Screenwriter and poet Sherman Alexie Jr. treasures the medals his late grandfather was awarded by the U.S. government before being killed in World War II.

But that doesn’t keep Alexie from questioning the government.

In a 90-minute speech Wednesday night at Kansas University’s Lied Center, the 37-year-old, self-described liberal and proponent of peace talked about his emotional quest to obtain the medals so that he could give them to his father before he died.

Alexie said he got the medals in an emotional surprise presentation during an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Since his father died, Alexie has kept the medals.

“I don’t know what they mean — all I’ve got are questions,” Alexie said.

He urged the audience to keep close tabs on the government: from who is serving in elective offices to when and how taxes are paid. For example, he claimed there was only one person in Congress who had children in the military.

Alexie poked fun at April 15, calling it the most patriotic day of the year.

“I want you all to start asking questions about paying those taxes,” he said.

Sherman Alexie Jr., right, a noted author and screenwriter of the 1998 movie Smoke

Alexie gained fame for books such as “Reservation Blues” and “Indian Killer,” along with screenplays for movies “Smoke Signals” and “The Business of Fancydancing.”

He is noted for his sense of humor and realistic portrayal of people who are normally stereotypes. He blended humor into his Hall Center for the Humanities Lecture Series presentation Wednesday, such as when he talked about his ambiguous ethnic background, a mix of Caucasian and American Indian.

Alexie said he was seen as a “sweaty little brown guy” when he boarded airplanes after the 9-11 terrorist attacks.

“I’m looking for those sweaty little brown guys, too,” Alexie said. “There’s never going to be a native American suicide bomber. Being a suicide bomber means being on time.”

The presentation drew mixed emotions from Bryna Lawrence, a sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University. That mix of emotions is why she keeps seeing him.

“I’ve heard him speak before, and he’s always controversial and surprising,” said Lawrence, who is an American Indian from Suquamish, Wash. “At some point he reaches out to you at an emotional level.”