Social Justice Entry Three: Zinn, Native Americans, and Oppression in the Present

I found Zinn's chapter about early explorers and Native Americans to be fascinating and eye-opening. He is absolutely right when he states that history is taught from the perspective of conquerers, who are made out to be valiant and brave. The Native Americans, however, whether from North America, the Carribean, or South America, are all made out to be incompetent savages. Zinn provides a clear account of the magnitude of violence toward the indigenous groups of America and links it to oppression today. Nonetheless, it does make sense to me how the massacre and abuse of Native Americans is the foundation of subjugation in the United States today.

Coincidentally, I came across this article yesterday pertaining to the plight of people living on Indian reservations today http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/us/wind-river-indian-reservation-where-brutality-is-banal.html. As I read, it made very upset to think about how the effects of colonization and violence of Europeans hundreds of years ago continues to plague the remaining Native Americans today. I found some of the statistics I read to be shocking, namely the fact that the unemployment rate in the Wind River reservation in Wyoming is 80% and the average life expectancy is 49 years. Child abuse, teen pregnancy, low high school graduation rates, and infection through chemicals in the water are common problems faced by the 14,000 residents. To top it off, violence and brutal crimes are so rampant that President Obama actually had to end his two-year crime fighting initiative there.

Reading this article instantly made me think back to Zinn's chapter. At one point, he discusses how Columbus and his successors were not coming into an "empty wilderness," but into a well-adjusted society with an intricate culture and strong economy (Zinn, 21). Contrary to popular belief, the Native Americans actually had well-established systems to maintain their lifestyles which were only disrupted when the Europeans came. By taking advantage of their generosity and lack of adequate weaponry, the conquerors wiped out various Indian societies. It is this past exploitation that is contributing to the existence of crime-ridden and economically backward places like Wind River in the present day.

When we discuss marginalized groups, we, as a society, often skip over Native Americans. As a woman of color, I often believe that many ethnic groups deserve more recognition and support, however, my experience of being a "minority" isn't even comparable to those of indigenous Americans. At least people acknowledge the existence of my ethnic group and I have the resources to make something of myself. Imagine living in a society where virtually no one has an education and people are spending their time gambling, drinking, or trying to avoid getting killed. Imagine growing up knowing that your family has lived in poverty for generations and knowing that the situation may never change for you. Zinn's chapter as well as the New York Times article really made me think about the importance of lobbying for marginalized ethnic groups and advocating for their well-being.

Zinn discusses how in a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of the "thinking people" to not be on the side of executioners (Zinn, 10). This doesn't necessarily mean to constantly bemoan the plight of victims but rather to consider the thoughts and feelings of populations we don't hear much about. He provides multiple examples as he talks about wanting to tell stories from the perspective of the Arawaks, southern farmers, blacks in Harlem, etc in order to provide the whole story. History is often told from the perspective of the oppressors, and Zinn offers an alternative as he speaks from the viewpoint of minority groups.

Columbus's statement,"They would make fine servants...With fifty men we could subjugate them and make them do whatever we want," (Zinn,1) reflects an attitude that we have seen among dominant groups around the world for centuries. Whether it is Native Americans, blacks during the time of slavery, the Hutus in Rwanda, Jews during the time of the Holocaust, or the "untouchable" caste in India, oppressed people of different backgrounds are subjugated by a common mentality. The dominant group often prevails for generations, leaving countless minority groups to continue bearing the effects of oppression for years. It makes perfect sense to me why, especially in the case of America, why minorities often have a more difficult time progressing. The further a group has been set back, the harder it is for its members to move forward.

The first step to alleviating the status of marginalized groups is to acknowledge that there is a disparity in the first place. Zinn pinpoints how historian Samuel Morison only briefly acknowledges Columbus's treatment of the Native Americans and then moves on to other issues. He does use the word genocide, however, the fact that he provides a chunk of other information gives the reader the impression that the mass murder of indigenous people wasn't a big deal. I personally agree with Zinn that it is important to provide both sides of history in order to give people an accurate account of what really happened. Maybe if people were to have a genuine understanding of how oppressed groups have been treated they would be able to empathize with them. I truly believe in the saying that knowledge is power, and in order for society to work towards the empowerment of subjugated peoples, it is vital that we are all given the full story.