--- "John D. Giorgis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> At 07:49 AM 6/13/2003 -0400 Jon Gabriel wrote:
> >> Yeah, but there have been Jews in that area since
> >> before recorded history and they made up a very large
> >> proportion of the population before the Israeli War of
> >> Independence.
> >
> >You know, I do sympathize with this point of view, but by those
> >standards, the United States belongs to Native Americans, doesn't it?
> >
> >(....or do you feel perhaps that because they lost the war(s), they lost
> >their rights for the land? I'm curious about your opinion.)
>
> Actually, I would argue that the Native Americans have lost "their rights
> to the United States" because of a combination of the folllowing:
Uh...phwit lamunkpelechis!
> 1) The statute of limitations has expired. There's simply no way to turn
> back the clock to the injustice. Moreover, almost all people alive in the
> US today were simply born here - and did not choose to be born here, and
> indeed, have no record of having oppressed Native Americans.
Good point. And I do agree with you on point (1), but not the general
statment.
As one of the official artisans of the Lenape I think I have the right to
protest some of what you have said.
> 2) The Native Americans did not really achieve sufficient organization,
> with a few local exceptions, to claim "nationhood" in the modern sense,
Not as a whole, but for a body of land as large as it is this was, and still
is not common. Most countries are no larger than the teritory of lands
controuled by the differnt "tribes". In actuality (except for a few local
exceptions) each tribe did have a very clear governemnt. In fact all of the
tribes now do claim nationhood, even in the "modern sense". We have an
elected Chief, a Council, Judges, etc. The idea that the native americans did
not have the idea of land ownership is a twist of the truth. While the
concept was slightly differnt it was not completly forign. Most of the
battles between the algonquin and their nigbors was specificaly about land.
I am sorry to adress you directly John, but you seem to be working from
grammer school teaching of the sort that went hand in hand with Gorge
Washington and chery trees, (acomplished man that he was).
I am sure that this is due to no fault of your own. Popular belief certainly
agrees with point(2) and even popular education in some parts of the country.
But you must understand that we (the Lenape we, the Algonquin we, and the
Native American we) do not agree.
> thus designate a representative to receive reparations.
We no-longer look different than you, we live among you, we may in fact be
you. Still there are many nations.
One day Tahkox the Turtle went to vist his friend Chikenemuk the Turky. The
turtel lived by the muddy bank of the river. The turky lived by the ocean.
The turtle was suprised and thrilled to walk in the sand which the turky had
allways taken for granted. "I like the pebbles you have here," said the
turtle, "they are so soft, not like the pebles we have in the mud at the
river. I think when I go home I will take some of these pebbles with me to be
my floor." "oh will you?" siad the turky who had explored more than the
turtel. "How will you get such a flooring back with you?" He asked. " I will
carry it" exlaimed the turtle. "why look the largest is smaller than the tip
of my tail."
need I go on?
> 3) The ration of currently living Native Americans to available land is
> disproportionate.
See above.
> Thus, in sort of an extension of #1, it would make no
> sense and resemble no sort of justice to give the Native Americans all of
> the United States.
>
Oh it might be justice, but sense no. We did have Oklahoma once, we were all
crammed inside. Where do you think all those indians went, where did they all
hide? Down your genes of course, think about it twice. Stiking to treaties
which declare soverenty might be nice. But then, we like the Union, it
reminds us of the hourse.
Jan
kpentai maru
=====
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Jan William Coffey
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