Zazzle's "Indian name" t-shirts

Another stereotype controversy has been raging on Facebook for a day or so. It involves the online store Zazzle.

As you may recall, Zazzle sells t-shirts featuring Indian skulls in headdresses, among other things. A letter sent to Zazzle explains what else they sell.I am writing on behalf of the American Indian Movement of Colorado. Your "Funny Indian Name" t-shirts are neither funny, nor are they Indian, and if you have any decency, you should take them off of your website, and stop making them. Your shirts are racist, sexist, and ignorant. We expect that very soon you will be hearing from our relatives, friends, and allies, from all over the world, about this matter--about your "funny" Indian name products like "Chief Shitting Bull," and "Screaming Bitch" and "Stares at Boobs," and "Swallows Alot," and "Hung Like Horse," and "Sucks Dicks," and "Humps Like Rabbit." Oh, those are hilarious.

Our indigenous names are sacred, they are bestowed upon us in honored ceremonies--often handed down over many generations, and even speaking our Indian names is considered a sacred act. For you, as ignorant people, to disrespect our traditions in this way, is more evidence of the deeply-seated, malicious, anti-Indian racism still rampant in U.S. society. And no, we can't just lighten up; and no, we can't take a joke about this; and no, we are not taking ourselves too seriously; and no, we don't care if you have a self-hating Indian friend who thinks that they are funny; and no, we don't care if you think that you are part Cherokee and somehow entitled to disrespect all Indian people. And, yes, we get tired, sick and tired if you really want to know, of having to deal with these kind of mindless attacks on our culture and our people, when we have very real life and death issues that affect our communities that must be remedied. If you want to make fun of someone, you should just make fun yourself, if you choose to, and leave us the hell out of it. Just stop it.

Glenn Morris
Leadership Council, American Indian Movement of Colorado

I don't know if Zazzle sells anything itself. It may be just a "storefront" through which others sell their wares. That would explain this note from Morris:We received this reply from Doonies:

I am sorry for any offense that was caused. I have removed the designs from zazzle.com/doonidesigns which is my site, however I am continuing to get threats against me and my families personal safety from people who are writing on your behalf regarding other designs on zazzle.com, I do NOT own zazzle.com and I cannot remove any designs which are not mine. Please help me, and stop the threats and harassment, as I have already complied and removed all offending images that it is in my power to remove.

Comment:  Let's be careful, people. Don't blame Dooni Designs if they've removed everything under their control. And don't threaten anyone's safety. Better to attack Zazzle for not policing the site than each individual vendor for its ignorant racism.

The problem with the shirts

Note that the shirts are all about sex and drugs (including alcohol). They imply Indians are drunk and lascivious--i.e., creatures who can't control their animal impulses. In other words, savages.

If these shirts are supposed to honor Indians, why don't they say anything honorable? Indians might not complain so much if the "funny Indian names" said something affirmative. How about one of these?

My Indian Name is Keeps My Promise

My Indian Name is Runs with Geronimo

My Indian Name is Not Chief, You Ignorant Twit

My Indian Name is Unconquered and Unconquerable

My Indian Name is Kills White Racists

Etc.

Zazzle's shirts are part of the white myth-making we've seen so many times. It goes like this: Indians are inferior to whites. The best people won the battle for America. The remaining Indians are drunken letches who don't deserve whatever we give them. Dirty rotten ingrates, that's what they are.

How protests work

Let's review how this controversy is going so far. Indians leading the protest, not Rob...check. Letter-writing, not street demonstrations...check. Protests successfully eliminating stereotypes...check.

I conclude carping crybabies like Michael Cooke will find some other reason to attack me, since this is a perfect example of my work. I'm not telling Natives what to think, I'm reporting on and supporting their efforts. Duh.

For more on "funny Indian names," see Heidi and Spencer Adopt "Indian Names" and Real vs. Phony Indian Names. For more on the subject in general, see Why Americans Exploit Indians and Is Cultural Appropriation Okay?