Quote:
Originally Posted by mike0421
I am confused. What are you inferring? 'Savages' as a word, is somehow an ethnically derogatory remark? If so, what does the word denote?
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Yes, Native Americans consider the word to have the derogatory strength that the 'N-word' does for blacks. Considering the fact that Albuquerque has a lot of Indians, it is not a word I would go throwing around. I think that sucks as it is a perfectly good word, but I thought I would warn of the implications of the word in this part of the country.
For illustration:
If you go to the capitol, Santa Fe, and go to the center of town to the plaza, there is a memorial obelisk that commemorates the destruction of the native resistance by Europeans, the Indian War memorial. The word used to describe the natives was 'savage'. This word can not be read any longer because at some point in the past, the local Native Americans raised a stink about being described as 'savages'. The state considered their concern to be valid enough that the entire area where the word 'savages' had been inscribed was chiselled down to a depth of about a half an inch.
If the state was willing, at some point in time more than 20 years ago, to scratch the word out of a monument sitting in the symbolic center of the state, then I think the word must have some power.
Here is a picture:
ABQConvict
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