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Re: >Decolonizing anthropolo
Bjorn Conrad Fry (bear@USNET.US.NET)
Fri, 3 Feb 1995 12:34:20 -0500
John Cook wrote:
>. . . . . .
>Why for instance should native Americans, if you see no need in offering
>some sort of compensation for their colonial history, be at constrained by
>the demands of US citizenship. Are you going to write it off as a valid
>historical process when someone bombs your dept. or will you suddenly decide
>that this is inhum,ane and demands reparation,
Good point, but how are Native Americans different with respect to
citizenship than any other American citizen? Historically and politically,
just about every conflict between peoples that resulted in territorial
conquests (let's not kid ourselves) that occured more than three
generations ago, is water over the dam. This is not what I want. This is
simply the way things are. You can try to get the overwhelming victors to
compensate you all you like. Unfortunately, you can't, with reasonable
expectations, reevaluate history with the ethical standards and fashion of
today. If the victors have raised several generations on that land, they
are simply going to be more willing to fight for what IS their home, than
those whose home it once WAS. Since when have the vanquished had a say in
what befalls them? Since when have the victors given up what they have
fought and died to gain? "If wishes were horses beggars would ride," as my
dad would always say. That said, it seems to me that EQUAL rights under the
law for all of us, NOW, who want to remain American citizens, is the most
any of us could ever hope to expect. And, do you really want to match bomb
for bomb?
********************************************************************
Let it be said, once again, that most of what is wrong, and of what
is most perfectable in this world, is located between our own ears.
If we don't first start living our own lives to the fullest, as
responsible individuals, in just fashion, and as empowered examples,
instead of languishing in the addictive maelstrom of blame, depen-
dency, and its powerlessness, there is little hope for us. - bcfry
********************************************************************
Bjorn Conrad Fry
Still just an American
bear@us.net (primary)
bjornbear@aol.com (alt.)
Bethesda, Maryland
U.S.A.
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