Why hasn't the US made a formal apology to the Native Americans?

Originally posted by Common Scarecrow
reply to post by TheForgottenOnes

 

Waiting for apologies? From who?

I don't think there is anyone still alive who fought indians or mistreated them.

That's like asking me to apologize for slavery. I never owned any. Wouldn't want to.

I have never kicked anybody off of their land.

Every race or ethnicity at some point in their history has probably been downtrodden by someone else.

Get over it.

You took the words right out of my mouth. Should I fly to England and demand apologies for their treatment of the Irish? Everybody wants to cry and receive some kind of handout from our govt. It was literally hundreds of years ago, and as quoted above, was carried out by a govt whos members have been dead for hundreds of years. Pick yourselves up, wipe away your tears, and start contributing to society instead of trying to sponge from it. The people who suffered those atrocities have a special place in heaven. All youre doing is dishonoring them by trying to make a few bucks. Good luck as you embark on Americas modern day national past-time: Sponging.

Of course, IMO.

see i agree and disagree with this..

first yes what happened to your people was a terrible thing but most people werent around when the atrocities where committed

why should the america of today have to apologize for something that the america of the past did

To forget the past, is to become susceptible to repeating it ... but to be stuck in the past, is to become stagnant. We all must move forward, while acknowledging what has come before ... I don't know that there are any groups of people on this planet that have not "conquered or been conquered or have done both" at some point in the time-line that is human civilization.

Indian Trust Settlement Check out this website, it may be something you are interested in.

Canada's PM Harper Apologized for horrible atrocities and abuses that the first nations children here in Canada went through. I read all about this when it was probably a little known fact (to a great portion of Canadian society) in this country.

PM cites 'sad chapter' in apology for residential schools

Stephen Harper stood in the House of Commons on Wednesday to say sorry to former students of native residential schools — in the first formal apology from a Canadian prime minister over the federally financed program.

"The government now recognizes that the consequences of the Indian residential schools policy were profoundly negative and that this policy has had a lasting and damaging impact on aboriginal culture, heritage and language," Harper said.

Overseen by the Department of Indian Affairs, residential schools aimed to force aboriginal children to learn English, and adopt Christianity and Canadian customs as part of a government policy called "aggressive assimilation."

There were about 130 such schools in Canada, with some in every territory and province except Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, from as early as the 19th century to 1996.

(My emphasis)

Of course I don't really believe it was a truely heart felt apology. I rarely see that in any politician.


UNREPENTANT: KEVIN ANNETT AND CANADA'S GENOCIDE (documentary)

Google Video Link

I really am curious as to who would be making the apology and to who? Why don't we apologize to all the white folk that were killed during the Civil War? OH WAIT, THEY ARE DEAD. "I'm sorry, Red Fox, for my great-great-great-great grandfather treating you the way he did. Albeit, I didn't exist as a sperm inside of a sperm at that time, I'm sure you must've gone through an awful lot. Here's a million dollars!"

Nstive Americans (Indians) do not have the power base that African Americans have and the fact that they are fractionalized (tribal vs collective) keeps them from consolidating real political power. Besides an apology would admit wrongdoing and that could start a serious reparations movement. With blacks (descendanats of former slaves) reparations would involve wrongful imprisonment and slavery but with the "indians" it would involve the theft of their land which the US is not about to give up or write a check for the monetary value. Paradoxically tho their plight may be used under Agenda 21 to take back land and property from US citizens (esp farms and rural ranches) in a Communist take over of our country post national bankruptcy. It isnt our land really anyway they will say and that it was taken illegally from the indians under "manifest destiny" but we cant give it back - just take it from the citizens that currently own it and hold it "in trust for the good of all". wink-wink

So much spiteful ignorance being spouted in this thread.

Some ignoramuses in this thread should perhaps read some books and find out what exactly happened as I get the sneaking suspicion that some probably don't have a clue.

I think many Americans are aware of how the Native Americans were mistreated, exterminated and relocated. Unfortunately many think what happened was just part of progress and winning the West from the savages. Seems rather strange that the "savages" lived a much more meaningful life, by staying in balance with nature while the "civilized" have done nothing but plunder and pollute.
I think the survivors of the great war to come will return to practices of the Native Americans. I have a great deal of respect for them and wish them well.

It's quite simple why they haven't Apologized..........Their to busy dressing in strange garb....doing things on the Square.....while worshipping 45 foot burning owls....oh while controlling your tax and your pensions....starting wars........just to add these people also have control of a Nuclear Arsenal........I'm just glad I'm Brittish.

I could care less if they apologize.. a couple of days ago in class we watched the video of Stephen Harper making an apology to them, and he might as well have said "Well.. we ruined your lives a while ago... we didn't really mean it I suppose.. let's just pretend things are okay now." If Harper and all the others actually cared (which they don't) they would've done a little more than print up and read a nice letter.

A long thread - still reading.
I think an apology would be in order.

However, I see a lot of tribalism in US movies.
Some films I've seen are "Into the West", "Dances with Wolves" and "Bury my heart at Wounded Knee".
All of them show history from a Lakota point of view, and the Pawnee and Crow seem like evil incarnate.
Only the last movie has a speech criticizing the Lakota as "colonists" of the plains, displacing the older tribes.

On the one hand the more recent politically books speak of "500 Nations", yet not all nations suffered equally through warfare. Must one apologize to each nation, or is there a blanket apology?
Will one tribe apologize to another tribe?

Just read that the French/English Indian War was actually part of the global (real first World War) called the Seven Year War that raged from Europe to India, and in the US (1756-63).
Who can apologize for the forces of history?
If an American with some native DNA apologizes, isn't it like natives apologizing to natives?

Id rather see apology turned into action, and the Black Hills returned to the Lakota, as well as rights over the rivers, and a more pro-active role of North American Native People in Amazonia and other frontier areas.

what about casino's ? ain't that enough , nope it ain't they'll never apologize , the australian government apologized to it's stolen generation but words don't mean squat , try leaving the land you stole whitey .

reply to post by TheForgottenOnes


I have to question the legitimacy of your statements considering the N American languages were used in WW2 as coded communications and that they continue to expand population wise.

hey it sucks the way your people were treated. The main thing is that now you get treated with respect and allowed to do whatever you want! My grandfather was forced to serve in the army. He never got a letter of apology from the Germans for taking that portion of his life away. Atrocities were committed in the past, and as long as we don't forget where we came from, we won't repeat this. I don't know what it is like in the US but in Canada a portion of my taxes go to helping Indians for the past. I don't mind. I wasn't a part of it, my parents were not, and my immigrant grandparents were not either. If that is what is needed to be done and to get over this PAST injustice, then so be it. Please answer me this though. How many more generations must my family help pay for when we weren't a part of it? Can I claim special exemption or just because I was born in a stolen country I have to pay the rest of my life? I didn't and would never condone what was done to your people, but, we must try to get past this horrible time in history, move on, and become a healthy member of society.

reply to post by superman2012


Given that whatever opportunities you have in Canada are as a result of your ancestors stealing from Indians or taking advantage of what other Europeans stole, go back to Germany and we'll get past it, move on and become a healthy member of German Society.

Well as an American and from a family immigrants from Ireland that came to this place of rest way before my great great grandfather was born. I would like to take a moment as an American citizen to apologize to the Native American people that were displaced, killed, and herded like animals into manageable colonies. I would also like to apologize for the continual lack of apologies or even acknowledgment for what was done. I do find it a shame that apologies have been made to everyone except for American Indians.

Now with that said I would like to add that the world is full of atrocities and there isn't anyway to take them back. The current living generations had nothing to do with these incidents. ie. The Holocaust, Manifest Destiny, The Crusades, Slavery etc. The only way that the world can heal and grow is to move past these and realize that we are moving into something bigger and better. Holding onto the past will only ensure that we cannot move ahead into the future.

I meant every word of my apology but it is time for people to stop dwelling on the mistakes and start working on the improvements.

So far the impression one gets is that the rights for indigenous peoples is organized and run by mainly white people (e.g. Survival International).
White people who face slurs like "liberals", "eco-fascists" and "hippies" get it from all sides.
I think these tireless campaigners should get an apology.
Real tribal minorities are associated with provincialism and small-mindedness, and rarely will one group fight outside its self-interest.
At least that is the impression many are left with.
Outside local emergencies we hardly see empowered native people in the trenches - say, concerning the San in Botswana.
The last Native American of note to come here in the 1990s promised to treat people with AIDS with some herbal concoction, and we never heard from him again.
Where is our apology?

Originally posted by TheForgottenOnes
I'll keep this short and sweet (it's my first thread made)
au.answers.yahoo.com... this is the best quote i could find to answer this...sorry its a yahoo answer

It wasn't till after WW1 when we were "considered" citizens. It wasn't till after WW2 when we had voting rights, in the 1960's and 70's they sterilized 25% of ALL native american women between the ages of 15 to 40. And before the 1970's it was illegal to practice our ceremonies, and speak our languages.

So no, we've never got an apology (obviously we deserve it), and we don't ask for reparations. What I know many want is just for the Americans to one day say "yep, we commit ed a genocide, we ****** up, we're sorry" but I doubt it will ever come.

Coarse American sttitude towards us still hasn't changed much. As you can see, some obviously think that their ways are better, and that we should just drop everything and "assimilate". Well, no; I'm sorry but I like where I am, and if you don't like that then **** off. Simply put. Besides, I've already lived in other parts of the country, so I've seen enough.



I have heard of apologies in the works but have yet to hear something definate

The stories of Thanksgiving is a true one of friendship and cooperation. When the United States was a colony and the Anglos were being used as a tool by the proprietors to build the ports and colonize the east coast there were numerous attacks on the settlers. In the Pennsylvania proprietorship the accounts of the attacks were so grossly savage. Attacks on women and children while the men worked.

Requests were made repeatedly to the king for Army protection. (deserved since taxes were levied on the "free" people) These requests were repeatedly ignored as England was involved in war with India and had no troops to spare.

The attacks continued until the settlers decided they had to rely on themselves to defend. At that point was the rebellion of Pennsylvania. Why pay taxes when you must do all by yourself.

As far as the apology is concerned I would ask you to read HOW savage these attacks were. The response for the war tactic of rape and mutilation of women and children deserves no apology.

The United States, the country I grew up in and am a citizen of, taught me it was a champion of human rights from the very beginning. It said it stood for equality and independence from religious rule from the beginning. However, we look at its history of discrimination of different races, sexualites, genders, sexes, cultures, and religions. It was never a country that stood for freedom. It was just one that did it better than most.

I grew up believing this crud until I forced myself when I was twelve years old to talk to the local Native Americans. All I can say is "The horror...the horror...".

The reason the government won't make an official apology to the native Americans is the same reason the government didn't make an official apology for the dropping of the two atomic bombs on Japan, sexism, racism, experimentation on blacks in the United States army, etc.

For the government to apologize is to admit it is a hypocritical and imperfect. The government is so weak that it does not have the humility to admit it can never be perfect because it consists of imperfect human beings.

Originally posted by caf1550
see i agree and disagree with this..

first yes what happened to your people was a terrible thing but most people werent around when the atrocities where committed

why should the america of today have to apologize for something that the america of the past did

The Old America and New America still have the same government, thing is, this happened to every race, every colour, but with one minor difference, this is still happening every day to the Natives