Adam Sandler movie sparks debate over American Indian images

[sgtsabai]

And some ethnicities have had enough of the ridicule, whether the Wasi'chu like it or not. Wounded Knee I, In the moon when the deer shed their horns, Dec. 28, 1890, Wounded Knee II The spirit of the past will rise up to claim the future, 1973. The Marshalls and fbi's would hear the women and children from 1890 crying in the creek at night. They were just a tad bit freaked out by the charge of Lakota on horseback with only bows and arrows, circa 1890. They really didn't like the USMC Vietnam Vet, whose Viet wife was assonated by our guys, singing and speaking to them at night in Vietnamese. The spirit of the people remain. Hoka Hey. If those actors decided that the film wasn't funny, but derisive of Indians they were right to walk out. Remember Russell made a hell of good film, Last of the Mohicans, and believe me if he were alive today he would have been there with them and just may have been in spirit.

"my name is wasichu. i know thee, i have found thee, & i will not let thee go."

Wasichu

The first people who lived on the northern plains of what today is the United States called themselves "Lakota," meaning "the people," a word which provides the semantic basis for Dakota. The first European people to meet the Lakota called them "Sioux," a contraction of Nadowessioux, a now-archaic French-Canadian word meaning "snake" or enemy.

The Lakota also used the metaphor to describe the newcomers. It was Wasi'chu, which means "takes the fat," or "greedy person." Within the modern Indian movement, Wasi'chu has come to mean those corporations and individuals, with their governmental accomplices, which continue to covet Indian lives, land, and resources for private profit.

Wasi'chu does not describe a race; it describes a state of mind.

Wasi'chu is also a human condition based on inhumanity, racism, and exploitation. It is a sickness, a seemingly incurable and contagious disease which begot the ever advancing society of the West. If we do not control it, this disease will surely be the basis for what may be the last of the continuing wars against all people that believe in a better way!

...excerpt from Wasi'chu, The Continuing Indian Wars

[razer]

Nothing to do with political correctness. It is all about reclaiming dignity. A classic technique for dehumanization is to portray a group of people in a negative and denigrating way, like the Nazis did the Jews. Genocide, broken treaties ... the American Indians want respect ... just like you folks out there.

[kbelyeu]

I like most of Adam Sandler's films.. to each his own but Blazing Saddles must be one of my all time favorites though I didn't fully understand it until I was older.

Kurt

[sgtsabai]

Blazing Saddles was a scathing satire of the movie industry and the way people were portrayed. A brilliant film and yes many peoples favorite, certainly one of mine. Some how I doubt Sandler has any where near the ability of Mel Brooks.

[Jingthing]

Blazing Saddles was a scathing satire of the movie industry and the way people were portrayed. A brilliant film and yes many peoples favorite, certainly one of mine. Some how I doubt Sandler has any where near the ability of Mel Brooks.

Yes Mel Brooks is brilliant and Adam Sandler is not in his league, but who knows. maybe this movie would be better than people would expect. Actors -- if they don't want to work, don't sign the contract.

[sgtsabai]

When one realizes that what one is doing is wrong, you have a moral obligation to not do that thing. All people have a right to quit, we are not slaves.

[Jingthing]

When one realizes that what one is doing is wrong, you have a moral obligation to not do that thing. All people have a right to quit, we are not slaves.

I never said they didn't have the right as free persons. Of course depending on what kind of contract they signed, there may be legal financial consequences. Ethically to me it makes a difference if they knew the kind of roles and script they were signing on to as I would expect they would have. That would be different than if they thought it was one kind of role and turned out to be radically different. I seriously doubt this is the case here. I can read in the news story that they DID indeed know the comical/satirical nature of this project but objected to some particular scenes. I'm not impressed ... very unprofessional.

Another thing.

Actors don't write the movies.

Actors don't direct the movies.

Actors don't edit the movies.

Just because a scene is made doesn't mean it will necessarily be in the movie.

That's another reason why it makes more sense if you're going to protest the content of a movie to wait until the FINAL PRODUCT actually exists.

In reality, if this movie is made and it is as offensive as these actors think it is, they have just boosted interest in it massively. Nice job!

Edited April 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[NeverSure]

An estimated 112 million indians in north and south America were slaughtered by "the founding fathers"... and now they make a movie where native american indians are ridiculed???

Would like to see a film like that featuring Germans ridiculing jews, and the whole planet would be in outrage, parts of Germany would burn and jews worldwide would demand to see heads roll...

But with those indians, well let's do it, why not? We all know which religion is running the movie industry, so who wonders... America should be ashamed of its past, but instead is proud of it - sickens me to my stomach!

It was bad, but not nearly as bad as that.

Some historians estimate the number to be more like 30,000 to 50,000 with about 95% of those dying from diseases they had no immunity to - especially smallpox.

The historian Gregory Michno estimates more like 21,000 deaths with about about 6,500 of those being settlers and military members. LINK for both paragraphs.

The native American Indians weren't the first inhabitants in N. America. These people were nomadic hunter-gatherers. Before them were what the Navajos called "The Ones Who Went Before." Those were the cliff dwelling farmers who made the cliff dwellings in west and SW America. They stayed put and raised corn and were actually more advanced. They were long extinct or gone before the European settlers arrived. Indian lore has it that they were run off.

Edited April 25, 2015 by NeverSure

[cyborgx]

...considering what has been done to The Native Peoples........it does not show much skill on Sandler's part either...

It's just a bit of satire, he wasn't even born when their land was stolen!

PC gone mad, can't anyone laugh at themselves these days?

What next, can't even have a giggle to yourself without a written permit explaining why?! SHEEESH!

Edited April 25, 2015 by cyborgx

[Jingthing]

Here's the silly material that inspired this kerfuffle.

Genius writing it's not.

But a script is not the finished movie.

"How bout after this we go someplace and I put my peepee in your teepee?"

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2015/04/24/read-page-adam-sandler-script-caused-native-actors-quit-160135

[FangFerang]

It's entertainment! "We have a lot of work to do." What unmitigated CRAP.

Most people respect other's traditions and simultaneously poke fun at them...get over it. I am not sanitizing my thoughts, censoring my words, or becoming some part of a mindless army that follow any ideas that "seem like a good idea"!

Screw that!

[MaeJoMTB]

Sorry. I respect Sandler's right to make the movie he wants to make and then the market can decide.

They should hire illegal Mexican nationals to play the natives ... sorted.

If people want to protest at the screenings, that's a different matter.

I just watched the "No Doubt" video mentioned in the OP.

Didn't see anything wrong with that either, is Cowboys and Indians now a banned theme in the US?

Are Village People and YMCA gonna be banned?

[Scott]

An off-topic video has been removed.

[MaeJoMTB]

From the OP

"A year before, the band No Doubt was forced to apologize and pull the music video "Looking Hot" after lead singer Gwen Stefani was criticize for dancing around teepees and wearing a series of American Indian-styled outfits."

An off-topic video has been removed.

How was the video 'off topic'

[Scott]

From the OP

"A year before, the band No Doubt was forced to apologize and pull the music video "Looking Hot" after lead singer Gwen Stefani was criticize for dancing around teepees and wearing a series of American Indian-styled outfits."

An off-topic video has been removed.

How was the video 'off topic'

Without an explanation of the context of the video it is off-topic. However, since you are providing a context and an explanation it is not. Feel free to repost the video.

[MaeJoMTB]

Here is the video that the OP mentioned.

I can't actually see anything wrong with it at all.

Nobody is being insulted or degraded, looks nice, shame about the song.

[LuckyLew]

Did these people not read the script before singing on?

Should be sued for breach of contract

[MaeJoMTB]

Did these people not read the script before singing on?

Should be sued for breach of contract

It's not normal for extras to get scripts.

[lust]

Punch Drunk Love is good. I thought it was shit the 1st time I watched it though because my expectations did not match the genre.

Mr. Deeds, 50 First Dates, Billy Madison, The Waterboy, and Little Nicky were funny.

That's My Boy I thought had funny moments but overall the story was fecal matter.

[2fishin2]

An estimated 112 million indians in north and south America were slaughtered by "the founding fathers"... and now they make a movie where native american indians are ridiculed???

Would like to see a film like that featuring Germans ridiculing jews, and the whole planet would be in outrage, parts of Germany would burn and jews worldwide would demand to see heads roll...

But with those indians, well let's do it, why not? We all know which religion is running the movie industry, so who wonders... America should be ashamed of its past, but instead is proud of it - sickens me to my stomach!

I guess you arent from the US nor, understand the word satire.

Its going to be even more funny now because we will probably have white people dressed up as indians with those funny names.

I could tell you the real truth about indians in the US, but that would be another debate....

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed.

[Lopchan]

"California writer Megan Red Shirt-Shaw," Gosh, They're trying to infiltrate the US now!

[jackanapes]

not before time for so long the American people have bullied pushed and decried the red indian nation the original people of the Americas nasty I don't blame them walking out on a movie which depicts them in a bad light .

[2fishin2]

If you cant laugh at yourself first, you cant laugh at anyone....a great wiseman once said [emoji2]

[impulse]

not before time for so long the American people have bullied pushed and decried the red indian nation the original people of the Americas nasty I don't blame them walking out on a movie which depicts them in a bad light .

Yup, and the Apaches did it to the Lakota, and the Cheyenne did it to the Crow, and...and...

Most patches of land in North America (and the rest of the world) have been fought over and changed owners by violent means several times throughout history. And to hold out what European settlers did to Native Americans as "worse than" what they did to each other- is to ignore a centuries long history of violence, torture and ethnic cleansing different tribes perpetrated on each other over the very same patches of land.

What happened to Native Americans was despicable, but hardly unique in North American history. White European folks just happen to be today's victors, and during a time in history when there is an actual (European based, BTW) legal system in place to redress the wrongs and win the lawsuit lottery.

Bet the Cheyenne wish they had the same luxury of a functioning legal system when the Lakota ran them out of the Black Hills about 100 years before the Euro-trash ran the Lakota out of the very same sacred Hills. (From another recent thread that meandered off topic)

Edited April 26, 2015 by impulse

[sgtsabai]

The "Anasazi" left those ruins and at least some of the present day Pueblo Indians knew where they went and would never tell. I suspect I do, but it was never confirmed to me, nor would I ask. I once worked with a very old, ancient Santa Domingo Pueblo Indian. I'm not sure how old he was but he remembered no cars. I believe he was even older than his official years. He did the Kiva ceremonies for several of the pueblos as they no longer had religious leaders that qualified. I asked him one day who was following in his footsteps, he said none. Why? I asked. He said none qualified. I asked about his knowledge, not of just religion but history (history NOT shared with anthropologists). His answer was they no longer deserved it. While very, very old he was a very powerful spiritual man. I was the only one he shared any knowledge with where we worked (NM State Monument). The Manager was Laguna Pueblo and he wouldn't share his knowledge with him. Indians are very proud people, if these actors found something they didn't like in the script they were correct in walking off the movie. Their are ways to be funny, ridicule is not one. Perhaps Mel Brooks could have made this movie as the satire it should be. As it is it will be made and yes, it has publicity. Much like The Interview it will probably get people to watch just because of the contraversy.

[quandow]

I studied Native American Indian tribes in college, and I must say the indignation portrayed by these actors isn't based on truth. It's like Kwanzaa, made up by modern day folk who WISHED their ancestry was like they imagine. Remember when Iron Eyes Cody was exposed as actually being 100% Italian? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody

The point is, if these actors don't want to do the job, then don't. If you don't like Sandler movies, then don't watch them. Last I checked, his movies have a loyal following and make hollywood a lot of money.

Please try and remember: It's entertainment, not education. Chill for pity's sake!!!

[Halion]

This PC bullshit is out of hand and should not be entertained, however it plays into the hands of those who wish to make issues out of thin air.

[chuckd]

An estimated 112 million indians in north and south America were slaughtered by "the founding fathers"... and now they make a movie where native american indians are ridiculed???

Would like to see a film like that featuring Germans ridiculing jews, and the whole planet would be in outrage, parts of Germany would burn and jews worldwide would demand to see heads roll...

But with those indians, well let's do it, why not? We all know which religion is running the movie industry, so who wonders... America should be ashamed of its past, but instead is proud of it - sickens me to my stomach!

I suppose we can mark you down as not being a movie goer?

[MaeJoMTB]

. I'll bet most of you don't think "redskin" is derogatory. You know nothing.

Is it a bit like 'farang'?