Fox alters RNC’s Michael Steele’s pejorative to “honest engine”
The Native American Journalists Association’s president Ronnie Washines sent out a strong statement in response to the Republican National Convention Chairman Michael Steele’s language use regarding Native Americans during a FOX news event:
“I am thoroughly outraged that the leader of the National Republican Party would use such repulsive language on national television. Those of us in journalism have tirelessly worked to ensure that political leaders, newsrooms and the public be respectful to all cultures when speaking publically. Michael Steele’s scurrilous tongue does no service to his group and only undermines the positive work of those who sincerely seek to respect one another in all of our working relationships. I urge Michael Steele to carefully word a sincere apology to the Native American community, which could help stop such uneducated archaic racist remarks from being made in the future. We here at NAJA are available to assist him and his organization with obtaining an accurate understanding of Native America.”
Congressman Kildee Responds to RNC Chairman Michael Steele’s Racist Comment about Native Americans
Washington, D.C.-Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI), Democratic Co-Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus, released the
following statement today in response to RNC Chairman’s Michael Steele’s use of a racist and derogatory saying about Native Americans to describe the Republican Party’s platform on Fox News.
Steele said, “Our platform is one of the best political documents that’s been written in the last 25 years, honest Injun on that.” Note that Steele’s offensive language is repeated verbatim only to inform readers.
“I am outraged and disgusted that the head of the National Republican Party would make such a derogatory and offensive statement about Native Americans on national television. In an effort to cover up Michael Steele’s racist comment, Fox News altered the transcript online to read ‘honest engine’ instead of ‘honest Injun.’ For those of us who have been fighting to reverse decades of mistreatment of Native Americans, we all know what Mr. Steele said and what he meant. His insensitive comment undermines and threatens to reverse the progress we have made to correct those wrongs. A cursory look through a dictionary or even some knowledge of Native American history would show Mr. Steele that the term is a racial slur for Native Americans. I strongly urge Mr. Steele to publicly apologize to the Native American community immediately for his derogatory comment.”
