• harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    3 days ago

    That’s an easy one - racism. “Erie” is a Native American/First Nations name. “Pennsylvania” is “Penn’s Woods”, honoring a white European colonizer.

    • bedwyr@piefed.ca
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      3 days ago

      4 great lakes are native names, and idk how many states, at least half I would hazard. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, I think Montana, idk Idaho, Wyoming maybe, Mississippi, Missouri, and so forth. I think not sure on all of these.

      • cerothem@lemmy.ca
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        3 days ago

        I think he means that because it’s a first Nations name they wouldn’t do it.

        • codydodd@lemmy.ca
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          3 days ago

          Yes this. Trump was happy to rename Ontario, the name the lake has held for centuries, even before Europeans arrived. There is a reason Canadas First Nations are deeply pro crown, republican Quebec or Alberta would follow America in replacing all things indigenous with their white alternatives.

          • non_burglar@lemmy.world
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            2 days ago

            Canadas First Nations are deeply pro crown

            This is a dangerous falsehood. Indigenous ppl get audiences with the crown because their treaties are with the crown, and not with the Federation Government. They are absolutely NOT “pro-crown”.

            You should no longer say that.

            • codydodd@lemmy.ca
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              2 days ago

              Thanks for the important distinction. If forced politically to choose between the crown and republicanism these communities are consistently choosing the crown, is all I mean.

              • non_burglar@lemmy.world
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                2 days ago

                Yeah, I understand what you meant. However, specific language is better to speak of this because of the tendency of people to extrapolate from single facts inappropriately.