Veterans Beg Forgiveness of Standing Rock Sioux

Veterans Beg Forgiveness of Standing Rock Sioux December 6, 2016

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Of course it’s too little and far too late.

After the sordid history of our country, after everything that has been done to the Sioux and to indigenous peoples in this country, a group of more than a hundred veterans have gathered to say they’re sorry and to beg forgiveness, from the Sioux of Standing Rock.

And the tribe forgave them.

My feelings are so mixed right now. On top of everything else that’s been done to them from the first settlements by white people in this land until now, and considering that even after the Army Corps of Engineers halted the pipeline, there’s no way for their sacred sites to be restored. There will no doubt be more and more struggle and the government and greedy corporations will again try to devour their land and culture.

But I am encouraged.

Repentance is always encouraging.

Forgiveness is a sacred thing that comes from our Creator– a step toward world peace, to paraphrase the words of Leonard Crow Dog, the Sioux medicine man in the video. And the Sioux have generously offered their forgiveness.

Here’s a longer video of the same event, though the audio is terrible:

Wesley Clark, Junior, speaking for all the veterans, began his remarks by saying, “We came here to be the conscience of the nation. And in that conscience, we must first confess our sins.”

There is so much more to do than can ever be done. But we have to try, and we have to start by confessing our sins.

(image via Pixabay)

 

 

 

 

 


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