Reprinted from the Niagara Gazette. By: Staff Reporter
Native Americans made history in this year’s elections, casting potentially deciding votes in key swing states and also sending six Indigenous individuals to the House of Representatives – a new record.
Yet, the mainstream media continues to overlook, downplay or outright insult our people, despite the important role we play in the American political system.
CNN’s use during election night coverage of the phrase ‘something else’ to refer to voters who are not white, Latinx, Black or Asian is not merely offensive, but also inaccurate, as it fails to recognize both the sovereignty and political classification of Native people.
Through the Iroquois Confederacy, of which the Seneca Nation is a member, the Six Nations established the precursor to today’s non-Native democracy. But our contributions are largely forgotten. This is in part due to woefully inadequate public education curricula, and also a significant lack of representation of Native people in mainstream news organizations.
Native Americans deserve more. We will continue to demand respect and recognition for the influence we have – and will continue – to exercise in U.S. politics.
