I have an opinion, do you?

@GardenGerty (169474)
United States
April 13, 2019 9:47pm CST
Image is of the statue "The Keeper of the Plains" and its reflection. This is where the Little Arkansas and Arkansas River meet. It is breathtaking in person. A discussion by @rebelann49 made me think of this idea. She was posting that we have black history month and supposedly the month of November is dedicated to the history of Native Americans, although we have never heard this. I will start out by saying I have a tribal membership. My heritage can be traced back to the time when Native Americans, at least in Oklahoma, were to be enrolled in the Dawes Rolls. I know I need to research it more. My grandmother was enrolled in 1907, when she was seven years old, as a member of the Choctaw Nation. I have seen images of this online. What I have an opinion on, though, is the usage of tribal terms for school identification, or for professional sports teams. I do not mind it for public schools. Calling themselves Braves or Warriors is not offensive to me. Redskins, possibly would be offensive. Names that depict characteristics of valor, or family seem to me to be done in admiration. I know this has been a controversy for years. The fact that our district is known as the Warriors is no more insulting than the next district being the Trojans, or another district being the Vikings. I grew up as a "Rocket" in Jr. Hi and a "Bomber" in high school because I lived near an Air Force Base. My kids were Bull Pups because a local private college was the Bull Dogs. What I see in the classrooms in our school district is respect. The text books are pretty factual about hardships, friendships, enemies and broken treaties. We have archaeological finds nearby that pertain to native Americans. "Kansas" and "Arkansas" are both misread spellings of the names of tribes that were here first, the Kauza or Kausa was the actual name of the tribe. Someone had bad handwriting and it became Kanza. We have the Mid-America All Indian Center in Wichita, Ks., and a beautiful statue called The Keeper of the Plains on the Arkansas River. The Indian Center is a museum and cultural center where many tribes meet at different times. So anyway, in my opinion there is nothing wrong with school districts using depictions of Native Americans, as long as it is not done in a mocking or disrespectful way. You may not agree with me, but I am certain we can still be friends.
14 people like this
11 responses
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
14 Apr 19
Yes I agree. I am Irish,with what I am told, black foot Native American Indian. I have yet to research it but when I look at myself, I look Irish but my ways are Native American Indian.
4 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
I would love to get a test from ancestry.com or 23 and me to learn about the crazy mixed up blood lines in my history. Hubby too. He is supposedly related to Tsar Nicholas the II and I am supposedly as much Jewish and Swedish as I am Native American. I am fascinated by all of it.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
@andriaperry If we admit it, we are.
@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
14 Apr 19
@GardenGerty Seems like we all are heniz 57`s.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502427)
• Italy
14 Apr 19
Of course I agree with you, you can say everything, the words can be said to explain things or in a way they sound "offensive". It's always a matter how you say things.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
In the US many people say that schools should not use Native American symbolism for mascots. They say it is a mockery.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
16 Apr 19
@LadyDuck I do not either. It is no different than calling a team "The Fighting Irish" or the "Celtics".
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502427)
• Italy
14 Apr 19
@GardenGerty I do not believe it is a mockery, I do not see this as a mockery.
1 person likes this
@kareng (80243)
• United States
14 Apr 19
I agree with you and love your post. Lots of information on tribal history! There is no need for disrespect in the world. If only we could get past that!
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
We all have a lot to learn. We can choose to let differences separate us, or we can let them educate us.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
14 Apr 19
It is the people who are sometimes offensive, not the words.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
I love your comment, and I see it is in keeping with your recent post about people needing filters more than words do.
2 people like this
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
14 Apr 19
@GardenGerty Even words can mean one thing or the oposite depending on the tone of the voice. Of course that cannot be shown in writing.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
@marguicha That is one reason texting and online chatting can sometimes cause troubles.
1 person likes this
• China
14 Apr 19
I remember you have mentioned the tribal membership in a previous post.At school,I obtained some knowledge about American history, including Leifr EirĂ­ksson,Cristoforo Colombo and Indian.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
It would be interesting to see how our history is represented in other countries. Sometimes people forget that American Indians actually were many diverse nations and had many differences, just as there are many different heritages from Africa, or from Europe.
1 person likes this
• China
15 Apr 19
@GardenGerty Yes,before now I didn't know those things.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98005)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
14 Apr 19
I totally agree with you. As long as it is done in a way that is not offensive to anyone.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
That is the key. Respect.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135731)
• Marion, Ohio
14 Apr 19
It dont bother me either. I know my great grandmother was supposed to be full indian, but I never hear what tripe she was from. But too me they are just words. The school I went to is called the comets. I have no idea where they came up with that.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
15 Apr 19
Yeah, sometimes you wonder where some of these names do come from. The district that has the Vikings is made up of many groups of Scandinavian people. The communities that have the Teutons, have Germanic heritage. Now I do not know why the school that has the Trojans chose that particular mascot, except that perhaps they wanted to be known as brave fighters.On the sports field.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
14 Apr 19
I agree with you. Respect is needed in every culture. I have an Indian heritage also.
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
14 Apr 19
Actually many of us do. We just do not always learn much about it. But we need to respect all of our roots.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Apr 19
It's the respectfulness that is the main thing. That statue looks very special.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
15 Apr 19
I love to see this statue as we drive through the west part of Wichita. Yes, respect is key, whether for Native Americans, or Irish immigrants that built the railroads or Chinese that had a big part in supporting our westward expansion. All are important parts of our past.
1 person likes this
@norcal (4889)
• Franklinton, North Carolina
14 Apr 19
I don't see anything here to disagree with. The statue is very beautiful. I've been told that I have some Native American ancestry on my mother's side, but certainly not very much. Nobody in my family is a member of any tribe.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
15 Apr 19
Different tribes have different qualifications to be members. My particular tribe, the Choctaw tribe says it is quality, not quantity that counts, as I am a very small perceentage, but because I can show my family history, it counts.
1 person likes this
@thelme55 (79324)
• Germany
14 Apr 19
I agree with you. Of course you have your own opinion. It is just how the way you say it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169474)
• United States
15 Apr 19
In the local area there have been many people who are very vocal about using these depictions for schools, saying it is disrespectful. I can kind of see the point about the Washington Redskins, as that is picking on a physical characteristic, but as I said, Warriors, Vikings and Teutons are not meant disparagingly. So, knowing how some people I know in real life feel, I was not sure of my reception here. It seems myLotters are reasonable not condemning.
1 person likes this