Broken Promises

February is Black History month. And although I know that the black people have been mistreated and abused for many generations, it always reminds me of what the American government did to the true Native Americans. The American Indian was chased from their land, hunted like animals, and called savages all because they were fighting for their right to live their way, as they had for generations. Because the Indian lived a nomadic life style and not the way the white settlers lived, they were classified as uneducated. Because they were'nt Christians, they were considered heathens. Because they worshipped the earth and took only what was needed for survival, they were considered ignorant. And yet, still today we judge people by material worth, by color, and by religious beliefs instead of by what they can and will do. The picture at the right is of Chief Red Cloud. Although he never attended school, nor was he in the military, he was a great leader and a true warrior. He told his people to stop fighting when he realized that the white man's army was to big to defeat. He could see that the Indian's way of life was over because the white man kept coming no matter how many were killed. Surrender wasn't pleasant, but surrender he did.
The verse on the picture says " They made us many Promises, more than I can remember. They kept but one- They Promised to take our land... and they took it." To me, this is a sad part of our country's history. When will we learn that just because someone looks different than you do, or beleives differently that they are not wrong. I was taught as a child that in America everyone was equal. As I get older I see that this is just another broken promise.