Lionbackers.com

Actually, as much as I despise "political correctness" just for the sake of political correctness, I don't have a problem with not applying the term "Indian" to "Native Americans", well... because it's just not correct. Indian = person from India.

"East Indian" therefore, is redundant, unless the person is actually from the eastern part of India.

Truthfully, "Native American" is an incorrect term as well, since the specific lineage it refers to far predates "America". A "Native American" is technically anyone who was born in America - North, South, or Central.

Blame it all on stupid, geographically-challenged European explorers...

Just wondering, Soundy. WHen you hear the term "Indian", is your first reaction someone from India or a Native American?

Growing up in Canada, I would have to say my first reaction when hearing the term Indian would be a Native American. And when I hear the term East Indian, then I would immediately associate that term with someone from India. In this case, the East refers to the eastern hemisphere.

Growing up, yes, that's the way we... well, I wouldn't say we LEARNED it that way, but that's kind of how we came to know the two terms.

Doesn't mean it's CORRECT. That's my point - just because certain terms are pounded into our skulls, doesn't make them accurate.

These days, my first thought when I hear the term "Indians" is, in fact, of someone actually FROM India (or of that descent). Possibly because the term is no longer commonly used to refer to the "Native American" kind, and its use in that context has been something society has been steering away from, as much for political correctness as for simple geographical correctness.

Heck, "aboriginal" North Americans were called Indians in the first place because the early explorers were lost (or stupid, or both) and thought that they had, in fact, reached India.