I’m indigenous. My family has lived here for centuries - I’m a decedent of John and Priscilla Alden.
Can I please have Mt. Rushmore?
And Wall Drug.
Give us back the UN Building, then we’ll talk.
Mt Rushmore is “public property” - meaning it already belongs to everyone.
—Now the U.N. wants us to give Mt. Rushmore to the Indians.—
That’s kind of a funny statement. I don’t believe it is theirs to give.
The Black Hills, which is where Mt. Rushmore is located, were indeed stolen from the Sioux in flagrant violation of a solemn treaty. As attested by a Supreme Court decision which ordered the US to pay compensation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Sioux_Nation_of_Indians
The Sioux have refused to accept the money because they want their land back instead.
The question is not one of whether the land was stolen, that’s just a fact. It’s one of how to handle things now.
Of course, the Sioux had not too long before stolen the Black Hills from the Cheyenne, who had stolen it from the Kiowa.
They would probably do much better with a casino gambling and tax-free cigarette concession for the site.
I think the Indians who make the claim to the area lived around Cahokia through most of the 1500s, so unless they got a title from the King of Spain, their title is suspect.
Come to any indian reservation in Montana and see how they take care of all their free stuff.