What's in a name? The naming of Native Americans and everyone else *spawn

[Shortbread]

To all the peoples of the world who aren't bigoted American's clinging to a hate-filled history (which includes non-racist Americans), what are we supposed to call the people's of North America who predate the European colonies?

Today, by their tribal name and/or affiliation when possible.

Back then, after the first European settlers figured out that they weren't in the Indies or whatever land they mistaken the natives and indigenous people from? Maybe not naming them at all, or keeping it simple after realizing their mistake (the natives or people of the land). Or possibly waiting for the dialect and/or translation to become more common between them. Not the centuries of perpetuating their fuck-up, which then snowballed into more negative connotations and brutal practices.

As a Briton, and Englishman, I don't share the same history and word-values as other English speakers form over the Atlantic, and a word that might be laced with hostility over there can be completely harmless over here and when used by other people not associated with that history.

That I can see, and 100% agree upon.

I definitely don't see everything as being black & white, but some areas that are gray. Or, is it grey for you Brits!?

 

[AlNom]

eyyyyyy

 

[WhiningKhan]

Coming late into this thread, but...
Consider the affair with eskimo/inuit/yupik terms. The first one purposedly refers to speaker of foreign language, term invented by their neighbors. The nowadays recommended native inuit or yupik terms refer to 'real people'. Depending on your POV, you can see controversy here if you want to.

If you start thinking too much into stuff like this, you just might end up upsetting yourself or somebody else.

 

[MfA]

Worrying about micro-agressions won't bring anyone happiness when accommodated ... I'll keep the peace and try to do so, but millions won't, not out of ill intent, but just the inertia of culture.

The ones who simply don't care about it are off much better than the ones who do.

 

[AlNom]

A fair assessment for status quo.

I don't think it's a problem here, just raising awareness and working through the details. I'd hope that's the sort of discussion that wouldn't be threatening rather than hashing out thought processes & associations.

That said, even I'd be a little nuts if I didn't think there are/were some issues raised by the next generations that I typically wouldn't have given a second thought about, but I think that's where openness is just to sit and listen, and if there's a logic to it, then adjust.


Or take off and nuke the entire site from orbit.