There aren’t that many indigenous people left in Northeast Florida, so you don’t really hear the topic come up there much at all. Don’t get me wrong. Racism is alive and thriving in the area, unfortunately, but the focus is on other minorities.
Here in Seattle I’ve been shocked on several occasions to hear otherwise reasonable people voice racist opinions about the various tribes in this area. Racism always shocks me, to be honest, but this racism is hard for me to grasp in particular because it is brand new to me. It’s almost like I woke up one morning and suddenly everyone was expressing animosity toward bananas. It always makes me think, “Wait, what? Where is this coming from?”
Granted, I don’t know the history or the politics around here. I don’t know the resentment that’s probably been building up on both sides for decades. I don’t know the injustices that have been meted out. So to me this is a banana issue. To others it’s much more personal.
For example, people complain about how the Muckleshoot Indians’ fishing nets clog up the local waterways. I imagine the fishermen in question could just as easily complain about how the entire city of Seattle clogs up the county. It’s all about perspective.
But this whole situation has emphasized to me how ridiculous prejudice is. It has to be taught. It has to be reinforced. It can only thrive if you make an effort to hold a grudge, and this is a grudge that I do not have.
But those bananas, man, they just can’t be trusted.
[Image credit: giantbomb.com]
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