Video: Don't Blame Native Americans for Nathan Phillips' Bad Behaviour
In today's video, I don't talk about RPGs. I know that's unusual for my channel, but I wanted to share some thoughts about Nathan Phillips and the whole "Covington Boys" incident. There's been a lot of videos about this, but in this one I'm talking about something I haven't seen other people talk about: the way that Phillips' has made use of non-natives' ideas about "Native Spirituality" to try to manipulate people.
And at the same time, that it would be unfortunate if Phillips' bad behavior was blamed on other Native Americans. A lot of those I've talked to don't like him any more than the rest of us do.
I'm a tribal member, but I don't claim to speak for all Native Americans, however Nathan Phillips shouldn't claim to speak for us either. Everybody involved is guilty of being a bad actor, the kids with their pretenses of innocence, the Black Hebrews who hurled racially based insults, and Nathan Phillips is just a guilty as the rest of them. Anybody who thinks the boys were minding their own business is forgetting what it was like to be a teenage boy. It is adults however, who should know better.
Well, the boys were acting boyishly, but from what we know of the full video footage we have at this point, at no time were they chanting 'build the wall', at no point did they use racial epithets (though racial epithets were thrown at them), they did not move to block Phillips' path (rather he moved right into their presence), and from what we can see they were at no point the aggressors.
So what, other than Facecrime (to borrow the Orwellian phrase of 'being guilty of criminally politically-incorrect facial expressions') were they guilty of?
For one, there are videos before the incident of several of the high school boys harassing a group of women. They were already in a belligerent mood before the Nathan Phillips thing.
That one works, but I notice that it doesn't start until she's a good twenty feet away and you can't see if it's the same kids. So here's the question: Did she, like the fake-veteran Native American guy, antagonize them off-camera, and then start filming after she got a reaction? Or is this a complete set-up, and all the supposedly MAGA kids are in on the joke? Because at this point, I don't see any reason to give anyone on the Left ANY benefit of the doubt when it comes to telling the truth.
You seem to be really concerned with the Left as if it is a tangible entity. If there is anything I have learned, it is that right or left wing has jerks and to take what people say with a grain of salt. My original point is that this is a manufactured controversy in which all principle players are full of crap, Nathan Phillips included. The boys get half a pass because they are teenagers. But any good chaperone would have gotten them out of there before it escalated.
Is the Native American community actually getting blowback over this? I hadn't heard of it, but I've admittedly been busy enough to only barely be keeping an eye on current events lately.
Well, it is a kind of return to the old days of people supposing that all Natives do is beat their drums and chant and mutter vague things about healing energies.
Well, what I've seen is some comments by people suggesting that Nathan Phillips is somehow representative of Native Americans. And he isn't. A lot of them are pissed at him.
Referencing the Pundit's video, one of the things that bugs me; dreamcatchers on car dashboard mirrors. Unless you plan on sleeping at the wheel, the dreamcatcher is deeply inappropriate there.
I'm a tribal member, but I don't claim to speak for all Native Americans, however Nathan Phillips shouldn't claim to speak for us either. Everybody involved is guilty of being a bad actor, the kids with their pretenses of innocence, the Black Hebrews who hurled racially based insults, and Nathan Phillips is just a guilty as the rest of them. Anybody who thinks the boys were minding their own business is forgetting what it was like to be a teenage boy. It is adults however, who should know better.
ReplyDeleteWell, the boys were acting boyishly, but from what we know of the full video footage we have at this point, at no time were they chanting 'build the wall', at no point did they use racial epithets (though racial epithets were thrown at them), they did not move to block Phillips' path (rather he moved right into their presence), and from what we can see they were at no point the aggressors.
DeleteSo what, other than Facecrime (to borrow the Orwellian phrase of 'being guilty of criminally politically-incorrect facial expressions') were they guilty of?
For one, there are videos before the incident of several of the high school boys harassing a group of women. They were already in a belligerent mood before the Nathan Phillips thing.
Deletenewsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/api/amp/indiancountrytoday/news/woman-posts-brief-video-covington-catholic-boys-harrassed-my-friends-and-i-mkdq5uqY0Ei4eAOfbGjyAQ
DeleteOkay, I see the page, but strangest thing--none of the videos work. Can you find one that does?
DeleteYeah, Efie. As this is the first I heard of this video I'd like to see it also, but like Bugg said, they don't seem to work where you linked it.
DeleteMaybe this one will work. https://twitter.com/i/status/1087486166939680768
DeleteThat one works, but I notice that it doesn't start until she's a good twenty feet away and you can't see if it's the same kids. So here's the question: Did she, like the fake-veteran Native American guy, antagonize them off-camera, and then start filming after she got a reaction? Or is this a complete set-up, and all the supposedly MAGA kids are in on the joke? Because at this point, I don't see any reason to give anyone on the Left ANY benefit of the doubt when it comes to telling the truth.
DeleteYou seem to be really concerned with the Left as if it is a tangible entity. If there is anything I have learned, it is that right or left wing has jerks and to take what people say with a grain of salt. My original point is that this is a manufactured controversy in which all principle players are full of crap, Nathan Phillips included. The boys get half a pass because they are teenagers. But any good chaperone would have gotten them out of there before it escalated.
DeleteIs the Native American community actually getting blowback over this? I hadn't heard of it, but I've admittedly been busy enough to only barely be keeping an eye on current events lately.
ReplyDeleteWell, it is a kind of return to the old days of people supposing that all Natives do is beat their drums and chant and mutter vague things about healing energies.
DeleteSo, other than people on the far Left, who is supposing this?
DeleteWell, what I've seen is some comments by people suggesting that Nathan Phillips is somehow representative of Native Americans. And he isn't. A lot of them are pissed at him.
DeleteReferencing the Pundit's video, one of the things that bugs me; dreamcatchers on car dashboard mirrors. Unless you plan on sleeping at the wheel, the dreamcatcher is deeply inappropriate there.
ReplyDelete