You know, I’m pretty sure I have heard that phrase, “the only good Indiannis a dead Indian” somewhere OTHER than the Little House books. Her Mom probably did say that. Did she “have to” include it? Well, she didn’t “have to” include anything. Did she “have to” talk about the Sabbath, when some people aren’t Christian? Or make such a big deal about Christmas itself? Why didn’t she include a little Hanukkah scene. Couldn’t the storekeeper have been Jewish? Or…would that have been bad?
This is silly stuff. That’s really how they talked back then. Not everyone felt the same way about Indians; it is possible that Ma might have had a particular Native American person that she DID feel comfortable with…and still have been afraid of and biased against her IDEA of “Indians”…like many people today. My Dad lives my SIL, and my niece, who are black. He really likes SIL’s Dad. And he hasnother black friends. Yet he still says the “n” word, especially when recalling stories of his youth growth by up in Hell’s Kitchen. Lots of stories of getting beat up, chasing, and in general, a lot of conflict between the poor Irish and the poor blacks. It is uncomfortable, but it was his life, and it was a rough one. In general, prejudice arises not from lack of familiarity, but from history. He has a history with black people that I don’t share. Being New Yorkers, when I was a kid it never would have occurred to me that anyone would be prejudiced against Native Americans in the present day. Then I visited my cousins in Kansas, and their earnings about Indians and “the Res” echoed my Dad’s words about the “ghetto”. Same stereotypes.
Then I went to Japan. They don’t know anything about NA, and black Marines are considered a “fashion accessory” to young Japanese women in certain places. But Koreans? SAME stereotypes- but add “smells of garlic” to the other ones.
When different groups of people run up against each other, there is friction, especially when competing for resources. One group is winning, one group is defending…that is where bias or prejudice comes from. And the book Laura is just giving you a view into that world. Would you rather remain ignorant? Or have at least an idea of what it was like?