A little late for Thanksgiving, but...

[*Nately120*]

During this Thanksgiving season I was accused (mostly jokingly) of being overly-PC when I referred to Native Americans, rather than Indians. I've always done this, but I think people have been rather trained recently to seek out and mock behavior which they see as politically correct.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why do we still say Indians? At what point do we admit that Columbus landed in North America and not India? People can say Indians to their heart's content, but I find it a bit odd/interesting that saying Native Americans is treated like some sort of left-wing guilt trip rather than, you know, admitting that we don't live in India.

Then again, maybe this is just one of those things we have gotten wrong for such a long time that we just roll with it. Other examples:

calling Frankenstein's Monster Frankenstein
saying negative reinforcement when we really mean positive reinforcement of negative behavior
etc.

[GMDino]

(12-06-2016, 09:18 PM)Nately120 Wrote: During this Thanksgiving season I was accused (mostly jokingly) of being overly-PC when I referred to Native Americans, rather than Indians.  I've always done this, but I think people have been rather trained recently to seek out and mock behavior which they see as politically correct.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why do we still say Indians?  At what point do we admit that Columbus landed in North America and not India?  People can say Indians to their heart's content, but I find it a bit odd/interesting that saying Native Americans is treated like some sort of left-wing guilt trip rather than, you know, admitting that we don't live in India.

Then again, maybe this is just one of those things we have gotten wrong for such a long time that we just roll with it.  Other examples:

calling Frankenstein's Monster Frankenstein
saying negative reinforcement when we really mean positive reinforcement of negative behavior
etc.

It's not that people still say Indians...its that any time someone is corrected they have to be offended.  They turn around and accuse the person correcting them of being over sensitive.  

[*bfine32*]

(12-06-2016, 09:18 PM)Nately120 Wrote: During this Thanksgiving season I was accused (mostly jokingly) of being overly-PC when I referred to Native Americans, rather than Indians.  I've always done this, but I think people have been rather trained recently to seek out and mock behavior which they see as politically correct.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why do we still say Indians?  At what point do we admit that Columbus landed in North America and not India?  People can say Indians to their heart's content, but I find it a bit odd/interesting that saying Native Americans is treated like some sort of left-wing guilt trip rather than, you know, admitting that we don't live in India.

Then again, maybe this is just one of those things we have gotten wrong for such a long time that we just roll with it.  Other examples:

calling Frankenstein's Monster Frankenstein
saying negative reinforcement when we really mean positive reinforcement of negative behavior
etc.

First off: Anybody that considered you overly-PC for using the term Native American , as opposed to Indian is just looking for something to complain about. Now if someone was corrected from saying Indian then the person correcting them were similarly just looking for something to be mad about.

Why is calling them Native Americans PC? As they were here before Amerigo Vespucci drew what he saw and earned the naming rights. 

[HarleyDog]

Some people are still sore about the World Series. That's my take on it.

[*wildcats forever*]

"Americans" always seem to pop in my mind when the subject comes up. After all, they were our 'first' Americans, especially since NO ONE else was around at the time. No sense in stating the obvious, eh? But, if you insist on saying "Native American", then (technically) the rest of us are 'aliens'.

Where do I go to get my free phone, healthcare, and Volkswagen for my driveway?

[*Nately120*]

(12-06-2016, 11:21 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: "Americans" always seem to pop in my mind when the subject comes up. After all, they were our 'first' Americans, especially since NO ONE else was around at the time. No sense in stating the obvious, eh? But, if you insist on saying "Native American", then (technically) the rest of us are 'aliens'.

Where do I go to get my free phone, healthcare, and Volkswagen for my driveway?

The only people who are alien to this great nation are the ones who happened to show up at any point after MY ancestors got here.  That's just the way it is.  So sorry!

[*wildcats forever*]

(12-06-2016, 11:38 PM)Nately120 Wrote: The only people who are alien to this great nation are the ones who happened to show up at any point after MY ancestors got here.  That's just the way it is.  So sorry!

No need to apologize to me. I'm right there with ya. I'm of Cherokee descent.

[Rotobeast]

(12-06-2016, 11:46 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: No need to apologize to me. I'm right there with ya. I'm of Cherokee descent.

Ditto....

Nvwadohiyadv

[Benton]

Indian doesn't bother me. Normally I refer to them by their name (Cherokee, Sioux, etc) if I know it. But that really doesn't come up much. Its not like you go to a gas station and say "hey, Sioux guy, get me a pack of pall malls." Unless you're a giant jerk.

[Belsnickel]

This is always one of those interesting ones because what people like to use it very subjective. I have found that those from out in the midwest tend to prefer the Native American moniker, while east coasters tend to prefer American Indian. All of them that I know prefer, first and foremost, the tribal name if it is known and if referring to a member or members of the same tribe, but beyond that it is very regional in regards to preference.

This is just my experience from interactions with the community. I was heavily involved in the Order of the Arrow, Scouting's national honor society which is based (very loosely) on legends and traditions of the Lenape. Because the program is national, most lodges will use customs, clothing, etc., of tribes local to them and will often have a working relationship with any nearby. We have good relationship with the Monacan in the area, for example. We would often have a large contingent of tribes at national events as we held drumming, singing, and dancing competitions. So going to those events you got to meet people from many different tribes.

[Millhouse]

It's all semantics whether it's Native Americans, or American Indians. I think the most proper general term should be Native Western Hemispherians, since technically America is a specific European name given to the 2 continents over here.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(12-06-2016, 11:21 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: "Americans" always seem to pop in my mind when the subject comes up. After all, they were our 'first' Americans, especially since NO ONE else was around at the time. No sense in stating the obvious, eh? But, if you insist on saying "Native American", then (technically) the rest of us are 'aliens'.

Where do I go to get my free phone, healthcare, and Volkswagen for my driveway?

I use the term Native Americans pretty naturally (maybe because I am from a younger generation than OP's mother) but that is not true. When you say just Americans, you're referring to the United States of America. Otherwise then you would call Mexicans, Canadians, etc also as "Americans", but nobody has ever done that.

They are Native to America, but they aren't the first Americans.

[*wildcats forever*]

(12-07-2016, 05:21 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I use the term Native Americans pretty naturally (maybe because I am from a younger generation than OP's mother) but that is not true. When you say just Americans, you're referring to the United States of America. Otherwise then you would call Mexicans, Canadians, etc also as "Americans", but nobody has ever done that.

They are Native to America, but they aren't the first Americans.

And that is exactly what I was doing, as that seemed to fit the context of the discussion. 

[mallorian69]

I find using the term Indian confusing. Is the person talking about someone from the country India or are they talking about an indigenous person of the Americas? Therefore I prefer to use the terms dot and feather when refering to those peoples.

[SteelCitySouth]

(12-07-2016, 01:40 AM)Rotobeast Wrote: Nvwadohiyadv

Is that Indian for "never leaves the house"?

[fredtoast]

(12-08-2016, 04:07 PM)mallorian69 Wrote:  Therefore I prefer to use the terms dot and feather when refering to those peoples.

I always distinguish by using "woo-woo Indians" or "bed-of-nail Indians".

[Rotobeast]

(12-08-2016, 04:43 PM)SteelCitySouth Wrote: Is that Indian for "never leaves the house"?

You crawl out of the woodwork for that ?

It should mean that, for my lazy butt.
It means "Peace".

Good to see you around, ya drive-by poster.


Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

[*jason*]

(12-06-2016, 11:06 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Some people are still sore about the World Series. That's my take on it.

Chief Wahoo should be changed to Chief Vishnu. His cheesing grin on their hats will be replaced by a red dot.