Responding To: The Freedom of Real Apologies

“And I was personally really surprised that I hadn’t heard about it before. Part of the reason I hadn’t was because it was so quiet. And there really was not a lot of risk taken in how it was delivered.”

What is Layli Long Soldier referring to at this moment? Why is it important to note that she hadn't heard about it before?

Layli Long Soldier is referring to the Congressional apology to Native Americans. Layli Long Soldier is a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, and it took her months before she even knew the existence of the apology. It would seem more likely for someone that isn't of Native American descent to come across the apology, but for an individual who is a member of an active Native Family and a teacher at Diné College of the Navajo people, the first tribally-controlled college in the United States, it is rightfully more baffling.

"So even the phrasing of “the arrival of Europeans opened a new chapter for Native People” — that’s crazy. It wasn’t opening a new chapter. That’s almost poetry. I mean, that’s a very interesting way to look at what happened. And going further into the document, just the idea — for example, they never mention genocide. Things are phrased as “conflicts,” “lives were taken on both sides,” and things like that."

What phrasing is Long Soldier referring to here? Why does she point to the specific phrasing? What is so important about the details of phrasing?

Long Soldier is once again referring to the apology from Congress. In her interview, she recognizes the specific phrasing utilized in the letter, and interviewer, Krista Tippett marks on the "spare and careful(ness)" of the apology as a whole. The importance of the articulation is critical to highlight because it allows audience members to grasp the tone of the apology. This apology is also what sparked book of poetry, WHEREAS. The background and reasoning must be conveyed to propel conversation regarding her book adequately.

Why is specificity so important in this podcast? Why is it important in your writing?

Specificity in this podcast is essential because of the topic. As this is a "hot political topic," it can be seen as controversial to publish this podcast as it is. The specificity leaves no room for people to misinterpret and twist the words of the individuals against themselves. The same thing could be correct for research papers on hot topics, or really, any future controversial writing projects. Eloquent speaking (or writing) with detail allows for information to be shared respectfully and carefully; you want to avoid offense.

What is the structure of this interview? The tone? What can you take from this interview to incorporate into the ones you have to do for your research paper?

The structure seems to flow; I believe this is in part to the relaxed tone throughout the interview. Both the interviewer and interviewee seem comfortable sharing their thoughts freely with each other. The interviewer allows the conversation to go where Long Soldier is heading but keeps on topic. I hope to carry over this ease into my interview by really listening to my interviewee instead of having to stick to my exact questions and letting natural conversation occur.