[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I've said before that most of us, myself included, don't really care about Native Americans. Sure, I hope they can be afforded the best opportunities possible. And it's shameful what's happened to them. But a) their struggles are not top of mind for me ever, and b) (as horrible as it sounds) I'm honestly more fascinated than ashamed of things like the "Trail of Tears" I mean it was a horrible, terrible thing but their historical oppression doesn't make me want to rally for their support.

Likewise, nor does all the current problems NA communities now face-poverty, alcoholism, illiteracy, etc. But they are legit problems.

Anyhow, what I'm getting at is I think if you were to inject most of these NAs, like Ms. Blackhorse, with a truth serum. They would tell you that in reality the name isn't so offensive to them. And it's not really what they care about. But it's an easy way to get their voice heard. And their hope, I believe, is to leverage this cause for further awareness and help for more important needs for their communities.

Unfortunately, like I've said before, I think they'll find that most people who are so concerned about them when it comes to making sure their feelings don't get hurt because of a word that honestly no one truly associates with them, don't and won't care when it comes to other issues plaguing them.

I, for one, won't pretend like I ever cared

I suspect there's a lot of truth in this. I don't lay a lot of fault at the feet of the NA leaders who are using this as a rallying point. It baffles me why those who make this a story...the Wises/Costas/Florios of the world are so convinced that they're right that they won't even listen to counter argument. Hell, Wise blocks people on twitter who openly disagree with him. Not belligerent people...just people who dare to disagree. Florio today posts a headline that clearly states that the Va legislators who openly supported the name did so only for political purposes when he knows the same can be said of the 50 senators who did the opposite. He never framed that as so political maneuver. I hate when debate and discourse gets squashed so wantonly.