Cochise and Charlot....

As I read the words that were supposedly from the mouth of Cochise on pg 383, I was moved with great sympathy for he, and his people. Having read somewhat extensively in a history book about what the indians went through with the Spanish Conquistadors, I hated for a period of time that the United States was built on the blood of others. Not only did African Americans suffer by dehuminization through the process of slavery, and stripping of basic needs, but Indians were tortured, women raped, and children essentially left parentless, or left for dead.

When I read Cochise's speech, I see it very sadly as an admission of defeat. He knows that the white people have won, every valuable possession has been stolen from him, and that he has no choice, but to treaty. Essentially, he is saying , 'Fine, I give up. There is nothing else for you to take. We just want to reserve what little we have left in peace.' I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I pictured a tired old man, give what he had left of his pride away. I remember reading one portion about the Spanish Conquistador's heartlessness, as they took the land and the lives of Natives in the name of their Catholic throne, that sickened me immensely. Instead of sharing it with you, you can read about it in a book called."Portrait of America, Volume One by Stephen Oates".

As I continued to read pg 385 in our literature book, I could see Charlot in a sense take back the pride of his ancestors as he stated how horrible white Americans had been to Native Americans, and that taxxing his people was the final straw. The whole piece fluently stated the cause of Native Americans, and the sins of caucasians, and it had a ,"So There!" tone to it that made me smile. I could not help but put myself in the shoes of these people as they pled their cause, and made their issues known. I cannot help but wonder if Charlot was absolutely correct when he spoke of our motives as a whole nation. Are we greedy people as a whole, and do we consider ourselves to be above others? Do we now think that because we are born here that we deserve the best, and that others deserve less? These questions and more fill my mind, and search my soul.