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- From: nate@psygate.psych.indiana.edu (Nathan Engle)
- Subject: Re: Columbus and Indians: Whats the point?
- Message-ID: <nate.1000@psygate.psych.indiana.edu>
- Sender: news@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu (USENET News System)
- Nntp-Posting-Host: mushroom.psych.indiana.edu
- Organization: Psych Department, Indiana University
- References: <1hpprnINN88@mirror.digex.com>
- Distribution: usa
- Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 16:58:04 GMT
- Lines: 49
-
- car@access.digex.com (Mr. Blue) writes:
- >Why does this subject get debated so much?
-
- I dunno about anybody else, but I get a kick out of debating it
- because there are so many outrageous misconceptions on both sides which
- can be put to rest by refering to archaeological remains.
-
- >What is the ultimate goal of those who bring it up?
-
- All I care about is whether the history is vaguely accurate. I'm sure
- that there are those who wouldn't mind ignoring some of the history if
- doing so would advance their political positions, but I would say that
- there are people guilty of that on both sides of the debate.
-
- >That we should give back the land? That we are all evil eurocentric
- >racist homophobic bigots? It's history, it happened, and it's gone on
- >since man came out of the trees. Let it be.
-
- Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. That is also history, however we as
- a nation did not let it be. There really are legitimate grounds for
- disagreement over which past wrongs are worthy of being fixed; I would
- tend to agree that the conquest of the Incas and the Aztecs is probably
- a little too old to do much of anything about, but I really can't blame
- these native American advocates for trying.
-
- >An Politically Correct types out there feel free to give your house up
- >to an Indian, or an Aztec. Why dont you really say what you mean: Our
- >ancestors were brutal conquerors so now we should feel guilty and give
- >minorities preferential treatment over the great satan, the white
- >European Male????? Isnt that what this is all about?
-
- Not in every instance. There are some cases no more than 120 years
- old in which our government has been remiss when it comes to honoring
- the treaties we signed with Indians. In some cases provisions promised
- to the Indians were stolen or withheld, and in many cases Indians have
- been railroaded through our criminal justice system.
-
- If the Indians had had a few hot shot contract lawyers then maybe they
- wouldn't be in the position they are now, but IMHO they have some legitimate
- complaints over their past and present treatment. All I would ask is that
- you should forget all of the fear-mongering about giving back the land long
- enough to hear any alternate proposals. In all probability the Indians will
- never be completely satisfied, but we could do a much better job of dealing
- with their concerns if we just listen to them once in a while.
-
- --
- Nathan Engle Software Juggler
- Psychology Department Indiana University
- nate@psygate.psych.indiana.edu nengle@copper.ucs.indiana.edu
-