On Tue, 20 Mar 2001 15:11:13 -0500
Geoffrey Young <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> actually, we may have a winner with the Native American and lamp idea.
> A
> coworker suggested a peace pipe (picture an indian smoking perl) instead
> of
> a lamp, since you don't see warriors holding lamps often. maybe some
> smoke
> signals?
I am not trolling here nor am I particularly trying to be 'politically
correct' but after seeing Sherman Alexie's award winning movie "Smoke
Signals" and listening to him (just yesterday on 60 Minutes II) I have a
developed a new understanding and respect for Native American symbologies
and their relegious significance to them.
To quote Alexie:(http://www.fallsapart.com/art-side.html)
"Alexie: It's part of the national consciousness. If people start dealing
with Indian culture and Indian peoples truthfully in this country, we're
going to have to start dealing with the genocide that happened here. In
order to start dealing truthfully with our cultures, they have to start
dealing truthfully with that great sin, the original sin of this country,
and that's not going to happen.
Just look at the sports teams. You couldn't have a team called the
Washington Kikes or the Washington Micks. But yet you can have the
Washington Redskins and this Indian with a big nose and big lips running
around. How would you feel if it was the Washington Rabbis and you had a
guy with braids running around throwing bagels? Or the Washington Jesuits
with some guy handing out communion wafers. It wouldn't happen. So, it's
an insult. It's proof of the ways in which we get ignored."
So it MIGHT be distasteful to use these Native American metaphors no
matter how innocuous they might seem to us.
My 2cents worth,
bakki
--
.-. | Bakki Kudva__________________Open Source EDMS______
oo| | Navaco ph: 814-833-2592
/`'\ | 420 Pasadena Drive fax: 603-947-5747
(\_;/) | Erie, PA 16505 http://www.navaco.com/
