Nations within

Ethics are hard. Really, really, really, really, REALLY hard. I ran smack dab into a situation at work in which an ethical fogginess was running amok. A black and white world is a thing of longing and wishes. Suffice to say, the last few weeks have been rough on me. Rough enough that I actually got physically ill from the stress. Doing the ‘right’ thing does not always feel like the right thing. Bugger it all, moving on to other things.

There is a new Jonny Depp movie coming out. The Lone Ranger or some such thing. Now I like and enjoy Depp’s movies, think he is a great actor, cute to boot, and fun to watch. But this movie…good grief. Really? I mean really!

He’s playing Tonto. An Indian…Native American…whatever politically correct term you choose. What amazes me is there has yet to be an up-scuttle in the supposedly culturally sensitive, over touchy world of liberal Hollywo…I mean California, about the fact that it’s perfectly normal and ok for white folk, Hispanic folk, any folk at all except Indian’s to play Indians. I mean really?

I call the great state of Montana home. Love it. Dearly. Within our borders there are seven separate nations. (Not counting the Nation of the United States represented by Montana.) Each of these nations are closely equivalent to a third world country. But hardly anyone talks about it. It’s a voiceless tragedy. The Civil Rights movement did not offer solutions or assistance. Not really. Publicity is small, accurate representation nil, and respect? It’s a joke.

Take the character of Tonto for instance. Back in the black and white days of television. He was first voiced by an Englishman, and written as a man almost equal to his friend the Lone Ranger. Far as I can tell, most Natives are not a fan of how he was portrayed; speaking broken English and wearing inaccurate regalia to his supposed tribe. Now I’ve heard that Depp is hoping, with this movie, to make the Ranger a side-kick to Tonto in the hopes of portraying Natives in a more complimentary light.

Uh, really? For real?

So to better represent Indian Peoples, a white dude needs to play an Indian? Again?

Come on Depp! You disappoint me with this ‘logic’. It only perpetuates the current norm.

So if the Ranger is going to be a true side-kick, this means that the majority of the story will take place among the Indian population, helping them out, having the Ranger speak a pidgin version of a Native tongue, and the Ranger will be from a tragically extinct off-shoot of white people leaving him no choice but to trail after his Native leader. Right?

Seven nations within this State alone. Suicide, addiction, and tragedy are all too common within them all. If I remember correctly, the per-capita rates are higher for this minority population than any other within the United States. Yup, they are high. Many reasons behind that which I won’t list here since it is book length. But the oppression received is on the levels of ridiculous. And I’m not talking about the past.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not an impassioned activist on a holy mission. Sadly. Social change does not seem to be my calling. My strength is working with people on an individual level, not a legislative one. And I’m certainly not going to try to be one of those annoying white idiots who weep over the horror of the Indian Peoples and go to reservations preaching the gospel of White saviorhood. And I’m definitely not egotistical enough to claim to be one of the true allies of the Natives. I don’t know enough, don’t understand enough, or do enough to receive that label.

What I am, is simply dumbfounded that there is still so little outcry against the oppression of Natives. It’s so common, so accepted, that most people don’t even know about it. And that is just here in Montana, where there are SEVEN separate nations. The ignorance level and bigotry should not be this high. Two examples.

There is a day set aside to acknowledge Native Peoples. On campus, to celebrate, there were events planned, one of them being a ceremony. Dancers performed in full regalia while the Drummers drummed. Several times during the ceremony, which was so evident and obviously going on, students rode their bikes or walked straight through, in-between the Dancers and Drummer. This is about as polite as a stranger deciding to walk between a preacher and couple getting married during a wedding ceremony.

Were the intruders oblivious? Or rude? Hard to believe anyone could be that blind.

Second example. Someone in my class shared a story where she went to the hospital to receive care for pain. She was misdiagnosed with an illness related to drug and alcohol use. It took her repeated insistence for further tests to finally receive the appropriate care. Gallstones. Why the misdiagnosis and her fight for proper attention? She’s Native.

Seven Nations. Each with their own histories, customs, rivalries, languages, cultures and ages old alliances. And all lumped together under the same ideas, images, and beliefs in the heads of the rest of America.

What image? You know it. You know it well. It’s either noble Tonto/Pocahontas, or poor, destitute, drunken, while crafty and in ownership of a casino.

Dammit Depp! Did you even ask? Did you even consider asking what the People you will be representing thought? I’d honestly like to know.