Hello Yvsa from Dale LCS37 on the forum
I got quite upset listening to Talk Radio a couple of days ago. Topic was 'The Language Police' by Diane Ravitch. I will type a couple of excerpts from it below. If you can, check the local library or local bookstore.. I bought mine yesterday.
It is about bias political correct censorship on the authors and illustrators of School Text Books. How can we learn of other peoples if it is all censored? No wonder our school children are being dumbed down and we don't know anything about life's realities. No wonder so many Parents are Home Schooling AND many efforts are being made to STOP Home Schooling.
How can we learn of other peoples if it is all censored?
Depends on whether it is actually being censored or not, see further comments below.
"The language code tells how to describe the members of various American Indian groups; they must be identified as specific "nations," such as Shoshone, Ojibwa, or Choctaw, rather than by the generic term American Indian or Native American. Authors must ask the representative of the group itself what name they prefer, rather than relying on historical accounts (writers should refer to Kakota, Dakota, or Nakota, not Sioux; to Tohono O'odham, not Papago; to Dine Nation, not Navajo). Some American Indian groups use the word nation; some use the word tribe. The members of the groups themselves should decide what identity they favor (the guidelines do not say how a writer is supposed to find out what the members of the group want to be called or whether they agree:
Dale this is the result of some people actually listening to us and calling us what we prefer.
Textbooks are expected to show the positive impact of American Indian groups (tribes?Nations?) on American history. For example, the guidelines tell authors to acknowledge the highly dubious notions the the Constitution of the United Sates of America was "patterned partially after the League of Five Nations----a union formed by five Iroquois nations." The fact that this debt is not mentioned in the well-documented constitutional debates is of no concern.
Dale this is a well known fact among us ndns. And from the accounts I've read well documented.
Textbook authors are expected to promulgate ideas that appeal to ethnic pride, even at the rish of endorsing spurious history. Authors are told to ask "American Indian experts" for their choice of role models rather than focusing on familiar figures like Sacagawea, who helped European Americans (the point is to exclude her precisely because she is known for helping European American exploresrs) The word Eskimo is out, to be replaced by native Alaskan groups or specific names such as Inupiak and Yupik. Writers must be neutral in describing conflicts between the U.S. government and American Indians; they may not sescribe a victory for the U.S. cavalry as a battle and a victory for American Indians as a massacre." pg 36 and 37
I think this is a good thing as every historical site I've seen where the US won it was a battle, but where the ndns won it was a massacre. It isn't necessarily the truth the way these things are normally described.
The battle of the Greasy Grass or more commonly Custer's Last Stand is a good example. What most people don't know is that Custer was formally adopted by the Cheyenne and was given the name, "Morning Star."
Custer's body wasn't disfigured because of this, however the Cheyenne ladies did use their sewing awls to clean out his ears so that in the next life he would be better able to hear.
We call ourselves by some of the non-ndn names the non-ndns gave us just like the African Americans do, but we don't like it when it's used by non-ndns as they have no right.
Oklahoma is changing the place names such as Squaw Creek and the like to names that doesn't offend us. It's too bad that some other states such as Arizona doesn't listen although one of the Arizona represenatives as proposed changing the name of Squaw Peak, Squaw Beltway and the other Squaw place names to Jessica Lynch Peak, Beltway and etc.
Squaw Peak was once called Squaw Tit Peak, but was changed when the white women started to come into the surrounding area as it was offensive to them.
We don't like being used as mascots either. The Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, the Kansas City Chief's and other mascot named sports should be renamed.
You can bet your ass these names would have already been changed if they were
such as Washington N****r's, Cleveland K**k's and the Kansas City W*p's!!!!
Pg 45 "When portraying Native Americans, illustrators must avoid the stereotyed image of long hair, braids, and headbands; they must not depict red skin, impassive expressions, "how" guestures, warlike stances, and comic poses. They must also avoid full headdress, feathers, buffalo robes, war paint, and bows and arrows. Native Americans must not be shown living in teepees surrounded by totem poles and pinto horses or living in shacks or on reservations. Males should not appear hunting or in war parties or passing the peace pipe. Females should not be shown sewing buffalo hides, drinding corn, or carrying papooses. Contmprary native Americans should not be working on ranches or in menial jobs or in skyscraper construction (they should be lawyers, teachers, sports figures, and professionals). Again, the world may not be deficted as it is and as it was, but only as the guidelin writers wouild like it to be.
This is also a good thing as many of us aren't red in color even though we may be very dark and some of us have skin color and features that we can pass as white should we want to. Some tribes even have color almost as deep as the negroid peoples.
We didn't all wear braids or have buffalo robes nor used the hau (how) gesture.
The people that lived in tipis did not have totem poles.
And not all of us had what is commonly known as the "Peace Pipe" and not many know the significance of the way of the Pipe.
We had children, not papooses.
Contmprary native Americans should not be working on ranches or in menial jobs or in skyscraper construction (they should be lawyers, teachers, sports figures, and professionals). Again, the world may not be deficted as it is and as it was, but only as the guidelin writers wouild like it to be.
This part is pure BS as many of us do work in these places and yet there are now many of us in careers such as a doctor, lawyer. Jim Thorpe, a Saux & Fox, was an honored Olympic figure and many of us are really good at sports.
There's really not a lot of difference between the ndn and non-ndn when it comes to what we do for a living.
No mention of Mount Rushmore, as it is sensitive to American Indians.
Yep!!!! We begged for the land to not be defaced!!!!
Yvsa, many many more examples and the thoughts behind the censorships Women can not be shown weeping or weak, but man can and it is encouraged. Housewife is a no no.
This is BS as well since men and women both cry. Housewife is an honored profession and one of the hardest jobs there is. If we had to pay our wife and the mother of our children wht they're worth most of us wouldn't have a wife as we couldn't afford one.
I cried a lot when my youngest son was killed in a motorcyle accident as I believe any father would.
I could go on and on, but try to read the book, if you would and I would really appreciate your comments.
Dale I have too many other irons in the fire to take on another cause. There's too many ndn issues that are near and dear to me, but I do appreciate you thinking me worthy.
I got quite upset listening to Talk Radio a couple of days ago. Topic was 'The Language Police' by Diane Ravitch. I will type a couple of excerpts from it below. If you can, check the local library or local bookstore.. I bought mine yesterday.
It is about bias political correct censorship on the authors and illustrators of School Text Books. How can we learn of other peoples if it is all censored? No wonder our school children are being dumbed down and we don't know anything about life's realities. No wonder so many Parents are Home Schooling AND many efforts are being made to STOP Home Schooling.
How can we learn of other peoples if it is all censored?
Depends on whether it is actually being censored or not, see further comments below.
"The language code tells how to describe the members of various American Indian groups; they must be identified as specific "nations," such as Shoshone, Ojibwa, or Choctaw, rather than by the generic term American Indian or Native American. Authors must ask the representative of the group itself what name they prefer, rather than relying on historical accounts (writers should refer to Kakota, Dakota, or Nakota, not Sioux; to Tohono O'odham, not Papago; to Dine Nation, not Navajo). Some American Indian groups use the word nation; some use the word tribe. The members of the groups themselves should decide what identity they favor (the guidelines do not say how a writer is supposed to find out what the members of the group want to be called or whether they agree:
Dale this is the result of some people actually listening to us and calling us what we prefer.
Textbooks are expected to show the positive impact of American Indian groups (tribes?Nations?) on American history. For example, the guidelines tell authors to acknowledge the highly dubious notions the the Constitution of the United Sates of America was "patterned partially after the League of Five Nations----a union formed by five Iroquois nations." The fact that this debt is not mentioned in the well-documented constitutional debates is of no concern.
Dale this is a well known fact among us ndns. And from the accounts I've read well documented.
Textbook authors are expected to promulgate ideas that appeal to ethnic pride, even at the rish of endorsing spurious history. Authors are told to ask "American Indian experts" for their choice of role models rather than focusing on familiar figures like Sacagawea, who helped European Americans (the point is to exclude her precisely because she is known for helping European American exploresrs) The word Eskimo is out, to be replaced by native Alaskan groups or specific names such as Inupiak and Yupik. Writers must be neutral in describing conflicts between the U.S. government and American Indians; they may not sescribe a victory for the U.S. cavalry as a battle and a victory for American Indians as a massacre." pg 36 and 37
I think this is a good thing as every historical site I've seen where the US won it was a battle, but where the ndns won it was a massacre. It isn't necessarily the truth the way these things are normally described.
The battle of the Greasy Grass or more commonly Custer's Last Stand is a good example. What most people don't know is that Custer was formally adopted by the Cheyenne and was given the name, "Morning Star."
Custer's body wasn't disfigured because of this, however the Cheyenne ladies did use their sewing awls to clean out his ears so that in the next life he would be better able to hear.
We call ourselves by some of the non-ndn names the non-ndns gave us just like the African Americans do, but we don't like it when it's used by non-ndns as they have no right.
Oklahoma is changing the place names such as Squaw Creek and the like to names that doesn't offend us. It's too bad that some other states such as Arizona doesn't listen although one of the Arizona represenatives as proposed changing the name of Squaw Peak, Squaw Beltway and the other Squaw place names to Jessica Lynch Peak, Beltway and etc.
Squaw Peak was once called Squaw Tit Peak, but was changed when the white women started to come into the surrounding area as it was offensive to them.
We don't like being used as mascots either. The Washington Redskins, Cleveland Indians, the Kansas City Chief's and other mascot named sports should be renamed.
You can bet your ass these names would have already been changed if they were
such as Washington N****r's, Cleveland K**k's and the Kansas City W*p's!!!!
Pg 45 "When portraying Native Americans, illustrators must avoid the stereotyed image of long hair, braids, and headbands; they must not depict red skin, impassive expressions, "how" guestures, warlike stances, and comic poses. They must also avoid full headdress, feathers, buffalo robes, war paint, and bows and arrows. Native Americans must not be shown living in teepees surrounded by totem poles and pinto horses or living in shacks or on reservations. Males should not appear hunting or in war parties or passing the peace pipe. Females should not be shown sewing buffalo hides, drinding corn, or carrying papooses. Contmprary native Americans should not be working on ranches or in menial jobs or in skyscraper construction (they should be lawyers, teachers, sports figures, and professionals). Again, the world may not be deficted as it is and as it was, but only as the guidelin writers wouild like it to be.
This is also a good thing as many of us aren't red in color even though we may be very dark and some of us have skin color and features that we can pass as white should we want to. Some tribes even have color almost as deep as the negroid peoples.
We didn't all wear braids or have buffalo robes nor used the hau (how) gesture.
The people that lived in tipis did not have totem poles.
And not all of us had what is commonly known as the "Peace Pipe" and not many know the significance of the way of the Pipe.
We had children, not papooses.
Contmprary native Americans should not be working on ranches or in menial jobs or in skyscraper construction (they should be lawyers, teachers, sports figures, and professionals). Again, the world may not be deficted as it is and as it was, but only as the guidelin writers wouild like it to be.
This part is pure BS as many of us do work in these places and yet there are now many of us in careers such as a doctor, lawyer. Jim Thorpe, a Saux & Fox, was an honored Olympic figure and many of us are really good at sports.
There's really not a lot of difference between the ndn and non-ndn when it comes to what we do for a living.
No mention of Mount Rushmore, as it is sensitive to American Indians.
Yep!!!! We begged for the land to not be defaced!!!!
Yvsa, many many more examples and the thoughts behind the censorships Women can not be shown weeping or weak, but man can and it is encouraged. Housewife is a no no.
This is BS as well since men and women both cry. Housewife is an honored profession and one of the hardest jobs there is. If we had to pay our wife and the mother of our children wht they're worth most of us wouldn't have a wife as we couldn't afford one.
I cried a lot when my youngest son was killed in a motorcyle accident as I believe any father would.
I could go on and on, but try to read the book, if you would and I would really appreciate your comments.
Dale I have too many other irons in the fire to take on another cause. There's too many ndn issues that are near and dear to me, but I do appreciate you thinking me worthy.
