BUT NOT FOR “MERCILESS INDIAN SAVAGES”

Robby Romero Photography

An American Experiment in Peril | Native Children’s Survival

On the occasion of the United States’ 250th anniversary, it is imperative to reflect on its place among Native Nations. The American Experiment, in the face of political discontent, social resentment, and civil unrest, stands at a critical juncture that threatens to engulf it with the consequences of its own actions. To effectively address these challenges, citizens must grasp their geographical and historical context. Turtle Island, the land upon which the United States was established, is Indigenous Land with ancestral territories inhabited by Native Nations for millennia. This reality contradicts the patriotic notion of “this land is your land” and brings to light the uncomfortable truths inherent in the founding of the United States.

While iconic symbols like the “Liberty Bell” and the “Statue of Liberty” celebrate America’s independence and abolition of slavery, Native Peoples and those shut out continue to endure the harsh realities of American imperialism, marginalization, and injustice. The colonization of Turtle Island, and the United States’ Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have never genuinely aligned with the principles of discovery, or the ideals of freedom and democracy, or “We the People.” Instead, they have been brutal attempts at genocide, oppression, and world domination thinly cloaked in the promise of liberty and justice for all.

The American Experiment, as warned by our ancestors, has pushed the world to the brink of disaster. Colonizers’ escape from tyranny doesn’t justify the unspeakable cruelty, massacres, and exploitation of Indigenous resources, land, and life that began with European arrival and continues today. It doesn’t unsee the rape of Mother Earth, our women, and children. It doesn’t justify the oppressive control over the lives of citizens. Nor does it provide an excuse for homelessness or poverty, the worst form of violence.

Perhaps the most pressing issue, deeply rooted in the American Experiment, is ecocide—global ecological destruction fueled by political and corporate corruption. While spiritual bankruptcy, mental health crises, and widespread violence have become the norm in popular culture, the framers’ fear of demagogues exploiting the masses for power and profit has come to fruition. As the American Experiment faces imminent peril, another escape is underway, also in the name of discovery—a full-scale invasion of the universe.

Long before this time, Spanish policies of brutality sparked the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the only completely successful revolt against European colonial rule in American history. Today, US policies and crimes against humanity and nature are igniting a new revolt—rooted in the wisdom and remarkable resilience of Indigenous Peoples. This peaceful resistance seeks to protect all our relations and put us on a path of harmony and healing.

Do you believe in freedom? Do you believe you’re free?