"the phenomenon of calling a group of people what *they* wanted to be called"

Ah...but who is "they"? It's true that some "Native Americans" (primarily some in the USA and Canada) now wish to be called by the term "Native Americans" only and they refer to themselves as such...while others, however, still prefer to be called "Indians" and they refer to themselves as such, while others are more fond of the term "First Nations", etc...still others like to be called "Amerindians", Inuit, Abenaki, Indios, Chippewas, whatever....

So who is the "they" who has the final word on the matter? There is no such "they", and there isn't going to be, because there is no final word on the matter. There never will be, because we don't all have the same cultural habits and we never will, and neither will Amerindians. They are not homogeneous, any more than White poeple are...they are many nations and indiduals with many different ideas. They do not agree among each other...no more than us White people do. ;-) They never have agreed among each other, and neither have the Europeans. Just look back at history.

Of course we should call people what they wish to be called (if we can figure out what that is), but they simply don't all have the same wishes in that regard, and how the hell are we to determine what their specific wishes ALL are in each individual case and in every region if we are not telepathic, and why should we be taken to task for innocently referring to someone somewhere as an Indian when he doesn't mind being referred to as an Indian and refers to himself as an Indian? Why should we be taken to task for that just because someone somewhere else has decided that their preference is the only preference that counts in regards to this, and that everyone in the world should now bow to their preference (including other Indians), and only use the term "Native American"??? Who made that person God over all the rest of us people?

There is no reason to automatically assume an offence where none was ever intended, and no one intends an offence when they call someone else an "Indian".

There is also no reason to try to force your particular preference on everyone else in the world...and that is what is at the heart of what is so wrong with this kind of political correctness we're seeing now. It is an attempt to emotionally blackmail all other people in the world into doing something your way, when your way may be nothing more than a very temporary, and probably arbitrary convention...a style that has caught on with somebody...a passing fad of language that has caught on with some quite vocal advocacy group who have decided that, by golly, they are going to convert everyone else to their preference.

For instance, most people call guide dogs, "guide dogs". Okay? But there is a blind girl (Oh, dear! I should have said "a vision-impaired female citizen") here in this town, a friend of us musicians...and she's a fine person to know, and a good singer too...however, she has one particular bee in her bonnet. She regards the term "guide dog" as being archaic and incorrect. She says it's not "guide dog" anymore, it's "dog guide". She never ceases correcting people about this and firmly drawing their attention to it, despite the fact that everywhere I go in this world I see the term "guide dog" being used in printed matter of every sort. So she doesn't seem to be having much effect on the official status quo about it. No matter. She won't be satisfied until she has managed to somehow convert everyone to saying "dog guide" instead.

Well, gee, does it really matter whether you say "dog guide" or "guide dog"? No, it doesn't, because everyone knows what you mean. I am fine with saying "dog guide" in her presence if it makes her happy, but it simply doesn't matter about something like that, and it's a waste of time arguing with the whole world endlessly about it and trying to make them all do it YOUR way. Who cares???? The same applies to whether or not various people say "Indian", "Amerindian", or "Native American" or some other such term. It simply doesn't matter. No offence is intended regardless of which of those terms a person uses.

(My above comments are not in regards to the term "n!gger", by the way. That term is clearly derogatory in today's culture. "Indian", however, is not the least bit derogatory, never has been, and never will be. It is usally quite clear from the context of the conversation whether someone means a descendant of the Amerindians or a person from India.)

What I'm saying here is, sure...you have your speech preferences and habits...and we all do...but don't try to badger everyone else in the world into sharing your speech preferences and habits. It's not your business to do that, and it won't win you any friends or improve anyone's lot in life.