"Indians are human beings, not hamburgers!"

Campaign of information and Petition "American Indians are Human Beings, not burgers!"This information campaign was created with the intent to make you all aware of the fact that the Italian General Food Company SpA, which owns the local franchise "Old Wild West" in Italy, within these offers a different menu representing a real slap to the Native American peoples: the various courses have been "baptized" with names such as "Apache," "Navajo," "Comanche," "Geronimo," "Red Cloud," "Crazy Horse," "Arapaho," "Sitting Bull." Not only. In fact, [on] the menu of meat, we find the "Squaw Steak," the cut "Cherokee," the thread "Sioux Beef," chicken breast "Cheyenne chicken." ... What's more you read this passage of their "Welcome to Old Wild West": "Welcome to the Old Wild West. Range with us on the legendary slopes of the border. The more you [eat] in these grasslands, the more you will want to stay. Why is a unique experience. Not only food, but much, much more." And "company is pleased to be together, to relive a world you thought was lost. Lose [yourself], however, between our meals and chew slowly you're enjoying a world of heroes."

It's amazing. They're talking about men who gave their lives for their people and other people who--for the same reasons--the life is taken with immense violence, men who have fought to defend freedom and the possibility of survival of their peoples. They're talking about a "taste" THESE people like a game.

On 18 March we sent an email to the managers of the company information that we have fully explained why use the names of these Native Americans is not only wrong but also offensive, because it is a total lack of respect that they know well and [that] Native[s are] fighting, in many cases, even legally. I have received to date, no response. We also informed the company that we did our duty to promote an information campaign and awareness among people and even the Native Americans so that people know all this. So here we are asking each of our readers, and all the people you care about the human dignity and respect for the rights of every people on Earth, to take action in the following ways:

Taking its views known to Cigierre SpA by signing our petition: "The American Indians are men, not burgers" this here on our blog:

http://www.nativiamericani.it/?p=7587Comment:  Someone translated this posting from Italian to English. It was still a bit disjointed, so I cleaned up the grammar and punctuation some. Any awkwardness that remains was in the original.

Anyway, it's silly to name products after Natives when there's no connection. Like so many companies, this business is trying to convey an unjustified sense of wildness and freedom. It's a restaurant, people, not a sky-diving or river-rafting trip.

It uses only the well-known Plains and Southwest tribes, ignoring the others. It uses the derogatory "squaw" and paints Indians as "lost"--i.e., vanished. All these things are stereotypical if not offensive.

For more on stereotypical products, see Sioux Chief Plumbing Supplies and Nestlés Redskins Candy.