tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post5433879963034213704..comments2024-01-30T20:59:06.397-08:00Comments on Man Book Club: Peter Celebrates the Flower MoonUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-14682413025364548912019-05-23T21:12:16.944-07:002019-05-23T21:12:16.944-07:00This book is an example of how, as Winston Churchi...This book is an example of how, as Winston Churchill is quoted, "History is written by the victors". I don't remember reading in high school about the "Trail of Tears" much less the way the whites controlled and manipulated the Osage once oil was found at the end of that trail.<br /><br />Interestingly there is a legal case currently before for the Supreme Court that could technically cede 5,000 square miles of eastern Oklahoma back to the Muscogee Creek Nation under a 1832 treaty. Apparently only Congress can abrogate such a treaty and while they did for some treaties, the one that affects this part of Oklahoma was never formally abrogated by Congress. Further the State of Oklahoma's argument is that even though Congress did not abrogate the treaty, since Congress and the state have shown contempt for tribes over the years, that alone disestablishes the reservation. In November 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit rejected the state's argument, so now it is up to SCOTUS (or Congress via a formal treaty abrogation) to determine if the tribe should prevail or have another treaty broken -- this time by judicial fiat. You can read the story in the Atlantic (and NPR has a piece as well). The link to the Atlantic article is https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/11/murphy-case-supreme-court-rules-muscogee-land/576238/LAndowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08861050665459979202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-71640842747829511112019-05-09T13:47:02.944-07:002019-05-09T13:47:02.944-07:00My overall take on the book was that it was an imp...My overall take on the book was that it was an important story that I had never heard of, I thought it was fascinating, and I found the writing to be a bit of a slog. <br /><br />I’m definitely glad I read it and found it interesting and thought provoking, reminding us that attempting to force assimilation into another culture rarely works well and often has unforeseen consequences.<br /><br />Per my earlier comments, this was unfortunately only one example of a multitude of sins. Our Bay Area Alcatraz was used to imprison Hopis who resisted their children being forced into “American” schools and to abandon their cultural knowledge. <br /> <br />An Osage chief in 1928 said “Some day this oil will go and there will be no more fat checks every few months from the Great White Father. There’ll be no fine motorcars and new clothes. Then I know my people will be happier.” Not sure that happened, but Killers certainly shows the dark side of an era many would probably rather forget but would benefit from being reminded.<br />The Terminatorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08066236686596709415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-49331543626755007492019-05-08T16:36:05.233-07:002019-05-08T16:36:05.233-07:00The comments about "The Killers of the flower...The comments about "The Killers of the flower Moon" pretty much match my thoughts. As we all know, abuse of Native Americans did not stop in the 1920's. I recommend Peter Matthiessen's "In the Spirit of Crazy Horse" for further reading. This centers on the killing of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 70's. It details the trials of Leonard Peltier as well as referencing and discussing many of the wrongs committed against Native Americans.Georgenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-9987683642339551082019-05-07T08:57:06.521-07:002019-05-07T08:57:06.521-07:00Sorry we missed you at the meeting, Jack. But it&...Sorry we missed you at the meeting, Jack. But it's great you were able to read the book despite what you were going through. You're right about the book: it gripped all of us even though we had our quibbles with the writing and Grann's faux reveal at the end. What made Killers different, I think, is that while other histories make the trail of tears sound like just a nasty relocation, Grann reminds us that that was only the beginning: even harsher treatment (premeditated murder!) was inflicted on the Native community well into the 20th century. Unforgivable!andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12017834763548542404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6367682155970735252.post-82780183982263713462019-05-06T14:56:29.829-07:002019-05-06T14:56:29.829-07:00I happened to stumble upon an actual Pow Wow as I ...I happened to stumble upon an actual Pow Wow as I was walking through Santa Clara University this past Saturday. There was chanting, feathered regalia and ...fry bread taco stands! Having just read the book, I felt really guilty walking through the festivities and almost paranoid that they were all staring at me like I was some type of Mr. Hale. Very disturbing book that doesn't make you feel proud to be an American. I recently read "There There" portraying the plight of today's urban Native Americans and, based on my read of these two books, I feel reparations are in order! The book "Killers" was a great read: suspenseful like a novel, which made it all the more appalling that the events were true. I got a little lost at the end when Grann started rifling off a litany of further murderous misdeeds that were never prosecuted; it was hard to tell if there were enough facts to assign those cases as part of the same conspiracy, but based on the trend, it sure feels like they were to me. I can't wait to see the movie starring Leonardo de Caprio. Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04847460025802387961noreply@blogger.com