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Good luck Mark! Looking forward to hear from you soon 🙂
Thanks Arevik! I’ll be updating this as much as I can.
This is great, Mark! I look forward to your updates as you embark on this adventure!
Thanks Julie! I’ll do my best to stay diligent with these.
I look forward to your observations! Dealing with Native American issues is like navigating a mine field. Only what blows up if you step in the wrong direction is a learning experience instead, if you let it happen. One of my Native American friends told me to beware of Indian politics as they get way more dangerous and vicious than your average white can imagine. She was not exaggerating. You will offend people no matter your opinion. LISTEN to what Native Americans are saying. There is a fine line to walk between acknowledging America’s past crimes and atrocities against Indians and not being apologetic for being born. No person should ever regret being born.
Thank you for commenting! I agree, and I’m emotionally/mentally preparing myself for this minefield experience you describe. I truly want to help in whatever way I can, even if it is just listening. A Sioux that posted on a site that I frequent pointed to this video which details guilt vs. responsibility. I think it’s a great start in explaining how Americans should feel about these issues:
http://www.womanist-musings.com/2010/12/time-wise-on-guilt-vs-responsibility.html
This helped me a lot: http://thehundreds.com/meow/files/2010/09/beer-wolf.jpg
One of the best videos on the subject I have seen although I would leave out the anger part. Anger is too easy to succumb to and too hard to control. It has never worked either. what I observe a lot is white people seeking out Indians to learn about them and then spinning around and around arguing the white side unwilling to consider that someone else has had a different experience in life. Being of strong opinions I have been guilty of this myself but can easily accept new ideas and concepts. (Or at least consider them)
Racism towards Indians is so deeply ingrained in this country that even most of my liberal peace/culture loving friends are prejudiced. SAVE TIBET! but not the oppressed people in our own country.
I wholeheartedly agree. I think a lot of tragedies that happen outside of America end up taking precedence to the point of being trendy. A tsunami is like a pounding migraine while the plight of the natives is like a low, dull, throbbing headache. Obviously the larger, louder, more recent events are going to get the attention.
That being said, I really respect things like Aaron Huey’s billboard project and other things to get these issues into the public consciousness. Also, all too often people hide behind prejudice simply because the problem is so large that it’s easier to blame the people on the reservations for their problems rather than face the larger issue… bleh.
My idea (in the age of soundbites) is that Indians need to hire Chiat-Day or Weiden-Kennedy. Native American issues are the most misunderstood in this country. The issues simply do not make it to mainstream America in a positive way.
Well America always responds to natural disasters in other countries…its the National disasters we don’t acknowledge!
I’m glad you said that! Spread the word about this:
http://www.emphas.is/web/guest/discoverprojects?projectID=305#2
It’s Aaron Huey’s Billboard project with images he took on Pine Ridge. It’s exactly what you’re talking about.