-Gen. Jim ~ POW-86322 — 12/14/19
I grew up in the America that called Indians, SAVAGES! Not so much today because of Political Correctness et al. Our grade school/Jr. High/and High School history books all used the “S” word, so I naturally believed it to be so.
But the truth of the matter the Native Americans (NA), out of desperation for sheer survival, fought the newcomers from Europe. While not all who came to the shores of what later was to be called the United States, was anti-native.
I’ve read true eyewitness accounts of both. Canadians /Americans /French /English /Spain etc. who saw horrible atrocities committed by the defenders of their families/tribes/lands. History almost always laid the blame upon the Native Americans. If from history books the Caucasian (esp.) can extract any cause of self-laudation I am open to listen. Few books were ever written in defense of the defenders of this nation, i.e. First Nation. Movies always portrayed the Native Americans as “Savages” and the Whites, as innocents. The whites at the get-go stated, after the “Savages” put up a fight “the only good Indian is a dead Indian.” Their dead bodies were mere fertilizer for the soil. Scalps were bought by the U.S. gov. as high as $50-$300.00. U.S. documents, esp. here in the territory of New Mexico /Arizona (Apaches mostly), prove this out – this was years later after the Eastern Native Americans were either “wiped out” or put on some sort of Reservation. Mexicans, I must include, were among the enemies of the Apaches as well. They bought/sold Native Americans, Utes, Navajos, Apaches, and various other tribes.
American history (with exceptions) had become so thoroughly “Christianized” (many believed the Native Americans to be demon possessed, hence, killed or converted!) in their self-laudation, in their exaltation of their own virtues, that they had become grounded in the false belief of imagining that the “Savage” was more cruel in their war customs than any nation of the world. The Apache were indeed cruel and fierce in war BUT they were pushed hard by the invaders of their land. To be totally honest, the Native Americans fought among themselves using cruel methods in war. But for history’s sake, the nations of the world also demonstrated this. Even the Bible mentions some nations, e.g. Assyrians, who cut their captured enemies limb-from-limb; the “Chosen” people of God, the Israelites spared neither young or old, woman, girl or child/baby in war, (see my publication on this War in Biblical Days).
Some –well many- liberals paint God as cruel, unloving, and savage in commanding Israel to destroy the “Ites” in the land. Since He is the source of all morals, He had good reason for this, hence, the invaders from Europe believed this was the right thing to do to the inhabitants of what was later to become the U.S.A.
The Romans crucified their victims – they sent trained gladiators (who were prisoners) into the area to be butchered. They threw Christians to the lions etc. England executed witches and other law-breakers.
I could go on to list nation after nation who inflicted cruelty-pain-death upon victims. But to say that the Native Americans were “Savages” is a bit too much out of order. The American aborigine body count is well over 100 million. I was researching this before my arrest. 100 million! That is from U.S. gov. records. Who knows how many more have died that were never accounted for. The pale faced government did keep record. But there were times when they also protected the “Savages” from other pale-faced scalp hunters etc. All-in-all, both sides were cruel and murderous in their quest to guard or take the land.
We all know when the Castilian landed on the shores of South/Central America (and islands), there was no such thing as fairness/justice for the natives. While most were of the Roman Catholic Church, the Church itself saw the “Savages” as numbers to be added, hence, the Church authorities interfered in the genocide. But history tells a bloody story of murder in the highest degree and theft (gold/silver) that made parts of Europe RICH! We’ve all read school/history books about this. Both truth and error fill pages of intrigue.
Some U.S. Authorities, in the war on Native Americans, made it a policy to KILL everything in human form, Mexican or Native Americans; others were more missionary minded. One tactic was to gather hostiles for a “peace party,” feed them, deceive them, and murder every single one of them without an ounce of mercy.
As my wife and I have labored among the Apaches /Navajos /et al., we still encountered some who still are angry, hateful, even murderous. But we present the gospel of Christ –who gave His life for ALL peoples of the world- so as our Native Americans friends can find peace/eternal life. While we always told the (historical) truth about this matter, many accepted Christ; some would not leave their religion (part of it is to hate the whites!).