http://nonnativenativeart.blogspot.com/2012/04/helpful-hints-for-would-be-anti-racist.html********************************************************************
Monday, April 23, 2012
Helpful hints for would-be anti-racist, Indigenous Solidarity activists by Special Guest Blogger JosdadalvIf your "Indigenous Solidarity" group has no NDNs in it; if you have to work Real Hard to find an NDN person, any NDN person, to come speak to your group; and this search involves sending way-too-personal messages to strangers on the Internet...
you have a problem.
If the members of your all-white group think they are showing "solidarity" by speaking in a subcultural patois of Newage Bafflegab crossed with TontoSpeak...
you have a problem.
If your all-white, "Indigenous Solidarity" group has been meeting for six months and still hasn't met any NDNs....
really, you guys have a problem.
If your white members find an NDN who is kind enough to speak with them, and you then insist on representing that NDN to the rest of the all-white group, instead of letting them speak for themselves....
you Really. Have. A. Problem.If your all-white members then battle it out amongst themselves, sobbing at the NDN about your feelings, and trying to out-TontoSpeak the others in an effort to earn the right to speak for All NDNs Everywhere (because you spoke to one, single NDN who is still just a stranger from the Internet), while the NDN themself goes ignored and unwelcomed when they show up to speak with your group....
Seriously, you have such a serious problem, it's not going to work out for you. You might as well admit it now and just go back to being full-blown newage pretendians instead of trying to don the sheepskin camouflage of pretend activism, thinking the experienced activists won't smell you coming a mile away.
Oh yeah, and the NDNs you insulted, objectified and tokenized. They're pretty pissed at you. And laughing at you. And telling their friends. And relatives. And Elders. Just so you know.
"We are so honored that you have come to speak to us in a good way, cultural appropriation kitteh.
Aho. Hoka Hey. I know there are NDNs hiding in my family tree, I just haven't found them yet, sistah."
