Posted on 08/10/2009 11:40:34 AM PDT by yoe
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs passed a resolution by voice vote last week apologizing "on behalf of American people" to all Indian tribes for the mistreatment and violence by American citizens.
Senate Joint Resolution 14, sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), states that its purpose is to acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the Federal Government regarding Indian Tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States.
In Section 1A, No. 4 of the resolution states that the apology is on behalf of U.S. citizens for harm they have done to Native Peoples. In the resolution, native peoples are defined as people who inhabited the land of the present-day United States since time immemorial and for thousands of years before the arrival of people of European descent.
Apologizes on behalf of the people of the United States to all Native Peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States, the resolution reads.
Requests by CNSNews.com for clarification of the language in the bill were not answered by Brownbacks office by press time, but Brownback issued a statement on Friday about the passage of his resolution.
I am pleased that my colleagues have decided to move forward with a formal apology from the federal government to Native Americans," Brownback said. "This is a resolution of apology and reconciliation, and is a step toward healing divisive wounds.
With this resolution we have the potential to start a new era of positive relations between tribal governments and the federal government, Brownback said.
For too much of our history, federal-tribal relations have been marked by broken treaties, mistreatment and dishonorable dealings. With this resolution, we can acknowledge past failures, express sincere regrets and establish a brighter future for all Americans, he added.
Neither Brownbacks statement nor the resolution says whether the apology is on behalf of U.S. citizens who are alive today or U.S. citizens who lived in the past.
Co-sponsors of the resolution were Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.),Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.).
can i buy a “u”?
<With this resolution we have the potential to start a new era of positive relations between tribal governments and the federal government, >
Awww hec, they just want to tax them.
Note that this is the same government that is telling Americans “trust us” when it comes to taking over health care.
So does that mean every Democrat in Congress is apologizing to Todd Palin for how their party and their friends in the press have treated him and his family since last summer?
The Custer family is still waiting for an apology.
Are you 25% Indian? Are you from an approved tribe? If so, you should apply. I have Sioux in my background but not enough to qualify. How much do you believe Indians on the reservations get from the government. Google it and see what you come up with.
Of course not. Then of course there are the settlers they attacked and scalped.
So what does that have to do with what your white ancestors did??? Nothing that I can see. Stating a bad does not make a good.
The Casino is not near enough. You go on down there now and chip in. By the way, if you want to see what government run health care is going to do for you, go visit a reservation.
Wow. A new era. Just like that. I wonder if a intertribal council will now issue an apology to the citizens of the United States for occasionally, you know, committing murder and mayhem every now and then. Will that start a new era, too?
How about we let them keep enough sovereignty to do their gambling casinos and tax free cigarettes, and they carry on as best they can, and everyone stop all this touchy feely nonsense. New era. I can’t believe he actually said that.
And in a similar vain, the Roman municipal Government apologized to the Sabines and the Etruscans (and the Greeks, Gauls, Romanians, Austrians)...
Scusa! Pardonnez mois! Entschuldigen Sie mir bitte!
And may I also take this opportunity to apologize for the sins of my great great great grandfather against the any of the here present freeper people’s ancestors.
Desculpame Mucho! I didn’t mean for him to do it - honest!
Urbi et Orbi I apologize and as I flagellate myself crawling on hands and knees to Santiago de Campostela, I will pray for the sins of my long dead forebears against the long dead forebears of others (so that I may conveniently distract myself against the real sins of today, being committed by the living against the living, including the unborn).
I’m sorry!
I don’t know much about Indian owned casinos, are they tax-free? If so, and the feds are trying to make nice nice just to get taxes applied to them, SHAME on Brownback and his friends for doing this!
I want an apology from the local parishes of Slonim, Myzrycz and Vilna for the many pogroms that occurred during the middle ages. I’ll apologize for my great great grandpa for selling a pillow case to a local peasant that had a hole in one corner. I apologize to any old man that I might have accidentally jostled on the subways when I lived in NYC. Any old women, too. As for you young-uns, shift for yourselves.
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