🚀 go-pugleaf

Cats13 <edconect@river.it.gvsu.edu> wrote:
>
>  I had very mixed feelings when I read this announcement. There was not one 
> mention of the First People in the "celebration" activities, save for the 
> last paragraph. 
> 
> I am of mixed heritage (Chippewa and European ancestery), so these types 
> of ceremonies always give me pause. I would hope that in addition to 
> celebrating the landing of the Mayflower, participants will think long 
> and hard about the thousands upon thousands of Native Americans that were 
> killed, persecuted and displaced by the Europeans. I hope that you would 
> also celebrate the contributions to the USA that Native Americans have made. 
> 
> I love the USA, but to ignore this shameful part of our history and the 
> continuing struggles of Native people diminishes us all.
> 
> I hesitated to post for fear of "politically correct" flames. Believe me, 
> this is not PC on my part. Many of my ancestors paid dearly. Thank you, 
> Wolfgang, for your words.
> 
> This is not a flame. I feel it's important to remember all people, not 
> just the Pilgrims.
> 
> Diane Alexander
> alexandd@gvsu.edu
> 
> 
> On 28 Apr 1995, Wolfgang Pomrehm wrote:
> 
> > Unfortunately, my English isn't good enough for to formulate an appropriate
> > answer to this cynical stuff (There came some other words in my mind but I
> > try to keep beeing kind.)
> > 
> > Well, you want to celebrate this band of invaders. Do it, but stop talking
> > about democracy when you talk about people who had no respect to the
> > traditions and laws of their hosts who saved their lifes in the first
> > winters. Do you know that the Pilgrim Fathers where helped with food in the
> > first years by the same "savages" which later where massacred by them. This
> > is the way christians use to say thank you!!
> > 
> > I strongly advise you and others to look for Howard Zinn's "A Peoples
> > History of the United States of America" in your libary.
> > 
> > Wolfgang Pomrehn

But how was it actually? Who were guilty? Though Mayflower started
the process in a way then what does it mean?
I've understood, that also the first immigrants were escaping something,
kings, governements, religional persecution.
They perhaps started the process, but do we accuse Marie Curie about
Hiroshima?
The question is, that how were the relations between the first settlers
and Indians. Were they honest towards Indians, did they take their
land? Who were the first "bad guys"?
What did Indians think about the first whites?

Jorma Kyppo
Laukaa, Finland
jorma@jytko.jyu.fi