On Columbus Day: Senate Apology Should Be Followed With Action

It's hard for a country to change its founding mythology, but the U.S. Senate has taken an important step towards accomplishing that. The Senate approved an apology to Native Americans on October 7, as an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill. The Senate passed an apology resolution also in 2008, but it has yet to be signed into law.

The resolution commends Native people for protecting and stewarding the land for thousands of years. It's an official rejection of the myth that European explorers "discovered" a pristine wilderness, with a few bands of nomadic tribes wandering about living off the fat of the land.

The Europeans told themselves they were a civilizing force, bringing religion and education to uncivilized people, even while they forced Native people from their land, enslaved them, and killed thousands -- some intentionally and some through the spread of disease. The Senate resolution apologizes "for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect" and expresses regret for the "former wrongs."

An apology isn't enough. The resolution makes clear that it does not authorize any claims against the United States -- in other words, no reparations are offered. While it acknowledges past wrongs, it does nothing to address current wrongs. And it offers no support for those still recovering from being forced to attend abuse-ridden boarding schools or those subjected to some of the highest rates of violence and poor health in the U.S. In a guest column in Indian Country Today, Kevin Abourezk, Rosebud Lakota, says, "Pass the Indian health bill, and then we'll talk."

On the other hand, a step towards changing our founding mythology is no small accomplishment. Many well-meaning people believe we should forget about past wrongs and just get along. But we can't get there without building a foundation that acknowledges the harms done in the building of our country, tells the truth about our present, and commits to doing right in the future. The resolution is just a start at what needs doing, and it still must be passed by the House. And most importantly, to keep it from being yet another empty statement, it must be followed by action.

 

 

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Comments

[Kevin Grussing]

This is the second time an "Apology" has been approved by Congress. But technically, this really isn't an apology more than a statement of apology. If it really was an apology it would've been an event at the white house with Obama saying America is sorry,

Also, we should rename Columbus Day "Indigenous Peoples of The Americas Day" to remember all the tribes and peoples who died thanks to Columbus' screw-up in direction. Columbus started it with the Arawak and Carib peoples. The Spanish, French, and British took care of the rest.

We should not celebrate a man who ushered in an era of genocide, mass-murder, and suffering which is still going on with Native Americans having the highest rate of suicide and poverty in this country as well as most tribes turning to gambling in order to survive.

This day should be a rememberance of all the men, women, and children who were enslaved and murdered by Columbus and the explorers that followed him.

Only in America do we celebrate such a hideous holiday like this,

---Kevin Grussing (http://www.twitter.com/NewBernsKevinG)

[NHactivist]

Yes, lets call it Native American Day. With that title we can celebrate the slavery of women, for the most part, in a male dominated tribal culture. We can celebrate a long life span of maybe 30 years. We can celebrate the ritual sacrifice of children as was practiced by some tribes. We can celebrate the rape of women as practiced by almost every tribe. We can celebrate the creation of fallow lands by the planting tribes of New England - good stewardship of the earth there.

Columbus did not come to the Americas to enslave, he came on a voyage of exploration. Some of those that followed surely took advantage or the native peoples. For the most part the early explorers, even the conquistadors, brought civilization, organized society and yes, faith, to the new lands.

As for exploitation, yes that did take place, but that was not the purpose of the early explorers from Europe. The early settlers lived with the native peoples. The early explorers assigned titles and respected the lands of the native people until misunderstandings or greed or disease intervened. The real exploitation did not take place until centuries later The best example of this exploitation is perhaps Andrew Jackson, scion of the Democratic Party and originator of the Trail of Tears.

Lets not change our ideals for unsustainable revisionist history. Perhaps if we practiced the ideals we preach, rather than try to rewrite history all would be able to live a better life.

[MikeLicht]

Today is "Native American Day" in South Dakota.

Discovered: New painting of Columbus.

See: http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/10/12/columbus-day/

[John Patrick Galllagher]

I agree that an apology isn't enough. In fact, Columbus Day should be disavowed and replaced by Native American Day.
If those of Italian descent dissent, and they will, maybe we can give them a Frank Sinatra Day which would make a better party and parade than Columbus Day, anyway.