It's 2021 as we all know, and words hurt. We have been compelled to open our eyes as a nation and attempt to retrain our brains in this current "woke" environment.

Every day, people use derogatory terms and words without even understanding the harmful infliction this does to others because we've been programmed to think it's ok to do. I probably do this myself.

It reminds me of a recent situation where I was saying the phrase, "spirit animal" and I learned that Native Americans can find this as being derogatory.

Here's the thing, if we don't learn, we don't know. On the other hand, if we do know it's hurtful to others and continue to be purposely blinded by our words, then we are not living by the golden rule and that is something that has been instilled in all of us.

The golden rule is something we can't pretend we don't know about.

In 2000, the word, "Squaw" was banned from being used in Maine due to its derogatory nature, according to CBS News.

The report stated that the word cannot be used for towns, mountains, or lakes in Maine, and they dropped the slur from all public landmarks.

Well, the new owners of a mountain resort in Greenville previously called Big Squaw Mountain Resort will be changing the name to Big Moose Mountain once the sale of the mountain is final.

Squaw at one time meant, "woman," but then the word turned into something more negative, which is where the derogatory nature came into play. The word descended from the Algonquin language. According to Us News, over the generations, the word morphed into a misogynist and racist term to disparage Indigenous women.

According to a report by The Portland Press Herald, Perry Williams, managing partner at Big Lake Development Company said, "It's going to change. There is no doubt about that."

The Penobscot National Tribe Ambassador, Maulian Dana said in response, "It's about time."

The resort was a privately owned business for a long time and it did not change because that owner declined to do so, therefore the name stayed the same.


Vonecia Carswell via Unsplash
Vonecia Carswell via Unsplash
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It's not easy to try to understand everyone. The world is always changing and we're constantly realizing that what may once have been accepted is no longer okay now.

So, what do we do? We adapt. We evolve. We grow, together, as good Mainers. We try to follow the Golden Rule our grandparents bestowed upon us and accept that improving our ways may not be simple or straightforward but, as long as we respect others, I think we will be okay.

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