Brownback urges public apology

Brownback urges apology resolution public ceremony

By Gale Courey ToensingThe presidential signing of the bill took place without any fanfare or announcement just before Christmas. Like the eternal philosophical puzzler, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” questions soon popped up regarding the validity of an apology that no one knows about.

Brownback hoped tribal leadership would put forward an effort in the form of resolutions from the National Congress of American Indians, the United South and Eastern Tribes and NIGA urging Obama to have “a very public ceremony, invite the tribal leadership to be there and then the country knows about it. We passed it, but nobody knows about it. It isn’t like it didn’t happen, because it did, but you need to bring the resolution to the country. The words have been stated and now it is law,” Brownback said.

In late February, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, urged Obama to publicly acknowledge the Native American Apology Resolution.

“This apology deserves national recognition and public acknowledgment. To give true hearing to the apology, we respectfully request that you hold a White House ceremony with tribal leaders to formally issue the apology to Native peoples. We also look forward to additional steps in an action plan that will help to right the past wrongs,” the FCNL said.Comment:  The article adds, "Tribal leaders at the NIGA event are confident a ceremony will take place this year." They suggest holding it during the annual Native American Heritage Day or Month.

I'm not confident about it, but my guess is that Obama won't acknowledge the apology this year or ever. As we've seen with climate change, healthcare reform, financial regulation, and other issues, he's too cowardly calculating to rock the boat. If he can avoid it, he won't do anything to upset the (white) powers that be.

For more on the subject, see Obama's Invisible Apology.

Below:  "Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., was an invited speaker at the National Indian Gaming Association’s annual Indian Gaming Trade Show & Convention in San Diego in early April. He urged tribal leaders to support an effort to encourage President Barack Obama to hold a public ceremony to announce the signing last December of the Native American Apology." (Gale Courey Toensing/Indian Country Today)