The word "squaw" was declared derogatory by the Department of Interior in 2021. Since then, hundreds of geographic features have been renamed with input from local tribes and Indigenous communities.
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Tribe is a Roman term, so it depends on context and the setting it’s used in. I would say the same with spirit animal as it’s not just an indigenous North American thing. Again, being sensitive to context and setting is important but it isn’t always negative.
Yes. European settlers applied the term based on their knowledge. Lot of exonyms amongst the names of indigenous cultures here as well, not all from Europeans. Many are trying to assert their own names again these days. Which is nice. And interesting.
I’m not questioning the ethical need for this decision, but this is the kind of change that angers “anti-woke” voters. Many are genuinely puzzled, as they never meant anything derogatory by the term, especially as a widely known geographic place name.
These are the same people who want to literally scrub words like "gender" and "climate change" from government documents, because their feelings get hurt by those trigger words.
Who gives a piss what "angers" them? Worrying about them instead of our base is a major reason we lost the election.
I don't think this is driving people to the polls one way or another... there was no "woke" agenda for anyone to be "anti"... we just always try to blame the youngest voting block. Learn the patterns.
All the one in particular that I was talking about is the one that every cycle we blame the youngest voters when we lose or when they're shortcomings yet in the long-term, they often tend to be on the right side of public opinion and history and knowledge.
And that's the core of their resentment.. having to acknowledge indigenous folks as 'people'.. still alive, still together, and still requiring that old obligations be met.
These issues almost always matter way more to white activists than any indigenous people. Same as with basically every other non-consequential name/mascot change it's never indigenous people pushing for the change, it's whites. Stop using minorities to shield your own agenda.
Who the fuck cares if it angers ignorant fuckwits? And if they never MEANT anything derogatory by the term, then they'd stop using it as soon as they learned it was being received as derogatory.
Those people need to educate themselves about intention vs. impact. Additionally, a lot of these places were already named by indigenous people before Europeans ever "discovered" them.
It's not ok to be angered by things that you finds puzzling; you're supposed to take it as a chance to learn and then move on with your life. Moreoced we shouldn't cater to people who act that way.
I don’t see it that way. As I said, I’m not disagreeing with the decision. I’m trying to help people on here understand the genuine puzzlement of some voters. Puzzled leads to knee-jerk hostility in some. It’s not right, but we need to recognize it.
I am sick and tired of coddling such people. Whether or not they meant anything derogatory means less than nothing if they find out it's derogatory and insist on continuing to use it.
If people get mad because they can’t use the name of a place that causes hurt to a large group of people, that’s indicative of who they are. And if that causes them to vote a certain way because the name of a place or sports team’s name is changed to be inclusive, they’re a POS.
I agree. To me this falls under the category of “Manufactured Outrage”.
That said, I respect & understand the decision.
Along the same lines, if you really understand the definition of the term Cultural Appropriation, then dressing up as a Native American on Halloween does not qualify as such.
This is education that EVERYONE needs to make them realize. As for those anti-woke folk, like HELL they didn't mean anything derogatory. If they genuinely didn't, they wouldn't be squealing like stuck pigs at every change. Just because a name has long been used doesn't excuse its continuation.
And we can counter with the fact that cisgender is "just a word" but go ahead and try to say that to the people who are offended by pronouns. Cis people are legit offended to be called cisgender. Make it make sense. 🙄
Squaw (Sqa) is simply the term for female in the Massachusett language. The Tribal Leader who signed diplomatic pacts with early Cambridge Ma puritans was Sqa Sachem. This city has just recognized her. She inherited the Tribal leadership from her husband. Sachem is the term for a powerful leader.
Sort of waiting for the new Secretary of the Interior to undo all those name changes at the Federal level.. par for the course before they weasel back out of treaty obligations.
I look forward to any number of military bases named after Trump, Musk, Thiel, his kids, MAGA senators, governors and congressmen or the Melania Trump Rape Crisis center for migrants. As an homage to Epstein. 😂
In 2003 the popular hiking mountain in Phoenix AZ was renamed from"Squaw Peak" to Piestewa Peak, both to rid it of the derogatory name and to honor Lori Piestewa, first NA female to die in combat while serving in the US military
Skiing at the valley for over 40 years, not once did I think of the original name in a derogatory or disrespectful manner.
I just thought it was an area where Native American’s lived their lives many years ago, I thought sq*** meant woman or wife.
Silly me.
As usual, more woke absurdity erasing native Americans from history. Some professor, sitting in a college, speculating that white men in the 1600s used an actual Indian word for ‘woman’ as something vulgar, is now compelling 21st century people to be ashamed of themselves. What a waste of time.
It's not derogatory because some foolish instrumentality says it is. Intent governs. I never once thought of a Squaw when I climbed Squaw Peek. Did think it might be time to quit smoking. So many people just don't think. They cleave to dictates of others at some odd emotional level. Conflation.
Totally ridiculous. Mo revisionist baloney. It is still Squaw Peek to me. And the Washington Redskins r much improved. Intent is the word. Not the word itself. Lunacy.
If you understand the word will be received as derogatory, and choose to use it, anyway, then it follows that your INTENT is for it to be derogatory. You're just a bigot who lacks the conviction to admit it.
? Why. Do you mean using it as slang for a business meeting? Do people still use it that way? Of course they shouldn’t, but I’m amazed there are still people who do that. It’s the proper term for a type of indigenous gathering though.
I have been hiking daily for the past 18 years in Phoenix in the Piestewa Peak area, a mountain once called squad but thankfully re-named to honor Lori Piestewa, who was the first indigenous woman military person killed in battle.
A few Phoenix people still refuse to use the proper name.
This is an Arizona quite a few years ago, though there are still some things with it in the name it’s far less. Entire highway was renamed as well as an entire mountain, e.g.
@npr.org— I was disgusted by your RFKJ piece. If that man kills more people than he already has, their blood is on your hands, too.
I stopped contributing to NPR over a year ago. Since I can’t re-cancel my membership, I will block you. And I’ll be encouraging others to #blocknpr as well.
I was born and raised in Washington State so I heard this name all the time and had no idea of its origins. I'm glad it's being changed and am horrified that I'd been saying that word for so long, regardless of my context.
Yes they will. I don’t think Americans have fully let it sink in. I can’t believe how quiet Biden and Harris have been. I can’t understand why the democrats and others aren’t ready to fight even before it begins. They’ve just disappeared 🫥🫥
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Who gives a piss what "angers" them? Worrying about them instead of our base is a major reason we lost the election.
I don’t see how respect and decency equates to being “woke”.
That said, I respect & understand the decision.
Along the same lines, if you really understand the definition of the term Cultural Appropriation, then dressing up as a Native American on Halloween does not qualify as such.
If the words we use are, in fact, a Very Big Deal, then it still shouldn't bother them, because they understand the importance of words.
You: YOU ARE AN EVIL RACIST MONSTER!
I just thought it was an area where Native American’s lived their lives many years ago, I thought sq*** meant woman or wife.
Silly me.
A few Phoenix people still refuse to use the proper name.
I stopped contributing to NPR over a year ago. Since I can’t re-cancel my membership, I will block you. And I’ll be encouraging others to #blocknpr as well.
Monuments, on the other hand, are in trouble, and we should be focusing efforts on protecting them if we can.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.