Rand Paul advocates Native assimilation

Rand Paul Thinks 'Lack Of Assimilation' Is Native Americans' Problem

"If they were assimilated, within a decade they'd probably be doing as well as the rest of us."

By Julian Brave NoiseCat"I think assimilation is an amazing thing," Paul said. "A good example of how, even in our country, assimilation didn't happen--and it has been a disaster for the people--has been the Native American population on the reservations. If they were assimilated, within a decade they'd probably be doing as well as the rest of us. But instead, seclusion and isolating them--we took their land, and then we put them all on small quadrants of land."

Ingraham did not point out Paul's historical revisionism, but Democrats and Native leaders did.

The Democratic National Committee said in a press release that Paul revealed a "shocking lack of historical and cultural awareness" about Native people.

This history includes warfare, forced removal, broken treaties and unkept promises, as well as the more recent, but often forgotten, record of abuse and cultural genocide suffered by Native American children through the boarding school system of the 19th and 20th centuries. That assimilation policy was designed to "kill the Indian and save the man."

"Sen. Paul's statements harken back to a disastrous era of federal policies that aimed to terminate tribal governments and eradicate Native American cultures," said PaaWee Rivera, a Pueblo of Pojoaque tribal member and the DNC's director of Native American engagement, in the press release.Rand Paul: Native Americans Don't Do Well Without AssimilationIn a tone-deaf statement, Republican candidate Rand Paul says Native Americans “don’t do well” because they failed to assimilate to settler American customs.

The statements are controversial and offensive to many, as they reflect a continuation of colonial settler ideology that sponsored assimilationist policies, which had horrible repercussions for Native and Indigenous communities throughout the Americas.Comment:  This is another variation on the stereotype of Indians as lazy, good-for-nothing welfare moochers. Which has been America's primary view of Indians since the Indian Wars.

"If only Indians would become Christians and capitalists," think conservatives, "all their problems would be solved." Never mind that Indians tried these approaches and they failed miserably.

Of course, conservatives never let facts get in the way of their fantasies. Like Dick Cheney, they create their own realities where America works perfectly for everyone.

For more on assimilation, see Ralph Lauren's "Assimilation Aesthetic" and Assimilation in 1950s Movies.

Let's rename Ohio's tallest mountain

In response to Ohioans and Republicans crying over the Denali name change, I tweeted the following:

To Ohioans who want to honor President McKinley, name your own damn mountain, hill, or bump in the road after him. ‪#‎Denali‬ ‪#‎whiteprivilege‬

This led to the following discussion:I had to look at this twice. I saw "damn mountain or pimple."It was a tough choice between landfill, pitcher's mound, and bump in the road. I figure one of these may be the tallest place in Ohio.

I think they're jealous because the West has real mountains.It's a weird reaction. You would think somebody literally came waltzing into their backyard and started carving up one of their sacred mountains. Oh wait, nevermind, that would have been different.

Maybe they should build themselves a new mountain and call it Sour Grapes Hill.Does Ohio need a capital named for Columbus? Change the name of something, anything, in your own stupid state if you seriously want to honor McKinley. Stop imposing your white privilege on people who don't want it.Right? And six billion high schools named after the guy isn't enough?The first 40 presidents may be the most memorialized people in America. Maybe the world if you exclude a few icons such as Jesus and Mary, Columbus, and Mao (?).

That white Americans need their mountains, mascots, and flags to validate themselves tells us how weak and needy they are. They're exactly like spoiled toddlers when their baby toys are taken away.

P.S. In response to this tweet:Melody McKiver ‏@IndigenousXca
We should all travel across the world and name sacred sites in europe after random ndnsI wrote:

Mt. Olympus is now Wakan Tanka. Stonehenge is now the Great Medicine Wheel. The Matterhorn is now Mt. Deloria. Etc.

For more on Denali, see Denali Name Change = Political Attack? and Trump Vows to Restore "McKinley".

Denali name change = political attack?

A conservative friend wondered why liberals didn't demand a name change for Yukon's Mt. Kennedy. Thereby implying that changing "Mt. McKinley" to Denali was a liberal attack on conservatives. In a Facebook debate, I took a few minutes to rip this claim to shreds:

You are aware that this move was led by two Republicans, right? You've actually read an article on the subject and aren't simply repeating something stupid you heard on Faux News...right?Have you ever heard of something called "regional pride"?Have you heard of the word "nonresponsive"? Try addressing my point about this change being led by Republicans if you're not too afraid of getting your butt kicked.

You mean the regional pride Alaska Natives feel for Denali? What other regional pride is more relevant than that in Alaska?

If Ohioans want to rename their highest mountain, no one's stopping them. Why aren't you proposing that solution if "regional pride" is your concern?

This is yet another example of why we correctly label Republicans "racists." Because you have no argument that doesn't amount to "white people are more important than others."I don't have any strong feelings about this one way or the other. But, then again, I am from California. Alaska Republicans would favor the change as it plays up their local history, Ohio Democrats would oppose it as it messes with their local history.Again, nonresponsive. Republicans are the ones who responded to Alaskan regional pride and restored the name they've used for their mountain for decades. This has nothing to do with Obama or liberal politics.

Your comments are also nonresponsive to the issue of why Alaskans or anyone should care about Ohio's regional pride. Ohioans can change a name in their own backyard if they want to honor someone. Otherwise, they can shut up. What Alaskans do in Alaska is none of their business.

Meanwhile, you have no feelings...but you're trying to imply that Obama was targeting a "Republican" mountain for some reason. Regardless of your lack of feelings, your implication is stupid and ignorant. I suggest you educate yourself so I don't have to keep noting your stupidity.

For more on Denali, see Republicans Protest Denali Name Change and Ohioans Protest Denali Name Change.

Trump vows to restore "McKinley"

Trump, Kasich would dump native name ‘Denali,’ restore ‘McKinley’

By Joel ConnellyThe name of North America’s highest peak, 20,320-foot Denali in Alaska, has entered the 2016 presidential race.

“President Obama wants to change the name of Mount McKinley to Denali after more than 100 years. Great insult to Ohio, I will change back,” real estate mogul Donald Trump tweeted on Monday night, making the assumption that he will be America’s 45th president.John Kasich of Ohio said more and thus displayed more ignorance:“You know, I haven’t checked out the Constitution when it comes to naming mountain tops, but if I become president, I’m going to name it back to Mount McKinley,” Kasich said. “This is not something we (Ohioans) appreciate or agree with.”

When it comes to how Mt. McKinley got its name, however, Kasich demonstrated considerable ignorance.

As he understood it, said the governor, “a guy was out there climbing, he saw this big peak, and he wanted to celebrate the achievements of President McKinley, so he named it Mount McKinley.”

The reality was that a prospector attached name to mountain when he learned that McKinley had won the 1896 Republican nomination. The 25th president had not yet been elected or served a day in office.Trump pledges to reverse Obama’s mountain renaming

Comment:  For more on Denali, see Republicans Protest Denali Name Change and Ohioans Protest Denali Name Change.

Republicans protest Denali name change

I accompanied the news about the Denali name change with a sarcastic comment: Why does Obama hate America so much? Because it was obvious that's how brain-dead conservatives would react. And because they're as predictable as crybabies without their bottles, they did.

Conservative Heads Explode After Obama Renames Nation’s Tallest Mountain

Karl Rove was the first contender for stupidest white-man response to the Denali name change:

Karl Rove: Obama Wouldn't Be President If McKinley Hadn't Annexed HawaiiRepublican strategist Karl Rove said Monday that President Obama should be "more gracious" to the man whose name he just stripped from North America's tallest peak.

After all, Rove told Time magazine, it was President McKinley's administration that annexed Hawaii, making it possible for Obama to be President.In related news, an infinite number of other events also made it possible for Obama to become president. Like a speck of dust caused Obama's father to blink and miss seeing Obama's mother. Pay more respect to that speck of dust, President Obama!

Sheesh. What's the "gracious" way to rename a mountain, pray tell? Give us some examples of name changes that were done "graciously" even though you didn't like them.

Obama hates Republicans?

But with all the bigots in today's Republican Party, Rove's mild complaint about graciousness couldn't stand as the most extreme:

Conservative Radio Host Says Obama Changed Mt. McKinley's Name Because He Hates White Republicans

American Family Radio host Bryan Fischer complained on Monday that President Obama thinks "America is bad and everybody else is good."

By Justin BaragonaThe former American Family Association spokesman said the following on his show:

“Why would Obama do this? Well, there’s a very simple reason: President McKinley was a Republican and he was American and he was white. So he was all the things that President Obama has such a visceral distaste for. In his worldview, America is bad and everybody else is good, Republican is bad, everybody else is good and so forth.”

It should be noted that Republicans from Alaska have not only commended Obama for his decision but were key in pushing forward legislation to make the change. The state’s two Republican Senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, sponsored a bill to change the federal designation. Meanwhile, the state’s governor, another GOPer, applauded the President for officially changing the mountain’s name.

But, none of that matters to right-wingers like Fischer. Any chance to whine about the current black usurper of the White House, you take it! In fact, he loved his line so much about Obummer hatin’ ‘Murica that he also tweeted it out.

Name change = "assassination"?

Unfortunately for Fischer and Rove, Laura Ingraham--or at least her website--took the prize for extremism:

Laura Ingraham's Website: 'McKinley Assassinated Again' By Obama Decision

By Sara JerdeThe post carried the headline "McKinley Assassinated Again" and the subhead "Obama changes mountain's name as erasure of our history continues." It included a bad photoshop image of Obama crossing out a sign that read "Mt. McKinley (American Heritage)" with red spray paint.

Jon Conradi, Lifezette's director of audience engagement, whose LinkedIn page also identifies him as a former communications director for the U.S. House as well as a Republican operative, wrote the post.And:Conradi continued:The forces of political correctness wish to return America to a blank slate from which they can color the canvass of the future with their progressive vision of society defined by sexuality, secularism, and government dependence. But first they need to get all that pesky history, and proud American heritage, out of the way. President McKinley is their latest victim.

The peak was named after McKinley during his first candidacy for the presidency in 1896 and was officially minted Mount McKinley by President Wilson in 1917 to memorialize the president and his historic administration. The president has found greater cause with politically correct forces who believe the peak’s moniker was offensive to Native Americans, who knew the summit as Denali.Actually, Natives still know the mountain as Denali. As do most Alaskans, including its Republican senators. Which is why they all wanted the original name restored. It had nothing to do with McKinley or Obama's wishes and everything to do with Alaska's heritage.

Which is something Republicans supposedly believe in--states' rights, local control, etc.--when they're not raving hypocrites. Unfortunately, they're raving hypocrites all the time, as this issue proves.

I assume someone posted the following as a spoof of right-wing ignorance. But I gather some right-wing ignoramuses took it seriously. Enough so that Snopes had to post an explanation, believe it or not.



Good God...right-wingers are stupid.

For more on Denali, see Ohioans Protest Denali Name Change and Obama Renames Mount McKinley.

Beaverton satirizes MMIW crisis

I tweeted a few times about model/actress Ashley Callingbull winning the Mrs. Universe title. I guess it's a milestone for a Native to win a "major" beauty pageant, although Mrs. Universe isn't one of the "big four." But long-time readers know what I think of beauty pageants, which is not much.

However, the Beaverton's satirical article on the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women (#MMIW) is worth mentioning:

The Beaverton pulls controversial article on Ashley Callingbull

Indigenous community outraged on Twitter about satire on missing, murdered women

By Kim WheelerA satirical news website that used a Cree woman's victory at an international beauty contest to draw attention to national coverage of missing and murdered indigenous women has withdrawn the article and apologized to its readers.

On Sunday, Ashley Callingbull, whose married name is Burnham, from Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta was named Mrs. Universe, the first First Nation woman to win the title.

The Beaverton's article, headlined "Mrs. First Cree Woman To Gain National Coverage If She Disappears," said make-believe judges "cited her good looks, upbeat attitude, and glitzy uncontroversial profession in awarding her the top prize of one day's coverage on most major Canadian news outlets should she suddenly vanish without a trace.

"Burnham is showing all those aboriginal girls out there that as long as you look like a supermodel and get on TV, you too can get the same news coverage as a white girl should you ever be abducted," the article continued.

In its apology, The Beaverton said it wrote the satirical story to "call out the Media for their failure to properly cover missing and murdered Aboriginal women …"

However, many indigenous people didn't find it funny and took to Twitter to voice their outrage:

"The fact that a publication would take the time to publish these words shows that they have no morals, no empathy," said Althea Guibouche, who is part of a team walking across Western Canada for all missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.

Hilda Anderson-Pyrz, who organizes an annual gathering in Winnipeg to remember disappeared women, says she wasn't as angry.

"I think in a twisted way it speaks the truth," she said.Comment:  I think people responded to this satire like they would to any satire on a life-and-death issue. For example, rape, murder, or suicide. Some focus on the point--that the media focuses only on celebrities--which is valid. And some focus on the language, which mocks or belittles the threat of violence against women.

For more on violence against women, see Storefront Window Shows Bound Mi'kmaq Women.

Ohioans protest Denali name change

Ohio lawmakers slam Obama plans to rename Mt. McKinley 'Denali' during Alaska tripOhio lawmakers reacted angrily Sunday to the White House's announcement that President Obama would formally rename Alaska's Mt. McKinley—North America's highest peak—"Denali" during his trip to The Last Frontier this week.

"Mount McKinley ... has held the name of our nation's 25th President for over 100 years," Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, said in a statement. "This landmark is a testament to his countless years of service to our country." Gibbs also described Obama's action as "constitutional overreach," saying that an act of Congress was required to rename the mountain, because a law formally naming it after Ohio's William McKinley was passed in 1917.

"This political stunt is insulting to all Ohioans, and I will be working with the House Committee on Natural Resources to determine what can be done to prevent this action," Gibbs said.

The Ohio delegation's disappointment at the decision cut across party lines.

"We must retain this national landmark's name in order to honor the legacy of this great American president and patriot," Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, whose district includes McKinley's hometown of Niles, in eastern Ohio.

Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, also blasted the decision as "yet another example of the President going around Congress", while House Speaker John Boehner said the naming of the mountain after McKinley was "a testament to [the 25th president's] great legacy .. I am deeply disappointed in this decision."3,000 Miles From Denali, Ohio Fumes Over Renaming of Mount McKinley

Oops: Rob Portman Got Mt. McKinley History Wrong While Slamming Obama

By Caitlin CruzSen. Rob Portman joined his fellow Ohio Republican politicians in their collective outrage about President Barack Obama’s decision to revert Mt. McKinley to its Alaska Native name of Denali—but he got some of his history wrong.

Portman tweeted Sunday night the mountain was named to remember McKinley’s “rich legacy after his assassination.”

But according to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Portman's timeline is off.

The mountain was first named for McKinley by a prospector in 1896 when the Ohioan was his party's nominee for President, according to a timeline published by the National Park Service.

By 1897, the federal government started referring to it as such in publications, according to the Interior Department. McKinley was assassinated in 1901.

For more on Denali, see Obama Renames Mount McKinley and Murkowski Proposes Renaming Mt. McKinley.

Los Angeles Magazine's "Going Native"

ICYMI: “Fall Fashion: Your Guide to Going Native”: Los Angeles Magazine Celebrates Cultural Misappropriation

By Kelly HolmesTwo days ago, Los Angeles Magazine posted an article sharing what’s trending this fall with a headline that certainly rang cultural appropriation.

The style article, which was posted under the magazine’s ‘The Clutch‘ column, displayed the apparent Native-inspired trend craze set for fall with the initial title “Fall Fashion: Your Guide to Going Native.”

The article claimed “Feathers aren’t going anywhere; fringe continues to swing. Designers look once again to the American West for inspiration,” accompanied by a Boticca feather necklace, Burberry fringe clutch, and DSquared2 sandals.

As the post came to light, Los Angeles Magazine received backlash for the offensive headline and article.

Concepción Lara @lowsell
"Going Native" implies Indigeneity is 1) chosen and 2) temporary. Utilizing Cher's photo furthers the erasure of Native people. @LA_mag

In response, the magazine changed their headline to “Fall Fashion: Feathers and Fringe” with the explanation “An earlier version of this story had a poorly phrased headline. We apologize.”

However, they did not address or remove the photo of Cher dressed as the stereotypical “Pocahottie” nor did they address their glorification of cultural misappropriation. Despite their claim of “We’ve heard your feedback, and you’re right,” they missed the point of the initial backlash, which did not escape the notice of Twitter.

Mariana @MarianaThinks
@LA_mag oh no. Take the whole article down. Why not support authentic Native American designers? Not overpriced and fake products.Comment:  The tweets above are just examples of the criticism the magazine received.

Using Cher was kind of silly since the photo was 40-50 years. It may have represented the concept of "going Native," since Cher has tried to pass as Native over the years. But it didn't represent "fall fashion" unless they meant some fall in the late 1960s.

And yes, using Cher as a "Pocahottie" only furthers the sexualization of Native women. No real Native women dress this way, so it's not "going Native" so much as "going stereotypical." It's nothing more than a white man's (or woman's) fantasy of Native fashion.

For more on Cher, see Cher in a Headdress, Again.

Obama renames Mount McKinley

McKinley no more: North America's tallest peak to be renamed Denali

By Erica MartinsonIt’s official: Denali is now the mountain formerly known as Mount McKinley.

With the approval of President Barack Obama, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell has signed a “secretarial order” to officially change the name, the White House and Interior Department announced Sunday. The announcement comes roughly 24 hours before Obama touches down in Anchorage for a whirlwind tour of Alaska.

Talk of the name change has swirled in Alaska this year since the National Park Service officially registered no objection in a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C.

The tallest mountain in North America has long been known to Alaskans as Denali, its Koyukon Athabascan name, but its official name was not changed with the creation of Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980, 6 million acres carved out for federal protection under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The state changed the name of the park’s tallest mountain to Denali at that time, but the federal government did not.President Obama Renames North America's Tallest Mountain

By Josh Lederman, Mark ThiessenPresident Barack Obama says he's changing the name of the tallest mountain in North America from Mount McKinley to Denali.

He's giving the mountain its traditional Alaska Native name on the eve of a historic presidential visit to Alaska.

Denali is an Athabascan word meaning "the high one." The name has long been a sore spot for Alaskans, who have informally called the 20,320-foot mountain Denali for years.

The mountain was named after former President William McKinley. There have been several efforts by Alaska politicians change it to Denali. But politicians from McKinley's home state of Ohio have opposed changing the name.Mount McKinley to Be Renamed Denali: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Comment:  For more on Denali, see Athabascan First to Climb Denali and Murkowski Proposes Renaming Mt. McKinley.

Trump lovers = white supremacists

Former KKK Grand Dragon Endorses Donald Trump, Which Surprises No One Ever

By AnomalyDavid Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and self-described “racial realist,” has thrown his support behind Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump because he “understands the real sentiment of America.”

“I praise the fact that he’s come out on the immigration issue. I’m beginning to get the idea that he’s a good salesman. That he’s an entrepreneur and he has a good sense of what people want to hear what they want to buy,” said Duke on his radio program last week, Buzzfeed reports.

“And I think he realizes that his path to popularity toward power in the Republican Party is talking about the immigration issue. And he has really said some incredibly great things recently. So whatever his motivation, I don’t give a damn,” the infamous racist said. “I really like the fact that he’s speaking out on this greatest immediate threat to the American people.”

“I’ve said from the beginning I think his campaign is good in the sense that it’s bringing these issues to a discussion which we have to have in America. And he’s continuing to move the envelope further and I think he understands the real sentiment of America,” Duke went on to say.Meet The Members Of Donald Trump’s White Supremacist Fan Club

The candidate has recently picked up a few endorsements he may want to throw back.

By Daniel Marans and Kim BellwareEvan Osnos reported on Trump’s appeal at length in The New Yorker this week. The story is worth reading in full, but Osnos’ most explosive finding is that Trump enjoys the support of a who’s who of contemporary white supremacist and neo-Nazi leaders and institutions. The members of what one might call Trump’s white supremacist fan club include:

The Daily Stormer, a leading neo-Nazi news site, endorsed Trump on June 28. “Trump is willing to say what most Americans think: it’s time to deport these people,” the site said in its endorsement. It then urged white men to “vote for the first time in our lives for the one man who actually represents our interests.”

Richard Spencer, director of the National Policy Institute, which promotes the “heritage, identity, and future of European people,” said that Trump was “refreshing.” “Trump, on a gut level, kind of senses that this is about demographics, ultimately. We’re moving into a new America,” Spencer said. “I don’t think Trump is a white nationalist,” Spencer added, but noted that Trump embodies “an unconscious vision that white people have--that their grandchildren might be a hated minority in their own country. I think that scares us. They probably aren’t able to articulate it. I think it’s there. I think that, to a great degree, explains the Trump phenomenon. I think he is the one person who can tap into it.” Spencer, Osnos notes, is not the stereotype of a prejudiced yokel: At 36, he is clean-cut, and boasts degrees from elite universities. The Southern Poverty Law Center, Osnos says, calls Spencer “a suit-and-tie version of the white supremacists of old.”

Jared Taylor, editor of American Renaissance, a Virginia-based white nationalist magazine, said: “I’m sure he would repudiate any association with people like me, but his support comes from people who are more like me than he might like to admit.” Taylor later told Osnos: “Why are whites supposed to be happy about being reduced to a minority? It’s clear why Hispanics celebrate diversity: ‘More of us! More Spanish! More cucaracha!’”

Michael Hill, head of the League of the South, an Alabama-based white supremacist secessionist group, said Trump was “good” for the white racist cause. “I love to see somebody like Donald Trump come along,” Hill said. “Not that I believe anything that he says. But he is stirring up chaos in the GOP, and for us that is good.” Osnos attended a speech Hill gave to a crowd of cheering followers in which he railed against the “cultural genocide” of white Americans, which he said was “merely a prelude to physical genocide.”

Brad Griffin, a member of Hill’s League of the South and author of the popular white supremacist blog Hunter Wallace, has written that his esteem for Trump is “soaring,” and has lauded the candidate for his “hostile takeover of the Republican Party.”Comment:  For more on Donald Trump, see Trump Lovers Champion "White Power" and Trump Lovers Want a Strongman.

Trump lovers champion "white power"

Confederate fantasies & the Donald Trump surge: Inside the dangerous Southern mythology creeping into the GOP primary

Earlier this week, Ken Burns blew the lid off of this election's most unsettling developments

By Bob CescaAll of these unforgivably horrifying films, and many others, were produced in service of casting blacks as villains, and Southerners as forlorn heroes who—whoops!—bungled their way into a war.

Sadly, this attitude is alive and kicking in 2015. Indeed, it’s being fed and exploited by the Republican Party frontrunner. It’s no mistake that Ken Burns called out Donald Trump’s involvement with the Birther movement as a clever form of saying the “n-word”—as a means of demonizing a leader, President Obama, based solely on the color of his skin, just as the Lost Cause had done so many decades earlier.

And as if on cue, a Trump supporter at a rally over the weekend shouted “white power” during Trump’s remarks. Why? Because Trump is encouraging and actively courting these kinds of people.

Worse, a Trump spokesman appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” and refused to repudiate the supporter’s words, saying: “I know there were 30-plus thousand people in that stadium. They were very receptive to the message of ‘making America great again’ because they want to be proud to be Americans again.” Subtext anyone? During the same segment and in response to an attack on an Hispanic homeless man in Boston by two alleged Trump supporters, the spokesman replied, “We should be proud of our country, proud of our heritage, and continue to be the greatest country in the world.” Yep, it’s impossible to be more tone-deaf than that.Comment:  For more on Donald Trump, see Trump Lovers Want a Strongman and Trump Promises "Normalcy" aka Whiteness.

Apartment ad: "No natives please"

'No natives please': Kijiji pulls apartment ad for Prince Albert, Sask. after complaint

Advertisement says that 'being funded or a stay at home mommy are not jobs'A Kijiji ad to rent a three-bedroom home in Prince Albert, Sask., has been pulled after complaints of racism.

The title of the ad read, "3 bedroom east flat house, no natives please."

The title of an ad Kijiji deemed offensive read, "3 bedroom east flat house, no natives please." (Kijiji)

The text of the ad said newcomers to Canada were welcome, "but aboriginals will not be considered."

When Jeanne Labelle saw the ad, she was shocked and contacted Kijiji to complain.

"I just find it so offensive that somebody would not be able to see deeper than their own prejudices," Labelle said.

The ad, which was offering a 1,000-square-foot home for $1,200 per month, also insisted that renters be working and said that "being funded or a stay at home mommy are not jobs."
First Nations chief sees positive reaction to racist Kijiji ad

Interim FSIN chief Kimberly Jonathan says the response has been 'heartwarming'"We face this and it's reality out there," said Jonathan. "A lot of times we just say, 'Well we're not going to say anything because where will my complaint go?'"

Kijiji pulled the ad after a complaint. And there has been a torrent of feedback denouncing the ad.

"If you look at the post and look at the social media, the comments ongoing, people are saying, our society is saying, 'This is not OK.'"

Jonathan said the reaction has been "heartwarming."

"There may be a turning point in Saskatchewan where racism is not acceptable."Racist Kijiji ad a 'timesaver': aboriginal housing company CEO

Namerind Housing Corporation CEO says many aboriginal people face racism in pursuit of housingMany people have called a recent Prince Albert Kijiji advertisement racist and offensive, because its writer said they would not consider renting the home to aboriginal people.

But the president and CEO of an aboriginal-owned housing company calls it a "timesaver."

Robert Byers says many aboriginal people face racism when trying to find a rental home.

"It's frustrating, but it's just something that happens all the time," he said.Comment:  The stereotype here is that Indians are lazy, good-for-nothing bums who live on welfare.

For more on Indian as welfare recipients, see Economist's Bogus "Sloth" Claim and Congressman Calls Indians "Wards of Government."

The backlash against "identity politics"

The real reason Americans fight about identity politics

By Amanda TaubLaw professor Nancy Leong studies what she calls "identity capitalism"—the ways in which particular identities like one's race, gender, or sexual orientation have traditionally constituted positive or negative social "capital," and how the value of that capital is changing. She believes much of the backlash against so-called identity politics is really about a sense that the status quo is under attack, and fear that something worse might replace it.

She explained to me that it's really easy for people from dominant groups to assume that the status quo isn't biased, because they've never had to confront that bias themselves. And so when they see that an existing system is being changed to include minority groups or accommodate other interests, there's a tendency to assume that the natural order of things is being disrupted in some illegitimate way.

For instance, Leong pointed out, in the affirmative action debate she has noticed a tendency to assume that standardized test scores are inherently valid measures of merit—"that someone with a 160 on the LSAT is more deserving than someone with a 150 on the LSAT"—and that affirmative action that admits students with lower scores is therefore favoring "less qualified" students.

But that doesn't take into account ways in which standardized tests may themselves be an imperfect, even biased, measure of merit. Likewise, complaints that curricula now need to include certain books "just because" they are written by nonwhite, non-male authors assume that in the past, books earned their way onto the curriculum via objective merit, and that any replacements are, by definition, sacrificing quality in the name of diversity.Comment:  For more on the subject, see "It Feels Good to Be White" and How Microaggressions Sneak In.

Cannibal film to spark discussion?

A 'Savage Cannibal' Movie in 2015? We Can Do Better

By Tara Houska[I]n the midst of competing interests to protect indigenous peoples or capitalize on the Amazon’s natural resources, out comes a film portraying tribes as bloodthirsty savages.

Despite Roth’s assertion that a fictional film causing harm to existing peoples is “absurd,” presenting an at-risk population as cannibalistic beasts feeds into the mantra of saving, assimilating and educating uncivilized tribes for their own good (and the good of resource-hungry corporations). Stereotypes and dehumanization have very real consequences.

Roth himself joked about the impact of his film crew to the isolated Amazonian tribe he located and featured in his film, “We [had] to tell them what a movie is…They’ve never even seen a television…[B]y the end they were all playing with iPhones and iPads. We’ve completely polluted the social system and f*cked them up.”

These days, Roth is attempting to soothe the many environmental and indigenous rights organizations that have denounced his pending film. He’s joined a campaign to preserve the rainforest and partnered with a charity to start a journalism fund highlighting the issues faced by indigenous peoples.

On Wednesday, he told Variety he “made ‘The Green Inferno’ to spark discussion and bring awareness to the devastation these tribes face at the hands of corporations.” That’s a far cry from a man who earlier stated that he wanted to make a cannibal film but needed the right storyline.Comment:  The only discussion The Green Inferno is like to spark is a discussion like this one. Namely, pointing out how racist and stereotypical the movie is. How the reality not depicted by Roth the racist is much different.

For more on The Green Inferno, see "From Tiger Lily to Green Inferno" and Cannibal Indians in Green Inferno.

Trump lovers want a strongman

Donald Trump, mad king of the GOP: What his surging popularity reveals about Republican extremism

Donald Trump's demagoguery has been so successful for the same reason rightwing extremism is on the rise

By Conor LynchThe form of populism that we have seen Donald Trump embrace, a kind of nationalist nativism, promising to “make America great again” by keeping the brown people out and bringing jobs back to white America, has obviously gained traction. Trump is the antithesis of a career politician. He is openly sexist and xenophobic, but does not have to worry about losing campaign donations from his inflammatory comments. He does not talk like an anti-government rhetorician, but instead embraces the passions of the rightwing base—whether it be xenophobia, nationalism, or anti-intellectualism—while also promising to use his strength as president to crack down on all of society’s perceived ills.

And here lies a major contradiction with this man, who talks endlessly about the concerns of conservatives, yet promises to address them with the strength of the federal government and executive office—something which conservatives are supposed to oppose.

When given a choice, it seems that followers of the extreme right are willing to use the strength of the federal government, as long as it is addressing their concerns (e.g. national security, illegal immigration, abortion, gay marriage). Of course, not all conservatives have embraced Trump, and many see through his demagoguery—but the people (at least a current plurality of GOP voters) have been enamored by his strongman shtick.

Trump is just one person, and may very well fade away in the months to come—but it is becoming clear that the right wing has increasingly retreated into a “mythical self-glorification,” as Hedges put it. Trump and his followers want to “make America great again.” But what does this mean? No doubt, Trump would say cutting our debt and bringing back jobs from China and Mexico, which is something most Americans would agree on. But the overwhelming rhetoric against immigration, foreign nations, and diplomacy (and diplomats) does point to a kind of retreat from reality into a hyper-nationalist mythology of American exceptionalism. Conservatives seem to be craving a strong personality like Trump, who can come into office and restore traditional values and America’s global supremacy with his superhuman business know-how. This similarly happened in the early 20th century, when strongmen like Mussolini and Hitler rose to power with a promise to restore national supremacy, while creating scapegoats for their problems. Trump wants to restore America’s greatness, and is going after immigrants and foreign nations to provoke much of white America.Donald Trump’s campaign of terror: How a billionaire channeled his authoritarian rage—and soared to the top of the polls

Democrats have been having a good laugh at Trump's expense this summer. Here's why we shouldn't be laughing

By Heather Digby PartonIt’s easy to dismiss Trump’s ramblings as the words of a kook. But he’s tapping into the rage and frustration many Americans feel when our country is exposed as being imperfect. These Republicans were shamed by their exalted leadership’s debacle in Iraq and believe that American exceptionalism is no longer respected around the world—and they are no longer respected here at home. Trump is a winner and I think this is fundamentally what attracts them to him:I will be fighting and I will win because I’m somebody that wins. We are in very sad shape as a country and you know why that is? We’re more concerned about political correctness than we are about victory, than we are about winning. We are not going to be so politically correct anymore, we are going to get things done.But his dark, authoritarian message of intolerance and hate is likely making it difficult for him, or any Republican, to win a national election, particularly since all the other candidates feel compelled to follow his lead. (Those who challenged him, like Perry and Paul, are sinking like a stone in the polls.) And while Trump’s fans may want to blame foreigners for all their troubles, most Americans know that their troubles can be traced to some powerful people right here at home. Powerful people like Donald Trump.

Still, history is littered with strongmen nobody took seriously until it was too late. When someone like Trump captures the imagination of millions of people it’s important to pay attention to what he’s saying. For all his ranting, you’ll notice that the one thing Trump never mentions is the constitution.Comment:  For more on Donald Trump, see Trump Promises "Normalcy" aka Whiteness and "Restoring America's Greatness" = Disneyesque Dream.

Review of Underground

Back in 2009, this comic book got some press:

UndergroundUNDERGROUND is a graphic novel from IMAGE COMICS. Written by Jeff Parker, drawn by Steve Lieber, and colored by Ron Chan, the story follows Park Ranger Wesley Fischer as she tries to save Stillwater Cave--and then has to save herself.Going 'Underground' With Parker & Lieber

By Zack SmithNewsarama: Steve, Jeff: Underground! What's it about and who's in it?

Jeff Parker: Wesley Fischer is our main character, she works for the State Parks system as a Ranger, though her first love is caving. She's a fairly recent immigrant to the town of Marion, where she pulled a lot of strings to get stationed so she could explore the Stillwater Cave there.

The cave has been closed to the public for years for safety reasons, and there's a growing movement in the town to develop it as a show cave, like a sister to Mammoth Cave, to bring some tourist dollars into the area.

Wes is against this because she doesn't want the cave system compromised--there's already been a fair amount of damage to it over the years. But the local entrepreneur Winston Barefoot is putting his considerable weight behind the venture, and an inspector from the state is coming to look into the matter.

The problem is that some of Winston's men have taken the initiative to get the cave ready for development to hurry things along.

NRAMA: Tell us about Wesley and the other main characters.

SL: Wesley is a park ranger and environmentalist, not necessarily in that order. She's smart, athletic and concerned, but not looking to be any sort of hero. But the cave is a fragile ecosystem, and she's committed to keeping it pristine.

Seth Ridge is a park ranger too. He's part Cherokee and unlike Wes, he has deep roots in the town. For him, the cave was a place to hang out with his buddies as a kid. He and Wes hooked up for the first time the night before the story starts, and they aren't really sure where they stand with each other.

Some reviews of Underground:

This Comic Is Good--Underground

A Year of Cool Comics---Day 82

Native aspects

The story is set in Marion, Kentucky. Since it's in the far west of the state, near Illinois, I don't think many Cherokee lived there. They did spend the winter of 1838-1839 there during the infamous Trail of Tears.

Anyway, several characters seem to be part Native:

Winston Barefoot mentions his "Cherokee heritage" in one panel and runs a store filled with Indian kitsch. Seth Ridge says his mother was Native. Ridge is a Cherokee name and Barefoot is evidently supposed to be Native too.

Barefoot and Ridge both have reddish skin, though it comes and goes. Barefoot's henchman Harden also has this skin color, as does the chief ranger, occasionally. Harden and the ranger may be Native or part Native too.

Alas, Underground makes no use of this Native background. No Native legends of the underground or anything. It's kind of a missed opportunity.

At least there's nothing stereotypical, so that's good.

As for the rest of the series, it's competently done but nothing you need to read. The characters spend one issue mostly dangling by ropes and another creeping through a water-filled passage. If you're into caving or want a change of pace, check it out.

"Sioux Were Silenced" weren't silenced

Forum editorial: UND, don't pander to protesters' transparent ploy to retain 'Fighting Sioux'First, they want the university’s list of selections for a new UND team name to include “North Dakota.” It’s a transparent ploy to somehow retain some iteration of “Fighting Sioux,” which has been retired.

Second, they want the immediate resignation of UND President Robert Kelley because by their assessment he has presided over a name-change process that has not been responsive to their concerns. What a crock. If ever there was a process that has been painfully long and over-the-top inclusive, it’s been the university’s name-change saga.

But none of that matters to a small, but noisy cabal of unreconstructed “Fighting Sioux” fans. No matter what the eventual choice is, no matter what sort of consensus is achieved, no matter how many voices have been part of the process, they will not accept the inevitable. It makes no sense for Kelley and the university to continue to pander to them. They had their shot, they lost. Whatever they do now is sideshow.

The arrogant contention that “the Sioux have been silenced” is so obviously false as to be cartoonish. First, the “silence” made loud headlines for years, and still is. Second, the history of the moniker debate is replete with pro-Fighting Sioux arguments, some cogent, others offensive. That the case was weak and ultimately failed is the reality that some arguers refuse to accept.The big lie:Supporters of the name and logo got the question on the June 11, 2012, ballot, and North Dakotans voted overwhelmingly (67.34 percent)–in every county, including counties that encompass reservations and other tribal lands–to retire the nickname and logo. Days later, the higher ed board voted to prohibit use of the name and logo, and said UND could not adopt new monikers until 2015. UND has been working for months, and is close to selecting one of five options.

Thus, the charge that all voices were not heard and that some voices were “silenced” is a lie. The matter has been aired as thoroughly as any in the state’s recent history. “Fighting Sioux” fans can make all the noise they want at Saturday’s rally, but they bring nothing new to the debate, nothing credible to the discussion.Comment:  For more on the Fighting Sioux, see NCAA Threatens Sanctions for "Sioux" and "Sioux" Supporters = 5-Year-Olds.

NCAA threatens sanctions for "Sioux"

NCAA threatens sanctions for saying ‘Sioux’

By Bob CollinsThe NCAA has reportedly told the University of North Dakota not to let fans of the former Fighting Sioux mess with the end of the National Anthem.

The UND crowd often ends the anthem with “the home of the Sioux” rather than the “home of the brave.”

The NCAA has forced the school to abandon its Native American nickname and mascot. UND is currently weighing new nicknames.

But Forum News Service reports the NCAA has told UND President Robert Kelley that the school could face sanctions if it continues to allow the crowd its freedom of speech, although the NCAA didn’t actually characterize it that way.Comment:  For more on the Fighting Sioux, see "Sioux" Supporters = 5-Year-Olds and Sammy Sioux and Sally Squaw.

"Sioux" supporters = 5-year-olds

If you haven't been following the "Fighting Sioux" story, UND's mascot lovers are now calling themselves The Sioux Were Silenced. They're campaigning for the school to use the label "University of North Dakota" rather than choose another mascot.

Do they like the unadorned name for aesthetic reasons? Hardly. Here's what's really going on:

LETTER: 'No nickname' fans sure do like 'Sioux' jerseys

By Jeff WillertOn July 25, the front-page photo accompanying a story on the prospects for the "UND/North Dakota" nickname shows supporters of that nickname wearing "Sioux" jerseys and holding "We are the Sioux forever" signs.

Meanwhile, almost no one in the photo is wearing an item of clothing that bears the actual name being considered: UND/North Dakota.

The same goes for the hockey and football games I've seen on TV. The seats are full of "Sioux" jerseys, shirts, hats and so on.

What that says to me is that the UND/North Dakota nickname supporters want no nickname in an attempt to preserve the "Sioux" nickname. Otherwise, if they are so happy with UND/North Dakota as their new nickname, why aren't they wearing UND/North Dakota clothing and holding UND/North Dakota signs?

This obviously bitter attitude of "fine, no Fighting Sioux, then we'll show you; we'll have nothing!" needs to be put to rest. It's the position that some 5-year-old kids would take.

LETTER: Petulance of some UND fans discredits university

By Andrew HertingI oppose the use of "North Dakota" as a nickname for UND, because I feel that most of the individuals who support this choice see it as a protest vote. That is to say, by choosing this nickname, students and other stakeholders are expressing opposition to the retirement of "Fighting Sioux" as the school nickname.

Essentially, they are signaling that if they cannot have their old nickname, that they would rather have no nickname at all.And:I have seen firsthand that many outside the region view UND students suspiciously due to their tenacious support of a label viewed by many as insensitive at best. The refusal to replace the name sends the message that UND students view their right to continue to use a tribal name as more important than their desire to convey respect toward the American Indian community.

Students rightly recognize that blocking the introduction of a new nickname will protect the old name from being replaced. For this reason, I urge UND student government to take a leadership role in discouraging the UND student body from backing the "North Dakota" nickname.Comment:  For more on the Fighting Sioux, see Sammy Sioux and Sally Squaw and "Siouxper Drunk" = Hostile and Abusive.

Vanishing Indians in As an Oak Tree Grows

Rewriting History: American Indians, Europeans, and an Oak Tree (Loudness in the Library Year Three, Part 3)

By Bank Street College Center for Children's LiteratureI did a double-take when I cracked open As An Oak Tree Grows*, a 2014 book that inaccurately reflects the history of European and Native American interactions. In the story, which traces the life of an oak tree (planted as an acorn by a young Native boy), the Native character simply disappears as the Europeans move in. Bank Street students, who participate in extensive curricula on unlearning Native stereotypes, immediately recognized this as problematic, because it erases the conflicts and violence that arose when Native people fought to defend their homes and land from colonial invasion. As one student noted,

“Because it’s a children’s book, they wanted to make it ‘nicer.’ ”

Working together, teachers and kids identified three primary areas of concern with As An Oak Tree Grows:

The pictures show a lot of empty land, as if it was uninhabited; one wigwam appears in the first two pages, alongside a vast wilderness.Where is the Native child’s community? The pictures send the message that the land was largely empty and there for the taking. Students said:

“If you don’t give kids the right images, they get the wrong ideas.”

“If kids don’t see other stories, they might think this is the truth.”

“These books shape a child’s mind.”

“The illustrations should show more of the truth.”

Then, there’s this text:

“The boy grew up and moved away.”

Kids were puzzled because they knew that the larger story of Native/European interaction is one in which Europeans forcibly removed and/or killed huge portions of Native populations.

“‘The boy grew up and moved away’? That didn’t happen.”

“They were there first. It is very unlikely that the boy just moved away.”Vanishing Indian = "detail"?

This posting led to a lively exchange of views in the comments section. First, a defense of the book:I am all for diversity and truth in literature but not every single story has to contain all the details about every situation. I’ve read this wonderful book–about a tree–and if you’re concentrating on how many wigwams are in the picture or whether the boy moved away or his throat was slit and he was buried in a mud bog, you’re missing the point. The story is about a tree. A tree that is manages to live long enough to witness a lot of things, good and bad. A child, reading about this tree does not need to know the details of what went on while the tree was alive. It’s inappropriate and distracting to include so much extraneous detail when the story is meant to be so simple and beautiful. I agree that children can and should be included in the true story of what goes on in life….in the appropriate venue. G. Brian Karas is a wonderful author and a gifted artist and I hate to see his work held hostage by people who wish he’d made their choices. It’s part of the trend of censorship in the guise of political correctness. His book, his choices. Mr. Karas, you’ve created an amazing book. Don’t bend over backwards to please everyone else. You’ll only end just bending over.Followed by a rebuttal:The fact that you dismiss the history of violence that Europeans enacted against Native populations as “details” that cause me to “miss the point” of the book sends the message that you, in fact, are missing the point of this post. The point is, with simple adjustments to the pictures and the text (adjustments which the kids suggested themselves), the book could have been more respectful towards Native populations, not to mention more historically accurate–an important factor for a Non-Fiction book. Including the truth about Native/European interactions would not have subsumed the rest of the book, it would have made for a better book.

You say, “A child, reading about this tree does not need to know the details of what went on while the tree was alive.” But, a Native child might pick up this book and immediately recognize it as an erasure of his/her history.

For that matter, a Native child browsing the internet might also stumble across your comment above, in which you so blithely characterize “whether… his throat was slit and he was buried in a mud bog” as a “detail” that doesn’t matter, and is, in fact, “inappropriate and distracting.” How do you imagine a Native child would feel, upon reading that? Debbie rightly points out that this language and the sentiment behind it are extremely offensive. It sends a message that white people have the right to cling to a false, Romanticized version of history. Ultimately, it sends a message that non-Native people matter more than Native people.

Finally, your accusation of censorship is both false and hypocritical. My post makes no suggestion that any libraries or bookstores should remove AS AN OAK TREE GROWS from their shelves, nor do I suggest that anybody should not have the right to write or publish anything they desire. In fact, my first post of this series (https://bankstreetcollegeccl.wordpress.com/2015/08/10/kids-thoughts-on-censorship-loudness-in-the-library-year-three-part-1/) is all about censorship. You are confusing free speech with consequence-free speech. Just as the creators of AS AN OAK TREE GROWS had every right to publish this book, I also have every right to criticize it, and so do the children I teach.Comment:  Forget the slit throat--if you can. How would Native children feel after reading that their ancestors gave up their land voluntarily? Welcomed their own destruction? Vanished willingly into the mists of time?

I dunno. How would white children feel if the Europeans sprouted horns? Laid eggs? Turned into cockroaches that swarmed across the land? If Native children have to accept lies and omissions in "nonfiction" books, why shouldn't everyone have to do it? What makes the Native-oriented falsehoods more acceptable than the European-oriented ones?

For more on vanishing Indians, see Native Artifacts Aren't Antiquities and America Constructed to Erase Indians.