Harlan McKosato. Photo from Facebook
Radio show host Harlan McKosato (Sac and Fox) isn't shocked by the results of a poll that claimed "ordinary" Native Americans aren't offended by the Washington NFL team's racist mascot. But he thinks a new survey could reveal more interesting information:
The poll suggests to me that there is a disconnect between Natives who routinely use the internet, in particular Facebook and Twitter, and those who rarely if ever use the internet. When I woke up last Thursday morning and read the headline from the WaPo (Washington Post) on my computer I was surprised, but not shocked or upset. I thought a national poll of this nature would be closer to 50/50. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m not personally offended by the term Redsk*ns, but I do support those who want to see the name eliminated. I would have answered “yes” to the questions “is the term Redskins offensive and/or disrespectful to Native Americans?” Yes. “Does it bother you?” No. It doesn’t bother me. The second question in the poll is therefore fundamentally flawed. The reported poll results point out to me that what we see on social media nowadays and things written by journalists (including me) does not reflect how Native people in general necessarily feel about certain issues. Many of us are concerned about a litany of things that have much more priority in our lives.Get the Story:
Harlan McKosato: WaPo Skins Poll: Surprising, Not Shocking (Indian Country Today 5/28)
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