On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:44:06 +0200, andrel wrote:

> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:27:51 -0700, Patrick Elliott wrote:
>> 
>> Well, it's shrinking, but I don't know how rapdily, particularly here
>> in the intermountain west.  But to solve the "problem" of past conquest
>> today isn't an easy one to answer, because you can't make things like
>> they were in the 1400's - and I don't think current tribe members would
>> think that was a solution.
>> 
>> I think there's a fine line between acknowledging the past and
>> exploiting the sins of the past.  Is it appropriate to continue to pay
>> reparations to the Native Americans today for something that started
>> 700 years ago?
> 700?

OK, 600, I can't do math.  I'm counting from the time Columbus 
"discovered" the new world trying to find a trade route to India.  
"Conquest" didn't really start until a bit later, though, you're right.

>> I honestly can't say I know the answer to that question.  My instinct
>> is to say "you have the same opportunities today as everyone else
>> here",
> That only applies if they want to live the same rat race as non native
> americans (if that is the negation of native americans). If they want to
> live more or less like they did a millenium ago you might argue that the
> non natives should not make that impossible.

Well, sure, but there are parts of the US where that is possible - like 
rural Montana (which is most of Montana) or other of the western states, 
even here in Utah we have native tribes who do live more according to 
tradition than not, at least that's what I've heard.

Jim

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