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Tim Giago: Myths and misconceptions about Indians
Tuesday, September 27, 2005

"In 1960 President John F. Kennedy said, 'The American Indian is the least understood and the most misunderstood of all Americans.'

He wasn’t just 'whistling Dixie' on that observation because forty-five years have past since he uttered that comment in a speech to a gathering of American Indian leaders in Washington, D.C. and it still has significant meaning.

First of all, you will note that President Kennedy said 'American Indian' and it seems to be politically correct to now use 'Native American.' It seems silly that so many Indians have suddenly become so conscious of using the word Indian and wrongly attribute the derivation to Christopher Columbus. How did that myth become reality?"

Get the Story:
Tim Giago: Exploding myths and misconceptions (The Native American Times 9/26)

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