Would we be Killed?

Before, Native Americans were marginalized and were pushed off to the side by society. One way they were marginalized was by being forced to change their names to change the person they were. An example from the article is when it states "The changes began the moment Ota Kte stepped through the iron gates of Carlisle. All the students were given Christian first names. Ota Kte was given the name Luther." This was an example that Native Americans like Ota Kte were pushed aside by society and forced to change the person they were by changing their names. Another way Native Americans have been marginalized was how the boarding schools Native Americans were sent too gave them a whole new look with different clothes and even how they act and look in school. An example from the article is when it says "They marveled at the girls in the long wooden dresses and pulled back hair working at their sewing machines, at the boys with their military haircuts and neatly pressed trousers sitting obediently in their classes." This clearly proves that Native Americans were forced to act, look and even do different things that they were not used to doing until the unexpected change. One final way I believe Native Americans were marginalized was because of the fact that every valuable meaning to their family and ancestors were forced to change. Wether it was their clothes, hair or even their names that were passed down from one generation to the next. Another example from the text is when it states "Along with his new name came a new look. His long hair was cut short. His leggings and moccasins were taken away, replaced by an itchy wool uniform and black leather boots that squeaked with every step." This is a clear example that Native Americans were not accepted the way they were. This was how they were pushed aside from society. Just because they looked and did different things than we did, they were forced to just throw away memories from loved ones and ancestors just so they could fit in. That is how Native Americans were marginalized.

I think the purpose of Shanice Britton writing the essay was to show us what her ancestors had to go throw to fit in and not be pushed aside. I believe she wanted to express her feelings to us in a way to show us how Native Americans were marginalized and forced to change their looks and actions. She wants us readers to understand the history of Native Americas and the struggles they faced fitting in and acting like someone they weren't. An example from the text is when she referred back to Ota Kte's time and when the Native Americans faced the discrimination and were pushed aside then. That would be an example for Shanice to teach us about what her ancestors and culture had to go through. I also believe she wrote this essay possibly to prove that just because you are a certain race doesn't mean you have to dress or act the way people expect those races to look or act. I say this is a reason she wrote this essay because in her essay she states "When people find out I am Native American, they have all those ideas about what that means- that I live in a teepee and wear moccasins and a headdress." This clearly proves that Native Americans were judged being Native American because of how people expect different races and cultures to just look and wear different clothing than us. So that is why I believe Shanice Britton wrote her essay. To educate us more about how just because someone is a different race or culture doesn't mean that they have to look different, speak different from others, and do unusual things that we do. She wrote this essay to teach us about how not only Native Americans, but other races as well, are pushed aside and looked at differently because they are from somewhere else and have different traditions than we do.