Comments on: Native Americans: Question Two

By: kjr198

kjr198 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:46:47 +0000

And who exactly are you planning on stealing that land from to give to the Native Americans? It's not the fault of whoever lives there currently. They probably weren't alive when the land was taken. But you want to say to the people currently on the land (which includes a few very large military bases), "Okay, we understand that this land provides your life and your livelihood, but we're going to take it all away and give it to someone else who had it taken away first." That just puts a whole new group of people into the same situation that the Native Americans are currently in. Which would completely backfire your point. Because then how would those people who were displaced from land that was also "technically" theirs be compensated?

And as for who the land "technically" belongs to. It might have originally been red land, but now it's more pinkish land because it's partially white land. Who is really to take this "blame"? The people who live on the land and didn't actually take it? They aren't squatting; they have the paperwork and the land was probably handed down to them from their forefathers. My ancestors, like Vinny's, weren't here when the displacement was occurring. My family has always lived in Western Pennsylvania after we got off the boat, and so the displacement to the west was not our doing either.

And if you say that "we" should take the blame, who exactly are you saying when you say "we"? Is that anyone who isn't Native American? I don't think that we as "the white Americans" should take the blame. People who are first generation call themselves "American" and who is to say that they are wrong. But if your family is white and grew up in Singapore and you have an American accent but aren't from here. But now you're an American citizen. Does that mean that you therefore assume a part of the blame for being a white American? It's suddenly your fault?

I didn't cause the alcoholism of these people either. Why do most of them turn to alcoholism? Asking them to get a job and support themselves the same way that we all do isn't asking them to go against their culture. Culture has been used as an excuse for Native Americans for years. And I realize that they didn't choose to be in the situation that they are in. But in all honest, that could be what any teenager could say as well. Just because you don't think that it's fair that you're in the situation that you're in doesn't give you the excuse to not conform and get a job and become a productive member of society.

Native Americans might currently have it pretty bad, but just sitting back and feeling sorry for themselves isn't helping. Whatever happened to those of us who believe strongly in the American Dream? You can be whatever you want to be, as long as you work hard and work to overcome any and all obstacles that are in your way.

By: nzh5009

nzh5009 — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:49:59 +0000

I think it is less about personally accepting the wrongs that were done directly by you and I and more about our responsibility as current American citizens to educate our youth about the truths of what occurred here. My ancestors came to this country a long time ago and may have personally had something to do with the wrongs that were done, but I don’t feel like I have more of a responsibility than you to do something about what happened. It is what we can do from now on that matters more than what we could have done in the past.

By: jordanrankee50

jordanrankee50 — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:40:02 +0000

I can agree with Vincent’s comment. He wasn’t here, I wasn’t here, hell, none of us were here in the 1800’s when all the brutality escalated. But I then think about the issues surrounding us today. This stuff is still going on. Though it isn’t nearly as bad as it was before, it is still happening, and we aren’t really doing anything to stop it. So in that respect, we can take blame. I also think about what Sam said about modern day slavery and the fact that we all own something that a slave has most likely worked in some way to produce. The computer that I’m using right now most likely contains parts manufactured by slaves, whether it is the parts themselves or the raw materials needed to make the parts. When I look at it like that, then I realize I can take blame, because before we can change the wrong doings that are still present today, we must change them ourselves.

By: Colleen525

Colleen525 — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:58:58 +0000

After this class I am still myself having a hard time accepting the blame even though I am of white heritage. I know that my family only cam here a few years ago as well so it’s hard for me to sit here and say that my people are the reason that they were driven off their lands. It was all of the power and land hungry European men who came over here without a thought to the people who were already here. I believe that even people from their descent should not necessarily take the blame. My thought of that is everyone should recognize the harm that was done and should definitely help take steps in helping them today, but I do not agree with taking the blame. The people that should take the blame should be the people who were actually a part of it. I realize now that it is still their land so instead of taking the blame I think we should focus more on helping them come out of poverty and back in to their own land instead. I understand that it sounds harsh by not wanting to take the blame but I do because I know that if this was my way this would have never happened in the first place.
I know Sam said that we can take the blame by acknowledging that it is still happening today but I feel as if it almost a catch twenty two because then if we give it back to them then we have nowhere to go. So it’s so hard to say what the best decision is. I understand that ultimately this is their land but if we were to give it back to them then what would be the options for everyone else? We cannot all just go back to where our ancestors are from because there would not be enough room and we can’t just forget about this country that we have built up. So how are we now supposed to fix this situation? So my opinion on this matter is that I feel it is hard to place the blame on anyone particular on this day and age because none of us specifically drove these people off their land but I do think it is all of our responsibilities to educate ourselves on the matter. Whether you have recently come to the country or not I believe that because you’re here now you need to realize what had happened and try your best to help fix what has been done. These poor Native Americans have every right to try to fight back for their land and it is about we start to listen to them whether we have been here for twelve years of one hundred.

By: ask5089

ask5089 — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:44:09 +0000

I agree with this individuals response to why should we take the blame for taking everything from the Native Americans. I feel as he his perfectly right, his family moved here about eighteen years ago and should not be part of the blame that something when his family wasn't even in this territory. Maybe they have blame because they are contributing to the issue now a days?! As Sam stated in class that Native Americans have the highest rates of drug users, alcohol abuse, and along the lines of physical abuse. In a way I kind of feel they are not helping the problem at all. If someone was trying to take something from you, wouldn't you stand up for yourself and try to be on your own two feet and keep what was first yours. I don't know I feel that this individual shouldn't be taking the blame but i'm sure some of their actions that have happened in the past eighteen years or so has helped the Indians from keeping their original belongings.

By: axg5068

axg5068 — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:39:22 +0000

Vincent, I think you make a great point about the fact that we should accept the wrongs and historical mistreatments by whites against Native Americans because this is their land. I think what Sam is really trying to hit home is that is completely wrong and inhumane when a people are uprooted from a place where they first settled and are displaced through the use of violence and other forces. Sam was talking about similar actions that were committed in Palestine, New Zealand, and Australia. So, it is important for us to acknowledge our historical wrongdoings and accept the blame for those actions. With regards to your point that as a member of a family that migrated here, I understand that you should not be held accountable for actions that were not committed by you or any of your ancestors. However, it is important to note that you most likely own a home or an apartment that is on “red” land. So, regardless of the fact that neither you nor your ancestors committed any of the atrocious activities committed in the genocide against Native American Indians, you are in essence still “disgracing” the Native Americans by purchasing and or living in property on their land. I am no different, and most Americans are just the same. I think it comes down to being able to acknowledge the historical facts and understanding that this is not our land, it belongs to Native Americans and it should be credited as theirs.

By: badkarma13

badkarma13 — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:52:18 +0000

I agree with Vincents question in the fact that I myself am the grandson of immigrants who had never had a slave or displaced the native Americans, yet I think when you take on the mantle of American you hold a responsibility to make the country better. if that means taking responsibility for sins we had no connection to in order to make this a better society then I say we accept them and solve the problems so we can truly say we are trying to be the best we can and we will always try. the weight of that responsibility doesn't have to way us down but can make us the generation that finally realizes that mistakes made in the past are fixable if we just acknowledge them as mistakes. the fact that the Native Americans are still suffering means that those of us living here now have a culpability to their suffering if we don't acknowledge their plight. solving the problems of today's Native tribes will relive our burden of guilt and that of the past it won't fix the past but if we say we're sorry and help to make reparations as we have done on a very small scale for the African American community to the Native American tribes we can solve the old problems. Those of us who are descendants of 20th century imegrants hold no real blame but must help make the wrongs right in order to say we made a difference to our families new home.

By: TallWhiteGinger

TallWhiteGinger — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:16:53 +0000

Vincent, you are right on point here. Frankly, I do not know why anyone brought up this point in class. It seems so obvious. And not just for the immigrant students out there, either. This claim that Vincent takes on this topic is a legitimate one, and one that the vast majority, if not all, of the students in class could also legitimize for themselves. The reason for this is simple. No one in class (on Earth for that matter) was alive to see or take part in the genocide against the Native Americans when Europeans first came over to this nation. So why should anyone be held responsible for these devastating acts?

Sam had some good points in class. Historians rarely look into this genocide and how terrible they actually were. Most of us can point to Hitler’s reign during World War II or the constant killings that take place in Africa today and point out examples of genocide there, but we for some reason forget what Native Americans faced here on our homeland. But Sam is very wrong in so many separate areas. Everyone in class should look back and feel sad for the terrible things that human beings had done at one point in American history. But no one should feel responsible. Why am I supposed to apologize for something I had entirely no part in. Even though I do not know all aspects of my family history, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of my ancestors had a hand in killing Native Americans centuries ago. But for the same reason that I had no part at all in the middle-class family I was born into, as Sam described in class, I also had no part in the ancestors I hold. I was always taught to take responsibility for my own actions, no one else’s, even if they are family. Even though no one made this point in class, it is nice to see that people are expressing these same ideas on the blog. Because no one, absolutely no one should feel personally responsible about these terrible events.

With that said, that still does not relieve the painful memories that Native Americans have today of their history. I stress the words memories and history because that is exactly what they are. In the same sense that no one on Earth today was alive to take part in the killings of Native Americans centuries ago, no Native American was alive as well. So they definitely do not know the real realities of this genocide as well. I am not saying that they are not affected by this genocide, because they are. But they also did not actually witness the killings themselves. So what do they deserve? Maybe an apology, as Sam noted. But it definitely will not be coming from me. Instead, a public figure in the national government (the President seems to work well) would be better giving this apology, on behalf of America as a nation. But they absolutely do not deserve any land. Despite what Sam said in class, this is definitely not Red Land that we are standing on. Oh sure, it once was. But no longer. Was the taking of that land justified? Probably not. But I know I had nothing to do with this taking, and I sure as hell am not about to just hand this land over because it is presumably “theirs”.

By: psustarfire

psustarfire — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:26:39 +0000

Every citizen of the United States shares in the responsibly to help those in need. Some of our tax dollars (albeit, not enough) goes to helping those who are in need of a lift. We share in the blame in how Native Americans are treated. We make the laws of the country, we hire people to enforce those laws, we vote for people who lead this nation and we are members of this society that need to fix this problem. The issue is that there is a racial group in our society that is currently suffering discrimination and abuse and it is up to us to stand up for their rights. Every citizen who is eligible to vote in this country shares in the responsibility of the treatment of Native Americans or any other race whom is discriminated against!

By: CastorPollux

CastorPollux — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:26:49 +0000

Offenders and victims exist in this genocide case. The victims were definitely Native Americans while the offenders were ancestors in United States. Now, those offenders who actually did killings and received benefits by that are buried in the ground. If the apology must be made, it should be the government in the first place. Even though every person standing on Red Land but the true issue should be how the descendants of offenders and those of victims would improve their relationship. I do not mean that we should forget about it and pretend like nothing has been happened. We, as the descendants of offenders, should give more attention to those of victims.