Am I the only one who thinks its foolish to call Native Americans, Indians. I mean Columbus could call them that because he thought that he was in India.
But right now YAHOO!!! has a news article about Canadian Indians (read: Canadian Natives). When I hear "Canadian Indian's, I expect to read an article about Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, not an article about the Native People who are mistakenly named because 512 years isn't long enough to correct Columbus' mistake.

Dont get me wrong, I am a hypocrit, I call Native Americans, Indians sometimes, because I have pretty much been trained to do it. But now that the US population is changing so much you can no longer say that "he is Indian" because that can mean Asia Sub-Continent Indian or Native American Indian. I hate having discussions with my friend and having to ask her which "Indian."

I dont know why I post this, I guess I want your opinions on the subject. I just think that it almost shows stupidity to call a Native an Indian (I mean they were never from India, and we all know this, so why call them something that they are not).
Are we all too stupid to decide to change the term to a new one?

 

What about when people called them "Injens"?

 

By "are we all too stupid" I meant the media more or less.

I dont know why it bothers me so much, it is not about disrespect or anything. It is about stupidity.

I think if someone were to say they had a Datsun Xtera, they would look moronic. (bad example) Times have changed, I dont want some PC term, but I want a term that can work, or is the media just waiting until the Native Americans are extinct.

When told someone is Indian, I say "Indian or Tribesman" I dont want to sound rude (if anyone finds that rude) but it alot easier to say than Native American.

 

we live in a whiney, PC society. However, I think Native American is the best "term" to be used, but there is nothing wrong with refering to them as indians. On a side note, times seem to changes all of these types of references. People from the far east used to be referred to as orientals, but you rarely hear that used anymore---everything now is asians.

 

I don't think Native American is a good term either. What makes them more native than me? Their ancestors were here before mine so they get to be native? I was born here, so that makes me native too. I'm not trying to be disrespectful; I just think there has to be better term than Native American.

Maybe Earliest Contemporary American?

What did they call this country before we came and named it America? We could call them that.

How about Pre-European American?

 

How about American Aborigine? ("America" being the continent, not the short-handed "United States of America").
or Indigenous Americans?

 

How about when people call every single Asian person Chinese

 

Those people are just ignorant and very annoying, just like calling every hispanic person Spanish.

 

call them "red people"


ie white ppl
black ppl
yellow ppl

consistency is the key

 

In Canada they are often referred to as "First Nations" people.