I am a Lakota/Cherokee Native American Flutist and recording artist. My music and political views have been heard all around the world and although I do not make the income that you do as a stand-up comic, I work very hard to not only support my family, but to help my Lakota relations on some of the reservations in South Dakota. I am proud of my heritage and my people. In the early 1600's there were several million indigenous peoples in this country...now we are less than 1% of the population here in the United States.

I have had the opportunity to see some of your routines and videos and up to this point have found humor in some of it. I do not spend a lot of time watching TV as I find it counter productive. A friend of mine in the UK sent me an email and brought to my attention that On Dec. 4, you told a “joke” on the Tonight Show using the term “squaw skank.” This sort of reference to Native American women was not only inappropriate but also very disrespectful on your part. Perhaps you did not know at the time but the term 'squaw' is much worse than the 'c' word and perhaps you were aware of its meaning...I do not know. I do know that our people are still treated like garbage by many different ethnicity’s in this country and a public apology by you, Jay Leno and NBC for this grave insult is in order.

If Native American people are such low class then why do so many people in this country, who are basically white, hold powwows and hold our belief system and culture in such high regard and "try" to be like us. There must be something to it. We, as Native Americans, hold our women in the utmost regard. How would you like it if someone in your family were referred to as a cheap gutter slut or whore? Please know that internet is a very powerful tool.

Please do the right thing and publicly apologize to the women you degraded.

Walk in beauty,

Mark ThunderWolf
www.myspace.com/markthunderwolf

The joke that Larry the Cable Guy told about a squaw skank, was racist, uncalled for and beyond public decency. As a Native American author that has just released his fourth book, I have spent my time, effort and money to help show our life and practices in a true and positive light. Then a comedian, tells a joke that did more in a few seconds to debase our women. A few seconds on national TV, can erase years of our effort to tell the non Indians how we live and respect each other. Then Larry, tells a bad joke and we are debased again.

A public apology is necessary. By you, your network and Larry the cable guy. Stand up and show how you truly feel about our women. Or do you agree they are Squaw skanks?

Stand up and do the right thing.

Jake George

Lenape

Author “Graves’ Disease In Our Own Words”

Author “The Red Man In Me”

Author “Grandfather’s Song”

Author “A New Dawn”

Senior Editor, Virtual Tales Publications.