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Lawyer, author promotes Native American culture change
J. Freeman DeJongh, Journalist
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Tuesday evening in the Hatch room of the SUB, the Intertribal Native Council (INC), MLK Human Rights Committee and Political Science Association brought Gyasi Ross to speak in celebration of National American Indian Heritage Month.
Gyasi Ross belongs to the Blackfeet Nation and the Suquamish Tribe in Northern Washington. He obtained a law degree from Colombia University and is a lawyer, author and teacher. His lecture is titled, “Beyond Guilt, Political Correctness as a Weapon.”
ZACH GANSCHOW/THE ARBITER Native American lawyer, activists speaks out to students tuesday night.
Gyasi defined political correctness as “a philosophy that asserts the wealthy or powerful white people and institutions will voluntarily and benevolently hand over the key to their wealth to us.”
The Intertribal Native Council is a Native American Student group who strive to create unity between different tribes, the community and the university.
Tai Simpson, a Nez Perce Native American and political science major, said she hopes the event will open a dialogue between people.
“Gyasi’s speaking style, his intensity, opens this channel to us,” she said. “We hope to bring cultural issues closer to the people. We want people to be more willing to question their perceptions.”
Gyassi focused his speech on internal issues of American tribes. He expressed his distress with the lower standards for Native American education and expectations. Following these points, he discussed the lack of accountability and family values. He said he speaks to provoke people into opening channels for change.
A reoccurring saying in his speech was, “It’s too good to be true.”
He said over and over that getting by easy will only cripple individuals in the long run and that higher standards and expectations must be set for Native Americans to succeed in today’s world. He said that the millions of excuses were no longer tolerable.
Rather than to accept the poverty and distress, it is time to reinvent, according to Gyasi.
Simpson said she found Gyasi Ross’s writings online before seeing him in person.
“He is my Facebook BFF. We started talking via chat,” Simpson said. “I am smitten by his writing style.”
A diverse group of students, staff and community members were in attendance. Gyasi spoke in front of the podium, moving about the floor. For information, contact the BSU Intertribal Native Council at bsuintertribalnativecouncil@gmail.com or visit Gyasi Ross’s column, “The Thing About Skins,” at his Web site, IndianCountryToday.com