> I'm a dyed-in-the-wool American. I really like living here and I think the United States is a great country. But we aren't perfect. We are horrified by what the Germans did to the Jews in the 1930's and '40's, but how is that different from what we did to the Indians*? From the Trail of Tears to Wounded Knee, the USA stole from them and murdered them and mistreated them on a major scale. It went on for more than a century. We treated Africans pretty badly as well.
>
> We complain about people on other continents destroying their rain forests, but we are removing forests at an alarming rate. Sure, our forests don't produce oxygen year around like rain forests do, but we may be destroying twice as much. We sometimes leave a narrow band of trees along the highway, but look beyond that. It's disgusting.
>
> And guess which country is the only one to use atomic bombs in a war? Sure, I think it was justified, based on what we knew then, but no other country has done it ... yet.
>
> *Yes, I know that calling the early natives of American "Indians" is politically incorrect. Heck, it's completely incorrect. I've used the term all my life because Native American leaves the rest of us out. I was born here. I'm a native of America. I think it would be best to refer to them by tribe, but that won't happen.
> Howard


In Australia, there is still a big issue about aplogozing to the Aborigines (I'm politically ignorant.).
The Prime minister won't do it because HE didn't do anything bad to them. He has officially expressed regret that all the bad stuff happened but he still won't say "sorry"

We're not perfect either. But we live with what we've got. I'd like to help more but I have my work cut out trying to keep myself above water. Maybe one day when I am more organised...

lada(appalled at the horror, but not doing anything)dada