We do not support genocide
I wrote this three years ago and have no idea how I missed putting it here. Context: a grandkid’s class a few years ago had an end-of-year play about Pioneers. Grandkid told me some of the upcoming details it was deeply disturbing, included references to “the wilderness” and “savages.” I wrote this “educational email” to the teacher. It took me a very long time and a lot of Kleenex to be “educational” rather than “raging.” The “solution” from the school was to have a student read a statement before the play started; I don’t remember the exact words but it burned into my brain as “we’re just using the language of the times.” Here’s my email: I am concerned and hurt that [school] is preparing to celebrate the myth of Manifest Destiny. The myth of manifest destiny is that white Christian people were considered superior by God and that it was their God-given right to expand across the continent and take what they wanted. President Jackson said of Native Americans, "they have neither t...