Apology to Native Americans/Aborigals/First Nations

[Jetboogieman]

So I just wanted to throw something your way and gauge your reaction, how would you feel, now this question I pose to anyone who has this issue in their nation, mainly being The United States/Australia/Canada and a few others but mainly those three, how would you feel if your countries leader made a speech like this?

Would you think it's right or wrong?

Should or shouldn't happen?

Just, what's your feeling, how does it make you feel?

Now I do want to say there's stuff going on around the speech in this video (this speech is fictional), don't worry about that: Start from the 1:00 - 4:00.

 

[Craig234]

I suspect the issue is less about the Natives, or the apology - what's done is done and can't be changed, which isn't to dismiss the issue, but rather to say I suspect the dominant issue would be the ugliness of the people who object to the action, demanding that we have to not show respect for others, not take responsibility as a country (not individually) for wrongs, not advance justice by recognizing injustice.

Those people are the main issue it seems. (I'm responding to your post but haven't watched the video).

 

[Antiwar]

I didn't watch the video.

I say the US Constitution needs a lot of additions, starting with a "Postamble" that acknowledges the Preamble and much of the other sections were bogus, to put it mildly.

Apologies galore, reparations, a Bill of Wrongs (first one is "No level of US government may kill humans anywhere [with strict exceptions]).

 

[AmNat]

So I just wanted to throw something your way and gauge your reaction, how would you feel, now this question I pose to anyone who has this issue in their nation, mainly being The United States/Australia/Canada and a few others but mainly those three, how would you feel if your countries leader made a speech like this?

Would you think it's right or wrong?

Should or shouldn't happen?

Just, what's your feeling, how does it make you feel?

Now I do want to say there's stuff going on around the speech in this video (this speech is fictional), don't worry about that: Start from the 1:00 - 4:00.

"We destroyed this world . . ."

British settlers (who the imp in the video does not deserve to be associated with) destroyed a barbarous world in which children were molested so routinely that they did not even know that sex caused pregnancy. British colonization (and specifically the practice of placing Aboriginal children in civilized families where they wouldn't be molested) were the best thing to have ever happened to the Aboriginals.

 

[Antiwar]

...

Oh geez.

 

[Old 'N Chill]

I'll keep it simple, and I did watch the video. It makes me sad because I think of the Native Americans in this country who are still being treated badly and disrespected, they were killed for no reason and their lands were stolen from them. Today, they are still suffering and being cast aside and discriminated against. I think the apology was shallow and insincere.

 

[Grand Mal]

"We destroyed this world . . ."

British settlers (who the imp in the video does not deserve to be associated with) destroyed a barbarous world in which children were molested so routinely that they did not even know that sex caused pregnancy. British colonization (and specifically the practice of placing Aboriginal children in civilized families where they wouldn't be molested) were the best thing to have ever happened to the Aboriginals.

Civilization is the worst thing that can happen to a primitive culture. It absolutely ruins their lives, every time.
When Capt'n Cook sailed into Nootka Sound the people he found there lived fuller, richer, healthier lives than any of his seamen did at home in London.

 

[VanceMack]

The world was formed by conquest. The Indian/aboriginal tribes engaged in conquest and did so long before Europeans became involved. If you really struggle with that reality then you should by all means sell everything you own, give the proceeds to some Indian charity, and take your ass back to whichever homeland you can find that WASNT guilty of conquering others to establish their boundaries.

 

[SoCal]

So I just wanted to throw something your way and gauge your reaction, how would you feel, now this question I pose to anyone who has this issue in their nation, mainly being The United States/Australia/Canada and a few others but mainly those three, how would you feel if your countries leader made a speech like this?

Would you think it's right or wrong?

Should or shouldn't happen?

Just, what's your feeling, how does it make you feel?...

It's a start, like President Obama's apology, but obviously it's far to little, far too late. Our and all the governments in the countries the speaker mentions should come up with concrete and much delayed help and reparations, however small. After WWII Jews were compensated, so what's the difference between the genocide of the jews and the genocide of our native Americans, 7 generations?

His claim that the mistreatment of the native peoples of the world was due to, "racial differences" was hilarious. I wonder how many lynchings were performed due to, "racial differences" LOL...

 

[Tigerace117]

So I just wanted to throw something your way and gauge your reaction, how would you feel, now this question I pose to anyone who has this issue in their nation, mainly being The United States/Australia/Canada and a few others but mainly those three, how would you feel if your countries leader made a speech like this?

Would you think it's right or wrong?

Should or shouldn't happen?

Just, what's your feeling, how does it make you feel?

Now I do want to say there's stuff going on around the speech in this video (this speech is fictional), don't worry about that: Start from the 1:00 - 4:00.

Were wrongs committed? Yes, and that should be acknowledged.

But at the same time, romanticizing the way things were is rather ignorant. The “good old days“ before the white folks showed up in large numbers were pretty good if you were a Mayan, or a Lakota, or one of the other tribes which were powerful enough to defeat the neighboring tribes in battle, drive them off their land, and then pretend it had always been yours......not so much for the aforementioned less powerful tribes. For example, I don’t think the Lakota have ever apologized for driving the Crow off of their land.

There’s a reason so many Native Americans fought alongside the Europeans against other tribes.

 

[Court Jester]

Nobody needs to apologize for acts which happened long before they were born. I wouldn't accept anyone apologizing for me, especially "speaking for me" like that.

Not sure what this TV show is, but that entire segment is just about some TV producer pandering some social justice crap to indoctrinate viewers. If I were and Indian I wouldn't need an apology from someone who didn't commit any acts against my ancestors, anymore than I expect Italy to apologize for the act done to my Germanic and Celtic ancestors by the Romans.

 

[AmNat]

Civilization is the worst thing that can happen to a primitive culture. It absolutely ruins their lives, every time.
When Capt'n Cook sailed into Nootka Sound the people he found there lived fuller, richer, healthier lives than any of his seamen did at home in London.

The myth of the noble savage has lingered long in the minds of clueless white idealists.

In reality, hunter gatherer peoples lead lives which are short, violent, and depraved. Civilization is the natural state of man, and has immeasurably improved the lot of those who until recently did not possess it.

 

[Grand Mal]

The myth of the noble savage has lingered long in the minds of clueless white idealists.

In reality, hunter gatherer peoples lead lives which are short, violent, and depraved. Civilization is the natural state of man, and has immeasurably improved the lot of those who until recently did not possess it.

That's not true at all. Civilization is the result of the biggest disaster to ever befall mankind- agriculture. Agriculture made two things possible- people could live crowded together (allowing overbreeding) and people could create a surplus. All the problems that haunt mankind come from two questions- who will rule the city and who will control the surplus.

 

[AmNat]

That's not true at all. Civilization is the result of the biggest disaster to ever befall mankind- agriculture. Agriculture made two things possible- people could live crowded together (allowing overbreeding) and people could create a surplus. All the problems that haunt mankind come from two questions- who will rule the city and who will control the surplus.

You feel that mankind is overbred, and yet you're still here. Interesting.

 

[Antiwar]

That's not true at all. Civilization is the result of the biggest disaster to ever befall mankind- agriculture. Agriculture made two things possible- people could live crowded together (allowing overbreeding) and people could create a surplus. All the problems that haunt mankind come from two questions- who will rule the city and who will control the surplus.

Where did you get these two ideas from?

 

[HK.227]

So I just wanted to throw something your way and gauge your reaction, how would you feel, now this question I pose to anyone who has this issue in their nation, mainly being The United States/Australia/Canada and a few others but mainly those three, how would you feel if your countries leader made a speech like this?

Would you think it's right or wrong?

Should or shouldn't happen?

Just, what's your feeling, how does it make you feel?

Now I do want to say there's stuff going on around the speech in this video (this speech is fictional), don't worry about that: Start from the 1:00 - 4:00.

Assuming it was made by the real PM and not some actor?

A well-intentioned gesture, but when you look closer at it, it's kind of insulting.
Sure it sounds nice, but the people on whose behalf he is apologizing would not be sorry, would have very little in common with him, and wouldn't like or respect him (certainly wouldn't elect him). In short, he does not represent the people he claims to be apologizing for. Doing so is an empty gesture, and the offering of empty gestures in matters of gravity shows a lack of seriousness and is really kind of insulting.

"I would like to apologize on behalf of this guy over here. He is not my friend, doesn't share my values, and probably considers me a worthless simp, but he is REALLY sorry. Oh, and I naturally expect to receive all the goodwill for apologing on his behalf, even though it doesn't cost me anything personally, and he isn't really sorry."

 

[VanceMack]

You feel that mankind is overbred, and yet you're still here. Interesting.

And in Canada.
See...its OK to wokists to roil in shame and self loathing over world shaping events...but its not like they are goingto actually DO anything about it. Lets not get all crazy.

 

[Deuce]

The myth of the noble savage has lingered long in the minds of clueless white idealists.

In reality, hunter gatherer peoples lead lives which are short, violent, and depraved. Civilization is the natural state of man, and has immeasurably improved the lot of those who until recently did not possess it.

Nazis thought exterminating the Jews was advancing civilization too.

 

[Grand Mal]

You feel that mankind is overbred, and yet you're still here. Interesting.

So what do you suggest? Do you even realize how stupid you sound right now?
My bad- I thought for a moment that a thoughtful exchange with you might be possible. I won't make that mistake again.

 

[Grand Mal]

And in Canada.
See...its OK to wokists to roil in shame and self loathing over world shaping events...but its not like they are goingto actually DO anything about it. Lets not get all crazy.

You too. Do you not realize how stupid you sound here?

 

[Grand Mal]

Where did you get these two ideas from?

I made them up, mostly. A bit of it comes from the creation myth in Genesis though.
Now that you ask, come to think, I think the notion is also influenced by a book I read called "Ishmael". I recommend it- nearly the whole book is a telepathic conversation between a man and a gorilla.

 

[Jetboogieman]

Assuming it was made by the real PM and not some actor?

A well-intentioned gesture, but when you look closer at it, it's kind of insulting.
Sure it sounds nice, but the people on whose behalf he is apologizing would not be sorry, would have very little in common with him, and wouldn't like or respect him (certainly wouldn't elect him). In short, he does not represent the people he claims to be apologizing for. Doing so is an empty gesture, and the offering of empty gestures in matters of gravity shows a lack of seriousness and is really kind of insulting.

"I would like to apologize on behalf of this guy over here. He is not my friend, doesn't share my values, and probably considers me a worthless simp, but he is REALLY sorry. Oh, and I naturally expect to receive all the goodwill for apologing on his behalf, even though it doesn't cost me anything personally, and he isn't really sorry."

This ignores though, the very real actions taken by the Australian Government or Canadian Government as examples, not even that long ago, horrific acts of State Sanctioned Racial injustice such as the Residential School System in Canada or the Stolen Generations in Australia:

Canadian Indian residential school system - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Stolen Generations - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Australia until only 1973 had a "White Australia Policy:

White Australia policy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

This isn't just about the initial displacement, the disease or wars or any of these other things, some of this stuff IS NOT ancient history, there are people alive today who experienced these injustices that were perpetrated by the state against them based purely on their ethnicity.

So whether every single person agrees or not... It is important in my view for the Government that has continued in the same form since the time of those crimes, to acknowledge what it did.

 

[AmNat]

Nazis thought exterminating the Jews was advancing civilization too.

 

[Deuce]

If you didn’t want the comparison, maybe you shouldn’t have excused genocide.

 

[Buckeyes85]

The world was formed by conquest. The Indian/aboriginal tribes engaged in conquest and did so long before Europeans became involved. If you really struggle with that reality then you should by all means sell everything you own, give the proceeds to some Indian charity, and take your ass back to whichever homeland you can find that WASNT guilty of conquering others to establish their boundaries.

Wow, a lot going on there. Most of it frankly silly. If not outright stupid.
And I have a hard time getting past the ridiculous argument "that's the way it's always been, so why complain now?" The same arguments made by white supremacists made when blacks fought Jim Crow laws.

If you dont think we as humans have improved, and should continue to improve even if that means acknowledging past mistakes, I think it is you who needs move. Perhaps to a new planet.