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ealusaid
2011-07-12 02:43 am UTC (link)

I just spent a couple years working at a program for dropout kids in Canada, 95% of whom were First Nations or Métis. And the racism is incredible, and also at least up here, if the word can't apply to you, then do not use the word "Indian."

(Also, "Injun Joe"? How useless a name is that? How will that identify the guy in any other way from every other "Injun" named Joe? Or does he just spend all his time in the company of white people? Does he have no relatives?)

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ecchaniz0r
2011-07-12 02:54 am UTC (link)

Oh man. Yeah. It - it's not as bad as it was but it's still bad. But I'm glad there're programs like that in place. I worry a whole hell of a lot about programs like that GOING AWAY because people are dense about such things, and in the end when stuff like that happens we all lose.

'Indian' works that way in my neck of the woods too (ohai I'mma Canuck in Ontario *waves*). I know a bunch of people who use it as a 'oh yeah, by the way, your so-called pejorative? YOINKED! OUR WORD NOW :D' type deal, and a bunch who can't stand it and avoid it like whoa.

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ealusaid
2011-07-12 03:07 am UTC (link)

Where I was, it was absolutely, "I'M an Indian and proud of it, and you're not going to tell me what I can or can't call myself, so I can use it. YOU can't." So the non-aboriginal staff of every race used different words, because you can't automatically tell that "Indian" is meant respectfully, while it's easier with "First Nations". I mean, I still can't hear my white grandmother say "Indian" without hearing either "East-", "drunk", or "dirty" inaudibly attached to the front of it.

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	issendai 2011-07-12 04:43 am UTC (link)
	Please 'scuse a Yank's ignorance of Canadian race relations, but why is "East Indian" an insult? Google explained why Indo-Canadians find it annoying, but not why a white person would use it as an insult. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	ealusaid 2011-07-12 04:48 am UTC (link)
	Oh, it's not, sorry. g "East-Indian" is her way of saying someone from India, ie. an ethnicity she kind of likes and not at all like those OTHER Indians. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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