Today is Columbus Day. It gives us another opportunity to analyze the facades we Americans call holidays. This day is particularly important when it comes to the identification of our country and what we've stood for since this "discovery."
For many who have read more history than what's in your high school textbooks this will come as no surprise. For many others who "don't like history" or accept the pretty picture painted by the government through our public school systems, this will seem very uncomfortable. With an open mind, it can be very enlightening. The confusion many currently have between their perceptions and the truth is the root of many of our social ills. It's much easier to accept these lies (and traditions) when you haven't been a victim of them. Someone has to pay a price for liberty and freedom, and it's not always voluntary. Those who enjoy the fruits of the labor, should be the ones that performed it. I believe it to be intellectually responsible to at least discuss the facts about the oppression and slavery in our country's past.
Whether intentional or not, the convenient disregard of the oppression and genocide of the indigenous people (Indians or Native Americans) is a serious problem. Moreover, propaganda has molded a very "bad guy" stereotype. We have to be truthful with ourselves. Just because someone tells you "Indians are savages" does not make them savages. The same logic can be applied to "we stand for freedom and democracy." Both instances require PROOF to be considered truth.
Native Americans have every right to be OUTRAGED! Not only were they stripped of their land, natural resources, and culture, they were discriminated against in various ways throughout our history. The reservations they were allowed came with conforming requirements. They were provided materials to help transition them to the NEW way of the NEW WORLD. Although granted citizenship in 1924, state laws were applied to voting rights. To this day, labeled as GHOST TRIBES, they still fight for federal recognition. During the decades following the end of slavery, they were further oppressed because they didn't fall within the Race categories at the time, BLACK and WHITE. It's very troubling to imagine having hopes of being a recently-freed slave as an upgrade of human rights.
We are NOT the land of the free and home of the brave. As I've said before, the only time the White men who run this country DO NOT discriminate is when they decide WHO to discriminate against. We are fed this illusion of we are ALWAYS the "good guy." And like anything, if you hear it enough you'll believe it. That does not make it true. We look very ignorant as a people to the rest of the world. As we preach one thing, we practice another. That seems to be a recurring theme in the actions of our leaders. Yet we choose to turn a blind eye.
No matter what cause they disguise their true motive as, question it. It's quite obvious when looking at the direction of our country, that the true measuring stick of the value of life in America is MONEY. We are a powerful country because we are bullies. We're not respected; we're feared. There is a difference.
This country was founded on killing and stealing. We will not be able to get past this fact until we acknowledge it. Our melting pot is currently filled with oil and water. I'd like to give South Dakota credit for NOT celebrating Columbus Day, but Native American Day. We need to ACT like the people we SAY we are.
Are YOU truly COMPASSIONATE, OPEN-MINDED, TOLERANT, EMPATHETIC, INDEPENDENT, INSPIRING, HELPFUL, GENUINE?
WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER, BUT IN ORDER TO BE TOGETHER WE MUST SHARE THE SAME TRUTHS!
Native Americans have every right to be OUTRAGED! Not only were they stripped of their land, natural resources, and culture, they were discriminated against in various ways throughout our history. The reservations they were allowed came with conforming requirements. They were provided materials to help transition them to the NEW way of the NEW WORLD. Although granted citizenship in 1924, state laws were applied to voting rights. To this day, labeled as GHOST TRIBES, they still fight for federal recognition. During the decades following the end of slavery, they were further oppressed because they didn't fall within the Race categories at the time, BLACK and WHITE. It's very troubling to imagine having hopes of being a recently-freed slave as an upgrade of human rights.
We are NOT the land of the free and home of the brave. As I've said before, the only time the White men who run this country DO NOT discriminate is when they decide WHO to discriminate against. We are fed this illusion of we are ALWAYS the "good guy." And like anything, if you hear it enough you'll believe it. That does not make it true. We look very ignorant as a people to the rest of the world. As we preach one thing, we practice another. That seems to be a recurring theme in the actions of our leaders. Yet we choose to turn a blind eye.
No matter what cause they disguise their true motive as, question it. It's quite obvious when looking at the direction of our country, that the true measuring stick of the value of life in America is MONEY. We are a powerful country because we are bullies. We're not respected; we're feared. There is a difference.
This country was founded on killing and stealing. We will not be able to get past this fact until we acknowledge it. Our melting pot is currently filled with oil and water. I'd like to give South Dakota credit for NOT celebrating Columbus Day, but Native American Day. We need to ACT like the people we SAY we are.
Are YOU truly COMPASSIONATE, OPEN-MINDED, TOLERANT, EMPATHETIC, INDEPENDENT, INSPIRING, HELPFUL, GENUINE?
WE ARE STRONGER TOGETHER, BUT IN ORDER TO BE TOGETHER WE MUST SHARE THE SAME TRUTHS!
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