As a Sioux Native American, Vine Deloria Jr. has spent a lifetime in the shadow of the stereotypes that falsely represent his culture. In an essay from his book We Talk, You Listen, Deloria Jr. illustrates multiple stereotypes in order to instill a desire within minorities to embrace their heritage and destroy preconceived notions of minority groups, especially Native Americans. Deloria Jr. begins the essay by establishing the types of stereotypes Indians are facing. He alludes to multiple films and television shows to demonstrate the commonplace stereotypes within American society. Indians were portrayed simply as servants to white Americans. “Jay Silverheels [bailed] out the Lone Ranger,” and “Ed Ames [rescued] Daniel Boone” (727). Similarly,
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begins to discuss historical events that trivialize the history of minorities. This is achieved through a combination of understatement and irony. He begins by describing a school of thought in America in which whites “[plug] a few feathers, woolly heads, and sombreros into the famous events of American history” (731). Deloria Jr. then explains that Mexican children are only taught about the few Mexicans that helped Americans at the Alamo and the other side of history is disregarded. This establishes the loss of identity experienced by minorities as some Americans attempt to blend together every culture. In another case, Deloria Jr. mentions that “by emphasizing that black is beautiful or that Indians have contributed the names of rivers… many people feel that they have done justice to the group concerned” (730). This notion completely undermines any significant contribution from a minority. Additionally, it is said that “we should all love Indians because they contributed corn, squash, … and other agricultural products” (731). All of the aforementioned understatements contribute to the invalidation of minorities by claiming that all they can do is help Americans, or be pretty, or grow tasty crops. This sense of invalidity most definitely encourages minority groups to discover their true culture, not the culture imposed on
begins to discuss historical events that trivialize the history of minorities. This is achieved through a combination of understatement and irony. He begins by describing a school of thought in America in which whites “[plug] a few feathers, woolly heads, and sombreros into the famous events of American history” (731). Deloria Jr. then explains that Mexican children are only taught about the few Mexicans that helped Americans at the Alamo and the other side of history is disregarded. This establishes the loss of identity experienced by minorities as some Americans attempt to blend together every culture. In another case, Deloria Jr. mentions that “by emphasizing that black is beautiful or that Indians have contributed the names of rivers… many people feel that they have done justice to the group concerned” (730). This notion completely undermines any significant contribution from a minority. Additionally, it is said that “we should all love Indians because they contributed corn, squash, … and other agricultural products” (731). All of the aforementioned understatements contribute to the invalidation of minorities by claiming that all they can do is help Americans, or be pretty, or grow tasty crops. This sense of invalidity most definitely encourages minority groups to discover their true culture, not the culture imposed on