National Pride & Immigration ... you may not like my opinions
Hello Everyone ...
This may offend many of you, and if it does, ... oh well ... because basically it's truthful.
Over the recent years since September 11, 2001, there has been a underground backlash at many of our nation's immigrants. There have been many valid points brought forth on each side of the table. Issue's such as "national language", observance of "Christian" holidays and their being "secularized" to Winter Holiday (Christmas), Spring Break (Easter), there have been issues pertaining to long held (230 years this July4th) "American" traditions. Issues such as cultural traditions of our immigrants and retaining their language.
First off let me say this ... I love my country, I have served as a member of the United States Military and would with duty, honor and respect, serve my country again if the need required a 48 year old male to defend it's constitutional freedoms we so much enjoy today.
Hmm .. constitutional freedoms ... nice ring to it right? Did you know that prior to the development of our original constitution that Benjamin Franklin spent many months with the Iroquois people and Iroquois Confederation studying their constitution and used it as a model from which the Constitution of the United States was developed?
Hmm ... Benjamin Franklin ... one of our early American forefathers ... In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered the "New World" and in 1620 (or there abouts) the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in what is now Massechusettes. Meaning that if you can not trace your family history in America back to a time before 1620, YOU ARE AN IMMIGRANT or descended from an immigrant.
Hmm ... Immigrants ... I don't have the numbers, but I would safely venture a guess that at least 70 percent of the present population of the United States can not trace their heritage or ancestory to someone who lived in "America" before 1602, and probably nearly 95 percent can not trace it back before 1492.
Now I'm sure that the above image may offend many ... but it's the "Truth".
The American Indians (the true Native Americans) have been fighting "terrorism" since 1492. They have been called "savages" and much worse. They have been subject to government condoned and implemented genocide (you think I'm kidding, read some history on the Trail of Tears, read the history of the Sioux People, the Lakota, and the unprovoked slaughter of innocent women, elders and children at Sand Creek). Read about the forced "sterilization" of Native American women in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Read about how "Christian" missionaries took Native American children from their parents and sent them away to boarding schools to become "Christianized".
The Lakota in Particular were learning that the Ft Laramie accord Red Cloud had signed in 1868 meant little to miners and settlers clamoring for access to their sacred Black Hills.
Although the land was protected by treaty, in July 1874, William Tecumseh Sherman dispatched Custer to lead a survey expedition into these Lakota domains. A pack train accompanied by 1,200 troopers wound its way through this game-stocked preserve-complete with guides, a photographer, a wagon master, a howitzer and three gattling guns, 110 wagons, 1,000 horses, and 300 cattle for meals along the way.
Once word leaded out that Custer's illegal 1,205-mile survey of the Black Hills had verified rumors of "gold from the grassroots down," mining in the area increased noticeably the following summer. In 1876, two years after the expedition, 6,000 newcomers had taken up residence in Custer City, SD, and gold strikes in Deadwood Gulch predictably lured thousands more. Streams were clogged by sluice boxes, and timbering operations were already moving into the virgin forests of the Black Hills.
Not surprisingly, the Lakota were incensed that their sanctuary had been invaded in so flagrant a violation of the 1868 treaty. Calls for resistance and revenge filled the air. When Senate negotiators came to Lakota territory in September 1875 to try to work out a lease agreement to the Black Hills, a warrior clad in battle attire led a chant: "Black Hills is my land and I love it-And whoever interferes will hear this gun." -Little Big Man, Oglala Lakota
Indeed, the government tried in 1888 to carve up the Great Sioux Reservation (then comprising about half the present state of South Dakota, plus parts of Wyoming and Nebraska) into six smaller Indian reserves and purchase the remaining 9 million acres for 50 cents an acre. The Indians balked. A year later Gen. George Crook was sent to Lakota country with an offer of $1.50 per acre and the implied threat that the land would be seized if the Indians did not agree to sell. Crook, dealing with the tribal leaders one by one, got nearly all to sign-with the notable exception of Sitting Bull.
So ... back to Immigration ... around the time that Red Cloud met with President Grant he met with Crazy Horse upon his return ... basically telling Crazy Horse that the "old ways" would soon be gone for there were a great many more whites and more were coming. That it was best for the Lakota to accept the offers of the reservation lands where they could still retain a bit of their sovereignty. Crazy Horse disagreed and vowed to die a true Lakota, living in the old ways. Many followed him, until he finally surrendered after bringing hardship to both Red Cloud's and Spotted Tail's agencies ... Pine River Reservation and Rosebud Reservation as they are now known.
As history bares out the facts, Crazy Horse died while surrendering through the treachery of other Lakota.
My Point?
Over the past twenty or so more years we have witnessed a great influx of "immigrants" coming from all over the globe to these United States. I would be willing to venture out on a limb and state that the number of "new immigrants" who are not of caucasian race, quite possibly outnumber those of us who are caucasian. So here we are some 140 years or so after the discussion between Red Cloud and Crazy Horse.
We have but two choices before us ... we can adapt and keep some of our ways and enjoy a peace and serenity of life in our own homes or ... we can resist, like Crazy Horse, and possibly end up at the business end of a bayonet, or "New Immigrant's" weapon of choice.
This may offend many of you, and if it does, ... oh well ... because basically it's truthful.
Over the recent years since September 11, 2001, there has been a underground backlash at many of our nation's immigrants. There have been many valid points brought forth on each side of the table. Issue's such as "national language", observance of "Christian" holidays and their being "secularized" to Winter Holiday (Christmas), Spring Break (Easter), there have been issues pertaining to long held (230 years this July4th) "American" traditions. Issues such as cultural traditions of our immigrants and retaining their language.
First off let me say this ... I love my country, I have served as a member of the United States Military and would with duty, honor and respect, serve my country again if the need required a 48 year old male to defend it's constitutional freedoms we so much enjoy today.
Hmm .. constitutional freedoms ... nice ring to it right? Did you know that prior to the development of our original constitution that Benjamin Franklin spent many months with the Iroquois people and Iroquois Confederation studying their constitution and used it as a model from which the Constitution of the United States was developed?
Hmm ... Benjamin Franklin ... one of our early American forefathers ... In 1492 Christopher Columbus discovered the "New World" and in 1620 (or there abouts) the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in what is now Massechusettes. Meaning that if you can not trace your family history in America back to a time before 1620, YOU ARE AN IMMIGRANT or descended from an immigrant.
Hmm ... Immigrants ... I don't have the numbers, but I would safely venture a guess that at least 70 percent of the present population of the United States can not trace their heritage or ancestory to someone who lived in "America" before 1602, and probably nearly 95 percent can not trace it back before 1492.
Now I'm sure that the above image may offend many ... but it's the "Truth".
The American Indians (the true Native Americans) have been fighting "terrorism" since 1492. They have been called "savages" and much worse. They have been subject to government condoned and implemented genocide (you think I'm kidding, read some history on the Trail of Tears, read the history of the Sioux People, the Lakota, and the unprovoked slaughter of innocent women, elders and children at Sand Creek). Read about the forced "sterilization" of Native American women in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Read about how "Christian" missionaries took Native American children from their parents and sent them away to boarding schools to become "Christianized".
The Lakota in Particular were learning that the Ft Laramie accord Red Cloud had signed in 1868 meant little to miners and settlers clamoring for access to their sacred Black Hills.
Although the land was protected by treaty, in July 1874, William Tecumseh Sherman dispatched Custer to lead a survey expedition into these Lakota domains. A pack train accompanied by 1,200 troopers wound its way through this game-stocked preserve-complete with guides, a photographer, a wagon master, a howitzer and three gattling guns, 110 wagons, 1,000 horses, and 300 cattle for meals along the way.
Once word leaded out that Custer's illegal 1,205-mile survey of the Black Hills had verified rumors of "gold from the grassroots down," mining in the area increased noticeably the following summer. In 1876, two years after the expedition, 6,000 newcomers had taken up residence in Custer City, SD, and gold strikes in Deadwood Gulch predictably lured thousands more. Streams were clogged by sluice boxes, and timbering operations were already moving into the virgin forests of the Black Hills.
Not surprisingly, the Lakota were incensed that their sanctuary had been invaded in so flagrant a violation of the 1868 treaty. Calls for resistance and revenge filled the air. When Senate negotiators came to Lakota territory in September 1875 to try to work out a lease agreement to the Black Hills, a warrior clad in battle attire led a chant: "Black Hills is my land and I love it-And whoever interferes will hear this gun." -Little Big Man, Oglala Lakota
Indeed, the government tried in 1888 to carve up the Great Sioux Reservation (then comprising about half the present state of South Dakota, plus parts of Wyoming and Nebraska) into six smaller Indian reserves and purchase the remaining 9 million acres for 50 cents an acre. The Indians balked. A year later Gen. George Crook was sent to Lakota country with an offer of $1.50 per acre and the implied threat that the land would be seized if the Indians did not agree to sell. Crook, dealing with the tribal leaders one by one, got nearly all to sign-with the notable exception of Sitting Bull.
So ... back to Immigration ... around the time that Red Cloud met with President Grant he met with Crazy Horse upon his return ... basically telling Crazy Horse that the "old ways" would soon be gone for there were a great many more whites and more were coming. That it was best for the Lakota to accept the offers of the reservation lands where they could still retain a bit of their sovereignty. Crazy Horse disagreed and vowed to die a true Lakota, living in the old ways. Many followed him, until he finally surrendered after bringing hardship to both Red Cloud's and Spotted Tail's agencies ... Pine River Reservation and Rosebud Reservation as they are now known.
As history bares out the facts, Crazy Horse died while surrendering through the treachery of other Lakota.
My Point?
Over the past twenty or so more years we have witnessed a great influx of "immigrants" coming from all over the globe to these United States. I would be willing to venture out on a limb and state that the number of "new immigrants" who are not of caucasian race, quite possibly outnumber those of us who are caucasian. So here we are some 140 years or so after the discussion between Red Cloud and Crazy Horse.
We have but two choices before us ... we can adapt and keep some of our ways and enjoy a peace and serenity of life in our own homes or ... we can resist, like Crazy Horse, and possibly end up at the business end of a bayonet, or "New Immigrant's" weapon of choice.
posted by Silver Eagle | 11:06 AM
|
1 comments
