---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, ever since white people showed…"
description: "\"“Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought along their Christianity and their fears of eccentricity, Indians have gradually lost all of ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png"
---

#  Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought…

![“Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought along their Christianity and their fears of eccentricity, Indians have gradually lost all of their tolerance.” quote by Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png)

> ““Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought along their Christianity and their fears of eccentricity, Indians have gradually lost all of their tolerance.””

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Colonial influence eroded Indigenous tolerance by imposing foreign religion and fear of difference.

**In simple terms:** Colonialism reduced Native tolerance.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and resist cultural erasure.

Themes

colonialism identity tolerance

Mood

reflective serious

Type

critical historical

When to use this quote

- education reform
- community dialogues
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

cultural hegemony assimilation resistance

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies heal from imposed religious narratives?
- What steps restore Indigenous tolerance?

A Different Perspective

Tolerance can be rebuilt through intentional cultural preservation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Christianity Fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity-fears-1535343/) [Eccentricity Indians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eccentricity-indians-1535342/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Indians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indians/) [Indians Gradually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indians-gradually-1535341/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/)

## Related quotes

> [To be honest, one can only feel glad that so many modern iconoclasts consider Christianity to be full of exceptionally hypocritical, religious zealots -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/to-be-honest-one-can-only-feel-glad-that-so-many-modern-iconoclasts/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

> [“If God really loved Indians, he would have made us white people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/if-god-really-loved-indians-he-would-have-made-us-white-people/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“White people build a really big fire and stand way back. Indians build a little-bitty fire and get real close.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-bray/white-people-build-a-really-big-fire-and-stand-way-back-indians-build/)

[Rickey Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-bray/)

> [The Indians, however, could not migrate from one part of the United States to another; neither could they obtain employment as readily as white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-a-miles/the-indians-however-could-not-migrate-from-one-part-of-the-united/)

[Nelson A. Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-a-miles/)

> [The Indian never hurts anything, but the white people destroy all ... How can the spirit of the earth like the white man? That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pretty-shield/the-indian-never-hurts-anything-but-the-white-people-destroy-all-how/)

[Pretty Shield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pretty-shield/)

> [Governor Isaac Stevens of the Washington Territory said there were a great many white people in our country, and many more would come; that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/governor-isaac-stevens-of-the-washington-territory-said-there-were-a/)

[Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/)

> [“Why do you hate Indians? You know white people are are much worse, don't you? It isn't as though there's some kind of international…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-pulley/why-do-you-hate-indians-you-know-white-people-are-are-much-worse-don/)

[Natasha Pulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-pulley/)

> [“(Marie)...It's not like we're planning a rebellion. We're just putting food in our cupboards. If eating is rebellious, then I guess we're the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/marie-it-s-not-like-we-re-planning-a-rebellion-we-re-just-putting/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“The white woman across the aisle from me says 'Look, look at all the history, that house on the hill there is over two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-white-woman-across-the-aisle-from-me-says-look-look-at-all-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“I didn't literally kill Indians. We were supposed to make you give up being Indian. Your songs and stories and language and dancing. Everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-didn-t-literally-kill-indians-we-were-supposed-to-make-you-give-up/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [At least half the country thinks the mascot issue is insignificant. But I think it's indicative of the ways in which Indians have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/at-least-half-the-country-thinks-the-mascot-issue-is-insignificant/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [Sixty percent of all Indians live in urban areas, but nobody's writing about them. They're really an underrepresented population, and the ironic thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/sixty-percent-of-all-indians-live-in-urban-areas-but-nobody-s-writing/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“She’d been a resourceful thief, a narcissistic Robin Hood who stole a rich education from white people and kept it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-d-been-a-resourceful-thief-a-narcissistic-robin-hood-who-stole-a/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“They're all gone, my tribe is gone. Those blankets they gave us, infected with smallpox, have killed us. I'm the last, the very last,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/they-re-all-gone-my-tribe-is-gone-those-blankets-they-gave-us/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“All of the Indians must have tragic features: tragic noses, eyes, and arms. Their hands and fingers must be tragic when they reach for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/all-of-the-indians-must-have-tragic-features-tragic-noses-eyes-and/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## More by Sherman Alexie

> [“He says the earth is an oval marble that nobody can win. He says the sky is not blue and the grass is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/he-says-the-earth-is-an-oval-marble-that-nobody-can-win-he-says-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Now, in the old days, Indians used to be forgiving of any kind of eccentricity. In fact, weird people were often celebrated. Epileptics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/now-in-the-old-days-indians-used-to-be-forgiving-of-any-kind-of/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [Since Jesus was human then he most assuredly farted and burped. And if God did create us in God's image then God must fart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/since-jesus-was-human-then-he-most-assuredly-farted-and-burped-and-if/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“A century ago she might have been beautiful, her face reflected in the river instead of a mirror. But all the years have changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/a-century-ago-she-might-have-been-beautiful-her-face-reflected-in-the/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“In all those stories, I could fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/in-all-those-stories-i-could-fly/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [I don't think there's a whole lot of class literature at all. I think most of that has become racially based, and people don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-whole-lot-of-class-literature-at-all-i-think/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [She wanted to be buried in a coffin filled with used paperbacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/she-wanted-to-be-buried-in-a-coffin-filled-with-used-paperbacks/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Is there really a difference between that killing and this killing? Does God approve of some killing and not other killing? If I kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/is-there-really-a-difference-between-that-killing-and-this-killing/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Son, things have never been like how you think they used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/son-things-have-never-been-like-how-you-think-they-used-to-be/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [My parents banned nothing, though the Christian fundamentalists in my tribe held book-and-record burnings every now and again. So, yes, fundamentalist assholes can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/my-parents-banned-nothing-though-the-christian-fundamentalists-in-my/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Or maybe I could have anesthetized myself with homework and extra credit and binge-reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/or-maybe-i-could-have-anesthetized-myself-with-homework-and-extra/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Dear wife, I'm sorry that I am mysteriously incapable of folding clean laundry, but I iron, oh, I iron. Sweetheart, I'll make your white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/dear-wife-i-m-sorry-that-i-am-mysteriously-incapable-of-folding-clean/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“Gordy,” I said. “I need to talk to you." "I don't have time," he said. "Mr. Orcutt and I have to debug some PCs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/gordy-i-said-i-need-to-talk-to-you-i-don-t-have-time-he-said-mr/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [“The United States wants all of us to forget the crimes it committed against the indigenous. The United States wants us to forget. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/the-united-states-wants-all-of-us-to-forget-the-crimes-it-committed/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

> [I think that white women are more apt to read laterally. So I think there's some strong identification for women, and their political and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-think-that-white-women-are-more-apt-to-read-laterally-so-i-think/)

[Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

[Explore all 546 Sherman Alexie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/)

## More Christianity quotes

> [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/)

[Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/)

[Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/)

> [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/)

[Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/)

> [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/)

[Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/)

[David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/)

> [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

> [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

[Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought along their Christianity and their fears of eccentricity, Indians have gradually lost all of their tolerance.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sherman Alexie"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed-up-and-brought-along-their/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christianity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed-up-and-brought-along-their/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93a/sherman-alexie-444_christianity_of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed_2552660.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Of course, ever since white people showed up and brought along their Christianity and their fears of…” — Sherman Alexie",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Sherman Alexie",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Of course, ever since white people...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed-up-and-brought-along-their/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/of-course-ever-since-white-people-showed-up-and-brought-along-their/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
