Challenge for Redskin writer
Sheena Wassegijig, who is apparently a writer for Redskin magazine, wrote the following in response to our previous debate on the subject:call me a Redskin! I'm proud to wear the name...RE-INVENTION IS A GREAT THING. i would honestly NOT be offended.
call me a wagon-burner, or a cunt...LOL...when did we all suddenly go back to the 5th grade? are we harboring some useless angst here? My response:
You sound like David Yeagley, the anti-Indian white supremacist who once wrote, "Call me savage!" Do you really want to be associated with the likes of him?
If you think these words aren't offensive, let's do a test. Forget about publishing them in a trendy magazine written for like-minded hipsters. Go visit your Native elders, your grandfathers and grandmothers, and call them "redskins" and "cunts" to their faces. Throw in some "wagon-burners" and "prairie niggers" for good measure.
Keep repeating these words till you get a reaction out of them. According to you, they'll just laugh because insults don't take money out of their pockets or joy out of their lives. Be sure to let us know if these words turn out to be as harmless as you think they are.
Consider it an assignment for the staff of Redskin magazine. If you're as intellectually bold as you think you are, you'll do it. Write a piece on how you all went home and called your elders "redskins," just like the magazine title. I look forward to reading the results.
(And spare me the empty claims that I've actually called your grandmother a "cunt" and she can therefore sue me. Talk about your worthless drivel. How ignorant of the art of rhetoric can you get?)
If you sure of your convictions, Sheena, go ahead and perform this test. If you're not willing to do it, what does that say about your convictions? That you're brave when surrounded by your fellow twentysomethings, but not so brave otherwise? That you know deep down inside that I'm right?
In case Sheena chickens out, does anyone else want to try this test? Or tell us what you think would happen? Imagine entering a tribal council of women and saying, "In my opinion, you're redskins and cunts." Imagine the outcome and share it with us.
P.S. If you want my opinion on the contents as well as the title of the magazine, Sheena, feel free to send me a copy. I'll tell you what I honestly think. But I'm not spending $8.50, or whatever you're charging on your website, to buy one.
call me a wagon-burner, or a cunt...LOL...when did we all suddenly go back to the 5th grade? are we harboring some useless angst here?
You sound like David Yeagley, the anti-Indian white supremacist who once wrote, "Call me savage!" Do you really want to be associated with the likes of him?
If you think these words aren't offensive, let's do a test. Forget about publishing them in a trendy magazine written for like-minded hipsters. Go visit your Native elders, your grandfathers and grandmothers, and call them "redskins" and "cunts" to their faces. Throw in some "wagon-burners" and "prairie niggers" for good measure.
Keep repeating these words till you get a reaction out of them. According to you, they'll just laugh because insults don't take money out of their pockets or joy out of their lives. Be sure to let us know if these words turn out to be as harmless as you think they are.
Consider it an assignment for the staff of Redskin magazine. If you're as intellectually bold as you think you are, you'll do it. Write a piece on how you all went home and called your elders "redskins," just like the magazine title. I look forward to reading the results.
(And spare me the empty claims that I've actually called your grandmother a "cunt" and she can therefore sue me. Talk about your worthless drivel. How ignorant of the art of rhetoric can you get?)
If you sure of your convictions, Sheena, go ahead and perform this test. If you're not willing to do it, what does that say about your convictions? That you're brave when surrounded by your fellow twentysomethings, but not so brave otherwise? That you know deep down inside that I'm right?
In case Sheena chickens out, does anyone else want to try this test? Or tell us what you think would happen? Imagine entering a tribal council of women and saying, "In my opinion, you're redskins and cunts." Imagine the outcome and share it with us.
P.S. If you want my opinion on the contents as well as the title of the magazine, Sheena, feel free to send me a copy. I'll tell you what I honestly think. But I'm not spending $8.50, or whatever you're charging on your website, to buy one.
posted by Rob at 9:14 PM
12 Comments:
Writerfella here --
Wow, the lengths some people will go through just to validate their points of view!! To 'prove' that what they deem as 'offensive' IS offensive as they so define, they MUST OFFEND in their own right! It's an old situation: they must shoot the messenger because they don't like the message. Or, as it is said in writerfella's screenplay, RUN BEFORE THE BUFFALO, "Don't shoot me, Thomas. I'm only the piano player in this particular whorehouse!" Or guilt by association, as it is known in the trades. This is Bush's philosophy: if you aren't a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem! Life is complicated but only simpletons believe it truly is simple...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Writerfella earlier said: "Rob, closely examine their logo: RED SKIN Magazine, NOT REDSKIN Magazine.".
Well, look at the logo. Not only is there no space, but the D at the end of RED very slightly overlaps the S at the beginning of SKIN.
Aside from the logo, how do they refer to themselves? On their own web psge, on the info page and everywhere else, they use "Redskin". One example of their text is "Redskin Magazine; also referred to as RSM, is at the forefront..."
Feel free, Russ, to defend some sort of magazine called "Red[space]Skin" and not "Redskin". Even if it did exist, the meaning is totally identical.
But it really is like you are talking about a magazine that is not the same one Rob is talking about.... and does not exist at all, either.
Are you talking about the lengths I'll go to to educate people about things they don't know, Russ? Yep, I'm a real dyed-in-the-wool educator, all right. And proud of it. I educated people when I wrote a few hundred articles on computer, business, and gaming subjects and I'm still educating them.
What "message" do you think I don't like? The magazine's message that most Indians are wrong to be offended by the word "redskin"? Yeah, I don't like the idea of a few youngsters telling a generation of elders how they should think and feel. Youngsters should listen to their elders, not vice versa.
I don't know about you, but "redskin" doesn't offend me personally. Why not? Because it's not directed at me. But it "bothers" me just like someone's saying the world is flat would bother me. When someone claims a word isn't offensive when the dictionary and most people say it is offensive, that person is simply wrong.
It's like you with your ignorant misspellings of "casinos" and "museums." I'm not offended that you don't know how to spell these words. But I can't pass up a chance to correct your dumb mistakes and thus educate you. Especially when you repeat these dumb mistakes in my blog.
Incidentally, your comment is yet another example of your sniping for the sake of sniping. You yourself called the word "redskin" pejorative, but now you're taking me to task for arguing your position. Not only are you too stupid to read the word "Redskin," you're too stupid to understand your own hypocrisy. Incredible.
You're right, DMarks. Red Skin would be only slightly less objectionable than Redskin because the staff's intent is clear. But since the magazine's name is Redskin, not Red Skin, the point is moot.
There's another benefit to these discussions. If you Google "Redskin magazine," you'll see my postings right below the magazine's website. My commentaries are more or less linked to the magazine.
People searching for the magazine will find and read my commentaries too. In the marketplace of ideas, the best arguments will win. I don't know about you, but I'm confident that I'm kicking Redskin's butts. Their brown-skinned butts, that is.
Writerfella here --
The logo that writerfella was sent and the prototypes of the magazine's covers feature the word RED atop the word SKIN. And now writerfella understands: the 'controversies' dusted up by NEWSPAPER ROCK and other such scaremongers is being used to the magazine's advantage! Of course! Controversy sells magazines! Just like movies or newspapers, publicity, whether positive or negative, SELLS! Keep up the good work, Rob! The first issue was a smashing success and you're guaranteeing the magazine will be around for some time to buy and to publish writerfella's stories! Huzzah!!
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
You are really hoping for that photo spread and centerfold, aren't you?
Writerfella here --
Damn straight! writerfella wants an Adam Beach photo spread and centerfold in RED SKIN Magazine, hook or crook! Next stop, Eddie Olmos, Jr.!
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Apparently you're too stupid to read the evidence in front of your face, Russ. So noted.
Putting the word on two lines doesn't mean it's two separate words, doofus. It's one word split into two lines, as every other instance of the "Redskin" title proves. Duh.
Funny to see what lengths you'll go to to deny the facts, Russ. No wonder you write fiction for a living. You live in a fantasy world untouched by reality.
Wow, you finally realized that "controversy sells"? How did you come up with that "brilliant" insight? And why did it take you so much longer than the rest of us?
You keep up the good work, Russ. As I explained to you, each of your comments mentioning Redskin helps boost my ranking in Google. People searching for the magazine will find this posting and learn about the stereotypical magazine title. They'll learn how you shilled for "redskin" lovers and thus hurt your own people.
very entertaining, your no one til your talked about i guess huh?...haha, get a life dude, cause i'm living mine regardless...LOL. i dont give a shit about names or the meanings behind them...but nice to know you care.
keep writing, and indulging...express yourself freely! thats all a true writer can do
keep on keepin on'
Dear Rob,
"Are you talking about the lengths I'll go to to educate people about things they don't know, Russ? Yep, I'm a real dyed-in-the-wool educator, all right. And proud of it. I educated people when I wrote a few hundred articles on computer, business, and gaming subjects and I'm still educating them."
- you remind me of my boss. he is a 50 something white male. i am a 22 year old aboriginal female. i can relate to sheena. she's a young lady trying to make her way in this world with the odds against stacked up way so high against us. i am not into fancy writing probably because i was taught most of my life in a reserve school. what would you know about life on the reserve. have you ever been there? do u genuinly care about native people.
i think your words are harsh, and you may have no idea how hard this girl has tried to make her life good. you could be an optimist and say "she's trying to promote rock among her fellow native americans"...but your panties are in a bunch all over the name, making you a pessimist. It is Canada Day. We didn't even have the right to vote until 1960...I don't even know when aboriginal women were recognized by the Canadian goverment as humans. We've come along way!! Fuck, if you only knew... If you didn't have your head stuck so far up your ass.
i don't know how to write in all that english -babble to make yourself sound smart so i'll say it like we do. native people. b/c our 1st languages are not english. you sound like an idiot. an old white man who is picking on a little native girl. you sound like you want to be a god and everyone should worship you for what you have learned. you sound like an idoit b/c you have no fricken idea what we have to go through on a daily basis. you have no idea. you have no idea. i can't say it enough. go live on the reserve, just don't drink the water.
"Apparently you're too stupid to read the evidence in front of your face, Russ. So noted."
... If you want to talk shit and call my friend Sheena stupid, what does that make you? It makes you just as low as she apparently is.
YOU FUCKING DUMBASS.
LOL...no need for defending here, I said what I said and I stick by it, no retractions. "Mr. Shmidtty Stupidity" (I can do the name calling thing too) here knows nothing about me or how I live my life in modern ways or cultured...so if its a challenge your willing to belittle yourself to. I will win, because that's just how I do. Don't even bother.
If you wish to continue this frenzy, my friend, I do love a challenge. Maybe you will have the honor of being a real published and distributed writer someday, or have the slightest mention in something I have written that sells like hot cakes. I've been in this game since I was 13; man, roll the dice.
To know more about the wonderful fabulous life of Miss Sheena Wassegijig drop me a line!
XOXO to you avid readers of this.
additionally....
if your already a published writer...sorry i didnt do my research here, and never read anything by you or havent heard of you until you decided to place these "attacks" on my persona via the internet (lame)
but continue anyways...keep your readers coming back
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