On Nov 26, 2009, at 12:45 PM, KM wrote:
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I agree that when Europeans came to this land, it was the beginning of an ethnic cleansing program.
From East to West all sorts of injustices took place and in that struggle, many great leaders tok a part. Great men such as Tecumseh, Osceola, Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Quanah Parker, Chief Joseph, Black Hawk and many others.
Unfortunately, many American Indians are taking part in what happened to them and their ancestors. They are choosing to sign into the US military and are engaging in ethnic cleansing in Central Asian and the Middle East. THey are being an active participant in colonizing those lands over seas, while they lament what happened to them on this American continent.
This is hypocricy and and is an insult to the great leaders of old.
I was at URUKNET.COM and noticed a few articles on THANKSGIVING and added my comments there as well. AMerican Indians that sign up to be a part of fraudulant 'rich man' wars should be ashamed of themselves and are a disgrace to their heritage and cultures.
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ANDRE REPLIES:
Very few in the military join to support a political ideology or to try and suppress another. Some wars like WW II (that my great Uncle fought in) were fought by a great many countries to protect the world from tyranny. Wars are fought for a variety of moral reasons, or to serve economic or political interests. As you can see from the curent "conflict" we do not have allies lined up to support our position.
The decision to enlist are varied and complex. It maybe for economic reasons, to have health care for families, to escape the despair and problems of life on the Reservation, to help fund a college education, to learn marketable jobs skills or they maybe being listening to the rhetoric of patriotism and pride ( I see these as the reason most soldiers join regardless of race). Often times when people have no economic opportunities the military becomes an alternative.
American Indians have always had the highest rate of military participation since they were "allowed" to become american citizens in 1924. This was only after they had proven their loyalty to this country by volunteering to fight and die in WW I. For some, participation may come from being from a warrior society and traditions where those who fought to protect their tribe were shown respect .
Soldiers do not pick their assignments it is their leadership and political leaders that do. If given an opportunity to serve stateside or in some safe locale such as Germany I believe many would take it. It is only a very small percentage that relish the violence and bloodshed that occurs in battle.
As I do not speak for any one individual, I choose not to respond to your comments about the disgrace of Native American heritage and insuls to our Elders and Leaders (that and my Mother taught me, "if you do not have anything to say...").
I see no hypocrisy here, nor do I necessarily agree with all of this but can at least keep an open mind and see it from an enrollees perspective.