Paul Frank Industries Will Take Major Steps to Reconcile With Native Americans

 

By ICTMN Staff: September 14, 2012

 Singer and actress Christina Milian, center, and two other guests pose with feathers and tomahawks at Paul Frank Industries' 'Dream Catchin' event.

Paul Frank has deeply offended the Native American community by hosting a themed party called, "Dream Catchin: A Pow Wow Celebrating Fashion's Night Out." How can you base a party theme off of a whole culture? I understand that there are themed parties (like Mexico or Hawaiian), but this is wrong in and of itself. It brings up and reenforced the stereotypes that are present with the ideals of these so called "cultures." Heavy-drinking/heavy-liquored parties, where individuals can act out racist ideals without fear of judgement because "everyone is doing it." Paul Frank had people run around with headdresses on and tomahawks/bows and arrows in there hands. Individuals were caught posing with these objects in photos, over 1000 photos were posted from the event on to his facebook page, but where soon removed due the the fact that individuals were so outraged by the display. 
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"Paul Frank, designer of the ubiquitous monkey-printed tees, has offended many after hosting a Native American culture-themed party complete with tomahawks, feathered headdresses and drinks like the "Rain Dance Refresher," the “Dream Catcher” and the “Neon Teepee."  

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Paul Frank is currently trying to put out the fire that has been lite under his butt, for this political incorrectness.  His company is currently working with some Native American designs to make a shirt where all profits will help out Native American charities or organizations. I don't think that this is enough for all the damage that Paul Frank has caused to the Native American community. He reenforced stereotypes about stupid, savage Indians that run around with weapons and kill each other. The fact that celebrities went along with this idea is even more offensive to society as a whole. Why would anyone consider a culture the theme for a party? If this happened to any other culture wouldn't they get offended? What about a white culture party? As I spoke about before there are Mexican themed parties, but why does no one take offensive these? Is it just a society norm? Is the ideal of racism just something that has become so normal for everyday life that it takes something so large like a "Native-American" themed party to light a fire under the public's ass? The photo seen above is one of the more racist photos that I found from the party. It depicts women as being crazed savages that hold weapons at each other's throat. The women have wild crazed eyes, but are holding smiles that makes them appear safe/welcoming, but as soon as you are off guard they will hold a tomahawk to your throat. There is also issues with the fact that African American women are seen are more violence than the women that appears to have a "white" look about her. There are so many issues on this one photo alone!

To the Indigenous Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Up0drnXX4

To the Indigenous Woman is a poem made by the 1491s. It a poem that speaks about the injustice that is happening against Native woman all over in tribes and not in tribes. There are incidents of Native women being attacked on and off reservations and nothing is done to help these women. There was a report about a Native woman being raped on the reservation and it was reported to the police, but nothing was done about it. She was assaulted by a a few white man, but the Native government couldn't punish the individual and the police officers did nothing to make sure that he was punished for the violence against her. There is not just violence against Native women but all women in general. The levels of incidents are just increased around Native women due to lack of trust, lack of punishment, drugs, alcohol, and general ideas that women are not as important. This is a heartbreaking realization especially since women were once prized among most peoples. Women do a large amount to contribute to society. They are the care-takers, the lovers and the mothers (they make babies...can you make a baby?). There is so much that women can do for societies, but their ideas and activism is not seen as important. This is a common breakdown of all societies. It doesn't matter what race, what color and where you are in the world. Most women are neglected and ignored. This is a great injustice. There is no reason for anyone to be treated as a second class citizens. If there are no women around to have children...then were would society be? There wouldn't be a society after a while. There would be no population growth, no changes and no world. That is a pretty large undertaking that women have. It should be respected. Women should be respected. No one should have to live in fear of being beaten, abused or even killed.

Pe’ Sla Owners Accept $9M Offer from Tribes

Artist Shepard Fairey and photographer Aaron Huey created this in reference to the U.S. government's policy of ignoring the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie.

By Vincent Schilling: September 12, 2012

 In a historic victory for American Indian tribes, the owners of the sacred site Pe’ Sla have agreed to an offer of $9 million to purchase an approximate 1,900 acres of land also known as Reynolds Prairie from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (RST). The tribes have united in their front to regain land that originally belonged to them. After a few months of lawyers and contacts there has finally been some progress that appears to be promising. The offer is currently being worked out between the tribes. There is going to be a meeting of the Lakota tribes, which include the Cheyenne River, Rosebud, Oglala, Standing Rock, Yankton Dakota and others. The remaining $8.1M dollars is going to be split between the tribes. Each tribe is going to put forth the effort to make Pe' Sla theirs again. 

“Everyone has been in agreement to obtain this sacred land and to preserve it so it won’t be developed,” said Kingman. “It has been a unified effort, not just the tribe’s but also grandmas and grandpas and young people they have all contributed to the website on LastRealIndians.com.”

I am happy that the tribes are about to receive a large part of their history back, but I can't believe that they have to buy back what they originally owned. First their land was taken from them and now they have to pay $9M dollars to get it back. The land was originally stolen from them in false promises and treaties and now the U.S. wants to have something taken from them fairly? I don't understand how the people selling the land don't feel some kind of guilt or at least some kind of obligation to make the land cheaper for the tribes that are trying to buy it back. I'm not sure if $9M dollars is a steal or not at this point. It is a lot of money for the land....but it might not be that much for the Lakota tribes that are looking to buy it. I hope that everything turns out positive and the Lakota people walk away with their pride and land.

Native Nations’ IDs and Voting Rights Cases

Native Nations’ IDs and Voting Rights Cases
By Suzan Shown Harjo
September 6, 2012

 The recent issues that have been present in the U.S. news about voting scandals have reached Native people. As with the state of Pennsylvania where individuals are required to show a form of identification in order to vote. This places a large damper on individuals that do no hold just identification. There are several populations that this law has/will effect in the upcoming 2012 election; the non-white, elderly, young and poor, who tend to vote for the Democrats will have an extremely difficult time trying to cast their vote. There hasn't been much about what this will do to individuals with only Native identification. This identification has been used for several years that can take place of a State issued ID. Several Native residents do not hold any form of identification other than their Native ID cards. The question is if it will count as an ID to vote in upcoming elections or even as citizenship. Some Native people are worried that they will no longer have a voice in the upcoming election. I believe that this is a valid issue. There has always been a struggle with the United States and Native peoples. The government has passed several regulations that have caused issues that are still impacted individuals today. Why would anyone want to take away someones voice? It is the only power that most people have to fight the government or the person who is making all the choices. This regulation doesn't only affect Native people, but also other large populations of people that were forced into some of the lives that they currently have. There is no end to the way that people will try and mess over other people. I hope that their Native ID cards count as a form of identification, especially since most of the people can trace their roots back before Euro-Americans ever arrived. I'm not sure what Republicans are up to, but I'm not looking forward to the outcome.