Is calling Native Americans "Indians" racist?

[Dillon]

I've been thinking about this one for a while, and it seems to me like calling Native Americans "Indian" is no better than any other racial slur.

We're not Indians and we never were, despite what some moron who had the navigational skills of a blind invalid thought.

Anyone else have a different take on this?

[Darth Wong]

I've been thinking about this one for a while, and it seems to me like calling Native Americans "Indian" is no better than any other racial slur.

We're not Indians and we never were, despite what some moron who had the navigational skills of a blind invalid thought.

Anyone else have a different take on this?

I don't think it's a racial slur because it doesn't carry any more connotations than the term "Native American". People use it for a simple reason: it's easier. "Native American" is two words, and takes much longer to write or to say. It's a pain in the ass, and I would always call them "Indians" if the actual country of India was not a major world player and the possibility of confusion could exist. If you want a better term, you should think of one that's short.

[Lord Pounder]

to be honest I've never thought about it much, however I'd say it's not as bad a racial slur as the N-word or Spick. Using the later is a much nastier form of ignorance because it is intended to be vicious and derogatory.

[TithonusSyndrome]

People use it for a simple reason: it's easier. "Native American" is two words, and takes much longer to write or to say.

I've always referred to Native Americans simply as "Natives".

[Magus]

I've been thinking about this one for a while, and it seems to me like calling Native Americans "Indian" is no better than any other racial slur.

The easiest way to check would be to count up the proportion of people who use the term as a means of expressing their distaste towards the group. If anybody uses the term "Indian" as a derogatory way of saying Native American, the number's too small to worry about.

[Tsyroc]

Wasn't the there a "West Indies" for awhile after they figured out that they didn't actually make it to India? I think there was a time when people tried to use the terms East Indians and West Indians. I don't think either ever worked very well.

I don't know that I would consider the term "Indian" for Native Americans to be a really bad racial slur, mainly because I don't think that most people who would use the term mean it as an insult, or are trying to be dergoatory in anyway. I would say that it is at least inconsiderate.

One of my co-workers has gone off rather stongly when people assume she's hispanic or Mexican, but she really hasn't said much about being referred to as an Indian. I did get the impression that it did somewhat irritate her but not quite enough to say anything.

Is the Burreau of Indian Affairs still around or has it been renamed?
A professor of mine, being Native American himself, liked to comment about the BIA standing for "Boss Indians Around.

[Zor]

People use it for a simple reason: it's easier. "Native American" is two words, and takes much longer to write or to say.

I've always referred to Native Americans simply as "Natives".

Same here, if just because they are not Indians as they are neither citizens of India or of Indian decent.

Zor

[TrailerParkJawa]

No, I don't feel its racist simply because its roots are found in an incorrect assesement of geography. Adding to that many tribes still call themselves Indians so its not as if they have a problem with the term. "Indian gaming" is a common term I hear around here.

I don't think the term "Indian" in of itself carries any derogatory connotation, unlike honkey, chink, jap, etc.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Generally speaking, "Native American" is the accepted term on both coasts of the United States, and preferred by the tribes there, while the central tribes of the midwest and southwest and great plains use the term "Plains Indian" or simply "Indian". The most neutral reference may vary depending on both the region you're in and the region the person you're referring to is from.

[Pick]

The Native Americans I've personally known always referred to themselves as Indians and never had a problem with people of other races doing the same. The ones I knew considered it no worse than no other name that was applied to a group, kind of like "Africans" or "Russians" because it was just due to a geographical misunderstanding. Others might feel differently. When in doubt, I ask.

[Spyder]

I have to put up with being called Pakeha, which is Maori for "foreigner." I actually find European less offensive, despite the fact that I've never been anywhere near Europe. At least "European New Zealander" implies that I'm somewhat meant to be here. Of course, "New Zealander" is the prefered title.

[Eris]

Honestly, I find the term Native American to be more irritating than Indian, or if you want to be clear about who you're talking about, American Indian. The West Indies were a geographical accident to be sure, but there's nothing wrong with that, and I don't think it out to be any more derogatory than say New Zealand.

Native American, on the other hand, gets on my admittedly sensitive linguistic nerves. I am a native American. I was, in fact, born in upstate New York. I am not an aboriginal, but I would go so far to say that it is intellectually dishonest to say that even the aboriginal culture can properly be considered the native culture. Like it or not the rest of us have been around long enough and in such numbers that we're as "native" as any unless you use the word in a very restrictive and very precise sense. But guess what? We have a world for that already: aboriginal. If you want to be precise, use a better word.

[Eris]

Hrm, I was beaten to the post, and I want to differentiate between my use of New Zealand as an example and mine. My point was that it was historical accident that the West Indies were called that, comparable to the historical accident of New Zealand being named such. Language evolves in a weird way - why should we be offended if it turns out odd in some cases? Is it really offensive to be called by the same word as the folks of the Indian sub-continent?

I might add that I too have found this somewhat odd, living as I do near several reservations where the people call themselves Indians, or American Indians. Until now I wasn't aware that any of the aboriginals actually took the term Native American seriously. Amongst the ones I've met (Pasqua Yaqui and Tohono O'odham) you're more likely to get odd looks when you use it.

To be sure, that's very anecdotal, but I'm only using it to support the claim that I find the debate odd, nothing more.

[Dillon]

No, I don't feel its racist simply because its roots are found in an incorrect assesement of geography. Adding to that many tribes still call themselves Indians so its not as if they have a problem with the term. "Indian gaming" is a common term I hear around here.

I don't think the term "Indian" in of itself carries any derogatory connotation, unlike honkey, chink, jap, etc.

Natives using the word doesn't mean anything.
A lot of black teenagers call each other "niggers".

Regardless, I personally prefer Mohawk or Iroquois, but I realize that it's unreasonable for people to be able to recognize what tribe/nation a native, or aboriginal if you will, is from just by looking at him.

Perhaps calling it a racial slur is going a bit far. I don't think most people, at least nowadays, have malicious intent when they use the word. But I cringe every time someone calls me that, and feel the need to correct them, because it is in error.

It has nothing to do with hatred of East Indians. How would white people like it if I started calling them Europeans? I doubt I'd get punched in the face for it, but I'm sure I would get some looks from people.

Then again, maybe I'm just anal.

[Sea Skimmer]

From what I’ve heard, some ‘Native Americans’ now actually prefer to be called ‘Indians’ because they think it’s a name which better associates them with the glorious past, or something like that.

[BrandonMustang]

I come from a town/county/state predominated by Native Americans and they do not like being called Indians. At all. People get beaten and killed over that rather often.

[SCRawl]

I suppose it's more thoughtless to use "Indian" than another, more correct term (such as "aboriginals" or "indigenous people"), but as DW said, it's easier, and most people seem to avoid getting their knickers in a twist over it. If some people want to take offence at the expression, well, I suppose that's their right, but to be honest I'd rather not have to hear about it.

(Though I use it more often than not, I dislike the term "Native Canadian"; I'm a native Canadian, I'm just not of indigenous descent. I was born here, so I'm a native, right?)

[Eris]

I come from a town/county/state predominated by Native Americans and they do not like being called Indians. At all. People get beaten and killed over that rather often.

Ehhh? Source for this, please? I can't imagine there'd be a place where people are getting killed over calling someone an Indian without it making headlines, let alone this happening "rather often."

[Tricit]

Europeans called them Indians at first because they truely thought that the people Native to the new world were actually Indians from India. I'm sure this was pointed out above. The reason why "nigger" has a negative connotation is because it was a word that was derived from some literal sources that had nothing to do with mistaken ancestorial identity. The word "indian" was a mistake... then habit. It still is a mistake. People still use it, though. I don't really give a fuck, myself.

[General Zod]

Natives using the word doesn't mean anything.
A lot of black teenagers call each other "niggers".

That's retarded. One is actually the proper name of an ethnic group in middle eastern Asia, and I'm fairly certain they wouldn't appreciate people considering their people's name to be a slur.

Perhaps calling it a racial slur is going a bit far. I don't think most people, at least nowadays, have malicious intent when they use the word. But I cringe every time someone calls me that, and feel the need to correct them, because it is in error.

So come up with a better term that isn't couched in PC overtures? Frankly Native American is even more misleading and annoying than "Indian".

[Tricit]

So come up with a better term that isn't couched in PC overtures? Frankly Native American is even more misleading and annoying than "Indian".

This is very true... Anyone bone in the Americas is infact a Native to America... or Native American. It's the biggest bullshit classification for a specific group, ever. Something along the lines of what they called themselves would be proper. Incase people don't know, people with heritage from before the European Invasion from the west coast are very different than those from the east coast.

Think about it, do many people refer to French people as Russian? Sure, no... but people refer to them as European... however, people with African, Asian or Middle Eastern Descent that live in Europe are called Europeans. So if you want to classify them, ask them what they know their ancestors from a long time ago were called, and call them that. I have no fucking clue what to call them, now a days. I'm just gonna call them Exxies for people who are in Exile of Heritage classification. Make up your own name.

[Dillon]

Natives using the word doesn't mean anything.
A lot of black teenagers call each other "niggers".

That's retarded. One is actually the proper name of an ethnic group in middle eastern Asia, and I'm fairly certain they wouldn't appreciate people considering their people's name to be a slur.

You'll notice that I never said nor implied that calling Natives "Indians" was on the same level as the term "nigger". I was simply demonstrating why pointing out that some Aboriginals using the term doesn't necessarily justify its use. Learn to fucking read.

[Knife]

Uhm, why do we need to classify them and if so what's wrong with American or Cannadian? Or Mexican, or other nationalities based on, well you know, where they live?

I suppose, since the US fucked up ever so badly and didn't really officially absorb the native population and they are considered their own nations with in the nation, you could go tribe by tribe but I don't think that would be any easier with all the various tribes around.

Would a Sue get pissed at being called a Blackfoot, etc...

[Nephtys]

I think the least annoying term is 'American Indian'. I can understand how just 'Indian' brings up inaccurate mental images of old-style ethnocentrist savages, but 'Native American', while PC, is a pain to say and sounds awkward.

[General Zod]

Natives using the word doesn't mean anything.
A lot of black teenagers call each other "niggers".

That's retarded. One is actually the proper name of an ethnic group in middle eastern Asia, and I'm fairly certain they wouldn't appreciate people considering their people's name to be a slur.

You'll notice that I never said nor implied that calling Natives "Indians" was on the same level as the term "nigger". I was simply demonstrating why pointing out that some Aboriginals using the term doesn't necessarily justify its use. Learn to fucking read.

Then learn to make better fucking analogies dumbass. "Nigger" is not the name of a race and never has been, and is hardly applicable when it's clear you were referring to "Indians" when you were using the word "Natives".