Video Reflection

After watching the movie I felt that racism is around us way more than sometimes we realize. A prime example of everyday racism can be demonstrated with major league baseball teams which have mascots such as the Cleveland Indians. Or even within our youth, they associate Indians living in wigwams on watersides due to how they are portrayed on television. Especially because when most people think of racism they think of African Americans almost automatically just because of the well known speeches (like ones by Martin Luther King Jr. is known for "I have a dream...") and struggles that they have dealt with. However there are other races and cultures around us that are also struggling with inequality such as the Indians or French. The video specialized on the Indians and their constant battle with keeping their faith and culture. Most people with Indian heritage don't like to admit their heritage and sometimes do not inform their children of their ancestry. I know personally my friend who attends UMF didn't find out she had Indian blood until her sophomore year and ended up getting a full scholarship for her remainder on campus. As wonderful as that is for my friend, it is sad that a group of people do not know their heritages due to discrimination. People took Indian's children away and sent them to reform schools in order to de-Indianize them. These children were on constant watch and was expected to be seen but not heard in many different ways and if they were to dare speak their own language they would be beaten. Which seems horrible because our country is all about freedom of speech and individuality. This was due to the fact that people believed if you took away a speech (which they did through reform schools) or group unit (by separating the families) then you took away their culture. Because Indians were lower in the economic strata these relationships meant the world to them. Discrimination towards Indians is not thought about usually when hearing the word, however this may be due to the fact that growing up we believed that the pilgrims were friendly towards the Indians when in reality they hated each other and had rewards for someone who captured an Indian. The pilgrims also tried to kill off the Indians by making trades and giving them infected blankets full of smallpox while they got vegetables or other useful materials. A stereotype for Indians has been that they are lazy, dirty, and drunks. This perception of a person could be for any individual person or race. These qualities are personal and not adequate for categorizing for a group of people.

A story that stuck out to me in the movie would be the woman who lost her daughters over the fact that she was an Indian and got a ride with a person who was not seen as socially stable to be giving her and her child a ride in the case of the emergency.

Overall racism is still an issue within the United States and in Maine itself and we as people are the only cure for this by accepting everyone regardless of their racial background or beliefs.