Columbus, Still Following His Example

Angst, that is the only word I can come up with for the overriding feeling from reading the multitude of posts about Columbus Day!  From every corner of the internet well intentioned writers post about the criminal and genocidal actions of this historical figure.

As with most Internet explosions, I see much outrage being expressed, the collective awareness of our society being focused with plenty of expressions of indignation. What occurs to me is the complete absence of any calls to action or reflection on the current state of our indigenous population.

Yes, Columbus began the process of genocide that has so plagued the native peoples of this continent, yet our anger at a centuries old trespass seems to totally bypass the modern day disaster that the process continues to manifest.

Stories of heating assistance being cut off to the Oglala Sioux reservation, for example, are drowned out by our need to sooth our collective guilt about long ago events. Native peoples and their land are still under the boot heal of a government agency tasked with “managing” their affairs as if they are children in need of our care.

Across our country those of an “open mind” have appropriated all that we hold as valuable in native culture. We smudge, sweat, hang dream catchers, gather in long house’s and go along our merry way with the belief that we respect these ancient cultures.

In truth, the process of genocide continues across our nation. We ignore the rampant alcoholism and crime on reservations. Where are our voices calling for solutions, treatment and economic opportunity for our indigenous population? It is western culture that manifested these travesties, yet given the chance to focus on them and take collective responsibility we instead engage in outrage at the actions of our ancestors.

Today, lets focus our outrage on facilitating a real discussion about reparations to our indigenous population. Instead of soothing our white guilt, lets do something beyond intellectualization that accomplishes nothing and perpetuates the real problems being faced by our native brothers and sisters.