1949: Never has the Indian been portrayed as the defender of his homeland..

Indian Solon Blasts Movies
1949, June 26  Abilene Reporter News 
     Oklahoma City, June 25 - An Oklahoma senator of Indian descent who criticized the movie industry during the legislative session earlier this year revealed a new blast Saturday.
     Sen J Gladstone Emery, Wilburton, took issue with a statement recently by Arthur H Debra, official of the Motion Picture Association of America. 
     Emery has been contending that movies are portraying the American Indian unfavorably by showing them as the villain. Debra had quoted statistics showing that in 27 of 36 movies last year portraying Indians, the treatment was "sympathetic."
     In a letter to Debra Saturday Emery said:
     "Never has the Indian been portrayed as the defender of his homeland in his meager attempt to preserve his homeland from the white aggressor.
     "By sitting through 'Custer's Last Stand" some years back twice, I've seen the Indians win twice. Of course that was a "massacre" because the Indians won," he continued.
     "The pot shots my folks took at wagon trains were no more than is done now on occasion when we find a trespasser on our property. 
     "Try to depict the American Indian as he was and is and we shall see and believe. We don't go 'statics' much in these parts - especially when the white men keep the books."

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