The “Indians”
Racism in this country has lived on throughout many generations and even centuries. In its early days this country went through slavery, and even the civil rights movement which segregated many blacks of the time. Racism, however, also was a part of this country before it even became a country and was known just as North America. In the Late 1400s Spanish settlers in search of the new world set off to explore and find new land. What these settlers were expecting, however, was that they would be landing in the West Indies, and boy were they completely wrong. As they landed these settlers actually were stepping foot onto North American soil expecting to be in the West Indies. The catch is that there were actually people already …show more content…
The Lone Ranger Story has several instances where racism occurs and so does the documentary as well. Both of these when dealing with racism also tends to include stereotypes as well. Alexie states, "He looked me over so he could describe me to the police later. I knew the look." (Alexie 15) With this quote in the story Sherman is basically describing a small situation where the main character is simply just walking into the store to buy a popsicle but even in that situation he is still dealt with racism. The clerk is looking at the main character as if he were a criminal about to rob the store and looking him over just in case he needed to give the police officer his description. This, however, isn 't the only sign of racism that the story reflects on. Sherman Alexie also writes, ""Can I help you?" the 7-11 clerk asked me loudly, searching for some response that would reassure him that I wasn 't an armed robber. He knew this dark skin and long, black hair of mine was dangerous. I had potential." (Alexie 15) As we see from this statement, Native Americans deal with racism and stereotypes so much that it is to a point where even they themselves would know what the stereotype was/is. He knew because he was of darker complexion and because of how long his hair is that he would be questioned in a very disrespectful way by this store clerk from 7-11. He knows …show more content…
With both of these we see how each of the people described in the story as well as the documentary don 't have the same opportunities or even the factors of our everyday life that us normal Americans would have. Sherman states in the story, "But I was special, a former college student, a smart kid. I was one of those Indians who was supposed to make it, to rise above the rest of the reservation like a fucking eagle or something. I was the new kind of warrior." (Alexie 18) The main character who although he broke out of his shell and was one of few to do that who come from the reservation, still deals with unequal opportunities even though the quote doesn 't directly state that. From this quote it 's basically telling us that very few will leave the reservation and become successful and that 's all they really have is those true few. Had they originally been presented with the equal opportunity the poverty in these reservations wouldn 't be so high and they would be far more educated than what they are right now. The government is essentially slowing down a whole group of people from their own goals. Another problem with the unequal opportunities, however, is that many people in the reservations become alcoholics or even worse the suicide rate is very high as well. Alexie writes, "" Are you drinking?", “No, I 've been on the
Racism in this country has lived on throughout many generations and even centuries. In its early days this country went through slavery, and even the civil rights movement which segregated many blacks of the time. Racism, however, also was a part of this country before it even became a country and was known just as North America. In the Late 1400s Spanish settlers in search of the new world set off to explore and find new land. What these settlers were expecting, however, was that they would be landing in the West Indies, and boy were they completely wrong. As they landed these settlers actually were stepping foot onto North American soil expecting to be in the West Indies. The catch is that there were actually people already …show more content…
The Lone Ranger Story has several instances where racism occurs and so does the documentary as well. Both of these when dealing with racism also tends to include stereotypes as well. Alexie states, "He looked me over so he could describe me to the police later. I knew the look." (Alexie 15) With this quote in the story Sherman is basically describing a small situation where the main character is simply just walking into the store to buy a popsicle but even in that situation he is still dealt with racism. The clerk is looking at the main character as if he were a criminal about to rob the store and looking him over just in case he needed to give the police officer his description. This, however, isn 't the only sign of racism that the story reflects on. Sherman Alexie also writes, ""Can I help you?" the 7-11 clerk asked me loudly, searching for some response that would reassure him that I wasn 't an armed robber. He knew this dark skin and long, black hair of mine was dangerous. I had potential." (Alexie 15) As we see from this statement, Native Americans deal with racism and stereotypes so much that it is to a point where even they themselves would know what the stereotype was/is. He knew because he was of darker complexion and because of how long his hair is that he would be questioned in a very disrespectful way by this store clerk from 7-11. He knows …show more content…
With both of these we see how each of the people described in the story as well as the documentary don 't have the same opportunities or even the factors of our everyday life that us normal Americans would have. Sherman states in the story, "But I was special, a former college student, a smart kid. I was one of those Indians who was supposed to make it, to rise above the rest of the reservation like a fucking eagle or something. I was the new kind of warrior." (Alexie 18) The main character who although he broke out of his shell and was one of few to do that who come from the reservation, still deals with unequal opportunities even though the quote doesn 't directly state that. From this quote it 's basically telling us that very few will leave the reservation and become successful and that 's all they really have is those true few. Had they originally been presented with the equal opportunity the poverty in these reservations wouldn 't be so high and they would be far more educated than what they are right now. The government is essentially slowing down a whole group of people from their own goals. Another problem with the unequal opportunities, however, is that many people in the reservations become alcoholics or even worse the suicide rate is very high as well. Alexie writes, "" Are you drinking?", “No, I 've been on the