“God must love people of color— he made more of them then white people.” (9) This line stood out to me because its something I know to be true, but had never taken the time to consider previously. How is that as the minority we have become the dominant power? I am white, and as a white person, as a human being, I am frustrated by all of the horrible things that have been done to various peoples of color through out history and presently.
Stromberg’s Introduction was littered with powerful lines. I mean I already knew that our European ancestors were assholes (excuse my language), but Stromberg really drove home that concept.
“we might consider the extent to which the “Indian” is simply “white invention”…and “white image” having little to do with actually indigenous people.” (2)
“the transformation to consubstantiality, a shared sense of identity, was to be one way: the white way” (3)
“American Indians, burdened by a rhetoric and discourse of othering and often forced to participate in languages and forms not their own” (4)
“What futile gestures did [American Indians] make to an obdurate audience that could not would not hear them?” (4)
“Indians who speak or write on behalf of Native rights and cultures were and often still are addressing an audience that generally assumes its own superiority.” (5)
“For many American Indian speakers and writers, establishing a measure of identification with their white audience has been a primary demand.” (5)
While reading this Introduction I became more and more frustrated. What gave our ancestors the right to treat people of other colors like animals? Why did they put up with it?
Native Indians(or any other ethnic group for that matter) should not have to change their ways or their rhetoric to appease the white man. Something I have learned throughout this course is that rhetoric is affected by culture and culture is affected by various factor unique to that group of beings. American Indian culture is vastly different from White culture and therefore there rhetoric should differ from white rhetoric as well. American Indians should be allowed their own rhetoric, they should not have had to adopt a form white rhetoric just to be heard.
I agree with your rant. The white culture as a minority has abused its power and bullied other cultures to remain on top. However, if you look historically this has always been done it is a cycle that is perpetuated from Mesopotamia to colonization. Only through the last few decades has there been an acknowledgement of change. If you think about it the reason could be that there is no one left to colonize except that of certain tribes that have been untouched by civilization: The Arrow Tribe of the Amazon. Even still these indigenous people are being imposed upon by anthropologist which moves the cycle forward and edging closer and closer to colonization. Overall now we know it is wrong to create an extinction event for cultures but all the same it is a cycle that cannot apparently be broken.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with your rant. The problem I think lies in 1) our general willful ignorance about the problem because we do unconsciously think we are superior, 2) and because we cannot seem to leave other cultures alone. Part of this has to do with normal human curiosity, which is not a bad thing...until you pair it with our assumed superiority, then it becomes "well, your way is interesting, but you should really do it our way. You will be happier with our way." Basically, as the dominant culture and the minority, we seem to take on an unwanted role as a parental figure for other culture, even though they have been taking care of themselves long before we came to them, and will probably take care of themselves just as well if suddenly all white people died tomorrow. I find it an interesting dynamic, and I wonder how we could change it. Also, kudos on your line choices. Those were some of my favorites as well.
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