By Tim Giago (Nanwica Kciji) Northern Bureau
Editor
What is a Nole?
In Tallahassee, Florida
you see this word on bumper stickers, t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps and hanging
on banners in the dormitories. You see it on signs in restaurant windows.
It is usually preceded by the word Go.
A Nole is actually the
name of the proud Seminole Nation cut in half.
One might as well take
the name of a great nation such as America and cut it in half. Go rica.
It's the same thing. Of course, the student body, faculty and alumni
of Florida State University believe they are honoring the Seminole people by
butchering their name, doing the tomahawk chop, singing atrocious chants,
painting their faces and sticking feathers in their hair. It is such an honor
to be ridiculed and mimicked.
Why would the people of the Seminole
Nation allow this bastardization of their tribal name? Do they refer to
themselves as Noles?
I stopped by the library the other day to look
up the word redskin. Most dated the word from 1699, listed it as a noun and
concluded it referred to American Indians and was; usually taken to be
offensive.
I will refer to "redskin" as the "R" word. The same
dictionaries translated the word "nigger" as; "a member of any dark-skinned
race" “usually taken to be offensive. This is now the infamous "N" word.
Usually taken to be offensive. Offensive; causing displeasure or resentment.
Offense; the act of displeasing or affronting; the state of being insulted or
morally outraged; a breach of moral or social code.
Now let's look at
the "R" word. You see it on flags, caps, t-shirts, sweat shirts, bumper
stickers, on banners hanging in restaurants and bars and I've even seen it on
paper weights.
What is the difference between the "R" word and the "N"
word? None. But, you do not see the "N"word on any of the items mentioned
above. Why not? Because it is a word that is usually taken to be offensive. Then why is the "R" word not looked upon in the same light? After all, it is a
word usually taken to be offensive. The "R" word has the very same meaning
to American Indian as the "N" word does to the African American.
Then
what is the difference? In the capitol of the United States, Washington, D.
C., a city that above all others should be more sensitive to racial slurs,
there is a football team that brings millions of dollars into the community, a
team that is honored by its fanatics (fan is a derivation of fanatics), and a
city where the "R" word is a part of the culture. Washington, D. C. has
a majority population of African Americans who despise the "N" word. Then why
doesn't this racial minority majority have more sensitivity to the use of the
"R" word?
Great leaders such as Tom Daschle (D-SD) and John McCain
(R-Ariz.) spend most of their time in Washington. Daschle comes from a state,
South Dakota , where the largest minority is the American Indian. McCain comes
from a state with an extremely large Indian population. Do they cheer for the
team that uses the "R" word as its mascot?
They sure as heck do not
speak out against its use. The hypocrisy and the dual standards in America in
believing that using the "R" word is alright while the use of the "N" word is
offensive boggles the mind. For our Nation's leaders to sit on their
hands while American Indians are demeaned on any given Sunday is the height of
hypocrisy.
Heh, Heh! Oh, its perfectly ducky to use the word
"Redskin", but boy, don't ever get caught using the word "Nigger". What
cowardice on the part of the editor of the Washington Post and on the part of
the elected officials who are in Washington to serve their states and
communities. How can they pretend the "R" word is not as offensive as the
"N" word? Why? Because the American Indian is viewed by leaders as powerful as
the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William Rehnquist, as
unimportant.
In the book The Brethren, Rehnquist referred to cases
involving Indians as shit cases. Shit cases?
Now what in the heck
does that do for the self-esteem and self-respect of the American Indians? I
am also appalled at the television and radio sports announcers who let the
offensive word "Redskin" roll off their tongue like honey. Would they be so
glib as to use the offensive word Nigger? Not on their lives and not on
their jobs!
In states like South Dakota and Arizona, where the
Indian population is huge, the newspapers and radio and television station
sports casters and writers have absolutely no shame in using the "R"
word.
There is always an exception. One man, that's right, one
man, a sports announcer for KOTA radio in Rapid City, S. D. never, never uses
the "R" word. His name is Bob Laskowski. He looks upon the word as it should
be looked at; offensive to American Indians. A large part of his listening
audience is American Indian. When I listen to Laskowski I realize there is
hope. Here is a man who understands an offensive word when he hears it. My
hope is that the rest of America will wake up to the same sensitivity and
understanding. In the meantime,
I hope the people of the Seminole
Nation begin to look at the "Noles" as another "N" word.
(c)
2002 Lakota Journal, www.lakotajournal.com