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O'siyo Brothers and Sister!
"It's good to be king," is a quote that
describes the perks of being the person or group that makes the rules.
By being the rule maker it is a mere change of rules (your rules) or a
simple wave of the hand to absolve yourself of guilt or shame associated
with a misdeed or misuse of other human beings. You are "above" guilt
and reproach.
A whole church was born in England so English kings did not have to
abide by Catholic mandates. A few divorces here and there, or in the
case of Henry VIII - a few lobbed heads, were no longer a sticky matter
with the church.
That same church, the Anglican Church, abused thousands of First Nation
children in Canada, and when the Residential School Settlement finally
reaches completion that same church will have suffered little more than
a slap on the wrist. Read the opinion piece, "Residential School
Settlement Farce" [subtitled: "Why we are not sorry for our Crimes"] to
get a better understanding of the lengths the dominant society will go
to the absolve blame for even heinous acts.
Nonessential sterilization of Native women in IHS facilities is
approved, admitted fact that resulted in zero prosecution, zero blame,
zero shame.
"Flesh and bone littered the banks of Sand
Creek on November 30, 1864. The previous day some 700 Colorado and
New Mexico militiamen had routed a village of Cheyenne and Arapaho
Indians, killing an estimated 150. As many as 100 of the dead were
women and children; two were unarmed chiefs in their 70s, mowed down
as they chanted their death songs."
--- Larry Borowsky Issue No. 11 - Spring/Summer 2002 "Terrain".
(READ MORE ABOUT THE
SAND CREEK MASSACRE)
Col. John Chivington, who commanded the
attacking force, a Methodist minister and avid anti-slavery crusader,
lead that cowardly attack on women and children. It would be 200 years
later and endless campaigns by Cheyenne and Arapaho descendants of the
victims before Sand Creek became the monument to shame it should have
been in 1864 when it occurred.
To this day twenty-three soldiers of the 7th Cavalry retain Medals of
Honor they were awarded for the murder of nearly 300 innocent and
unarmed Lakota men, women and children at Wounded Knee. This act of
absolute cowardice is held in the highest possible regard by the
retention of these undeserved medals.
Read Tim Giago's excellent review of this misrepresentation of history
by the dominant society in "GIAGO: The 1890 Massacre at Wounded Knee."
Yes, it is good to be king...
It is better to be strong enough to admit your shame and begin the
healing process. Judging by historical treatment of Indians I expect the
ragged, unhealed wounds to remain for generations to come.
Dohiyi Ani Oginalii
Gary Smith (*,*)
wotanging@bellsouth.net
P. O. Box 672168 (`-') gars@nanews.org
Marietta, GA 30006, U.S.A. ===w=w===
http://www.nanews.org
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CONTENTS LIST OF ARTICLES IN
VOLUME 14, ISSUE 051
FOR ARTICLES GOT TO
WOTANGING IKCHE-Native American News
Editorial Section: . Making Rules That Absolve
Guilt
- Fontaine Joins Global Lobby
- Settlement Won't Erase Memory Of Racial Rage
- Navajo Elder's Dog 'Skinned Alive'
- Drug Trafficking Measure Amended For Tribal Study
- Chippewa Delight In Return Of Sacred Scrolls
- Tribal District Wants National Guard Banned
- Tohono O'odham Celebrate Culture
- Agriculture Still Big In Arizona Tribal Economies
- Indian Tribe Banking On Grand Canyon Skywalk
- Am. Indian Holds Out Hope Of Multi-Targeted Drug
- American Indian Vet Cemetery Bill Passes Congress
- Tension Escalates At Bison Range
- A Dead Indian Language Is Brought Back To Life
- Law Aims To Preserve Native Languages
- Tribes To Seek New Mine Hearing
- Court Rules Against Oil And Gas Industry
- Monteau: Final Solution For Connecticut Tribes
- Editorial: Royalty Rip-Off
- Giago: The 1890 Massacre At Wounded Knee
- Jodi Rave: Radio, TV Series On Indian Governance
- Yellow Bird: Human History: It's All Relative
- Giago: Prayers For A Senator From A Small State
- Jodi Rave: Conference Teaches Wellness
- Opinion: Residential Schools Settlement Farce
- Elderly Natives Denied Abuse Settlement Payments
- Natives Object To `rushed' Rights Bill
- We Move Kashechewan At Its Peril
- Ratification Likely To Be Painful
- Liberals Call On Feds To Resolve Caledonia
- Protest Near Caledonia Sparks Fears Of Violence
- Ottawa Shelves Reform Plans On Native Governance
- Aboriginal Leaders Call Resort Talks Flawed
- Ottawa Reviewing Six Nations Claim
- The Woman Who Transformed B.C.
- Marcos: Calderon Will Not Finish His Six Years
- Riel Poem Finds New Home With U Of S
- White Collar Crimes Rise
- Reward For Missing Red Lake Boys Raised To $30,000
- Native Prisoner -- Officials Concerned Over Navajo Jail Space
- Rustywire: Tell Me A Christmas Story
- Verse: Hawaiian Book Of Days
- Rustywire: Five Days Till Christmas
- Upcoming Events
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