We Call Them Greasers portrays the invasion of a Native American community by white men. It is written in the perspective of the white man and therefore shows how truly prejudiced the invaders were. The diction of the poem, including words such as betters, cowards, and troublemakers, shows how the white men saw themselves as far superior. Even though Native Americans had unique, developed languages, the Anglos seemed to believe that anyone who could not speak English was illiterate, thus enforcing the idea that Anglo Americans saw their culture as the most advanced. From this view stemmed the Manifest Destiny concept.
Even more startling than the Anglos views of the natives was their blatant disrespect towards the communities. It was tragic to me to consider that rapes similar to the brutal act portrayed in the last stanzas occurred often during the times of the invasions. And despite the Anglos' portrayal of the natives as animals, I could not help but consider the narrator as the most brutal animal and the Native Americans as civil, peaceful human beings. We Call Them Greasers portrays perfectly the hopeless situation of the Native American communities during this era.
Even more startling than the Anglos views of the natives was their blatant disrespect towards the communities. It was tragic to me to consider that rapes similar to the brutal act portrayed in the last stanzas occurred often during the times of the invasions. And despite the Anglos' portrayal of the natives as animals, I could not help but consider the narrator as the most brutal animal and the Native Americans as civil, peaceful human beings. We Call Them Greasers portrays perfectly the hopeless situation of the Native American communities during this era.
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