Page 182 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

156 racial/ethnic microaggressions and racism

Second, they had land and status that were stolen and seized from them, and
they were subjected to systematic extermination (Sue & Sue, 2008).
When the general public thinks about Native American Indians, these are
some of the images and stereotypes that come to mind: alcoholics, drunkards,
nonverbal, uneducable, retarded, savages, animalistic, uncivilized, blood-
thirsty, primitive, subhuman, superstitious, poor, passive, and noncompetitive
(Sue, 2003). To date, no studies have been conducted on racial microaggressive
themes directed toward Native Americans. When one reviews the historical
and continuing racist treatment of Native Americans, however, it does not take
much to conclude that they have been subjected to an invalidation of their life
style (religions, cultural values, and ways of being) and like all marginalized
groups are subjected to microassaults, microinsults, and microinvalidations.
As we have seen from the example in Chapter 2 , the mascot Chief Illiniwek
represents a major environmental microaggression toward Native Americans.

Psychological and Physical Health Consequences

Life expectancy among Native Americans is the lowest of any group of color,
health problems plague the population, suicide rates are among the highest in
the nation, and some describe substance abuse (alcohol and tobacco) as “ dev-
astating ” (Alcantara & Gone, 2008; Duran, 2006; Frank et al., 2000; Trimble &
Thurman, 2002). Duran (2006) has coined the term “ soul wound ” or histori-
cal trauma (massacres, decimation of the population through diseases, forced
relocation, trauma, unemployment, broken treaties, and racism) that is felt to
this present day (Trimble & Thurman, 2002). Just like the lingering effects of
the Holocaust for Jewish Americans, historical traumas have left a deep soul
wound among Native Americans that continues to affect their psychologi-
cal well - being. The invalidation of religion, beliefs, values, and their ways
of life has caused an epidemic of alcohol abuse, poverty, family breakdown,
and suicides. Suicide among Native Americans is the second - leading cause of
death for ages 15 – 24 and the third leading cause of death for 5 – 14 and 25 – 44
years (Alcantara & Gone, 2008). These rates are astounding and speak to the
hopelessness, alienation, depression, and widespread alcoholism among this
population.
Historical traumas and the creation of the soul wound are best described in
this passage taken from Napoleon (1996) as cited in Trimble & Thurman (2002):

The Yup ’ ik world was turned upside down, literally overnight. Out of the suffer-
ing, in confusion, desperation, heartbreak, and trauma was born a generation of

1/19/10 6:11:46 PM
c07.indd 156
c07.indd 156 1/19/10 6:11:46 PM