Indian raceist?

Question

is the word Indian raceist i said it today and my teacher whent on a 10 minut rant about how it was raceist and politicly incorect and the proper word is native amarician!

Answer 1

The word is not racist. Emphatically no!

However, it is somewhat inaccurate in that it is a term that Columbus and the early Spanish explorers used (Spanish indios, English indians, Dutch Indianer)) for all of the native inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere.

Recent research indicates that there were at least 3 migrations to the Americas from Eurasia (Europe & Asia).

The first migration, about 12,000 years ago, brought over the ancestors of the Indian tribes living east of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. and Canada, and most of Indians of South America, and just a few of the tribes living west of the Rockies speaking Hokan-Siouan languages.

The second migration about 8,000 years ago, brought over the ancestors of most of the Indians of Alaska, Western Canada and the Continental United States, Mexico, Central America and northern Colombia.

The last migration, about 2,500 years ago, brought over the Aleuts and Eskimos.

There is no evidence that any of these three groups are closely related to each other either genetically or linguistically. Therefore, if you were to call all of these people "Mongoloid," I would say once again, that you are not being "racist" just inaccurate.

Most Indians I have known don't object to the term "Indian." Strangely, it just seems to be a certain type of White liberal that does. I usually use the term "American Indian" and have found that this is the name my (American) Indian friends and colleagues like best!

Answer 2

Strictly speaking, the word Indian is proper of someone from India or whose ethnicity originates in Indian. Here in the UK we have read and heard much in newspapers and on TV about how Native Americans like to be called Native Americans, and to us it seems fare enough. This has to be balanced, however, against the reality of people's everyday day speech and linguistic history. I personally get very irritated by politically correct morons urging incorrect use of the language I have spoken and loved for nearly 60 years becuase they have taken some neurotic offnce at the use of a particular phrase or word. For example, although the traditional English word for a person who presides over a meeting is "Chairman", I am now told I must say "chairperson" - an abomination - or "chair" - which is more bearable but still incorrect use of the language. Thanks to our brethren over the pond in the USA, "housewives" are now rapidly becoming "homemakers" - a dreadful patronising word - and how long will it be before that term also becomes taboo? A person who is totally unable to see will assure you that he is not "visually challenged", he is blind; and so on.

I cannot wait for Hollywood to turn out the next remake of the life of General Custer - with the immortal phrase: "Holy sh*t! Look at all them f**king Native Americans".

The USA is a country which I love and is the adopted country of my sister, now a US citizen. I have not had many opportunites to visit and cannot wait for my next planned visit next year. The last time I was there, however, I was must amused to see a shop in Quincy, Mass., owned and run by "Native Americans", with the sign "Indian Craftwork" emblazoned over the door!!!

Answer 3

Words have no meaning on their own, only the meaning we associate with them, if you use any word in a hateful context or racist it is so. If you didn't mean it as an insult or intend to be racist, then no it isn't. People take words different ways and vulgar words can be used in friendly context among pals, like me and my friends usually do, and you can use a non-threatening word in a a threatening way. And with our over-sensitive politically correct world, everything is offending now days, but no, Indian isn't racist because it doesn't put them down, as i remember it they were mistakenly called that because Columbus thought he was in India, the place he was looking for, I dont see how that degrades native Americans in anyway, but I do prefer the word to clear up confusion about which group you are talking about. I don't think your teacher should of ranted for 10mins about a trivial issue like that.

Answer 4

sure, we ought to continually supply the country lower back to the Indians. per chance you would pick to live to inform the tale a reservation? this isn't racism, it really is ethnic and that is not any longer racism. i'm white and fall sick and bored stiff in being reported as an Aryan pores and skin head. I also develop into bored stiff in being reported as a Honky and any of countless different issues. it really is life and that i stay with it. in case you pick to stay in this u . s . a . get used to what you should attend to. a minimum of you're not any more a Chink or a jap, an Okie or a Jew. per chance you would fairly be a Niger, Whop, or ****. Sorry about that, you're one among those very last 3 as you comprehend. reality is we are all something because none human beings have the perfect or suitable ancestry. by the fashion, my banker is Mexican. he's amazingly good at what he does and that i carry him contained in the optimal regard. he's an social gathering of what you attempt to do with your life. do not let coloration, race, ethnicity or the different prejudice get on your way.

Answer 5

the word isn't racist. The context may have been. But chances are that your teacher just needs to lighten up. Political correctness is just censorship at it's worst. I bet an indian didn't come up with the label native american.

Answer 6

well she shouldn't have ramped and raved for 10 minuts but it is true. Geographically Native American is proper for American Indian and Indian is from India. but yea in a way American Indian is our slang for Native American I guess among friends its OK to say

Answer 7

The different nations of native peoples, when refering to them as a group (i.e. not individually like Navajo, Pequot, etc.) say "Indian." It's as simple as that....Indios, Indigenous people...America's "Indians."

Answer 8

thts coz whn u say indian racisist.. u discriminate against indians.. so its more proper to say native americans..

Answer 9

I don't think it's racist, but I think it just makes you look ignorant since they aren't from India.

Answer 10

my friend is native american and gets hair cuts everyday and ditches us and is very irresponsible