I know these comments will open another can of worms, but I felt I had to respond to the statement by Ethan that the "Indian Wars were without question the largest and most successful act of genocide in history."

First of all, much of the decline of the eastern tribes was due to disease introduced by the white settlers. I suppose that could be called involuntary genocide if you have a tendency toward political correctness. Initial disputes between white settlers and native american tribes were compounded by the over wielding sanctity of property rights as practiced in white society, and the tradition of raiding and theft as a legitimate means of acquisition by the Indian. Another contributing factor was the bribery and use as mercenaries of tribes during the French and Indian Wars, and through the early 1800's. Scalping, which was a traditional means of gaining medicine from the victim by the slayer, became a means of paying bounties for the killing of enemy soldiers and settlers. Such a grim and violent behavior invited like behavior in return, and atrocities were continued by both white and indian.

Absorption became the rule for indian people who refused to be moved west by the settlers' expansion. I inherited Cherokee blood from my Great-Grandmother, whose family farmed alongside my Scots-Irish Great-Grandfather in Kentucky.But perhaps this absorption was also genocide.

As American expansion reached the Great Plains, conflict became inevitable between settlers, many of whom were scandinavian, German, Irish etc, and the tribes who claimed the vast territory as hunting ground. Violence ran particularly high between warlike tribes such as the Sioux,Cheyenne, Shoshone and Apache and these settlers. Acts of slaughter and dismemberment, which were common among warring tribes, created fear, horror and hate in the settlers and their Army protectors. Inexcusable acts of brutality were an outgrowth of this- Sand Creek and The Battle of the Washita as examples. Little Bighorn was another. In a bitter war of attrition, slaughter was carried out on both sides.

We still carry a legacy of prejudice and misunderstanding in America that stems from these events. Numerous treaty violations by the US government have done their part to perpetuate the mistrust. But today, American tribes find themselves powerful in terms of resource rights and land holdings, and with a great deal of political leverage as well. One of our two senators from Colorado is a full blooded Ute.

These are the historical facts of the history of white man and Indian in our country. Before comparisons are made with the gross extermination of millions of people in Europe in the 1940's are made, perhaps some attention should be paid to these facts.

LEJ