:
Ruel yo've always treated me with respect.
And what everyone is telling you is right on!!!!
Let it go......
You wouldn't believe some of the stories I can tell you about my experiences with racism, some of it is done in all innocence because most non-ndns aren't aware of certain facts.
For instance.....
Two of my grandkids and me were at the Gilcrease Museum here in Tulsa
and we were downstairs where an excellent display of Indin Artifacts
of all kinds are on display.
I was telling my grandkids what some of the items were used for and the meaning of others like the Plains Indins Head-dresses.
Each and _Every_ Eagle Feather in those head-dresses were earned by the man who wore it.
They were given in acknowledgement of a deed that brought good and well being to the people and were not given lightly or for mundane acts.
Anyway as I was telling the kids about this there were two ladies coming down the stairs.
One of them spoke up and said, "Oh!! Are you an Indian?"
The other replied, "Of course he's an Indian!!!! You can _tell_ by looking at him."
Well in this part of the country almost everyone has some degree of ndn blood and I would like to know how anyone can tell if someone's an indian by looking at them.
Hell I know several blonde haired and blue eyed indians who have more ndn blood than I do.
The next thing is a pet peeve of mine since I really have a problem with condescending people.
The first lady spoke up and said, "You know, what we done to the black people was really, really bad, but what we done to the indians was much worse."
I asked her if she really believed that and she replied, "Oh Yes!!!!
The things we did to the indians were much worse."
Then I told her, "Well if you really believe that why don't you become part of the solution instead part of the problem and help make it
stop."
That really puzzled her and she said, "What do you mean?"
So I told her.
I told her about Johnny Beartrack who was picked up by some non-ndns and was taken under a bridge and slaughtered by these so called men who gave him a ride and who did it just because he was ndn.
Johnny was a true warrior and he knew what was going to happen. You see Johnny was badly beaten before they drove him to the bridge in an out of the way place to kill
him.
Johnny had the presence of mind to write the cars license number down in his own blood in the palm of his hand.
That number helped to catch the people who done the deed and their punishment damned sure didn't meet the crime.
That's been the worst example here in recent years.
Personaly I have been followed through out an auto parts store in Nebraska.
A kind of funny story since I wound up telling the young man who was waiting on me that even though I might be a dumb ndn I damned sure wasn't a stupid one.
I was looking for a bushing that fit the windshield wipers of a '67 Dodge Aspen, and when I found it after being told repeatedly that they didn't have said part, that it was a Chrysler part and not Dodge.
I asked the young man just who in the hell did he think made Dodge cars.
Then Barb and me was once at a barbeque place that was frequented by cowboys and we both were getting concerned that I was going to have to play cowboys and ndns before we got out of there.
And there are many, many more examples. Some where I was more concerned than others about getting away in one piece.
And now there are places I do avoid just because it isn't wise for me to be there at my age and condition.
And although words can cut and cause hurt they are just words and can be sloughed off and let go.
Don't worry about the a**holes until it really gets serious and where you can be physically hurt.
I like what Doc said about arguing with an Idiot.
I find that very true.
And sometimes it's really funny to be a dumb ndn although not a stupid one.
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Yvsa.
"VEGETARIAN".............
Indin word for lousy hunter.
