Off the Reservation

[G_j]

http://wirelesshogan.blogspot.com/2016/04/hillary-clinton-off-the-reservation.html?m=1

Saturday, April 30, 2016
Hillary Clinton- Off the Reservation



On Friday April 29, in response to a CNN interview question regarding the expected political and personal attacks from Donald Trump in a general election, Hillary Clinton stated that she has experience dealing with men who go "off the reservation..."

"Off the reservation" is a term deeply rooted in the implicit racial bias of the United States of America. Reservations are federal lands where Native peoples were herded before and after the "Indian Removal Act" passed by the United States Congress in 1830. Reservations are where our people were moved to during forced relocation like the "Trail of Tears" (Cherokee) and the "Long Walk" (Navajo). Reservations are not owned by Native people or tribes. Instead, they are lands held in trust for us by the United States Federal Government because we only have the right of occupancy to the land, whereas White Europeans have the right of Discovery and, therefore, the true title to the land.

When Natives are “on the reservation,” it is implied that we are contained, isolated, and controlled. When we go "off the reservation," chaos ensues. We have gone rogue, act unpredictably, and are causing trouble.
In its literal and original sense, as you would expect, the term was used in the 19th century to describe the activities of Native Americans:

"The acting commissioner of Indian affairs to-day received a telegram from Agent Roorke of the Klamath (Oregon) agency, dated July 6, in which he says: 'No Indians are off the reservation without authority. All my Indians are loyal and peaceable, and doing well." (Baltimore Sun, July 11, 1878)
...more...

[Xipe Totec]

1. An unfortunate choice of slurs. nt

[IamMab]

2. You got her. They got her, everyone. Bernie is the nominee now. G_j cracked the case, it's all over.

Shut it down.

[Vattel]

3. A bit clueless, but probably most Americans are similarly clueless about the offensiveness

of this expression. I am glad she finally realizes that "illegal immigrant" is offensive. Maybe she will evolve here too.

[Arkansas Granny]

4. See this post for the opinion of a Native American:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1107121152

[DrDan]

12. thanks for sharing a bit of sanity

[Lizzie Poppet]

5. But "it's just a colloquialism!"

Of course, so are "mighty white of ya," and "CP time."

Oh, wait...that latter one's okay. According to Camp Weathervane...

[bemildred]

6. I have to defend Ms Clinton here, she is talking about her husband.

It is an attempt at a self-deprecating joke on her part (not her best suit humor, to be sure) but she is not insulting native americans.

The slang term does originate in our racist treatment of the natives here, but it is also long since part of vernacular speech. I am all for raising consciousness about such cliches, but it is unfair to savage Ms Clinton here over it.

I have to admit I have a little bias here, I think a hammer-and-tongs debate between Ms Clinton and Mr Trump would be very illuminating.

[G_j]

7. For some reason, people tend to be extra clueless

when it comes to disparaging NAs. Can you imagine if the phrase was "Off The Plantation"?

[bemildred]

8. I'd like to thank DU for their sudden touching concern for Native Americans

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1107121152

[G_j]

9. You may not agree with the author, but there is no reason to think he's a member of DU.

Mark Charles

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51st virtual Native American state
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Introduction [e-mail]
www.wirelesshogan.com
Ya'at'eeh. My name is Mark Charles and and I am the son of an American woman (of Dutch heritage) and a Navajo man, who is living on our Navajo Reservation and trying to understand the complexities of our countries history regarding race, culture and faith so that I can help forge a path of healing and reconciliation for our people.

[bemildred]

10. Calling people who disagree with you "clueless" probably won't win them over either. nt

[G_j]

11. I am talking about Americans at large

The same applies to the names of some sport teams.
You don't generally expect a phrase like "off the plantation" to be acceptable, as most people would cringe if a sports team was named after a colloquial tag used for any other race of humans.

[Dem2]

13. .

/thread