Cross will be reminder of Christian misdeeds

Columbia, Missouri Daily Tribune ^ | Tuesday, June 21, 2005 | Debbie Johnson

[rface]

Dear Editor of the Tribune:

The Columbia Board of Adjustment has approved the erection of a 30-foot-tall cross on West Broadway. The argument for its approval was that it would present no health, safety or welfare problems. In other words, it would do no harm.

Do no harm? The giant cross will remind me that my father, a full-blood Choctaw, was abducted from his family at the age of 4 by the state and forced to go to "mission school" so he could be turned into a "good Christian."

Do no harm? It will remind me of every time I have been called "savage" or "soulless heathen" by "good Christians."

Do no harm? It will remind me of the stories my grandmother told me about family members beaten and abused at the hands of "good Christians." I wonder if the city would be as accommodating were I to request the construction of a 30-foot medicine wheel. However, the question is moot. It is not the Indian way to shove our beliefs into the face of others.

Ah, if only Christians were as sensitive.

Debbie Johnson

Columbia, Missouri (address deleted, but available at link)

[rface]

a little story by a TWSmith: Sam Colbert was the big time Choctaw Indian Slave owner that owned many slaves down in arond Choctaw county were my relatives were from. There is no other Sam Colbert that old I could find but Sam Colbert the Choctaw Indian. Many people have told me that indeed Sam Colbert the slave owner was the father of Edmund Colbert (my Great-Great Grandfather). I know Indians and Whites fathered many children by slaves.

Choctaw Indians as Slaveowners

Brought to Indian Territory in the 1830's Black Choctaws arrived with the Choctaw Indians as slaves. Prior to removal the Choctaws had been exposed to Africans in their native homeland of Mississippi. Slaves were a part of the Europeran culture to which the Choctaws would later adapt. Slavery would be one of the institutions the nation would adopt. Chief Moshulatubbee had slaves ....

[Tacis]

Will some one buy the squaw a stiff drink?

[AzaleaCity5691]

I have Indians in my ancestry too, and crosses don't offend me.

You know, if this woman has such a problem with Christians and Christianity, maybe she should get her a greyhound ticket to a place more sympathetic to her views, like Beijing.

[dangus]

>> It is not the Indian way to shove our beliefs into the face of others. <<

Neither is it the Indian way to abolish all expressions of other peope's culture, I suppose?

[dangus]

>> I wonder if the city would be as accommodating were I to request the construction of a 30-foot medicine wheel. <<

I would think so.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I have been called "savage" or "soulless heathen", among other names, by Liberals and DemocRATS all my life. I just don't let it get to me.

[tahotdog]

Nature abhores vacuums. Granted the experience of having whites come to the new world was not good for the American Indians, what would have ultimately happened had that NOT happened, is that one or another of the Japanese, Chinese, or Arabs would have gotten here.

[My2Cents]

Debbie, get over it.

[frogjerk]

The Cross will be a reminder that Christ died for us.

[sfrepub]

sounds like the naive rantings of a good democrat

[Numidian Horse]

There is a big difference between the doctrine of Christ and bad things done by foolish people in the name of Christ. Forced conversions are, in no sense of the word, Biblical.

[rudyudy]

I wonder how many have received free medical care over the years from the local Christian hospitals. Life is a b(tch...

[sassbox]

typical leftist intolerance. I'm assuming that this cross is being built on privately owned land, perhaps a church, and that the city is merely approving the structure. What would this woman have the city do - ban the building of religious symbols by private individuals on private land? Or just the symbols that offend her? Sounds like someone needs to read the First Amendment again.

[clintonh8r]

Everybody had enough of "ethnic sensitivity" yet?

[Antonello]

Well said, mizmoutarde.

[dirtboy]

It is not the Indian way to shove our beliefs into the face of others

Uh, yeah, sure. I agree the Indians got screwed over. But they in turn continually screwed each other over before Europeans arrive. The Anasazi didn't build those houses up on cliffs just for the views.

[zencat]

1/8 Creek Indian, hard-core Republican, and Christian supporter. Also happen to live in Columbia.

Stick a sock in it Debbie.

[Tokra]

Maybe if they hadn't spent their time warring on other tribes so they could rip their enemy's hearts out for human sacrifice - they wouldn't have been called "savage" - and yes, one of my great-grandfathers was a full blood Indian.

[PetroniusMaximus]

***Ah, if only Christians were as sensitive.***



Christian ethic:

"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void to offense toward God, and toward men."
- St. Paul Acts 24:16


Modern American ethic:

"And this is what I try to achieve, to always keep myself from being offended by God or men."
- Joe Average Victim