Blog Rotation #6: Question 4

4. What was Junior’s grandmother’s greatest gift? What has happened to Indians’ sense of tolerance? Why has that occurred?

Junior’s grandmother’s greatest gift was tolerance. “In the old days,” Junior states, “Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity” (155). She had held onto that spirit, and firmly believed that no one deserved hate for being different. Loving everyone, she never failed to give someone a second chance. Junior claims that now, the tolerance Indians used to have has faded. When white people showed up with their Christianity, ideas of superiority over others, and “fears of eccentricity” (155), Indians began to descend into judgemental spite. With white people mass murdering them, taking over their land, and forcing them onto places like the rez, where hope is smashed out of every kid and the adults don’t have anything to do but drown their emotions in liqour, Indians turn to hate because they themselves have been hated. After being judged and shamed, it’s easy to judge and shame others.