Another Stereotype of the Month entry:
Another Stereotype of the Month entry:
Have you heard of the Sons of Liberty from the Revolutionary War? The ones who dressed up as Indians at the Boston Tea Party? This is what became of them. It was sent to me by a correspondent.
America's Oldest Fraternal Organization
Chartered by Congress
Freedom * Friendship * Charity
Who Are The Red Men?
The fraternity traces its origins back to 1765 and was originally known as the Sons of Liberty. These patriots concealed their identities and worked "underground" to help establish freedom and liberty in the early Colonies. They patterned themselves after the great Iroquois Confederacy and its democratic governing body. Their system, with elected representatives to govern tribal councils, had been in existence for several centuries.
After the War of 1812 the name was changed to The Improved Order of Red Men. They kept the customs and terminology of Native Americans as a basic part of the fraternity. Some of the words and terms may sound strange, but they soon become a familiar part of the language for every member. The Improved Order of Red Men is similar in many ways to other major fraternal organizations in the United States.
The Improved Order of Red Men is a national fraternal organization that believes in…
* Love of and Respect for the American Flag.
* Preserving our Nation by defending and upholding the principle of free Government.
* America and the democratic way of life.
* Preserving the traditions and history of this great Country.
* Creating and inspiring a greater love for the United States of America.
* Helping our fellow men through organized charitable programs.
* Linking our members together in a common bond of Brotherhood and Friendship.
* Perpetuating the beautiful legends and traditions of a once-vanishing race and the keeping alive of its customs, ceremonies, and philosophies.
Legally, The Improved Order of Red Men is a Patriotic Fraternity Chartered by Congress. It is a non-profit organization devoted to inspiring a greater love for the United States of America and the principles of American Liberty.
Great Council of the United States
Improved Order of Red Men
GREAT INCOHONEE
William F. Armstrong
Colcord, California
GREAT SENIOR SAGAMORE
David Magaha
Hagerstown, Maryland
GREAT JUNIOR SAGAMORE
Charles Guerrant
Kettering, Ohio
GREAT CHIEF OF RECORDS
Donald L. Routte
Waco, Texas
GREAT KEEPER OF WAMPUM
Donald Webb
Palmer, Texas
GREAT PROPHET
John S. Burton, Sr.
Lewes, Delaware
The Degree of Pocahontas
Women's Auxiliary
Improved Order of Red Men
Who Are The Pocahontas?
The name of the Degree of Pocahontas is taken from the celebrated character in Native American history, Pocahontas, whose brief life presents a touching and beautiful picture of grace, beauty, and virtue as well as constant friendship to the palefaces.
All the information that comes down to us describes Pocahontas as being a woman of remarkable grace, beauty, and kindness of heart; of the character of Pocahontas, it is remarked that considering all circumstances it is not surpassed by any in the whole range of history and that for those qualities which do honor to our nature — a humane and feeling heart, and an unshaken constancy in her attachments — she stands almost without a rival.
The Degree of Pocahontas patterns itself after the virtues of this Native American princess — those virtues of teaching kindness, love, charity, and loyalty to ones nation.
The Degree of Pocahontas is the Women's Auxiliary of The Improved Order of Red Men. IORM is a national fraternal organization that believes in…
* Love and Respect for the American Flag.
* The American Way of Life.
* Keeping alive the customs and legends of a once-vanishing race.
* Creating and inspiring a greater love for the United States of America.
* Linking our members together in a common bond of Friendship and Love.
* Helping those in need with organized charitable programs.
The correspondent's comments
This site is an order of people who call themselves patriots yet they call themselves red men, mocking the first people of this continent. Their women's auxiliary is Degree of Pocahontas. The whole site is racist and ridiculous.
On the information link one of their goals include:
"Perpetuating the beautiful legends and traditions of a vanishing race and the keeping alive of its customs, ceremonies, and philosophies."
The whole statement suggest[s] we are a thing of the past, like some endangered animal threatened with extinction...I don't see them keeping any traditions, customs, ceremonies, and philosophies of the Native people.
Just look at the officers ("Chiefs page") page where they give themselves ridiculous names such as "Great keeper of Wampum."
This site's home base is (surprise surprise) set in Texas.
Does this state breed racists as a policy?!
Rob's comment
As the correspondent noted, the website called Indians a "vanishing race." I'm pretty sure it was that way until around the time I contacted the organization. Perhaps coincidentally, the site now calls them a "once-vanishing race."
That the Red Men's goals are to preserve America's free government, its democratic way of life, and "the traditions and history of this great Country" is rather ironic. These things were all factors in decimating the Indians who stood in the way of progress. It's particularly ironic to talk about a free and democratic government when blacks, women, and Indians couldn't vote until a century or two had passed.
As for the site's stereotypes:
We could discuss how the original "red men" (Indians) weren't red. Medium brown is more accurate. But "red" references to Indians are woven into our history and culture. Even today, people use this term—even Indians. For example, living the Indian way = following the "red road."
For some discussion of the origin of the term "red men" (vis a vis "redskins"), see Red·skin n. Dated, Offensive, Taboo.
Related links
The big chief
Indian women as sex objects
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