One Drink Too Many

a short essay on stereotypes

During the pandemic, I’ve Zoom-visited dozens of junior and senior high schools. And one of the most common questions is “Why do you write stereotypes about Native Americans and alcohol?”

I respond in a couple different ways.

The first response:

“I’m an recovering alcoholic. I’ve been sober for thirty years but I’m aware that one drink for me will always be one drink too many—that one beer or shot of tequila could be the beginning of a self-destructive spiral.

“I also need to tell you that my father died of alcoholic kidney failure. My big sister died in a house fire the night after a huge party because she was too drunk to wake up. My favorite cousin and my father’s best friend was shot and killed in a drunken argument over a bottle of alcohol. I’ve had an uncle and an aunt die of alcoholic cirrhosis. Three of my siblings have struggled with alcoholism and addiction.

So alcoholism is not a stereotype in my life. It’s a tragic reality.”

My second response:

“Alcoholism and addiction are human problems. They’re universal problems. I just write about the Native Americans who grapple with the very human problem of alcoholism and addiction.

“Whenever I’m asked this question about stereotypes, I always ask my audiences—and these are always racially, economically, and culturally diverse audiences—I always ask them to raise their hand if they love somebody who is an alcoholic or addict.

“And, without fail, anywhere in the world, at least 70% of the people in the crowd will raise their hand. And let’s get right to the point: at least 70% of the white people in the crowd will raise their hand.

“So, dear audience, I’ll ask you a question that you can ponder when you get home: What’s the difference between a Native American alcoholic and a white alcoholic? I think you can write about the specific reasons why a person becomes an alcoholic and some of those reasons will certainly have to do with race and racism when we’re talking about Native American alcoholics.

“But, in the end, every alcoholic, regardless of race, is deeply and desperately lonesome. And that’s what I write about when I write about alcoholism. I tell the story of lonesomeness.”

I don’t know how well these answers work for young adults. I don’t know how well they work for adults. But these are the answers I have.