Bloomberg didn't offend Indians?

Bloomberg’s ‘non-apology’ apology

By Ray HalbritterAt a Harvard panel discussion on live television Nov. 1 about the midterm elections, a student in the audience confronted Bloomberg about his remarks, giving the mayor an opportunity to belatedly acknowledge and atone for his insensitivity. This time, Bloomberg could not hide behind others to do his bidding.

Bloomberg again displayed his arrogance and his utter lack of respect for Native people. He uttered a classic non-apology apology. He does not regret making his comment--he regrets only “if” people were offended by them. Once again, Bloomberg hides, this time behind word-play and semantics.

“I don’t know that there were very many Indians offended. If they were, I apologize to them,” he said.

A protest at City Hall; innumerable letters from Indian leaders sent directly to the mayor; resolutions condemning his remarks and requesting an apology--a genuine apology--from two of the largest Indian organizations in the United States. And Mayor Bloomberg doesn’t think very many Indians were offended? What do we have to do to get him to take us seriously--build a ceremonial retreat two blocks from the World Trade Center site?

Mayor Bloomberg didn’t invoke the Crusades when he involved himself in the controversy over the Islamic community center near Ground Zero. Why does he continue to think that invoking the Old West--the violent invasion and attempted eradication of the indigenous people here--is not offensive to Indians? Is it because the Indians remaining here today don’t have the numbers to help him get reelected? Or is it because he still views Native people as somehow subhuman, not deserving of ordinary courtesy and respect as should be afforded to all people. Leaders should treat all people with respect, not limited to those who share their opinions on sensitive issues.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Bloomberg Halfheartedly Apologizes and Halbritter:  Indians Must Speak Up.

Bloomberg halfheartedly apologizes

Bloomberg half-heartedly apologizes for racist remark

By Rob CapricciosoAfter months of outrage from Native Americans over a perceived racist comment, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg apologized in a way that made it appear some Indians weren’t offended by his words.

“I don’t know that there were very many Indians offended. If they were, I apologize to them. Nobody intended to do that,” Bloomberg said to an audience gathered for a Harvard panel discussion focused on the midterm elections Nov. 1. MSNBC hosts moderated and spoke at the forum, and portions were featured on the network.And:Bloomberg’s mea culpa came in response to a question from student Lise Balk King, who was in the audience at the event and asked a question during a session that was being taped by MSNBC. She has previously served as a journalist for Indian news outlets.

“I asked the question of Bloomberg in an attempt to get an apology by giving him the opportunity to re-state his position, especially in light of his now famous remarks on the right of Muslim people to have a ‘community center’ near Ground Zero,” Balk King said.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Halbritter:  Indians Must Speak Up and Paterson Criticizes Bloomberg's Remarks.

Halbritter: Indians must speak up

Ray Halbritter, official representative of the Oneida Indian Nation, wonders why more Indians haven't denounced Mayor Bloomberg for his anti-Indian comments:

New York tribes are outraged--why aren’t you?

By Ray HalbritterMore disheartening, though, is that the mayor’s comments apparently didn’t even seem to stir Indian country outside the Empire State, either. For all the work American Indians have done in educating themselves and the outside world about who they really are--for all the protests over Indian stereotypes in film and television and offensive sports team names and mascots--politicians still feel free to invoke the shameful era of colonization and “conquest” whenever they covet something the Indians have. Leaders who would never dare to condone violence against our African American, Hispanic or Jewish neighbors feel comfortable using each other to use deadly force against American Indians without the slightest fear of sparking any serious public outrage.

Why is that? Is it because tribal nations are too scattered to band together effectively? Are we too wrapped up in our own concerns to pay attention to, or expend our energy on, events that happen outside our immediate communities? Or have we become so accustomed to this kind of denigration that it no longer has the power to rouse our ire? Whatever the reason, I am deeply concerned that the apathy is a reflection on our own views of ourselves, which may be even more dangerous to us than anything an outsider can say.

Indian people in this country are blessed with a great diversity of language, culture, heritage and tradition. Though we share many similarities, each of us has our own rich tapestry of history and ancestry, and each of us has our own pressing issues to deal with. But there is grave danger in focusing only on our own immediate concerns. Pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous explanation for German intellectuals’ inaction during the Third Reich can be readily adapted to make the same point here: “First they came for the Seneca. But I was not Seneca, so I did not speak up. Then they came for the Choctaw. But I was not Choctaw, so I did not speak up. Then they came for the Lakota. But I was not Lakota, so I did not speak up. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak up.”

We cannot afford to remain silent. Whether the offensive language or imagery comes from Hollywood or college and major league sports teams or politicians half a continent away, every Indian person has a stake in squashing stereotypes that demean and dehumanize all Native people. If the governor of Minnesota or the mayor of Los Angeles or a sheriff in Arizona makes racist, inflammatory remarks about Native Americans, Indian people across the country should and must let their outrage be heard.Comment:  To reiterate:Every Indian person has a stake in squashing stereotypes that demean and dehumanize all Native people.I agree with Halbritter...but what issues has he addressed recently other than taxation and sovereignty in New York state? A search of ICT's archives suggests this is only his fifth editorial since 2003. Controversies such as Bloomberg's comments arise every week in Indian country, so why isn't Halbritter writing a weekly column to denounce them?

I can guess why more Indians haven't denounced Bloomberg's comments. Although he chose his words poorly and they were offensive, they weren't the worst offense imaginable. One, it was a single line that he didn't repeat. Two, it was clear what he meant to most people. Three, his message was implicit rather than explicit. He didn't literally call for people to shoot each other.

Since I monitor Natives in the news, I'd say this story got a decent amount of press, including mentions in the mainstream media. It could've gotten more, but it also could've gotten less. One could argue that it got about the right amount.

Bloomberg or other issues?

I always prefer more coverage of Native issues, but the question is which ones. Here are some issues I blogged about in the three days before Blooomberg's comments:

Headdresses okay if they're "controversial"?
Teachers protest True Diary censorship
Sexual abuse = Native custom?!
ZinfandEllsbury wine
"A savage people" in 1996 encyclopedia

Which of these has Halbritter spoken out on? Answer: None that I know of. Which ones are less important than Bloomberg's comments? Answer: The last two, probably, but not the first three. In my opinion, of course.

So why isn't Halbritter leading the charge against hipster headdresses, True Diary censorship, and Indians who abuse their children based on false cultural claims? Because he doesn't think they're as important as Bloomberg's comments? As Halbritter himself wrote, "There is grave danger in focusing only on our own immediate concerns."

Halbritter should make sure he practices what he preaches. If he doesn't have the time, he or Indian Country Today can hire me to help squash stereotypes. I may be doing more in that field than he and his newspaper combined.

For more on the subject, see New York Wants to Terminate Senecas and Paterson Criticizes Bloomberg's Remarks.

Bloomberg, mosque, and frybread

Indian Comics Irregular #196:  Cowboys 'n' Terrorists in NYC

New York wants to terminate Senecas

On the reservation, resentment

By Aaron BeseckerWhile two public, "peaceful" rallies are planned on the reservation this morning, tensions had been climbing, and the raw emotion has still shown its head.

The Senecas, who have been subjected to "continued aggression and encroachment from New York State," need to remain resilient, Tribal Council Member J.C. Seneca said Tuesday.

"I firmly believe that, like my father told me, the state government and the United States are not going to be happy until they eliminate us as a people. And this is the process of what they're trying to do," Seneca said.

"They want to terminate us and assimilate us into the white society," Seneca continued. "That's their goal, ultimate goal. And we're going to fight every inch of the way to stop them and to keep our culture and our traditions and our nation alive and well."

It's not just about the state attempting to collect taxes on cigarettes from non-Indians. Seneca frustration stems from generations of broken treaties, leased-land disputes and claims of eminent domain by the state, said Robert Odawi Porter, a Seneca Nation lawyer who is running for president of the nation.

"Really it goes back to the very beginning," Porter said. "The state and its officials have engaged in nothing but predatory conduct. It's just been one continued episode of theft and efforts to terminate us."Comment:  For more on the subject, see Paterson Criticizes Bloomberg's Remarks and Indians Rally Against Bloomberg.

Below:  "Alexia Craft, foreground, and Shinny Clause of Tuscarora Reservation are among protesters along Route 31 in Sanborn as Native Americans affirm their opposition to the state's attempt to tax cigarettes sold to non-Indians." (Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News)

Paterson criticizes Bloomberg's remarks

Gov. Paterson slams Mayor Bloomberg over 'inappropriate' comments on getting cig taxes from Indians

By Kenneth LovettGov. Paterson this morning shot down as "inappropriate" a recent controversial comment by Mayor Bloomberg over the state's effort to collect taxes on the sale of cigarettes by Indian tribes.

Bloomberg suggested that Paterson stare down threats of Indian violence by standing on the state Thruway with a cowboy hat and shotgun while delivering the message the taxes will be collected.

"I love the mayor, but this is a very dangerous situation," Paterson said during his weekly appearance on the John Gambling show on WOR-AM'.

Paterson, who plans to begin collecting taxes on cigarettes sold by Indian nations on Sept. 1, said he is not looking to "raise the tension of a potentially dangerous situation with any kind of rhetoric."Comment:  For more on the subject, see Indians Rally Against Bloomberg and Senecas Denounce Bloomberg's Remarks.

Indians rally against Bloomberg

Oneidas protest Bloomberg’s ‘cowboy’ comments in NYCMembers of the Oneida Indian Nation were among those rallying on the steps of New York’s City Hall on Monday protesting comments made by Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Two weeks ago, the mayor had urged Gov. David Paterson to “get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun” and enforce the state cigarette tax law that hasn’t been enforced for years.

On Friday, the Oneida Indian Nation called Bloomberg’s phrasing “offensive and hurtful” to Native Americans, who in many cases were driven off their land across America during a series of battles in the 19th century.

Oneida Nation Representative Ray Halbritter said Bloomberg’s imagery was as distasteful to his tribe as if someone urged Nazis to take action against Jews.Comment:  As with the Dudesons protests, I'm not sure this is the best way to actually change Bloomberg's mind. But it's a great way to show America that Indians aren't going to take racism and stereotyping any more.

For more on the subject, see Senecas Denounce Bloomberg's Remarks and Bloomberg Suggests Shooting Senecas.

Below:  "Representatives of Native American tribes and organizations call on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to apologize for racially insensitive remarks he made on John Gambling's Aug. 13 radio show. Local Onieda Nation members joined Monday's rally on the steps of City Hall." (Bryan Smith/N.Y. Daily News)

Senecas denounce Bloomberg's remarks

The Seneca Nation responds forcefully to Mayor Bloomberg's suggestion that New York state "cowboy up" against them:

Seneca to file human rights and hate crime violations against NY Mayor Bloomberg

By Gale Courey ToensingThe Seneca resolution authorizes Snyder to file a complaint alleging a human rights violation and a hate crime with the New York City and New York State Human Rights Commissions, the United States Commission on Civil Rights, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples.

“Bloomberg’s cavalier attitude and inflammatory remarks, by which he encourages armed conflict as a means for resolution, evidences tremendous disrespect to those nation members and New York State Police officers who, to this day, bear the scars and trauma of the actual--not hypothetical--conflict that has twice occurred on the nation’s territory, is considered by the council to be a hate crime and violation of human rights,” the resolution said.

It also contrasts Bloomberg’s position of support for religious freedom and the building of the Muslim community center and mosque with his attitude toward Indian nations.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s contradictory positions regarding the constitutional protections afforded to those involved in the Islamic Center and Mosque, versus those afforded to the nation and its members, are demonstrative of the continued ignorance of the nation’s own constitutionally protected treaties as the supreme law of the land, which provide the underlying protections for the nation’s tax immune status on which its economy is based,” the resolution states.

The resolution says Bloomberg’s “hypocritical” support of constitutional protections only occurs if the protections don’t impact the city budget.

That hypocrisy, “coupled with his uneducated and uninformed statements on the issue, serve to fan the flames of aggression, and undermine the potential for peaceful resolution of these matters, while perpetuating a long dormant policy of Indian termination which dates back to the days of General Custer’s failed Battle of Little Bighorn, the resolution says.

Based on Bloomberg’s “inflammatory and racially insensitive” remarks, the resolution calls on the mayor to resign immediately or to issue a formal written apology to the Seneca Nation and its citizens that provides evidence of his “tolerance and respect” for the nation’s treaties.Cowboys and Indians:  Bloomberg shoots from the hip

By David KimelbergImagine for a moment: New York Governor David Paterson finds himself in the 11th hour of a controversy involving an African-American group exerting its fundamental rights against the State of New York. He turns to Mayor Bloomberg for advice, thinking the mayor may have a promising diplomatic strategy to suggest. Instead, the mayor quips, “Get a white robe and piece of rope, and show them who’s boss--now that would be a great video!” Shock. Outrage from all corners. Marching in the streets. Political heads roll.

The real shock and outrage is that Bloomberg recently made essentially the same statements about Native Americans, and no one raised an eyebrow.And:After being forced and coerced to give up our vast tracts of lands, in exchange for immutable treaty rights to conduct commerce without state interference on the miniscule reservations we now call home, we found a way to eek out a living for our people through the tobacco trade. Native Americans have the highest rate of poverty of any ethnic group in the U.S. A visit to any Indian territory would be a true culture shock for most non-Natives. But New York state needs to shore up its widening budget gap. So, let’s shake down the Indians--an easy and defenseless target. While we’re at it, let’s threaten them with shotguns and cowboy hats, and remind them that we’re not that far from taking scalps.

In addition to being a citizen of the Seneca Nation and an Indian, my father is Jewish. This makes me doubly insulted by the mayor’s remarks. As two of the most persecuted groups in history, there are many parallels between Indians and Jews. It’s incredible that Bloomberg, as a Jew, would go so far as to conjure up images of an oppressor doling out rough shotgun justice on a minority ethnic group. Taking away economic livelihood by force was a strategy employed by Hitler against the Jews. This strikes a similar chord.

The mayor’s statements are shameful. They further the notion that Native Americans are not a distinct people deserving of respect. Instead, the mayor reduces Native Americans to an inferior group that can only be dealt with in one way--with the butt of a shotgun.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Obama = "Town Destroyer"? and Senecas to Collect Thruway Tolls.

Bloomberg suggests shooting Senecas

Bloomberg Tells Paterson To Cowboy Up, Crack Down On Senecas Selling Tax-Free Smokes On NY ThruwayMayor Bloomberg, channeling his inner Wyatt Earp, shot himself in the foot Friday.

The tough-talking mayor infuriated Native Americans by urging Gov. Paterson to handle a dispute over cigarette taxes by delivering some Dodge City-style justice.

"I've said this to David Paterson, I said, 'You know, get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun,'" said Bloomberg, blasting from the hip on his weekly radio show.

"If there's ever a great video, it's you standing in the middle of the New York State Thruway saying, you know, 'Read my lips--the law of the land is this, and we're going to enforce the law.'"

The politically incorrect crack--pitting cowboy Paterson against the state's Indians--drew a pointed rebuke from Barry Snyder Sr., president of the Seneca Nation of Indians.

"Regrettably, Mayor Bloomberg has made some reckless and insensitive statements to the people of the Seneca Nation, all Native Americans living in New York State and throughout the country," Snyder fired back.Comment:  At least he didn't say, "Gov. Paterson should scalp them before they scalp us."

Someone on Facebook commented:You'd think Jewish people would be sensitive to negative stereotypes and the rights of nation/states who are seen as the "minority."Yep. Imagine if Seneca president Snyder or anyone told Bloomberg, "Shape up or we'll throw you in the oven." That's roughly the equivalent of telling Indians you're going to sic a cowboy with a shotgun on them.

Bloomberg's "law of the land" argument isn't necessarily the final word. The Senecas claim their treaty right exempts them from cigarette taxes. The non-Indians disagree, and so far the courts have backed them. But the Seneca response seems to be: Our sovereignty trumps your laws and court decisions, not the other way around.

Underlying this, of course, is the savage Indian stereotype. Bloomberg is implying the Senecas are unwilling or unable to resolve the conflict peacefully. I.e., outside the bounds of civilization. Shooting is what you do to savages and other wild animals you can't negotiate with.

For more on the subject, see Obama = "Town Destroyer"? and Senecas to Collect Thruway Tolls.

Below:  Does Bloomberg want to crush the Seneca figuratively?



Or literally?