Cherokee Nation

(Paul Revere and the Raiders, 1971)

Our friends, Tom and Leah, gave Tyler Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee for graduation. I started reading it tonight. By page four I was already appalled and ashamed to be a white person. I remember feeling the same way the first time I saw Dances With Wolves. From the first day European settlers set foot on what is now American soil, the Native Americans were driven from their homes, mostly by force and nearly always with lies and broken promises made by the white man. As I read those first few pages I tried to assuage some of my guilt by blaming the Europeans for introducing intolerant behavior in the first place. Alas, I see the error in my flawed thinking . . . as a new nation we prided ourselves on being free thinkers and, indeed, our nation was created by persons fleeing persecution . . . the same kind of persecution we inflicted on the Choctaws, Cretes, Pawnees, Narragansetts - the list of tribes is endless, as are the names of tribes that have been completely wiped out by the white man's insatiable lust for land and superiority. As free thinkers, we could have very well turned our hatred and mistrust into cooperation and tolerance that led to a peaceful co-existence. But we didn't.

In the last couple of years I've been increasingly disturbed by growing trend of American arrogance. I'm certainly patriotic and feel very fortunate and blessed to live in this country, but when did we start thinking that our you-know-what doesn't stink? I think the war in Iraq is a perfect example. Now, I'm certainly not skilled in foreign policy and don't know the ins and outs of global diplomacy, but I feel like we've taken on the self-proclaimed role of World Super Hero. I fully support our troops for doing the job they've been asked to do, but I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in wondering what we've really accomplished in the last five years. Last year when we were in Italy we could tell there was not a lot of love lost on us Americans. I wanted to tell everyone, quite apologetically, "Not everyone in America is an ass." Or Paris Hilton. However, I will admit that I kind of expected everyone to know English, at least a little bit. And I actually think most Europeans are semi-fluent, because nearly everyone we met that did speak English was not just bi-lingual, they were multi-lingual. So, my arrogance did raise its ugly head now and then.

I guess the point of this is . . . humble us (me), Lord. You created the world with a beautiful diversity and no one race has any superiority over another, although the ongoing presence of warring nations suggests that we still don't fully get that principle. We would do well to learn from the Native Americans of their love of land, nature, family and a peaceful existence. I'm sure my shame will continue to grow as I make my way through the pages of this book, but I also know with certainty that my respect and admiration for Native Americans will be raised higher and higher and higher.