Native-American GOP Congressman Calls Steele’s ‘Honest Injun’ Comments ‘Unacceptable’

[ccharles000]

On Monday, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele attracted considerable attention for a controversial term he used on Fox News:

STEELE:Our platform is one of the best political documents that’s been written in the last 25 years. Honest Injun on that. It speaks to some core conservative principles on the value of family, faith, life, economics. Those principles don’t change.

Today, ThinkProgress received a statement from Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) in response to Steele’s remarks:

It’s unacceptable. And while I’m certain Chairman Steele didn’t intend it that way, it’s an offensive phrase in the Native American community.

Cole’s condemnation of Steele is significant, not only because he is a fellow Republican, but also because he is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation and the only Native American serving in the House. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), co-chairman of the Congressional Native American Caucus, has also demanded that Steele apologize: “His insensitive comment undermines and threatens to reverse the progress we have made to correct those wrongs.”

Leeanne Root of Indian Country Today writes that a public apology from Steele — who has been blanketing the media to promote his book — is “well overdue.” “Steele’s use of this racist phrase — on a widely viewed national program, no less — disrespects a community that works hard to educate about the true history of the United States and wants to participate in its productive future,” she writes.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/08/cole-steele/

[bluestateguy]

1. I knew Obama should have played in the Dakotas last year

nt

[denbot]

2. Unfortunately his stupid shit won't get any traction..

We are to small of a constituency.

I use this phrase to fuck with people, but in my defense I'm an asshole.

[Eric Condon]

3. As a white guy, I can't claim to speak for any minorities,

but seriously, WHY do ANY minorities continue to identify with the GOP? Could the party possibly make it any plainer how much they don't give a shit about them? Every single day there's another story about emails with Obama as a witch doctor, "like a Jew counting pennies" comments, all the Sotomayor stuff, now this. They really make zero attempt to hide it anymore. I'm not about telling anyone what to believe or how to live their lives, but seriously, what does the GOP have to do to make non-rich-white-straight-males realize they have nothing but not-even-veiled contempt for them?

[RepublicanElephant]

9. i constantly wonder that too. nt

[lillypaddle]

4. Reminds me of that Seinfeld episode

Remember the one? He was hot for a Native American woman and kept saying shit like this. And then he bought a cigar store "Indian"?

[baldguy]

5. And what makes Cole think any other Republican cares?

Michael Steele understands that his role is to be a token, displaying the GOPs "diversity" while spouting the same ignorant, insensitive or outright bigoted rhetoric as the redneck good ol' boys at the core of the party.

[divideetimpera]

6. the rich shifted the focus of leftism away from money/taxes/labor towards race hyperawareness

smooth as silk, they is.

[rasputin1952]

7. Steele...the gift that just keeps giving...

:)

[boppers]

8. I don't even know what the phrase means.

What's an "Honest Injun", and how is it different from an "Injun", and why?

Is the implication that native americans are less honest?
That native american vows of honesty are important, because they are more honest?

I really have no idea. Can somebody explain, please?