Oxford Dictionary defines savage as "(chiefly in historical or literary contexts) a member of a people regarded as primitive and uncivilized". Savage is a derogatory term that was used and is to describe Native Americans. However, savage is a new slang term to mean bad-ass, cool, and violent. However this must stop. We must stop using words that were and are used to describe in a demeaning and derogatory way people of different races and ethnicity.

The N word is a word that was used to describe African Americans is a very derogatory fashion. It has also been turned into a slang term that also should be ended. Yes I understand that rappers, the music industry and Hollywood use this term and it makes society feel like it's okay to use it too, but they need to stop as well. To the big social media platform outlets and influencer's: STOP SAYING THE WORD SAVAGE TO DESCRIBE THINGS! By tweeting these words you are making it seem okay that the public can use them too! You influence more than you can imagine and we shouldn't be spreading disrespect. Just look at the these two tweets a found in two minutes of each other, and one is from Buzzfeed!

Why as a society have we started thinking it was 'cool' to turn words that were used it hateful, discriminatory and derogatory ways to describe a group of people? The excuse of well we didn't know it was used like that is beyond uneducated. If you have not learned about the past of the N word or the word savage from a history class then you should pick up a book and educated yourself on some history and culture. It isn't cool to use these words, it isn't cool to use blackface, it isn't cool to wear a headdress because you haven't earned it (unless you have).

The word savage is racist, plain and simple. Just like the term 'redskin'. I went to Union High School and our mascot was the Redskins, we ran out of a tee-pee at every football game and pep rally. That isn't okay to appropriate some one else's culture because we don't think of it as being discriminatory against the Native American people. My alma mater was founded in 1919, just 70 years after the trail of tears ended in Oklahoma. People who survived the march could easily been around then. It was also founded just 12 years after Oklahoma was no longer called "Indian Territory". The team name of Redskin needs to go, it is the only racist team name that is still used.

Has America ever had respect for the Native people of this land? You here about racism against African Americans, Muslims, Hispanics and Asians, however it is rarely in the news about Native American racism. I mean look at the Dakota Access Pipeline! It was moved to Native land because the citizens were it originally was supposed to go through said it would damage their drinking water. Now the Sioux tribe of Standing Rock and other protesters are fighting for their rights of the land that is protected by Indian Treaties and their drinking water supply! America has a bad history of the way they have treated the people who were here first, pick up a history book to learn more about it (Christopher Columbus isn't a great guy BTW).

As a member of the Cherokee Nation, I urge you to stop saying the word savage. You aren't being a bad-ass - you are being a racist.