Update: Commenter Renee dropped a link to this story, one I’d planned to look into:
“The Cherokee Nation’s vote this weekend to revoke the citizenship of the descendants of people the Cherokee once owned as slaves was a blow to people who have relied on tribal benefits…In Saturday’s special election, more than 76 percent of voters decided to amend the Cherokee Nation’s constitution to remove the estimated 2,800 freedmen descendants from the tribal rolls, according to results posted Sunday on the tribe’s Web site. Now the tribe is defending itself against accusations of racism.”
I haven’t followed this incident, so I don’t quite know what’s going on. If you do, feel free to discuss it in this thread.
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In another “You’ve got to be kidding” moment,†I received an e-mail from Senator Sam Brownback’s “people†about a resolution apologizing to American Indians “on behalf of the people of the United States to all native peoples for the many instances of violence, maltreatment and neglect inflicted on native peoples by citizens of the United States.†(See The Politico story)
First, Brownback is probably a nice enough man, but I’m disappointed that a conservative would come up with this tripe. And this isn’t the first time he’s drafted such a resolution; I’m just now finding out he’s been “pushing” this nonsense for some time.
Second, Brownback uses the term “Native American” (on his blog) I have just as much claim to that label, since I was born right here in America. I am a native American. Anybody born in America is a native of America (children of illegal aliens, too? not if I ran things). If by that term one is referring to the people here long before white Europeans arrived, then find a more accurate term to describe them. “American Indian†may not be accurate, either, but it seems to work just fine. It offends no one but bored white liberals with nothing better to do than bit** and moan about…I’ll let it go for now. 
Third, I asked Brownback’s person why Brownback put forth such a resolution. It turns out that he read a book –– that’s right, a book –– about past racial injustices, and started wasting taxpayer’s money drafting empty resolutions presuming to apologize to American Indians “on behalf of the people of the United States.â€
I mean, this sort of junk is characteristic of white liberals, who waste their time and our tax dollars issuing nonsensical and ineffectual apologies, not conservatives!
Fourth, how far back should we go with this apology nonsense? [Note: Whoa! It's been a long time since I deleted something in a post I thought was too controversial. The statement I'm deleting has been dissected and debated for centuries. I don't want this thread hijacked with that highly charged discussion, so I'm deleting my reference to it. I'll save it for another time and a different post.] While somebody’s drafting that resolution, let’s ask Arabs all over the globe to apologize for their people’s part in the American slave trade and the slave trade still going on in Africa. Yeah, that’s the ticket. If ever a blanket apology was warranted, it’s one from present-day Arabs to present-day black Africans.
Here’s a blanket “on behalf of†apology I’d support: If all the black thugs in every prison in the country got together and apologized for killing, terrorizing, and maiming their own people, I’d be their biggest supporter.
Fifth, how can I or any other black person accept an apology on behalf of someone else? I wasn’t wronged. The injustice wasn’t perpetrated against me. How presumptious and misplaced would it be for me to say, “OK, I accept the government’s apology for enslaving my great-great-great granddaddyâ€?
I hate it, hate it, hate it. After all the apologies are issued for everything that every government as ever done wrong to its own people and those of other nations, can we please just shut up about it already? I mean, come on! If only these meaningless apologies would stop the bit**ing and moaning…Good grief, I’m blowing a gasket.
In conclusion, I say to any white person or black person or yellow person or government purporting to apologize to me for harm they caused my ancestors, apology not accepted. 
If, on the other hand, my government wants to apologize for forcing me to bear the burden of uninsured illegal aliens who drink, drive, and kill people and whose medical care I have to pay for, and for its failure to come down HARD on companies that hire illegal aliens…
…apology not accepted.
PS: Senator Brownback isn’t the issue here; it’s politically correct, misguided, empty “apologies†like his resolution. So if you’re reading this senator (or senator’s people), try not to take it too personally.
