1. "It resembled very much my time in Army basic training
as well as advanced training I received in and for the infantry."
Sure, but you volunteered.
2. "What they were told to do and why the methods used were chosen. I think
Robert's story must be balanced by the story of the mission's attempt to
assimilate them into a very advanced culture."
Regardless of the missionary's reason's or methods, assimilation is
wrong. It is a crime to rob a people of their identity and culture.
3. "To paraphrase the late (& great) Carl Sagan -- the track record
of less advanced cultures is not promising. The fact of the matter is
that their culture closely resembled primitive man around the dawn of
"civilization"."
Why do you assume that Native American culture is primitive and less
advanced? In many ways, Native culture is far more advanced and complex than
our mainstream American culture could ever hope to be.
4. "Our advanced culture would have killed them all had we
not attempted to assimilate them."
If this is true, it is clear reflection of how primitive our culture
really is. Of course the undeniable fact is, is that we should never have
been here killing the Natives or trying to assimilate them in the first place.
This continent was never a place that the European's had any right to come to,
colonize, or settle. Manifesto destiny was always a bunch of crap.
5. "We lost an opportunity to mesh our technological culture with
a spiritual culture to the benefit of all mankind."
Why would this be a necessarily be a benefit to all mankind? One thing
"meshing" ensures is the loss of at least one of the autonomous cultures
involved. Cultural extinction cannot be a good thing.
6. "I think their views of our culture are primitive and
misguided by prejudices that they learned by their elders."
I couldn't agree less. I think the prevailing views of the Native
American people towards that of the white man, are the most insightful and
frightfully accurate takes I have ever come across. The Hopi's view on the
dangers of the rampant materialism that dictates western culture rings too
true to be dismissed as primitive and misguided prejudices.
7. "Suffice it to say that their inability to separate the intentions of our
culture from the actions of some of its people is a stigma that they must
overcome to maximize the benefits of this culture."
A stigma? What were the intentions of our culture? To come to this
land, to take--by force--everything little thing we wanted? To subjugate and
destroy the natives to whom all of this land belonged? To recklessly exploit
and pollute this once pristine environment?.... No, I think the Natives
understand us perfectly!
Please excuse my ranting. You struck a nerve....
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