I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Congrats Suzie!

Blue, growing up in Texas many of my friends could recite the exact percentage of Native American blood they had. It was a badge of honor for them. Sadly, I was raised on cowboy movies and t.v. shows (including the Lone Ranger) that totally degraded the proud image and heritage of America's first residents.

Hmm, I am 1/8 Cherokee.  I didn't watch many Indian movies, but did watch The Lone Ranger.........and always identified with Tonto.  I thought he was a perfect human being and helped the Lone Ranger in ways only he could.  How funny....the different perceptions we get from things.  I knew from early on about my heritage so maybe I saw the 'best' because of it.

Jackie

Jackie, at the time I was watching the Lone Ranger, I also loved Tonto. I was a little kid. But in retrospect, I think his character was demeaning to Indians. As I recall he was just a side kick to the real "hero," doing his bidding to help, usually or always, white people. I do think these stereotypes influenced the attitudes of children. I played "Cowboys and Indians" all the time with neighborhood kids. The boys, who dominated our play (whole other story), forced us girls to be the Indians. I resented this, because it was understood the Indians were the bad guys and always lost the fight. But  prejudice against African Americans was worse and much more overt. Sigh, what terrible days for minorities.

Especially for Blue

http://www.iisd.org/7thgen/

Thanks for the flowers ;-)  think the second one is mountain laurel, grows wild around here, love it.

Hollywood and writers of fiction have done a huge disservice to the role and reputation of native peoples in North America.  There are those who believe with good reason that they are the ones who are truly "Americans"  -- they were here first, many with well-established societies, farms, businesses etc.  This flies in the face of the movies that depict them as wild and essentially evil villains who must be vanquished.

Well, the Indian wars were a matter of the native Americans protecting their own -- their peoples, their lands -- much like the Ukrainians today wanting to keep the Crimea out of Russian hands.

P.S.  Tonto was played by a Canadian, Jay Silverheels.  

Hey Blue .. I must have missed something too.  I thought I read you were expecting another grandbaby.  I'm losing my mind.

love ya,

Bren

a lot of people in our neighbourhood play mahjong.  Is it difficult to learn?

Bren - not in London - our daughter here in Sth Australia. A sibling for Nicholas. I must admit I didn't receive the news with much delight owing to our DD's husband's mental health and her weight which is way too heavy at the moment. It seems his new medication is working really well though. The home they just bought is too small too - she seems to have no common sense. Still, she's 35 so time is of the essence.

Thanks  Blue.  I think I will download a game and try it out on my own before I try it with a group.  The people I know who play it really enjoy the game.  

I just looked up Jay Silverheels.  He was a Mohawk, born in Canada.  AT least the television series, The Lone Ranger, cast a Native American as a Native American.  I think this was the beginning of a re-evaluation of the Native America in films and television.  

I much prefer the native American 10 Commandments.