What do words mean?

As an advocate for Native Americans, I was glad to see that Sen. Brownback from Kansas introduced a joint resolution to "acknowledge a long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian tribes and offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States." 

Finally -- SOMEONE representing the U.S. government will simply acknowledge the fact that our European ancestors committed awful crimes against humanity:  genocide against a people who have lived on this land for thousands of years before white settlers stepped foot on it.

SOMEONE will apologize for the forced removal of Native Americans from their homes and their sacred and spiritual spaces.  Someone will apologize for stealing lands and treasures and never returning them. 

SOMEONE will apologize for the forced assimilation techniques white people used to "kill the Indian, save the man."  This included separating children from their families and forcing them into boarding schools where they were punished if they spoke their own language or practiced their tribal customs.  This also included sterilizing many women and some men so that they could not bear children.

SOMEONE will apologize for social ills and extreme poverty that continue to exist today because of the broken promises made by the U.S. government to provide quality health care, safety, security, and to honor tribal sovereignty. 

My shared righteous indignation with the bill quickly ended however when the it finished with (and I'm paraphrasing) "Oh and by the way -- this resolution doesn't mean anything in terms of real concrete change.  You cannot hold us accountable for anything."

Of course, in some ways -- I understand the insertion.  What a legal mess the U.S. could get into!  The government certainly can't give back all the land and move elsewhere at this point.  What country would take in 300 million immigrants?

In reality -- the work needed to really move forward in reconciliation with the First Americans will not come about because of an official apology, but a movement from a state of fear to a state of integrity.  Fear too often guides the U.S. economic policies, upholds the status quo and protects the ones who need the least protection. 

Until a movement toward greater national integrity takes place, Native Americans will continue to be -- quite frankly -- living under a continued colonialist State. 

I wonder if I'd be happier with an "un-apology" bill (to steal from the Mad Hatter).  It would say something like this:  The U.S. Government acknowledges all the awlful things it did and continues to do to the Native Americans in order to build up a superficial power we must continue to feed.  We will do all within our power to work against this deep seated problem of ours, and desperately seek ways to build your trust.  We will begin to honor our promsies, written within the treaties we signed, by making sure all are able to live in safe housing with electricity and running water.  We will make sure your children can make it to school by paving your dirt roads and building infrastructure.  We will take care of your elders by funding Indian health care at more than 50%.  We will provide safety to your neighborhoods. And we will do much more. Maybe by then, you'll know that we are truly sorry -- without saying a word.

-Karyn Wingard Manuel

Comments

[Stephen Donahoe]

Great post Karyn! I love the line "Fear too often guides the U.S. economic policies, upholds the status quo and protects the ones who need the least protection."

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