Do team mascots that use Native American names and symbols disparage Native Americans? As a Native American (Cherokee), this is something that I've wrestled with frequently in my own heart and in discussions with other tribal members. It's a muddled thing.
I remember as a child watching old Westerns and rooting always for the cowboys. It would be a long time before Native Americans would be shown as something noble in movies and on TV. And now that the world is so PC, Native Americans are shown as noble but always doomed. How about a few Native Americans that aren't doomed nor buried by the tragic past, but making their way through the world bravely and proudly? This is off the point, though.
Some of the team mascots are offensive not because of the name, but because of how they're portrayed on t-shirts, signs, etc. We would never allow a mascot to be a black person stripped down to a loincloth with a savage smile and holding a war axe. We would never allow a team to be called the Jews. Perhaps Native Americans are too sensitive about this. I certainly don't believe that anyone supporting a mascot is doing it to consciously insult Native Americans. It's that unconscious layer of prejudice that Native Americans are trying to get it. To raise awareness that such names are more than advertising slogans. That a real people are tired of being marginized. Is attacking mascots the way to do it? Probably not, but it does bring a lot of media attention. It does get people talking. However, does anyone believe that changing the mascots names will end that prejudice? If they do, they are deluded. Society changes slowly in response to pressure. The mascot question is just part of that pressure.
Now, how do I feel about it? Mascot names don't bother me. I don't know if it's because they shouldn't or because I've been indoctrinated to be that way. Various people on both sides of the questions would say one or the other. I can only point out that using the mascot question to get media attention will end when all the mascot names have changed. And then where will we be?
And finally, as an aside to my Native American friends, why is it okay to name our casinos that way we do? Apparently it's okay for us to use such names, just not the white folk. And that is wrong. Either the names are sacred or they are not. Let's not be hypocrites.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Saturday, August 06, 2005
(I posted this on another blog where Republicans were beating up on a Democrat friend of mine. Several people thought it was worth reposting. So here it is.)
I like it when Republicans spend their time arguing. I like it a lot. Because that means you're not out there getting in my way.
Does that sound vain? Well, I recognize my efforts won't do much. After all, the Bible says there will always be poor people and there will always be war and there will always be sin, so maybe we should let it all that happen because after all, what's the point? Isn't it a hopeless battle? We can't win. Let's just all sit here on our big fat white behinds and wait for the Rapture.
Do I sound angry? You bet your sweet ass I'm angry. Do I sound liberal? You're gonna think so. It's easier to peg me there. To write me off. To assume that my stance has no merit rather than to consider it. Why shouldn't you? The Pharisees did it two thousand years ago. If it's good enough for our forefathers, it's good enough for us.
Right?
Of course, there is that little slavery problem back there in the early days of our nation. A lot of the people who forged this country held slaves. But what's a slave between us good old boys? And a lot of our forefathers held religious beliefs that -– and this may be embarrassing to some folks -- we would call "cultist" today. Like old Ben Franklin who was a Deist. (Deists believed that God made the earth and then went off somewhere, maybe playing golf, and left us completely alone to make our way in the world.) Or George Washington, who also held somewhat Deist beliefs, but didn't have much to do with church. Don't blame him. He was a bit busy. He didn't pray at Valley Forge like we've all heard. Well, he might have. We don't know for sure. The so-called "George Washington's Prayer at Valley Forge" was written after he was dead. But he probably prayed. After all, he was at war with an enemy who outgunned him and out-manned him. Oh yeah, I think he prayed.
My point is, and I do have several, is that the miracle of the United States is not that we had Christian forefathers. In fact, modern churches wouldn't consider most of them to be Christians; at least we Baptists wouldn't since they drank, smoked, cussed, etc. The point is that they wanted to see that everyone had the right to believe as they choose. So they wrote that clause in the Constitution. That one saying the state had to stay out of religion and vice versa. Of course, maybe we're taking it too far. Personally I think we should be allowed to teach religion in school. It's part of our history. It's part of our culture. It's part of our literature. We should cover every single faith we can think of. One a week. Or two a week. I think we should have a minute of prayer before every game or event. Not led by anyone, just a moment where everyone prays in his or her own way. Except for the atheists. They can hum or drink beer or just shut their big, uneducated mouths for a minute. Is that conservative or liberal?
What about gay rights? Well, frankly the Democrats should be ashamed of themselves. They let the Republicans make that into an issue. What nonsense. The gays are a minority. They will always be a minority. Best estimates now show they number 3 to 4 percent of the population. In fact, as far as statistics can tell, that's been same number for years. (Now you're going to bring up that 10 percent figure from Masters and Johnson, well reported by the media, but produced by incomplete and flawed data. No scientist accepts that number anymore. Look it up.) So we're talking a small percent of the population, a small percent that isn't gaining in numbers even though they're more visible on TV. If they get married, what happens? Does anyone really think that the nation will collapse? Will dogs foam at the mouth? Will Brad Pitt marry Roseanne? It hasn't happened in any nations that have allowed gay marriage. Do we think that gays will do more damage to marriage than we straights have done and continue to do? We cheat on our spouses, we beat them, we abuse them, we kill them. How could the gays do worse? And if we allow gay marriage, how many gays will even take advantage of it? People say thousands. Guess what? We're a nation of millions. But this is an easy issue to stir people up. People hate gays. HATE THEM. The Republicans used that and will continue to use that as long as the Democrats let them.
If I were making a new Democratic platform, I'd tell the gay rights groups, Not this year. It's not going to happen this year. Probably not for several years. Let's work on keeping you from being beat up or killed or fired from your jobs for your sexual orientation. But marriage isn't going to happen. Let's win the battles we can.
Is that liberal or conservative? Is that bowing to status quo? Maybe. Maybe it's just realistic. I think the Republicans better hope that people of the same mind as me don't draw up the next Democratic platform.
I'm pretty sure that I'm a liberal because I do support the environment. That's because I want my children and their children to have a decent world to live in. Can we trust big business to protect our environment? No, they're driven by the profit motive. They're supposed to be driven by the profit motive. There's nothing wrong with that. But it's stupid, short sighted and woefully naïve to expect them to protect the environment. That's not what they're supposed to be interested in. Oh, there are some notable green businesses out there, but most are not. That's why we have government regulations. That's what a government is supposed to do: to protect our heritage and to give our children something to inherit.
But I might be a conservative because I'm against abortion. Completely again it. Even Republicans like to wimp out and say that it's okay in case of rape or incest or birth defects. Really? If it's okay for those instances, why isn't it okay otherwise? Take a stand, you yellow-bellied weasels. Be for it or be against it. Even God can't stand lukewarm.
Of course, none of this actually addresses what ER (the writer of the blog on which this was originally posted) wanted to do. He wanted to show that liberals and conservatives have both contributed to the greatness of this nation. Notice I said "the greatness of this nation." I didn't say "perfect nation." It's not perfect, but it's better than anything else out there, and if you don't like it and if you don't believe in it, then find yourself some other country and do it fast because this is one erudite redneck who has more guns than most of you have teeth. You stomp on my freedom and I'm going to stomp back. Is that conservative or liberal? If you attempt to claim that for either side, you're missing the point. The point is that it takes both sides to make a great nation. BOTH.
So I'm a proud, gun-toting, pro-life, tree-hugging Democrat. My beliefs and stances have as much validity as anyone else's. I don't give up my right to point out what's wrong with this nation and I don't give up my right to defend it from any sorry bastards who attempt to harm us. Whatever will you do with me? Whatever will I let you do with me?
I like it when Republicans spend their time arguing. I like it a lot. Because that means you're not out there getting in my way.
Does that sound vain? Well, I recognize my efforts won't do much. After all, the Bible says there will always be poor people and there will always be war and there will always be sin, so maybe we should let it all that happen because after all, what's the point? Isn't it a hopeless battle? We can't win. Let's just all sit here on our big fat white behinds and wait for the Rapture.
Do I sound angry? You bet your sweet ass I'm angry. Do I sound liberal? You're gonna think so. It's easier to peg me there. To write me off. To assume that my stance has no merit rather than to consider it. Why shouldn't you? The Pharisees did it two thousand years ago. If it's good enough for our forefathers, it's good enough for us.
Right?
Of course, there is that little slavery problem back there in the early days of our nation. A lot of the people who forged this country held slaves. But what's a slave between us good old boys? And a lot of our forefathers held religious beliefs that -– and this may be embarrassing to some folks -- we would call "cultist" today. Like old Ben Franklin who was a Deist. (Deists believed that God made the earth and then went off somewhere, maybe playing golf, and left us completely alone to make our way in the world.) Or George Washington, who also held somewhat Deist beliefs, but didn't have much to do with church. Don't blame him. He was a bit busy. He didn't pray at Valley Forge like we've all heard. Well, he might have. We don't know for sure. The so-called "George Washington's Prayer at Valley Forge" was written after he was dead. But he probably prayed. After all, he was at war with an enemy who outgunned him and out-manned him. Oh yeah, I think he prayed.
My point is, and I do have several, is that the miracle of the United States is not that we had Christian forefathers. In fact, modern churches wouldn't consider most of them to be Christians; at least we Baptists wouldn't since they drank, smoked, cussed, etc. The point is that they wanted to see that everyone had the right to believe as they choose. So they wrote that clause in the Constitution. That one saying the state had to stay out of religion and vice versa. Of course, maybe we're taking it too far. Personally I think we should be allowed to teach religion in school. It's part of our history. It's part of our culture. It's part of our literature. We should cover every single faith we can think of. One a week. Or two a week. I think we should have a minute of prayer before every game or event. Not led by anyone, just a moment where everyone prays in his or her own way. Except for the atheists. They can hum or drink beer or just shut their big, uneducated mouths for a minute. Is that conservative or liberal?
What about gay rights? Well, frankly the Democrats should be ashamed of themselves. They let the Republicans make that into an issue. What nonsense. The gays are a minority. They will always be a minority. Best estimates now show they number 3 to 4 percent of the population. In fact, as far as statistics can tell, that's been same number for years. (Now you're going to bring up that 10 percent figure from Masters and Johnson, well reported by the media, but produced by incomplete and flawed data. No scientist accepts that number anymore. Look it up.) So we're talking a small percent of the population, a small percent that isn't gaining in numbers even though they're more visible on TV. If they get married, what happens? Does anyone really think that the nation will collapse? Will dogs foam at the mouth? Will Brad Pitt marry Roseanne? It hasn't happened in any nations that have allowed gay marriage. Do we think that gays will do more damage to marriage than we straights have done and continue to do? We cheat on our spouses, we beat them, we abuse them, we kill them. How could the gays do worse? And if we allow gay marriage, how many gays will even take advantage of it? People say thousands. Guess what? We're a nation of millions. But this is an easy issue to stir people up. People hate gays. HATE THEM. The Republicans used that and will continue to use that as long as the Democrats let them.
If I were making a new Democratic platform, I'd tell the gay rights groups, Not this year. It's not going to happen this year. Probably not for several years. Let's work on keeping you from being beat up or killed or fired from your jobs for your sexual orientation. But marriage isn't going to happen. Let's win the battles we can.
Is that liberal or conservative? Is that bowing to status quo? Maybe. Maybe it's just realistic. I think the Republicans better hope that people of the same mind as me don't draw up the next Democratic platform.
I'm pretty sure that I'm a liberal because I do support the environment. That's because I want my children and their children to have a decent world to live in. Can we trust big business to protect our environment? No, they're driven by the profit motive. They're supposed to be driven by the profit motive. There's nothing wrong with that. But it's stupid, short sighted and woefully naïve to expect them to protect the environment. That's not what they're supposed to be interested in. Oh, there are some notable green businesses out there, but most are not. That's why we have government regulations. That's what a government is supposed to do: to protect our heritage and to give our children something to inherit.
But I might be a conservative because I'm against abortion. Completely again it. Even Republicans like to wimp out and say that it's okay in case of rape or incest or birth defects. Really? If it's okay for those instances, why isn't it okay otherwise? Take a stand, you yellow-bellied weasels. Be for it or be against it. Even God can't stand lukewarm.
Of course, none of this actually addresses what ER (the writer of the blog on which this was originally posted) wanted to do. He wanted to show that liberals and conservatives have both contributed to the greatness of this nation. Notice I said "the greatness of this nation." I didn't say "perfect nation." It's not perfect, but it's better than anything else out there, and if you don't like it and if you don't believe in it, then find yourself some other country and do it fast because this is one erudite redneck who has more guns than most of you have teeth. You stomp on my freedom and I'm going to stomp back. Is that conservative or liberal? If you attempt to claim that for either side, you're missing the point. The point is that it takes both sides to make a great nation. BOTH.
So I'm a proud, gun-toting, pro-life, tree-hugging Democrat. My beliefs and stances have as much validity as anyone else's. I don't give up my right to point out what's wrong with this nation and I don't give up my right to defend it from any sorry bastards who attempt to harm us. Whatever will you do with me? Whatever will I let you do with me?
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
BAH!
Bah to stinking Microsoft Windows and their terrible customer support! May a thousand poxes descend upon their wretched forms and torment them mercilessly day and night until madness reigns free in their tiny, unhelpful, rude minds!
Ahem. I am a bit upset. My computer problems continue. It does not seem to be a hardware problem, rather one brought on by those endless updates that Microsoft sends out. Or maybe not. It's impossible to tell. I'm beginning to think that my computer has been possessed by an evil spirit. I'd sacrifice a Microsoft Customer Service Rep to it if I thought it would help. (It would help my feelings!)
I've been pricing new computer systems. Sigh. To get what I need, I'm going to have to spend $600 or so. I know that's an amazing price considering how expensive computers were a few years ago, but when you don't have money, $600 is as impossible as $1,500. And then two major software programs that I use will have to be upgraded (Another $200) as the versions I have won't work with XP. (I still use Windows ME. Yes, I know, I know, I should upgrade. Got an extra $100 you'd like to send me? No, wait, I need $300 to upgrade Publisher, Elements and XP. Arggghhhh! And there's no guarantee that XP would even fix the problems I'm experiencing.)
Okay, enough whining. It's still continuing to limp along. It's going to last a few more months if I'm careful with it. I'll start saving now, and maybe by July, I'll have enough to buy a new computer. Or upgrade. Or maybe just run away.
Ahem. I am a bit upset. My computer problems continue. It does not seem to be a hardware problem, rather one brought on by those endless updates that Microsoft sends out. Or maybe not. It's impossible to tell. I'm beginning to think that my computer has been possessed by an evil spirit. I'd sacrifice a Microsoft Customer Service Rep to it if I thought it would help. (It would help my feelings!)
I've been pricing new computer systems. Sigh. To get what I need, I'm going to have to spend $600 or so. I know that's an amazing price considering how expensive computers were a few years ago, but when you don't have money, $600 is as impossible as $1,500. And then two major software programs that I use will have to be upgraded (Another $200) as the versions I have won't work with XP. (I still use Windows ME. Yes, I know, I know, I should upgrade. Got an extra $100 you'd like to send me? No, wait, I need $300 to upgrade Publisher, Elements and XP. Arggghhhh! And there's no guarantee that XP would even fix the problems I'm experiencing.)
Okay, enough whining. It's still continuing to limp along. It's going to last a few more months if I'm careful with it. I'll start saving now, and maybe by July, I'll have enough to buy a new computer. Or upgrade. Or maybe just run away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)