Slave Reparations?
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Hoke Hey, Lakotah!

   There are activists here in the states who believe those descended from Afrikans are in need of reparations for their ancestors bondage. Personally, we feel those who advocate such an idea are only fueling racism. Does not Affirmative Action, while being far from perfect, help those whose ancestors suffered and toiled while enthralled in "the land of the free"? Perhaps more can be done, but as someone who voted for Nader in 2000, and loves and understands Huey Freeman more than life itself[1], I simply feel that reparations are not the answer.

   If we are to pay back any community in this nation collectively for crimes of our common past then perhaps we should address the issue of a number of treaties ratified by our government [American] with Native-Americans that have never been fully honored. For example, take the Treaty of 1868. [2]

FORT LARAMIE TREATY APRIL 29, 1868:  The United States agrees that the [Lakotah Nation] will commence on the east bank of the Missouri River to a point opposite where the northern line of the State of Nebraska strikes the river, [and] is, set apart for the absolute and undisturbed use and occupation of the Indians, and the United States now solemnly agrees that no persons [blah, blah, blah] ..., shall ever be permitted to pass over, SETTLE UPON, or reside in the territory described in this article,

What's ironic is the ILLEGAL European settlements within this NATION are now dying in droves; the prairie towns of the European settlers are evaporating left and right. If there are any reparations to be made should we not work to respect treaties which our government made and then arrogantly abrogated. "John Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it." essentially sums up what happened to the Cherokee and led to the Trail of Tears.

A Brief History of America  

[from the "Injuns" perspective]

   ... After the War between the States, the United States military turned towards the original inhabitants of the continent. Guerrilla tactics decimated the Europeans' superior technology and manpower, however, and in 1868, a treaty was ratified between the not-so-United States government and the natives of the plains. Unfortunately, gold was discovered in Pahasahpah [the Black Hills] after the treaty had been signed and formalized, and the American government realized this nullified the treaty --as European treaties go... [3]

   There are many ways in which we can strive to heal the crimes of the past, but we feel collectively giving all those descended from Afrikans in this country a lump sum check will simply enrage some. There are Americans of European descent whose ancestors never owned slaves and fought for the abolition of slavery. My own ancestors were Germans; some may have actively taken part in a reprehensible and atrocious genocide, ... and every last one of them got off the boat before Bismarck became Kanzler.

   Surely there must be some other way to help all the descendants of Afrikans without giving a small check to Michael Jordan, Bill Cosby, and Eddie Murphy?

William Binder

020707

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Footnotes

[1] For more on HUEY!, please see the Comic Strip the Boondocks! http://www.ucomics.com/boondocks/

[2] The entire treaty is at http://puffin.creighton.edu/lakota/1868_la.html

[3] "You don't go to a hill for water and you don't go to a white man for the truth"- Lakotah Proverb

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The following men saw the American government break the treaty they signed with the same morality Hitler broke the pact he made with Stalin.  They also saw their loved ones die for the same reason so many did under the Third Reich.  Racism, pure and simple.

Ma-za-pon-kaska Iron Shell

Wah-pat-shah Red Leaf

Hah-sah-pah, Black Horn

Zin-tah-gah-lat-skah Spotted Tail

Zin-tah-skah White Tail

Me-wah-tah-ne-ho-skah TallMandas

She-cha-chat-kah Bad Left Hand

No-mah-no-pah Two and Two

Tah-tonka-skah White Bull

Con-ra-washta Petty Coon

Ha-cah-cah-she-chah Bad Elk

Wa-ha-ka-zah-ish-tah Eye Lance

Ma-to-ha-ke-tah Bear that looks behind

Bella-tonka-tonka Big Partisan

Mah-to-ho-honka Swift Bear

To-wis-ne Cold Place

Ish-tah-skah White Eyes

Ma-ta-loo-zah Fast Bear

As-hah-kah-nah-zhe Standing Elk

Can-te-te-ki-ya The Brave Heart

Shunka-shaton Day Hawk

Tatanka-wakon his Sacred Bull

Mapia shaton Hawk Cloud

Ma-sba-a-ow Stands and Comes

Shon-ka-ton-ka Big Dog

Tah-shun-ka-co-qui-pah Man-afraid-of-his-horses

Sha-ton-skah White Hawk

Sha-ton-sapah Black Hawk

E-ga-mon-ton-ka-sapah Black Tiger

Oh-wah-she-cha Bad Wound

Pah-gee Grass

Wah-non-reh-che-geh Ghost Heart

Con-reeh Crow

Oh-he-te-kah The Brave

Tah-ton-kah-he-yo-ta-kah Sitting Bull

Shon-ka-oh-wah-mon- Whirlwind Dog

Ha-hah-kah-tah- Poor Elk

Wam-bu-lee-wah-kon Medicine Eagle

Chon-gah-ma-he-to-hans-ka High Wolf

Wah-se-chun-ta-sbun-kah American Horse

Mah-hah-mah-ha-mak-near Man that walks under the ground

Mah-to-tow-pah Four Bears

Ma-to-wee-sha-kta One that kills the bear

Oh-tah-kee-toka-wee-chakta One that kills in a hard place

Tah-ton-kah-ta-mieeh The poor Bull

Oh-huns-ee-ga-non-sken Mad Shade

Shah-ton-oh-nah-om-minne-ne-oh-minne Whirling Hawk

Mah-to-ehun-ka-oh Bear's Back

Che-ton-wee-koh Fool Hawk

Wah-hoh-ke-za-ah-hah One that has the lance

Shon-gah-manni-toh-tan-ka-she Big Wolf Foot

Eh-ton-kah Big Mouth

Ma-pah-che-tah Bad Hand

Wah-ke-yun-shah Red Thunder

Wak-sah One that Cuts Off

Cham-nom-qui-yah One that Presents the Pipe

Wah-ke-ke-yan-puh-tah Fire Thunder

Mah-to-nonk-pah-ze Bear with Yellow Ears

Con-ree-teh-ka The Little Crow

He-hup-pah-toh The Blue War Club

Shon-kee-toh The Blue Horse

Wam-Balla-oh-con-quo Quick Eagle

Ta-tonka-suppa Black Bull

Moh-to-ha-she-na The Bear Hide

Heh-won-ge-chat One Horn

Oh-pon-ah-tah-e-manne The Elk that bellows Walking

Heh-ho-lah-reh-cha-skah Young White Bull

Wah chah chum kah coh kee-pah One that is afraid of Shield

He-hon-ne-shakta The Old Owl

Moc-pe-a-toh Blue Cloud

Oh-pong-ge-le-skah Spotted Elk

Tah-tonk-ka-hon-ke-schne Slow Bull

Shonk-a-nee-shah-shah-a-tah-pe The Dog Chief

Ma-to-tah-ta-tonk-ka Bull Bear

Wom-beh-le-ton-kah The Big Eagle

Ma-toh-eh-schne-lah The Lone Bear

Mah-toh-ke-su-yah The One who Remembers the Bear

Ma-toh-oh-he-to-keh The Brave Bear

Eh-che-ma-heh The Runner

Ti-ki-ya The Hard

He-ma-za Iron Horn

Mah-to-non-pah Two Bears

Ma-to-hna-skin-ya Mad Bear

He-o-pu-za, Louzy

Ah-ke-che-tah-che-ca-dan Little Soldier

Mah-to-e-tan-chan Chief Bear

Cu-wi-h-win Rotten Stomach

Skun-ka-we-tko Fool Dog

Ish-ta-sap-pah Black Eye

Ih-tan-chan The Chief

I-a-wi-ca-ka

The one who Tells the Truth

Ah-ke-che-tah The Soldier

Ta-shi-na-gi Yellow Robe

Nah-pe-ton-ka Big Hand

Chan-tee-we-kto Fool Heart

Hoh-gan-sah-pa Black Catfish

Mah-to-wah-kan Medicine Bear

Shun-ka-kan-sha Red Horse

Wan-rode The Eagle

Can-hpi-sa-pa Black Tomahawk

War-he-le-re Yellow Eagle

Cha-ton-che-ca Small Hawk, or Long Fare

Shu-ger-mon-e-too-ha-ska Tall Wolf

Ma-to-u-tah-kah Sitting Bear

Hi-ha-cah-ge-na-skene Mad Elk

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