But are we better than this? I applaud your insight and your journey down this lane of realizations. You are serving as a vital and much needed link between the native indigenous people’s and Americans. Of course, the terminology matters and has been white sanitized when speaking of these good people. The fault of that is not yours, but occurred for historical reasons over the centuries.
For example, they are not “tribes”; they are nation-states. The “Crow” and “Iroquois” (who I grew up next to) are historically nation-states that were in place for a long time before the white man arrived with his kidnapped hostages from Africa. “Tribes” is a disrespectful word so ingrained it fails to reveal the structure of the word it directly implies: a mobile group of people, and not as civilized as “us”. That is a convenient idea, as coupled with the idea of “westward expansion” and “manifest destiny,” it sounds almost OK if these “tribes” are moved a bit. They are tribes, moveable after all, kind of like nomads. And encountering whites could mean they get more civilized by contact, so that could also be “good for them.”
No imagine the truth when the language changes: The nation-state of the Iroquois, long established and built through treaties, who did not believe in slavery but in freedom, existed for centuries in their country. Then the white man arrived, dragging black enslaved people he trade and whipped to work. The white man started slaughtering the Iroquois citizens, brutally using superior weapons but display more savage immorality. To stop the slaughter, the Iroquois signed a treaty with the white man, but the white man soon broke the treaty, showing he did not care about the honor in his word. He killed again and built on the Iroquois land in their country, occupying it illegally against the treaty. Then the white man continued to kill and steal land, breaking every treaty and would not stop. That’s just the Iroquois of course.
Andrew Jackson, the hero on the twenty dollar bill, invade Georgia, pushed the citizens of that nation state off the country to steal their country, then he invaded Mississippi and Louisiana killing and forcing Chocktaw and Chickasaw. He then let all the land of these nation-states he invaded sold off against their permission, and signed the Indian Removal Act, telling the Army to keep killing and forcing the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Chocktaw, Creek, and Seminole—many who had been allies to him previously in the 1812 War, out of their own countries, selling it off, forcing a trail of tears and long forced genocidal death march in 1838 when President. Jackson destroyed these long stable nation-states, eradicating the citizens with complete disregard for human life and their humanity, even his “friend” Junaluska who saved Jackson’s life at a battle in Horseshoe Bend, Alabama. Once the Creek and Cherokee and other countries were decimated, the land stolen and sold off to white investors in New York, London, Paris, the white brought in their chained enslaved blacks they routinely whipped to grow cotton and send it off to London investors.
This maniacal genocide continued into the 1870, 80, 90s, wiping out millions of citizens in their own countries, force-marching them into the worst, least arable land far removed from their countries they came from. Then these whites developed a school system, starting the in the 1890s, lasting until the early 1980s, where the whites stole children as young as five, shaving their heads, forcing them to convert to Christianity, making them into housemaid servants in California like the enslaved blacks, cleaning the homes of white women. They forced the men into the military to fight for the enemies country who stole their countries with them same weapons, immorality and greed. This centuries long genocide was far worse and destructive “jewish” genocide. That Adolf was only clearing the land and forcing slavery in the same way these white had done to the hundreds of nations-states the whites not indignantly call The “United States” of America.
It is not surprise to the Native Indigenous people, experiencing invasion, ceaseless, treaty breaking, permenant occupation, forced learning in “Americanization” school from their stolen children—centuries of genocide ending in the early 1980s once the last school was closed and all their countries taken and permanently occupied—to have see the freed black Americans get just a little land after the Civil War until that treaty was broken, along with every other “treaty” not made to give “40 acres and a mule.” Good luck with reparations, brother negro, you will continue to get no justice, no peace. I and you know them well. Just a certificate, a few condescending kind words, and a few scraps. Centuries of conditioned thieving, killing, and other genocidal indignities will not suddenly creating a melted heart in those stone white hearts where they deeply see the vast wrongs and seek to pay you back one “wooden Indian nickel” or a single acre.
Ask your native Indigenous friends if that narrative sounds right or truthful. I’m sure if they are honest, they will use the word genocide and think it accurate. I say this not to discourage you, as you are the bridge to that healing and you are honest in doing the great work. But to help in seeing the deep scars and wounds done to these great people. You are that light to bring to the whites to transform them, to see themselves as being involved in a long tradition of savagery. We need to bring these great people what they lack, what they need: restored heritage, land, and a real treaty whites will not break. We here believe and respect your journey of peace.