"This is probably too radioactive to handle, but I’m part Indian (only a small part, unfortunately), so I’ll tackle it.

The Missoulian’s Native reporter, Jodi Rave, had a column yesterday headed, “Native news coverage triggers racist feedback.” (I don’t know who wrote the headline; it wasn’t necessarily Ms. Rave. ) In it, she complained of an anonymous letter she received. The letter complained of excessive Missoulian front page coverage of Indian affairs, and suggested that everything on the reservation is “free.”

The entire letter, which Ms. Rave posted on her blog, shows the writer to be vulgar and ill-mannered.

But racist?

You can make up your own mind when you read the letter. But it’s not necessarily “racist” to complain of a perceived excess of coverage on a particular topic or group, or to criticize – or even satirize – the flawed reservation system."

Get the Story:
Rob Natelson: Are other Montana newspapers doing this? (Electric City Weblog 2/17)

Jodi Rave's Response:
University of Montana Law professor not Indian news fan (BuffaloPost.Net 2/18)

Related Stories:
Jodi Rave: The Indian news not so good for everyone (2/16)