Native Americans face real oppression; spoiled athletes don’t
The word oppression has been thrown around a lot lately. Yes, there are lingering issues between black, white, Hispanic and LGBT people. However, there is another group: Native American people have been subjected to huge oppression - from our own government.
From facing genocide in warfare, to being corralled (yes, corralled like livestock) and placed on reservations for their own good. Really?
The Sioux Reservation at Wounded Knee was wiped out by the Cavalry. Some protection they received. Then, the various reservations were granted sovereign status, much like being a foreign nation, but within U. S. Borders, meaning that unless the Native nation living there gave authorization, no one could conduct business.
Well, lately, the two U. S. senators from Arizona authorized an Australian mining company to begin mining on Apache holy lands. And the Sioux are again fighting oil companies from building a pipeline through their lands in Dakota. So much for their sovereignty!
This is oppression and protesting athletes should come to terms with what the word really means.
Robert Johnston, Longs
This story was originally published September 6, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Native Americans face real oppression; spoiled athletes don’t."