tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post117133863469456778..comments2024-02-10T18:19:36.406-08:00Comments on Newspaper Rock: "Dead Astronaut" by Douglas FraserRobhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-6847131666299595672007-02-25T01:55:00.000-08:002007-02-25T01:55:00.000-08:00I used the word "semantics" in its common, non-tec...I used the word "semantics" in its common, non-technical sense, Russ. If you're as unaware of this definition as you were of "decimate's" common, non-technical definition, I can provide it again. Or you could use a dictionary for once.<BR/><BR/>You're the one who has praised Gibson's Maya fantasies uncritically. I've the one who has criticized Gibson's Maya fantasies. You must not understand the concept of "thinking for yourself" either, because I'm the one who's done it in the case of <A HREF="http://www.bluecorncomics.com/apclypto.htm" REL="nofollow"><I>Apocalypto</I></A>.<BR/><BR/>Note that Russ's interpretation of the painting is his own, not Fraser's. There's nothing to indicate the astronaut is supposed to be John Herrington--or William Pogue, the real first Native in space. I'd say my interpretation is the likely one, not Russ's.<BR/><BR/>You could say the arrows are stereotypical, but I think they work in this context. They're a comment on America's drive to extend its domain to the moon--i.e., on manifest destiny--not on the savagery of Indians.<BR/><BR/>You won't have much luck engaging Russ in the question of who's an Indian, because he can't or won't answer the question. All we know is that it involves a "genetic racial memory" or an "awareness granted by heredity," concepts Russ apparently invented out of thin air.<BR/><BR/>I've posted extensively on Chakotay at <A HREF="http://www.bluecorncomics.com/chakotay.htm" REL="nofollow">Star Trek Voyager: Chakotay</A>. He supposedly comes from the Rubber Tree People of Central America, not the Sioux. Suffice it to say that the character is more stereotypical than not.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-1172130414711226222007-02-21T23:46:00.000-08:002007-02-21T23:46:00.000-08:00In actuality, those kinds of "arguments" are more ...In actuality, those kinds of "arguments" are more in the manner of what Rob Schmidt calls 'semantics'.<BR/><BR/>Your point is well-taken, sir. I will just say that as a thoroughly white-assimilated NDN of relatively thin blood, who did not grow up in the culture, who did not grow up in the language, whose total knowledge of the language and culture is self-taught or from dribs and drabs of family history, who has never lived on the Rez, who has never even lived in Oklahoma, who does not "look NDN," who does not have an "Indian name" (my father's family name is, I think, Finnish), who has never experienced discrimination because of my heritage, whose heritage no one would ever likely know without asking, I am acutely, painfully aware of my position. I would never ever presume to lecture anyone who has had those experiences on who is or is not NDN. That would not be go-hi-yu-gi. I didn't get a vote on my granny's mother's decision to marry a white man and move to Texas. So be it. I do the best I can. I learn what I can and I try to pass that on to my sons. I contribute to the tribe. I follow tribal politics; I'm trying to help a friend of mine in her campaign for principal chief. But even keeping all that in mind, the "blood quanta" argument makes me flinch. For one thing, it's adopting a racist yonegv notion; and for another, it's a suicide pact. Tribes with high blood quanta will eventually vanish. There just aren't enough of us left. On the other hand, I don't like the idea of people with miniscule blood quanta, no cultural identification and no interest in the culture, strolling right in to pick up their CDIB cards, either. I don't know what the answer is. As I said, I'm just doing the best that I can with decisions that were made long before I was born.The Local Crankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16673363936902590966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-1172119965019822852007-02-21T20:52:00.000-08:002007-02-21T20:52:00.000-08:00At least Dawson WalkingBear had a more specific an...At least Dawson WalkingBear had a more specific and "real" background. I recall Chakotay, at least in the shows, having a sort of generic, New Agey background.<BR/><BR/>Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think they ever really named what tribe or nation Chakotay was from in the show. It's not even mentioned in the Wikipedia article.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-1172083849089604422007-02-21T10:50:00.000-08:002007-02-21T10:50:00.000-08:00"Herrington's Chickasaw Native blood is thinner th..."Herrington's Chickasaw Native blood is thinner than the upper stratosphere..."<BR/><BR/>Hmmm...maybe I should keep my mouth shut under the circumstances...<BR/><BR/>"...and thus meeting real Native Americans..."<BR/><BR/>Yeah, I think I'll definately keep my mouth shut. Getting into "redder than thou" arguments doesn't really accomplish anything besides raising everyone's blood pressure.The Local Crankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16673363936902590966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-1171977683947597182007-02-20T05:21:00.000-08:002007-02-20T05:21:00.000-08:00What? And no good word for Chakotay? About warm so...What? And no good word for Chakotay? About warm sonic showers?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-1171933147259093072007-02-19T16:59:00.000-08:002007-02-19T16:59:00.000-08:00So, who matches the stereotype here? The astronaut...So, who matches the stereotype here? The astronaut who is a Native American, or the Indians in this cartoon who shot the arrows? Hmmmm....voyageurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17256823284381801271noreply@blogger.com