An Indian Father's Plea

An Indian Father's Plea

By: Medicine Grizzlybear 

Quotes:

"He is 5 years old, in kindergarten, and I can't understand why you already labeled him a slow learner"

This Quote is one of Wind-Wolf's fathers main concern. His child is only in kindergarten, and as the reader discovers Wind-Wolf has already gone through many experiences as a a very young child. He is already well-rounded culturally. He has been through, and seen a lot! Why is it he is already labeled a slow-learner this early in the game? Because he is learning/ has learned differently than the other kids in the classroom? The kid is only in kindergarten, so who is the teacher to say that the child is slow? The father, Medicine Grizzlybear has every right in the world to be concerned. 

"He is not culturally disadvantaged he is culturally different"

Its sad that Wolf-Wind is being categorized as challenged, when in fact he is not at all, he just has learned different things than the other children and the teacher.Medicine Grizzlybear went on to explain that Wolf-Wind may say there are 13 months in a year because he has been taught there are 13 full moons in a year. Wolf-Wind is not dumber than anyone else in the class,and in many cases he may be more smarter than the others. he has been raised up in a different culture than the other children leading to him knowing different information than others. 

"yesterday for the third time in two weeks, Wolf-Wind came home crying saying he wanted to cut his hair"

Long hair represents masculinity in the Indian culture. Wind-Wolf is ashamed of his long hair because he keeps getting bullied for it. This is very sad, for both Wolf-Wind and his father. His father wants him to be proud of his culture and the way he looks, but because it is making him different from the other kids he is getting bullied for it.

Medicine Grizzlybear went on to explain his son is not an empty class going to school to be filled, but he is filled with knowledge and wants the teacher to allow him to spread his knowledge with the class. If the teacher does a better part in explaining to the class who Wolf-Wind is in a sense that will allow him to be more proud of his culture than ashamed of it, than she is doing a good job as a teacher. Her lack of understanding the Indian culture, and embracing it in her classroom is making Wolf-Wind feel like an outcast. Its very sad. 

I posted the image above because it would be great if we lived in a world where everyone is proud of their heritage. In the society we live in, it will probably be impossible for everyone of all cultures to be completely proud of who they are. 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/contributors/contributions/harnoor-gill/Hey-teenagers-are-you-proud-of-your-heritage/articleshow/28509073.cms

I attached the link above because i thought it was in interesting article about why we should embrace our culture.

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

By Peggy McIntosh

Quotes: 

 "I have come to see white privilege as an invisible package of unearned assets which I can

count on cashing in each day, but about which I was ‘meant’ to remain oblivious.White privilege is
like an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, code-books, visas, clothes, tools and blank checks. "

What Peggy mean by this is most white people don't realize what they have unless they put themselves in someone else shoes. I was born white, so I was handed more privileges. Did I earn these privileges? No. People earn something by going out of their way to succeed in what ever it is they are looking to accomplish. i earned being on the Deans List, and I earned the money I make every week from working- but I did not earn special privileges by waking up and being white- they were simply handed to me, which is very unfair to someone ho is not white.

 "Men may say they will work to improve women’s status, in the society, the university, or the curriculum, but they can’t or won’t support the idea of lessening men’s"

Just like men are willing to help women get the privileges and whites they deserve, many whites are out there pushing to get colored people the same equal rights. But why can't we just lessen our rights until they are all equal? Many people would not agree to doing this, and I understand that, but if I can't get the same privilege as men, and colored people cant get the same privilege as whites, how are we ever going to live equally?

"My skin color was an asset for any move I was educated to want to make"

White people, especially white men don't really have much holding them back from the decisions and moves they want to make in life. Fr the most part, people aren't doing racial profiling and discrimination against us.

For the most part, in my opinion, women's rights are comparable to men's rights just as colored people's rights are comparable to white rights. They aren't completely equal because racism and segregation are still taking place. Profiling and judging is still in existence. Until we can somehow get the rest of the world to see comparing white people to colored people is like comparing apples to apples, it is going to be very hard to get everyone to share the same rights.

The picture above is a little definition on discrimination. Although many people aren't as vocal about their racism and discrimination as they were in the past, it is still going on in many peoples heads and portrayed through racial profiling and unequal rights.


http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4786

^ This article is a little inside on what is still happening today.

ME :)

Hi guys,
This is my first semester at RIC, although its my 4th year as a college student -__-
I am studying early childhood education. I love working with kids, i've been doing it since i was 12.
Outside of school I work at a jewelry store, and do a lot of babysitting. I love going out with my friends, but I am also content staying in with my boyfriend and watching movies. I live a pretty simple, well-balanced life :) I am looking forward to getting to know all of you !!