Also read: opinion, cultural competency, American Indian, marketing

How are readers responding to DiversityInc's article McDonald's Custer Toy Angers American Indians?

Here are several opinions.

Reader responses:

As a white person whose American heritage is full of shame for what we did to the Native peoples, I am outraged at the continued ignorance and insensitivity of our current day culture, as reflected by corporations who market their messages to millions of consumers. When will corporations allow the kind of diversity in their upper ranks that would put a stop to this?
-- Anita d'Annunzio

Click here to read "How to Fix a Multicultural Misstep: Burger King Does It Right." 

Click here to read "In Some Ways, American Indians Are Losing Their Identities."

Click here to read "Buying Power of American Indians Grows With Little Impact on Overall Economy."

Custer was interested in being in the American history books and really didn't care about his troops and, obviously, about the Lakota Native Americans. He didn't care about life. I think McDonald should do serious research before doing marketing. This is about as bad as Americans celebrating Thanksgiving and [not] knowing the actual events on that first Thanksgiving. Let's try to begin understanding and researching--thereby obtaining knowledge and wisdom.

--Peggy Crofton

As a Walatowa American Indian, I can understand the anger of Lakota nation, though Custer did not do to the Pueblo Nations what he did to the Lakota. But the Conquistadors killed many of our people, and our Pueblos view the enactment of Onate statue in downtown Albuquerque as an insult also.

--Lupe Bryan

It's a shame the Lakota people feel this way about Custer. I am a Dine', and I consider myself an advocate for Native American culture, rights and progress. Native Americans have been objectified with "Indian" statues for cigar/cigarette companies, dream catchers are mass produced in China, and there more ways Native people and culture have been marketed as "curios" and objects for people to collect.

This Custer toy in the McDonald's Happy Meal is the first time a high-profile military white American figure has been "curio-ized." That's a huge breakthrough! I mean here's this guy who was killed by the Lakotas and now his memory lives as a collectible toy from a McDonald's Happy Meal. What a riot and progress for Native people! Indeed the tables are turned! With this perspective, I think it's a shame we, as Native people, don't appreciate this Custer toy as a collectible curio that is free! Come on, Native people, let's look at this perspective!

--Morris Muskett

I thought I was the only person upset with both "Night at the Museum" films: The first pitted Sacagawea (a pretty stereotype) with Custer and the second, adding further insults, continued the theme while playing the cavalry tune of genocide as if it was lighthearted fun. Did anyone else notice the depiction of the Tuskegee Airmen? They served as "bouncers" reciting some kind of rap in the film. All participants in the film should be ashamed. McDonald's just added to the hurt. Hollywood needs help.
--Nanette Missaghi

As an American Indian, I have to deal with racist, anti-Indian images every day looking at our money. Washington promoted the scalp trade during the French Indian War; Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase stole Indian Land; Lincoln signed the largest mass execution of Indians; Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act...the list goes on and on.

I took my nephews to see the movie, and it portrayed Custer as a buffoon. One of history's biggest idiots and the movie portrayed him comically stupid. I simply remember muttering "Oh God" when the movie introduced his character. Despite not liking what the actual historical character did, the character did provide a dumb to dumber comic relief.

That said, the toy is based on a children's movie. And most of the country, since American Indians are the smallest minority group in our own land, will never get the issue. Had I received one of these, I'd have thanked McDonald's for providing me the perfect target for teaching our kids how to shoot.
--David Wahyahneetah-Welch

McDonald's should be ashamed of themselves. I don't see how something like that could have been missed. McDonald's has a very diverse work force at all levels. How could such an insensitive incident happen given the extent of the company's diversity? And whose bright idea was it in the first place to create a toy in Custer's likeness? McDonald's is practically an American institution, they should have known better. As a Latina/Apache, I believe McDonald's owes all Native American's an apology. It's ironic that this happened at a time that Congress is finally apologizing for slavery--so much for progress.

--L Nevarez

The views expressed herein are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DiversityInc.