March 06, 2007

Stereotyping Indians as drunks

VIEWPOINT:  Getting alcoholism right in Indian CountryIt's true that alcoholism and drug abuse have caused terrible problems for many North American Indians. But it's also true that great numbers of Indians can drink socially (or not drink at all) and not incur serious problems.

For the media, striking a balance between those two facts is central to “getting the story right.”

Alcoholism's prevalence among Indians not only has caused enormous physical and emotional problems. It also has led to stereotyping, including in movies as recent and popular as “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Apocalypto.” These powerful films depict Indians in a violent or stereotypical way, suggesting that all Indians are afflicted with drug and alcohol problems.
Comment:  See Drunken Indians for more on the subject.

5 comments:

Rob said...

The question is how much blood or DNA a person has to have to be an Indian. Half? A quarter? An eighth? Or...?

You have enough. I don't. Neither do various Pequots, Chickasaws, and Chickahominies, apparently.

Whether you can articulate or not, you have a dividing line in mind. So what is it? How much intermarrying do Indians have to do to eliminate their "racial memories"?

In other words, who qualifies as an Indian in your mind? Wilma Mankiller? Robbie Robertson? Ben Nighthorse Campbell? Arigon Starr? Burt Reynolds? Tiger Woods? Cher? Who?

P.S. Your take on Indians and alcohol sounds reasonable to me.

Rob said...

I've asked similar questions before. I'm still waiting for the answers.

Rob said...

Nice try to dodge, but I'll just keep asking the questions until you answer them. I live to expose the truths hidden in clouds of verbiage such as yours.

Feel free not to answer, since reason and logic seem to pain you. If you want to let me win every debate from now until kingdom come, it's fine with me.

Readers can judge for themselves whether you've addressed the issues or not. Needless to say, we're still waiting for the first person to say you have.

Rob said...

Translation of "writerfella already has stated in this blog that he NEVER answers questions that the asker already has answers that he wishes to hear repeated": Writerfella never answers questions that would show the flaws in his positions or otherwise embarrass him. In other words, you don't answer questions, period, if the answers aren't in your favor.

You say you've already told us who qualifies as an Indian in your mind? And whether that includes Wilma Mankiller, Robbie Robertson, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Arigon Starr, Burt Reynolds, Tiger Woods, or Cher? No, you haven't, Russ. I have $100 that says you can't cite a single passage anywhere in this blog's archives that answers these questions clearly and completely.

Put up or shut up, or I'll have to conclude that you're lying. As will our readers, of course. Sorry to burst your bubble, but there's no way in hell I'll let anyone lie about what they have or haven't said in this blog. That most definitely includes you.

Rob said...

"Bad syntax" is a funny charge coming from someone who writes ten sentences when one will suffice, is apparently unfamiliar with paragraphs, doesn't spell-check his work, thinks the passive tense is sound, and invents words such as "oblivia." Not to mention your self-important use of the third person, which others have noted. You've written things here that any writing instructor would correct with a red pen.

I said that when you were too afraid to answer my questions, I'd simply repeat them. And so I've done. Unlike you, I say what I mean and mean what I say.

Readers will note that you could easily prove me wrong by quoting your previous "answers" if they existed. That you won't do so is compelling evidence that you can't.

You're lucky that this thread will disappear into the archives and thus save you from further embarrassment. You're unlucky because I'll keep asking the same questions until you answer or give up and go.