describe their situation as “satisfactory” at all. During the 19th century, Native Americans lived unsatisfactory lives due to forced assimilation and the dissolution of their identities and sovereignty. At the beginning of the 19th century, Native Americans and Americans had gotten into a series of conflicts as a result of American migration to the west, the lands that the Native Americans
Reel Injun Analysis
1043 Words | 5 PagesA popular theme in the Reel Injun was the portrayal of Native Americans as savages. In addition to the cinematic examples of this, the idea of “Cowboys and Indians” comes to mind. A simple childhood game where the two sides are depicted in battle over territory. Now I 'm not sure if this is just my own personal connotation of the game, but as a child I remember the Indians always being the “bad guys,” and the goal was to protect your land from them. In reality it was the entire opposite way around, the Native Americans were trying to protect their land from the settlers.
Persuasive Speech About Native American Culture
946 Words | 4 PagesThe invisibility of Native peoples and lack of positive images of Native cultures may not register as a problem for many Americans, but it poses a significant challenge for Native youth who want to maintain a foundation in their culture and language. " - NCAI President Brian Cladoosby (April 2014 - Washington Post
Native Americans In The 19th Century
951 Words | 4 PagesThroughout the 19th century Native Americans were treated far less than respectful by the United States’ government. This was the time when the United States wanted to expand and grow rapidly as a land, and to achieve this goal, the Native Americans were “pushed” westward. It was a memorable and tricky time in the Natives’ history, and the US government made many treatments with the Native Americans, making big changes on the Indian nation. Native Americans wanted to live peacefully with the white men, but the result of treatments and agreements was not quite peaceful. This precedent of mistreatment of minorities began with Andrew Jackson’s indian removal policies to the tribes of Oklahoma (specifically the Cherokee indians) in 1829 because of the lack of respect given to the indians during the removal laws.
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