Nearly twenty years ago, when I was the Academic Dean at our tribal college, multi-cultural training was the big thing. We North Dakota tribal college personnel met with educators from across the state to discuss this training to determine how to implement it. After attending several such meetings, one thing became abundantly clear, the older a person was, the least positive effect multi-cultural training (or the idea of multi-cultural training) appeared to have on that person. I became so exasperated at one meeting, I said something to the effect; "this training should not be wasted on anyone over 40. Those of us who are over 40 probably will never change our view or attitude toward people of a different ethnic group, no matter what kind or how much multi-cultural training we receive. Therefore, let us focus this training on younger people, people whose prejudices have not yet become so imbedded in their nature that they cannot change."
My exasperation with older non-Indian North Dakotans led me to exhibiting a little of my own prejudices. I began to classify non-Indian North Dakotans into four categories:
The first category was Immigrants. These individuals probably have come directly from Europe and the majority of them have been extremely prejudiced towards Indians.
The second category, I called First Generation Immigrants. These individuals have learned and practiced the prejudices of their parents, although some of them have begun to view Indians in a more positive light.
The third category, I called the Second Generation Immigrants. These individuals are around my age and the majority of them either have managed to suppress their prejudice or disagree with their parents' view of Indians.
The fourth category, I called the Third Generation Immigrants (and so on). They have been born long enough after their immigrant ancestors that their ancestors' prejudices have not reached down through the ages to them. Many of them have Indian friends and have inter-racial relationships. It is these young people that will move state and tribal relations to a new level.
[Side note: Individuals from the first, and second generations who have learned their ancestors' prejudices and readily hold on to prejudices toward Native Americans are usually the most ardent supporters of the Fighting Sioux mascot and hypercritically, say it honors the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota people.]
Unfortunately, it wasn't until the death of my son that I realized my prejudice towards non-Indians was wrong. The intense grief they (non-Indians) suffered over the death of my son, and the kindness they showed me in the days following the death of my son made me realize my generalization of them was just wrong.
What will it take for Joe, the tribal worker (our fictional ethics violator), to realize he is an unethical person and change his ways? Once he realize his work habits are are doing irreparable harm to the Reservation (not to mentions his reputation as well) will he change them?
Will Joe, the tribal worker, change his ways if he enrolls and completes the ethics courses in the Tribal Leaders Institute? I think he will. Joe, like the rest of us, knows the difference between right and wrong. He may have had the wrong role model, he may have been slowly seduced into unethical behavior over the years, he may have succumbed to his greed, or stupidly but what ever the reason for his corrupt character I am convinced once he takes my courses he will change. Why? Because Joe is not truly evil at heart. The five Tribal Leaders Institute courses will open his eyes and allow him to see how other people view him, and he will be ashamed of himself. He will come to understand how his unethical acts hurts not only other tribal members, but him and his own family as well. His self-honesty, which he has suppressed for so long, will cause him to take a long and honest look at himself, and he will change.
Of course, there will be a very small chance Joe will not change. If that is the case, than he will continue to lie to himself about his character. Whether he is a staff manager, supervisor or tribal council member, Joe might suppress feelings of guilt and shame every time he lies on his time card, comes to work late, takes two hour lunches, or steals from the tribe, and he will continue to abuse his authority - even after taking my course.
For the sake of our reservation, for our elderly and our children's sake, let us hope that will not be the case.
My exasperation with older non-Indian North Dakotans led me to exhibiting a little of my own prejudices. I began to classify non-Indian North Dakotans into four categories:
The first category was Immigrants. These individuals probably have come directly from Europe and the majority of them have been extremely prejudiced towards Indians.
The second category, I called First Generation Immigrants. These individuals have learned and practiced the prejudices of their parents, although some of them have begun to view Indians in a more positive light.
The third category, I called the Second Generation Immigrants. These individuals are around my age and the majority of them either have managed to suppress their prejudice or disagree with their parents' view of Indians.
The fourth category, I called the Third Generation Immigrants (and so on). They have been born long enough after their immigrant ancestors that their ancestors' prejudices have not reached down through the ages to them. Many of them have Indian friends and have inter-racial relationships. It is these young people that will move state and tribal relations to a new level.
[Side note: Individuals from the first, and second generations who have learned their ancestors' prejudices and readily hold on to prejudices toward Native Americans are usually the most ardent supporters of the Fighting Sioux mascot and hypercritically, say it honors the Lakota, Nakota and Dakota people.]
Unfortunately, it wasn't until the death of my son that I realized my prejudice towards non-Indians was wrong. The intense grief they (non-Indians) suffered over the death of my son, and the kindness they showed me in the days following the death of my son made me realize my generalization of them was just wrong.
What will it take for Joe, the tribal worker (our fictional ethics violator), to realize he is an unethical person and change his ways? Once he realize his work habits are are doing irreparable harm to the Reservation (not to mentions his reputation as well) will he change them?
Will Joe, the tribal worker, change his ways if he enrolls and completes the ethics courses in the Tribal Leaders Institute? I think he will. Joe, like the rest of us, knows the difference between right and wrong. He may have had the wrong role model, he may have been slowly seduced into unethical behavior over the years, he may have succumbed to his greed, or stupidly but what ever the reason for his corrupt character I am convinced once he takes my courses he will change. Why? Because Joe is not truly evil at heart. The five Tribal Leaders Institute courses will open his eyes and allow him to see how other people view him, and he will be ashamed of himself. He will come to understand how his unethical acts hurts not only other tribal members, but him and his own family as well. His self-honesty, which he has suppressed for so long, will cause him to take a long and honest look at himself, and he will change.
Of course, there will be a very small chance Joe will not change. If that is the case, than he will continue to lie to himself about his character. Whether he is a staff manager, supervisor or tribal council member, Joe might suppress feelings of guilt and shame every time he lies on his time card, comes to work late, takes two hour lunches, or steals from the tribe, and he will continue to abuse his authority - even after taking my course.
For the sake of our reservation, for our elderly and our children's sake, let us hope that will not be the case.
