This Blog is a resource tool for the students taking the "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES" elective at Westborough High School, Westborough, Massachusetts.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
PERIOD 1 - WHITE MAN'S IMAGE
We watched the film, In the White Man's Image - please post your thoughts about the film and make sure to comment on at least one other student's post.
38 comments:
Molly Hester
said...
After watching part of the movie "The White Man's Image" I feel as though the "white man" had no right to go and take the Native American's from their homes, separate them from their families and make them change their whole life style. What makes us believe we are superior to them? We may have different skills, but that does not make us superior to the Native Americans think about it the Native Americans can kill a buffalo and then use every single part of it in a variety of different ways. I think we should have had a give and take relationship those who wanted to change should have gone to the new school, and learned white man ways, but they should also have taught the white man ways to live off of the land and that would have benefited both sides involved.
I totally agree with Molly. I don't think it's even right for someone to force someone else to change their lifestyle. not everyone is the same. and also taking over the native american's land was totally wrong because the native americans were there first. if they asked to share the land, that would seem alright but taking over someone's land is just totally wrong.
as americans we often find ourselves believeing that we are the chosen ones, i think this movie today was a good example of this the white men figured that there were these people in "their" country who didnt look like them or act like them. they then took this as a reason for taking action against them. they tore these people from there homes, family, and lifestyle for a human experiment basically. and they put such an effort into trying to make these people look like them that i think that really goes to show what "we" were like at that time.
molly i agree with your idea of volunteering to "try out" the white mans ways i think that would have been much more considering to the Natives, and like you said with he give and take system they also might have been much more understanding and cooperative.
I like the point that Brian brought up, about how the Native Americans were there first. What makes us entitled to this right to separate families and change a persons life style.
I think this movie was a good example of how the “white man” felt superior to all. I do not agree with the actions of the “white man” for I think it was humanly all wrong. They had no right to rip people from their homes and force them into a different “culturally accepted” lifestyle. They used them for an experiment which I do not agree with. It was demeaning and wrong for just because they were Native Americans doesn’t mean they should be subjected to that kind of behavior. I feel the” white man” felt too powerful and tried to dominate the Native American race.
I agree with Molly. I think the relationship could have been much better between the two cultures if they viewed each other equally. They could have worked out a way where Native Americans could go to school and learn the “white” culture if they wanted to. Also the "white man" could have learned a lot from the Native Americans.
After watching the movie "The white man's image" i completely disagree with what the americans did to native americans. I dont like the fact that they practically changed their lives completely and made them leave their homes. This must have been a real scary time for native americans and they did not have to right to do that.
I agree with molly's thoughts. The americans shouldn't have thought they were superior to the native americans. Everyone should be treated equal and not base it on the way they look.
I found it quite interesting and somewhat disheartening at how quickly the residents of the town the warriors were stationed in turned against these men. Once news of Custer's defeat reached the townspeople, they called for the severe treatment and punishment of these men who had nothing to do with the battle even after they had just helped save their town from a major fire.
During the time i watched the video, "the white mans image", i was sickened by the actions of the U.S government in the removal of the indians. In the course of their actions they split up lovers, families and friends. In addition, by no means were these Indians savage. They had developed a complex culture and lived in peace with nature, not attacking the white man unless provoked. If anything the white man was the savage as he forcefully expelled Indians from their own land and ruthlessly massacred any of those who resisted. Also, the attempts to assimilate Indians into the societyof the white man was another wrong doing as it forced unwilling Indians to accept a culture and lifestyle so foriegn to theirs as was theirs to thed white man.
I concur with Meghan, the experiment the government performed on these men was absolutely, 100% wrong. To rip these men from their lives and families and homes was horrible and should never have been done.
I agree with Briana due to the fact that as a group of people with a firm belief, we tend to fail to analyze the opposite side of the arguement. I am willing to bet that at the time if it was the white man, instead of the Indians, being threatened with the extinction of their society, the white man would have the same feelings as the Indians did.
I think that it's really sad that we basically stole the Native American's identity. I do not understand why Americans think that we are so much better than everyone else. I'm glad that there is more equality in the world now-a-days. I think that it was wrong that we took the Native Americans away from their land and change their identity. The United States is a special country because of our diversity. We don't need assimilation, and I never understood why we treated others so poorly (and still do). The part of the video that really made me uneasy when it showed the Native Americans in U.S. army uniforms. They looked so unnatural.
Americans usually do think they are superior to all other people in the world. the "white man's image" showed how uncomfortable americans were with people who were different from them. Everyone else had to change to be like the Americans, but they did nothing to become like the native americans or learn to repect their ways of life.
I agree with Molly. There is no reason the Americans are better than everyone else, and they should have learned to compromise with the Native Americans, not simply try to change them or try to kill them.
While watching the movie "The White Man's Image" I repeatedly came to the conclusion that many Americans in this time period were close-minded and afraid. Americans didn't embrace the Native Americans differences in culture and lifestyle, even though the vast majority of the time, if not all the time, their ways did not effect Americans negatively. Instead of learning from one another, the Americans forced the Native Americans into resenting them and not respecting their values and ways. They could have benefited from each other. I feel like this just shows how scared Americans were. They weren't ready to adapt or adjust their ways, probably because they were insecure. That is by no means an excuse, because their behavior can never be justified, I just felt that might serve as a reasonable explanation. One thing was clear to me, our nation's actions in this situation were horrible and inexcusable.
I agree with Molly's point about how American's always see themselves as superior. Because many people were either born with that mentality or adopted it over time, I feel like a false sense of entitlement came with it. Americans thought they had the right to treat the Native American's that way, which simply isn't the case.
The thing i hate is that the white man already took their land long ago and now they want to dehumanize them even more by taking them over as "slaves" and the other ones will be "Americanized". I think it might have been a better idea to open a school on their land and teach there, but to separate the families. I just think the whole thing could have been planned better.
I agree with Molly, there should have been some negotiation. In this case it should have been what Molly said, trade buffalo hunting and the uses of it for school. This would have benefitted more than taking their land.
The way that the white men took away the Native Americans land shows the superiority that the Americans feel towards everybody else. They assume that the Native Americans are not as good as them because they are different. Its not right to make somebody change themselves because they are different and it is not right to force them to change. The Americans had no right in taking the Native Americans land because we don't have the right to claim land just because we feel that we are better then those people.
Okay so basically they were put on trains and taken away in order to be smothered out of society. Really? Why haven't we heard about THIS in school but everyone at least knows that the Holocaust happened? It's almost the exact same thing. We just chose a route that was not as swift and violent as what Nazi Germany imposed. We took "criminals" away and taught them to be something they were not. I really find this disturbing for two reasons. One is the fact that we haven't heard about this in school. Second is the fact that so much thought was put into the deliberate destruction of another culture on American soil. Yes, it was an experiment on melding Native Americans into White culture, but the desired outcome was that their culture would simply cease to exist.
I completely agree with Jess. The cause of this entire experiment was simply fear. We were afraid of the vast differences between our cultures because we did not understand them. The lack of understanding probably lead to false judgements about the Native Americans, just as Steve had already judged what hunting was without experiencing it.
we all have to learn to be equal and the same way with one another because were all human beings. so i think that when see other people we dont no, we take them as if they are one of us.
I agree with Molly's point that the Americans/"white men" had no right to just barge in and take the native americans from their rightful homes and try to change them to fit the "right" image. Looking back at events like these shows how hypocritical americans can be. America is supposed to be the home of the free, and all men are supposed to be created equal... but in actuality,only white men are free and only white men are created equal
I think the movie revealed a lot about the U.S. government, specifically the Dawes Act. I remember reading about the Dawes Act last year and thinking it wasn't that bad of an idea. Assimilation was clearly a terrible think to do to the Native American and it wasn't our rights to for out culture upon them. But I always thought the Dawes Act was a good was to help the Indians and incorporate them more in American. This film changed my mind for sure and it revealed how Americans mistreated them.
I agree with Kate (even though she not in our class). Americans has this sense of superiority, especially among the Native Americans. They felt their culture was much better than the Native Americans'. They then forces the Native Americans to change to fit their culture. It's ironic how this happened so chronologically close to when Americans won their freedom and their taking away the Natives’ freedoms.
I feel that no one has the irght to try and change someone's personality and beliefs to try and fit theirs. The "white man" imposed on the Native American's land and furthermore stripped everything they had to their name. In class, Mr. Gallagher told us that the most important thing you own is your name. And for someone to come in out of nowhere and say that your way of living is wrong and that you have to change is completely out of line. You name descirbes who you are and what people think of you. If someone were to come and try to change my name and my culture I would be very angry. Bottom line, trying to change someone in order to fit society is wrong all together. If everyyone were to be the same then there would be no individuality and life would be boring.
I feel the same as Aidas. Native Americans have already been abused enough by the "whiteman". They've taken their land, seperated their families, and used them as slaves. And now they want to strip them from their names?
After watching the movie "The White Man's Image," i think it was wrong that the white man could take over the lives of Indian settlers and, basically, tell them what to do. They forced their way of life on them. This country was founded on the principles of living their own lifestyle, while in this case, those principles are nowhere to be found.
I agree with molly that the white man had no right to take the native americans away from their families and home. the culture they have is so different from ours, so when they are forced to live in our culture its a whole new world for them. i think its horrible that white men thought they had power over the native americans just becuase they were different. they too are humans and should have the same rights as the white men did.
Watching the movie, I felt that I could connect to the plite of the Native Americans on a small level. When I first came to America, I was encouraged to change and act like other kids my age. I felt that I would be singled out for being different and I changed.
I agree with Greg. Americans did not have the right to impose their culture. It was a clear violation of basic human rights and should have been treated as such, instead of having a positive public response
I agree with Greg's comment. The Native American's shouldn't have had to conform to the white man. As well as stepping over borders, it went against everything America is now, and look at how much it has achieved, with more then just "the white man".
38 comments:
After watching part of the movie "The White Man's Image" I feel as though the "white man" had no right to go and take the Native American's from their homes, separate them from their families and make them change their whole life style. What makes us believe we are superior to them? We may have different skills, but that does not make us superior to the Native Americans think about it the Native Americans can kill a buffalo and then use every single part of it in a variety of different ways. I think we should have had a give and take relationship those who wanted to change should have gone to the new school, and learned white man ways, but they should also have taught the white man ways to live off of the land and that would have benefited both sides involved.
I totally agree with Molly. I don't think it's even right for someone to force someone else to change their lifestyle. not everyone is the same. and also taking over the native american's land was totally wrong because the native americans were there first. if they asked to share the land, that would seem alright but taking over someone's land is just totally wrong.
Bears do work!
as americans we often find ourselves believeing that we are the chosen ones, i think this movie today was a good example of this the white men figured that there were these people in "their" country who didnt look like them or act like them. they then took this as a reason for taking action against them. they tore these people from there homes, family, and lifestyle for a human experiment basically. and they put such an effort into trying to make these people look like them that i think that really goes to show what "we" were like at that time.
molly
i agree with your idea of volunteering to "try out" the white mans ways i think that would have been much more considering to the Natives, and like you said with he give and take system they also might have been much more understanding and cooperative.
I like the point that Brian brought up, about how the Native Americans were there first. What makes us entitled to this right to separate families and change a persons life style.
I think this movie was a good example of how the “white man” felt superior to all. I do not agree with the actions of the “white man” for I think it was humanly all wrong. They had no right to rip people from their homes and force them into a different “culturally accepted” lifestyle. They used them for an experiment which I do not agree with. It was demeaning and wrong for just because they were Native Americans doesn’t mean they should be subjected to that kind of behavior. I feel the” white man” felt too powerful and tried to dominate the Native American race.
I agree with Molly. I think the relationship could have been much better between the two cultures if they viewed each other equally. They could have worked out a way where Native Americans could go to school and learn the “white” culture if they wanted to. Also the "white man" could have learned a lot from the Native Americans.
After watching the movie "The white man's image" i completely disagree with what the americans did to native americans. I dont like the fact that they practically changed their lives completely and made them leave their homes. This must have been a real scary time for native americans and they did not have to right to do that.
I agree with molly's thoughts. The americans shouldn't have thought they were superior to the native americans. Everyone should be treated equal and not base it on the way they look.
I found it quite interesting and somewhat disheartening at how quickly the residents of the town the warriors were stationed in turned against these men. Once news of Custer's defeat reached the townspeople, they called for the severe treatment and punishment of these men who had nothing to do with the battle even after they had just helped save their town from a major fire.
During the time i watched the video, "the white mans image", i was sickened by the actions of the U.S government in the removal of the indians. In the course of their actions they split up lovers, families and friends. In addition, by no means were these Indians savage. They had developed a complex culture and lived in peace with nature, not attacking the white man unless provoked. If anything the white man was the savage as he forcefully expelled Indians from their own land and ruthlessly massacred any of those who resisted. Also, the attempts to assimilate Indians into the societyof the white man was another wrong doing as it forced unwilling Indians to accept a culture and lifestyle so foriegn to theirs as was theirs to thed white man.
I concur with Meghan, the experiment the government performed on these men was absolutely, 100% wrong. To rip these men from their lives and families and homes was horrible and should never have been done.
I agree with Briana due to the fact that as a group of people with a firm belief, we tend to fail to analyze the opposite side of the arguement. I am willing to bet that at the time if it was the white man, instead of the Indians, being threatened with the extinction of their society, the white man would have the same feelings as the Indians did.
I think that it's really sad that we basically stole the Native American's identity. I do not understand why Americans think that we are so much better than everyone else. I'm glad that there is more equality in the world now-a-days. I think that it was wrong that we took the Native Americans away from their land and change their identity. The United States is a special country because of our diversity. We don't need assimilation, and I never understood why we treated others so poorly (and still do). The part of the video that really made me uneasy when it showed the Native Americans in U.S. army uniforms. They looked so unnatural.
I agree with Andrew. I was shocked that the townspeople just went along with that idea. It is so unfair and ridiculous to the Native Americans.
Americans usually do think they are superior to all other people in the world. the "white man's image" showed how uncomfortable americans were with people who were different from them. Everyone else had to change to be like the Americans, but they did nothing to become like the native americans or learn to repect their ways of life.
I agree with Molly. There is no reason the Americans are better than everyone else, and they should have learned to compromise with the Native Americans, not simply try to change them or try to kill them.
While watching the movie "The White Man's Image" I repeatedly came to the conclusion that many Americans in this time period were close-minded and afraid. Americans didn't embrace the Native Americans differences in culture and lifestyle, even though the vast majority of the time, if not all the time, their ways did not effect Americans negatively. Instead of learning from one another, the Americans forced the Native Americans into resenting them and not respecting their values and ways. They could have benefited from each other. I feel like this just shows how scared Americans were. They weren't ready to adapt or adjust their ways, probably because they were insecure. That is by no means an excuse, because their behavior can never be justified, I just felt that might serve as a reasonable explanation. One thing was clear to me, our nation's actions in this situation were horrible and inexcusable.
I agree with Molly's point about how American's always see themselves as superior. Because many people were either born with that mentality or adopted it over time, I feel like a false sense of entitlement came with it. Americans thought they had the right to treat the Native American's that way, which simply isn't the case.
The thing i hate is that the white man already took their land long ago and now they want to dehumanize them even more by taking them over as "slaves" and the other ones will be "Americanized". I think it might have been a better idea to open a school on their land and teach there, but to separate the families. I just think the whole thing could have been planned better.
I agree with Molly, there should have been some negotiation. In this case it should have been what Molly said, trade buffalo hunting and the uses of it for school. This would have benefitted more than taking their land.
The way that the white men took away the Native Americans land shows the superiority that the Americans feel towards everybody else. They assume that the Native Americans are not as good as them because they are different. Its not right to make somebody change themselves because they are different and it is not right to force them to change. The Americans had no right in taking the Native Americans land because we don't have the right to claim land just because we feel that we are better then those people.
Okay so basically they were put on trains and taken away in order to be smothered out of society. Really? Why haven't we heard about THIS in school but everyone at least knows that the Holocaust happened? It's almost the exact same thing. We just chose a route that was not as swift and violent as what Nazi Germany imposed. We took "criminals" away and taught them to be something they were not. I really find this disturbing for two reasons. One is the fact that we haven't heard about this in school. Second is the fact that so much thought was put into the deliberate destruction of another culture on American soil. Yes, it was an experiment on melding Native Americans into White culture, but the desired outcome was that their culture would simply cease to exist.
I completely agree with Jess. The cause of this entire experiment was simply fear. We were afraid of the vast differences between our cultures because we did not understand them. The lack of understanding probably lead to false judgements about the Native Americans, just as Steve had already judged what hunting was without experiencing it.
we all have to learn to be equal and the same way with one another because were all human beings. so i think that when see other people we dont no, we take them as if they are one of us.
i agree with molly, the whites had no right taking the natives american rights away. we are all the same and one together
I agree with Molly's point that the Americans/"white men" had no right to just barge in and take the native americans from their rightful homes and try to change them to fit the "right" image. Looking back at events like these shows how hypocritical americans can be. America is supposed to be the home of the free, and all men are supposed to be created equal... but in actuality,only white men are free and only white men are created equal
I think the movie revealed a lot about the U.S. government, specifically the Dawes Act. I remember reading about the Dawes Act last year and thinking it wasn't that bad of an idea. Assimilation was clearly a terrible think to do to the Native American and it wasn't our rights to for out culture upon them. But I always thought the Dawes Act was a good was to help the Indians and incorporate them more in American. This film changed my mind for sure and it revealed how Americans mistreated them.
I agree with Kate (even though she not in our class). Americans has this sense of superiority, especially among the Native Americans. They felt their culture was much better than the Native Americans'. They then forces the Native Americans to change to fit their culture. It's ironic how this happened so chronologically close to when Americans won their freedom and their taking away the Natives’ freedoms.
I feel that no one has the irght to try and change someone's personality and beliefs to try and fit theirs. The "white man" imposed on the Native American's land and furthermore stripped everything they had to their name. In class, Mr. Gallagher told us that the most important thing you own is your name. And for someone to come in out of nowhere and say that your way of living is wrong and that you have to change is completely out of line. You name descirbes who you are and what people think of you. If someone were to come and try to change my name and my culture I would be very angry. Bottom line, trying to change someone in order to fit society is wrong all together. If everyyone were to be the same then there would be no individuality and life would be boring.
I feel the same as Aidas. Native Americans have already been abused enough by the "whiteman". They've taken their land, seperated their families, and used them as slaves. And now they want to strip them from their names?
After watching the movie "The White Man's Image," i think it was wrong that the white man could take over the lives of Indian settlers and, basically, tell them what to do. They forced their way of life on them. This country was founded on the principles of living their own lifestyle, while in this case, those principles are nowhere to be found.
i agree with Brian that the Natives were there first and we have no right to encroach on their territory and way of life.
@ Preetam Naini
You are absolutely right. The "white man" did not even follow their own rules on lifestyle and became hypocrites.
I agree with molly that the white man had no right to take the native americans away from their families and home. the culture they have is so different from ours, so when they are forced to live in our culture its a whole new world for them. i think its horrible that white men thought they had power over the native americans just becuase they were different. they too are humans and should have the same rights as the white men did.
Watching the movie, I felt that I could connect to the plite of the Native Americans on a small level. When I first came to America, I was encouraged to change and act like other kids my age. I felt that I would be singled out for being different and I changed.
I agree with Greg. Americans did not have the right to impose their culture. It was a clear violation of basic human rights and should have been treated as such, instead of having a positive public response
I agree with Greg's comment. The Native American's shouldn't have had to conform to the white man. As well as stepping over borders, it went against everything America is now, and look at how much it has achieved, with more then just "the white man".
I was absent*
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