No cheers, for the Native American poser.
On Monday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) decided to address the “Pocahontas” controversy — and truth be told, I’m having a difficult time grasping a coherent thought on such a decision. A part of me could care less about this careless move. Then again, I give Sen. Warren credit for addressing the slur raged against her by our President, Donald Trump.
Another part of me, a bigger part, is furious and confused why she decided to take the low road — especially in the final stretch of the midterm election.
Democrats should be focused on offering the advantages of liberal economic policies over the current stranglehold of crony capitalism and expanding deficits. Now, however, we’re back to discussing the useless side of identity politics.
What was with that corny commercial released by her team to address this subject? “Now, the President likes to call my mom a liar,” Warren states in the video. “What do the facts say?” The Senator asks of expert, Carlos Bustamante,
Well, based on a generic 23&Me report, six to ten generations ago Warren can connect her family tree to the Cherokee tribe. Great! Who can’t in the slave trade, colonized culture of generations past.
The commercial was the worst display of posturing to identity politics as desperation comes. Seriously, I’m baffled. And I feel like I’ve been bamboozled. Is this like a dream? Blood cloture and identity culture are not the same.
Katie Pavlich of The Hill said it best, “Warren’s cultural and grievance appropriation not only further hampered her reputation but threw a bomb into the waning “blue wave” just three weeks ahead of the midterms.” My god, it’s not often that I find myself in agreement with Pavlich, yet here I am.
The Cherokee Nation, especially, was furious with Sen. Warren genealogy press release, “Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong. It makes a mockery out of DNA tests and its legitimate uses while also dishonoring legitimate tribal governments and their citizens, whose ancestors are well documented and whose heritage is proven. Senator Warren is undermining tribal interests with her continued claims of tribal heritage.”
Here’s the deal, Sen. Warren:
Being called Pocahontas isn’t as deep a scar as being forced off your land by colonization. True, it’s demoralizing and wrong. Still, being plagued with fatal diseases by said colonization — not having an inheritance to pass to future generations — and escaping to alcoholism and drugs due to generations of poverty is far, far worse. And having your voting rights stripped away, like in North Dakota recently, is a true grievance.
Here’s another truth:
Warren has the luxury to identify and live as a white woman. And she’s showcased this fiercely before in response to Republicans criticism. Warren has relentlessly noted she wasn’t hired as a professor at Harvard Law due to her “indigenous” background, but rather due to her work experience. Convenient, considering she marked herself as a minority to get many of her jobs for professor, including at Harvard Law.
Yet when held to account by conservatives, she certainly took no issue throwing her “Cherokee” heritage by the wayside when addressing the criticism when it came to her career. Shocker! Could it be the privilege of progressive whiteness led Warren to be indignant on race identity then?
Ironically, indigenous people don’t have this luxury when it comes to hiring practices, to throw their race by the wayside. People of color constantly have to prove we were hired not because of correction to oppression but due to talent and experience only. That affirmative action isn’t about hiring someone to meet a government race statistic mandate but it is an anti-discrimination law.
Look, I understand Warren just wanted to defend her honor and her family. For months, our president has exhausted “Pocahontas” in a demoralizing fashion. I’m sure Warren was fed up. But, instead of lowering to Trump’s childish standards, Warren should have remained focused on what matters: Americans.
Warren, for the left, is a champion against corruption and income inequality. She is a woman with her eyes in the prize, policy, policy, policy.
The Warren I’m used to is a woman capable of ignoring created controversy whenever the subject of Trump came up.Warren wisely had ignored the political fray, and tactfully delegated attention on issues that worries the every-man and woman: achieving economic prosperity and having stability in life.
Now that moment and savvy political expert is distracted. In responding to Trump’s down-slide discourse, sadly, Warren has joined the claptrap at the podium. Hopefully, it’s only a short detour.
That said, if I were Sen. Warren, I’d issue an apology to Native Americans for being a poser. Then, I’d get to work on addressing the long-suffering issues in their community, after all, you are Cherokee and should care about the issues of your people, right?
Photo: Ben Winkler/Creative Commons
