Folks,
I rarely post, and I am trying to do so more often. I would love to enter
the discussion about Leigh´s paper, but I have to admit first that I need
some further information, so if somebody could help out...
I had no idea of aristotelian categories, although Paul wrote something
briefly about them (sorry I already deleted quote...too hasty!) and
contrasted them, I think, with dialogical categories. If someone would
explain a little what these are, I´d be thrilled, edified.
Well, speaking about individual appropriation of categories for identity
purposes, I remember a few years ago I heard American Indian activist Bill
Means speak (he is, at least was, a leader of the political group
AIM...American Indian Movement). He said he felt strongly opposed to using
the term "Native American" to identify himself, the word which has gotten I
think some preferential use in the US recently. He said he preferred
"Indian" for I think kind of an interesting reason...because it is the name
under which his people have been persecuted, and for this reason it is the
name under which members of his organization prefer to fight for their
rights. That´s the ideological, emotional reason he gave, and he also said
there was a legal reason, because all of the (subsequently broken)treaties
between the US government and Indian tribes in the US were written using the
term "indian" and legally, this would be the best strategy. He added that he
preferred not to be lumped into the category of Indian at all, but by the
indigenous name for his tribe (I think Oglala, but this detail is fuzzy).
Well, anyway, I think Leigh´s paper is a good vehicle to stimulate thinking
and discussion about this issue of identity by racial category, which can be
extended as people have done already to other realms, like gender and
ethnicity. I am interested in the complications and contradictions of this,
the personal and social dimensions, the political and legal motivations
people may have to define or be defined according to categories.
Renee Hayes
University of Delaware (academically)
Vigo, Spain (geographically)
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