Friday, February 16, 2007
Midterm #2, Winnemucca
Katja
ENGL 48 B
Journal # 20, Winnemucca
16 February, 2007
"You who are educated by a Christian government in the art of war...Yes, you who call yourselves the great civilization; you who have knelt upon Plymouth Rock, convenanting with God to make this land the home of the free and the brave." (Sarah Winnemucca 16)
Sarah Winnemucca points out the paradox of Western government in North America, the foundation of which is cast in warfare and aggression, but (conveniently) veiled in Christian doctrine. She all but ridicules the image of the lowly pilgrims, trembling in the shadow of God as they bargain over access to these new lands. For Winnemucca, who was first brought up in her own culture and later educated in Christian white culture, it was easy to see the contradictions between the teachings of the Bible and the actions of a government supported by that book’s ideas.
Winnemucca wants her readers to understand that the New World was already "the home of the free and brave" (16) prior to the whites arriving, namely the hundreds of thousands of free and brave Native Americans "who [were] the owners of this land" (16). The (white) notion that the land was just sitting there begging for discovery is perhaps the most offensive aspect of "the great civilization" (16) settling in North America as it discounts and disregards thousands of years of cultural achievements and progress.
In a sense, Winnemucca brings her audience a new spin on governmental regulation under the auspices of Christianity. Her anecdotes of Native hardship ring true with average, god-fearing Americans who also feel abandoned by their government, but try to live their lives guided by their faith. By inviting others to identify, directly or indirectly, with aspects of the Native American cause, Winnemucca became a mouthpiece of sorts for all mistreated Americans. The common ground of faith offered a familiar place for people to relate to each other and surpassed any such efforts, if any, on the part of the American government.
ENGL 48 B
Journal # 20, Winnemucca
16 February, 2007
"You who are educated by a Christian government in the art of war...Yes, you who call yourselves the great civilization; you who have knelt upon Plymouth Rock, convenanting with God to make this land the home of the free and the brave." (Sarah Winnemucca 16)
Sarah Winnemucca points out the paradox of Western government in North America, the foundation of which is cast in warfare and aggression, but (conveniently) veiled in Christian doctrine. She all but ridicules the image of the lowly pilgrims, trembling in the shadow of God as they bargain over access to these new lands. For Winnemucca, who was first brought up in her own culture and later educated in Christian white culture, it was easy to see the contradictions between the teachings of the Bible and the actions of a government supported by that book’s ideas.
Winnemucca wants her readers to understand that the New World was already "the home of the free and brave" (16) prior to the whites arriving, namely the hundreds of thousands of free and brave Native Americans "who [were] the owners of this land" (16). The (white) notion that the land was just sitting there begging for discovery is perhaps the most offensive aspect of "the great civilization" (16) settling in North America as it discounts and disregards thousands of years of cultural achievements and progress.
In a sense, Winnemucca brings her audience a new spin on governmental regulation under the auspices of Christianity. Her anecdotes of Native hardship ring true with average, god-fearing Americans who also feel abandoned by their government, but try to live their lives guided by their faith. By inviting others to identify, directly or indirectly, with aspects of the Native American cause, Winnemucca became a mouthpiece of sorts for all mistreated Americans. The common ground of faith offered a familiar place for people to relate to each other and surpassed any such efforts, if any, on the part of the American government.
# posted by Katja @ 10:35 AM 
