As I have already mentioned, my post on British coyness over mentioning the race of a wanted desperado was another post that got me a lot of mail. There were many proposals about what "dual heritage" might mean, including some that -- how can I put it politely? -- included mention of non-human ancestry. Anyway, I often find my mail is more interesting than what I read in the press so I thought this one was so much fun that I had to share it:
"It is truly an amazing world these days. The mention of race is so taboo. I am Apache/Scottish living in Arizona. I look simply white to most. Once people find out that I am half Apache, I see, on occasions, a change in approach to me. Last year I told a co-worker that if he didn’t stop tripping all over himself trying to be politically correct about Native American issues here in AZ, I would be forced to scalp him and hang his scalp above my front door. He mentioned this to our manager and I was called in and told that I should not use certain terms, especially referring to “hostile” actions, even in fun. I informed my manager that I had not scalped anyone for many years and that I was going to file a racial discrimination claim since he was trying to stop me from talking about by people’s culture and history. After he turned even whiter than he already was, I told him, “Dude, I am kidding, lighten up, you will live longer.”
Unreal, truly unreal. I do not believe in affirmative action or any kind of “special” treatment based upon anything except hard work. I have run across many racists ….. welcome to reality. Overcome it and keep swinging. An Apache and a Scotsman ….. but first and foremost, an American. You haven’t seen anything until you see me in full head dress wearing a kilt.
You Can't Win with Political Correctness
Most of us are still puzzling our heads over why it is wrong to name sporting teams in honor of American Indians but it seems that we now have to cope with the exact opposite as well. There are now some American Indians who want to replace "white" names with Indian names. And you know what? I am guessing that instead of the two lots of political correctness warriors coming to blows over this, they are going to support one-another! Their logic is not our logic. Anyway, here's the latest (excerpt):
"The president of the Northern Cheyenne Indian tribe is proposing renaming at least two communities on his southeast Montana reservation, replacing names assigned by whites with those that he said would foster ‘‘a stronger pride in our community.'' Eugene Little Coyote told The Associated Press on Wednesday some tribal members may consider his idea radical but he believes towns with Cheyenne names would have more cultural significance, especially for younger American Indians.... For example, he said Lame Deer, the seat of tribal government, is also known by many tribal members as Black Lodge, in reference to the staining of tepees from burning timber inside. Busby, in the western part of the reservation, was named for an early white storeowner and carries a ‘‘bad connotation,'' Little Coyote said. ‘‘Our own people make fun of it.'' ‘‘My way of thinking, as a Cheyenne, is that it should be named after a Cheyenne leader or something of our choosing,'' he said. Many on the reservation now know Busby as White River."
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