Posted on 04/21/2002 6:04:39 PM PDT by ICE-FLYER
1)Cultures that have surpassed other cultures are conquering them by different means throughout the entire world.
2) Some Natives took sides in Wars against the eventual victors (French&Indian against Brits/Colonials, American Revolution against Americans)
3)despite PC propaganda the Natives barbarity in warfare (mutilation, killing women and children, kidnapping/raping/but keeping women while killing others in a family of settlers) brought harsh reaction from colonials and eventually the US government
Now having said these things, despite the disease factor it is obvious that Natives were not treated fairly and treaties are consistently broken over time.
These things cant be denied but the general historical period sees these things happening to many cultures all over the world - stated simply the world was in a period of transition with strong cultures dominating weaker cultures in terms of power.
Are you American Indians asking for retroactive rights? You know that is not right and you blacks are asking for the same thing and you know that is not right either.
Are the African-Americans and the American Indians both willing to destroy their great country for the sake of a very short period of gratification from the "White Man"?
Maybe we ought to just get out a map of the world circa 1600 A.D. and redraw the boundaries of all countries based on who owned or claimed what territories at that point in world history. As a result, several of today's countries would cease to exist, but maybe that would put an end to all of this "reparations" nonsense and having certain groups of people making "claims" against certain governments because of supposed land thefts and other past wrongs. /sarcasm off
Back in '72-'73 timeframe when AIM decided to take Wounded Knee and Pine Ridge back from the US government (and Peltier murdered the FBI agents), western South Dakota became an armed camp. One of my better friend's parents owned the gerneral store there at Pine Ridge - only to have the AIM terrorists (yes, that's what they were) burn them out of there. AIM also took control of a former US Air Force recreation area in the Black Hills (Victoria Lake originally), which became a long-term encampment and garbage pit. AIM kept an armed perimeter there in the Hills at this camp - and said that they were going to take back all of the Hills - another friend of mine was killed by the perimeter guards. (.357 shot upwards from below the ear point blank, never to appear in the news.) In Rapid City it was common during the takeover to see groups of three or four ranchers walking around downtown carrying shotguns - in the hopes of finding a large enough group of Sioux to qualify as a "war party". (Groups of six or more Sioux males were considered a war party by the law at that time - still.) This was only 1 year after a huge flood had swept through town killing 240 people, and the town was still rebuilding physically and mentally.
The entire takeover was finally resolved in a manner that was NEVER disclosed to the public. In the final days, the US Government granted the wishes of AIM (and supposedly those of the tribe) and allowed their secession from the USA. AIM then declared war - over the radio. Bad calculation. Ellsworth Air Force Base just outside of Rapid City then dispatched 6 B-52s to fly a simulated Arc-Light strike over Pine Ridge - with the center mass alignment of the run over the barricaded AIM group. Flight level 500' AGL. End of secession, end of occupation, as evidently some of the AIM members had seen the results of Arc-Lights over in 'Nam. News reports showed that AIM "negotiated" an end to the takeover - not that they were shown their future by the Air Force.
Aim was then, and is now nothing but a group of race-baiting, whining, self appointed "victims" that have failed miserably at assimilation. I could fill hundreds of pages with examples from the twenty years + that I lived there with them. They made me ashamed of my heritage, and affirmed in me why the rest of our people in this land have always hated the Sioux. They are the lowest of our people - prairie hyenas - without honor.
LOL. In my last job I got to make copies and file the I-9 IDs for new employees. One lady used a tribal membership card - the first I had ever seen. Perfectly acceptable ID, and a wonderful co-worker. With two college degrees, she was certainly able to "hold down a solid job."
The history of the Navajo is not unlike that of other cultures and peoples in many ways. They came into contact with and sometimes had conflict with, other peoples. The Spanish ruled much of the Southwest before the Americans came. There are plenty of verified reports of conflicts between the Spanish and the Navajo during this time. Also the Navajo and the Ute tribes have a history of conflicts. It is safe to say that the "Native" tribes have a history of conflict among themselves. In other words, they have not always agreed on who owned the land or at least who could use the land and resources.... who should live where etc. Such disputes were not invented by the Americans. Certainly multiplied, but not invented. Undoubtedly some 'expert', or romantic, who reads this will say, (at least to themselves), "he does not know what he is talking about because "Native Americans" are the true environmentalists who don't believe anyone "owns" the land. Well, try telling the Native Americans that their Reservations are not really theirs. The byword today in Indian country is that "We are Sovereign". They do not want any encroachment on their sovereign rights. In the 4 Corners area, there are sections commonly referred to as the "Checker Board". The checkerboard is made up of non-reservation lands intermixed with reservation land. During the past several decades, many of these non-reservation lands have been bought up the Tribe. Nothing wrong with that. That is just capitalism. And that land is certainly "owned" by them. But then, in some funny way, it seems such land comes under the autonomy of the Reservation. What does bothers me is that my tax dollars are being spent to prop up the infrastructure of this 'sovereign nation' while they use their money to purchase land. Land that then goes out of the Public Domain. By most American standards of living, this largest of all reservations has a low standard of living. During my short life, I've observed many well intentioned (I'll give them the benefit of doubt) romantics come to this area convinced that the problem is that the Native Americans just don't "understand" how to be 'successful'. And the romantics are convinced they have the answer. Many of the Navajo will admit to laughing at them. They blow in with fire in their eyes, "rushing around" with the air of changing the world. They are going to save the Indians from the evils around them. Even so, such romantics can be useful, and may be tolerated, even cultivated, and hang on for several years before becoming too disillusioned or they go rushing off to save some other piece of the world. As a whole, I believe Native Americans do “understand”. Part of that understanding is that they can leverage their past to get special privileges…, be that the right to operate Casinos (multi-million dollar enterprises) while others may not, or to be excluded from certain taxes.
The history of the world is pretty consistent in some respects. The dominance of cultures and people ebb and flow throughout the land, throughout time. I personally do not believe someone should have to give up their cultural heritage to become an American. I certainly haven't and I'm not Native American. But there is something fundamentally wrong with the idea that one can enjoy all of the benefits of being an American, even enjoy 'special benefits' e.g. Title 8 Johnson-O’Malley, yet be sovereign and special unto the law. The 1964 Civil Rights Act, actually allows for discrimination. In Indian Country, businesses can discriminate in FAVOR of Native Americans. You can not theoretically do that for Blacks, Hispanics, those who have white skin or any number of other factors. But you CAN discriminate in favor of Native Americans. Such legal discrimination can unfortunately result in resentment and even hatred. And, sometimes this is only a cover for more deep-rooted problems and issues. But even so, come to the 4 Corners region and see diversity and multi-cultural existence in action. It can and does work. AIM came in the 1960’s and early 1970’s in Shiprock, NM and was successful in causing a major employer of Native Americans to leave town. A lot of Native American people lost their jobs. AIM’s influence is still around, and they still show up. The Native American Church is still active and there are Native American gangs and Native American Biker gangs. Many of the Tribes members are just like members of other cultures, seeking legitimacy and meaning in life. And sometimes finding it in nationalistic, superior themed support groups. AIM and the ‘their just misunderstood’ romantics of the world have the answers, of course. We sometimes refer to them as the proverbial seagulls. They fly in and crap over everything and fly out. Unfortunately, some of their crap sticks. And that, undoubtedly, is part of their goal.
The two things I think important in my tribe is getting our fishing rights back and the building of the Indian Health Clinics. Both of these have helped the tribe economically etc. I dont think this is too much to ask of America. And I do agree that A.I.M. is bad for the Indians. They are outlaws and disrupters of the general population of Indians. Aloha from Maui
In my tribe (Yuroks of N.Calif.) the only conservatives I know of are my family. I mean NONE. I have gone on some of the Native American sites and they make me sick. They support the Demos who like to "give" them the dole outs, which keeps them from getting off their butts and finding a life. Even in the 1800s they had what the free Indians called the ,"hang around the fort Indians" just hanging around waiting for the government handouts.
Well thanks for letting get my 2 wampums in. Aloha
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