Writerfella here -- Though this Congressional resolution still ostensibly is in the 'draft' stages, it drowns the reader in 'whereas' and actually reveals too many instances of 'bareass' and essentially is saying, 'It happened. We apologize. Get over it.' It specifically states that such a resolution in non-binding and will have no effect on the Native American Trust litigations or otherwise any other kind of responsibility on the part of The United States of America. Even the Japanese-American 'apology' resolution of several years ago for ill treatment of Japanese-American citizens who were persecuted and interned, provided for 'remunerations' and 'reparations' and so is being acted upon. Even the Japanese-American internment camps such as Manzanar derived their form and execution from the Native reservations from past American history. Japanese-Americans are as much immigrants to the North American continent as are EuroMan, African-Americans, and even the most recent large immigration of Vietmanese people. But for the people who were here when everybody else began to arrive, no such language is forthcoming at this time. We came, we saw, we conquered, and we the People offer simply an apology, take it or leave it. The land under our feet is ours in perpetuity and that is not going to change. Okay, what's on The Discovery Channel tonight, People? All Best Russ Bates 'writerfella'
On the front page of www.nativeres.org there is a link to a "Circle of Prayer (Join Today)" -
I followed the link and discovered that there are specific passages from Christian scripture (from the KJV no less) which I assume is supposed to provide inspiration to pray (to Jesus) for the U.S. to apologize to Natives.
Writerfella here -- Sorry for the joke at your expense, Sarah, but you will have to admit that the content of your posting did not grant that many details. writerfella is a writer and a fella, so room for misinterpretation is quite broad... All Best Russ Bates
I skimmed over the Prayer Circle, it looks like a Christian based church which engages in prayer circles and fasting. They call themselves the Intercessors for America and was establish in 1973. Who knows? Almost all Indians are Christians.
Writerfella here -- And that only is because the Natives who survived the so-called 'Indian Wars' thereafter were handed over piecemeal to various religious sects to pacify and convert and thus assimilate them. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile." writerfella's own grandfather, David Paddlety, became a Baptist minister in 1920 because the Kiowas principally were handed over to the Baptist Church, with a smaller number being given to the Catholic Church. But the main reason they became Christians was because they had no choice in the matter and the US Army at Ft. Sill was charged with the duty of pointing the guns that made sure the Kiowas converted. When writerfella's brother David passed away in 2005, his cousin Charles Toyebo came from California and sat with writerfella while he kept watch over the body before the following day's funeral. And Charles began telling writerfella the Baptist line, which he knew writerfella had rejected forty years before. And he said, 'You must be as grateful as I am that our parents and grandparents became Christians because of the peace it brought to all of us." And writerfella replied, "Yes, I'm grateful that our family accepted Christianity but only for one reason. If they had not, the Army at Ft. Sill would have shot our ancestors to death and neither you or I would be here right now." He stopped talking, seemed to think it over, shook writerfella's hand, and went his way... All Best Russ Bates 'writerfella'
9 comments:
Writerfella here --
Though this Congressional resolution still ostensibly is in the 'draft' stages, it drowns the reader in 'whereas' and actually reveals too many instances of 'bareass' and essentially is saying, 'It happened. We apologize. Get over it.' It specifically states that such a resolution in non-binding and will have no effect on the Native American Trust litigations or otherwise any other kind of responsibility on the part of The United States of America. Even the Japanese-American 'apology' resolution of several years ago for ill treatment of Japanese-American citizens who were persecuted and interned, provided for 'remunerations' and 'reparations' and so is being acted upon. Even the Japanese-American internment camps such as Manzanar derived their form and execution from the Native reservations from past American history. Japanese-Americans are as much immigrants to the North American continent as are EuroMan, African-Americans, and even the most recent large immigration of Vietmanese people. But for the people who were here when everybody else began to arrive, no such language is forthcoming at this time. We came, we saw, we conquered, and we the People offer simply an apology, take it or leave it. The land under our feet is ours in perpetuity and that is not going to change. Okay, what's on The Discovery Channel tonight, People?
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
What's up with the "prayer circle", eh?
Writerfella here --
Um, er, uh, well, has it been cancelled because of weather?
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
What do you mean, Sarah?
On the front page of www.nativeres.org there is a link to a "Circle of Prayer (Join Today)" -
I followed the link and discovered that there are specific passages from Christian scripture (from the KJV no less) which I assume is supposed to provide inspiration to pray (to Jesus) for the U.S. to apologize to Natives.
There are just so many things wrong with that...
Writerfella here --
Sorry for the joke at your expense, Sarah, but you will have to admit that the content of your posting did not grant that many details. writerfella is a writer and a fella, so room for misinterpretation is quite broad...
All Best
Russ Bates
I skimmed over the Prayer Circle, it looks like a Christian based church which engages in prayer circles and fasting. They call themselves the Intercessors for America and was establish in 1973. Who knows? Almost all Indians are Christians.
Anonymouse
Writerfella here --
And that only is because the Natives who survived the so-called 'Indian Wars' thereafter were handed over piecemeal to various religious sects to pacify and convert and thus assimilate them. "You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."
writerfella's own grandfather, David Paddlety, became a Baptist minister in 1920 because the Kiowas principally were handed over to the Baptist Church, with a smaller number being given to the Catholic Church. But the main reason they became Christians was because they had no choice in the matter and the US Army at Ft. Sill was charged with the duty of pointing the guns that made sure the Kiowas converted.
When writerfella's brother David passed away in 2005, his cousin Charles Toyebo came from California and sat with writerfella while he kept watch over the body before the following day's funeral. And Charles began telling writerfella the Baptist line, which he knew writerfella had rejected forty years before. And he said, 'You must be as grateful as I am that our parents and grandparents became Christians because of the peace it brought to all of us."
And writerfella replied, "Yes, I'm grateful that our family accepted Christianity but only for one reason. If they had not, the Army at Ft. Sill would have shot our ancestors to death and neither you or I would be here right now." He stopped talking, seemed to think it over, shook writerfella's hand, and went his way...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Here is an interesting effort that involves reconciliation that includes apology:
http://www.dakotahomecoming.org
I've wanted to go to this but have not made it there yet.
Post a Comment