Is the United States Still Committing Genocide Against Native Americans?

Is the United States Still Committing Genocide Against Native Americans?

For a long time, myths have been passed from generation to generation about Native Americans, something that has resulted in many people in the United States being misinformed about indigenous Americans. It is worth noting that the dehumanization of American Indians happens to be a tradition that started from the founding of the United States. However, it is high time people start considering the current situation of the American Indian communities. This essay will utilize Conflict Theory to sociologically examine the possibility that the United States of America is presently committing a covert genocide against Native Americans.

It is worth noting that the term ‘genocide’ is one of the more profoundly misunderstood terms as far as the English language is concerned. The term is derived from the Greek word genos that reflects upon race and tribe, and the Latin word cide that means killing. According to Lemkin’s description, genocide is more focused on any policy that is embraced with the sole purpose of bringing about the dissolution as well as ultimate disappearance of a targeted human group and race, among many others (Churchill 2004). Even though outright physical extermination happens to be an excellent feature as far as genocide is concerned, it becomes proper to discover that any other approach aimed at extinguishing the existence of a target group defines genocide. Additionally, genocide refers to the ‘destruction of the biological structure,’ especially of the target group (Churchill 2004:4-5). For instance, involuntary sterilization, including various other approaches implemented to prevent births among the target group can, to a great extent, be described as biological genocide. It is imperative to note that genocide is a term that revolves around all policies intended to encourage the elimination of a group or preventing the group’s preservation, including development (Churchill 2004). Genocide is also identified to consist of all policies that aim at destroying the specific characteristics that define a target group hence causing the group to become something else. For instance, the target group may be faced with the prohibition of the use of the national language. Therefore, the three types of genocide as described by Lemkin, include physical genocide, biological genocide, as well as cultural genocide.

It is essential to consider whether the United States is presently guilty of a continuing genocide of indigenous individuals. One term that is associated with conflict theory and that helps, in this case, is what is known as structural inequality. It is proper to realize that structural inequality is used when describing how human relationships, including social structures all, face inequalities of power. As such, some people and groups end up inherently developing what is identified as more power as well as rewards than others. As seen in chapter one of Hedges (2012), people on Pine Ridge reservation are living in unimaginably miserable lives in present times, something that is linked to the tragic history of the white conquest. These individuals are robbed of their land and forced to remain in their poverty while watching those of not of their origin prosper. Such form of structural inequality is also depicted in the documentary, ‘Red Cry’ where there is what can best be described as mistreatment as well as deliberate neglect of outspoken Lakota activists, including elders. These individuals are seen to be in a big struggle and perceived not worth interacting with other races. One would never think that such a level of poverty experienced by people in the United States (Red Cry time). All these can best be identified as physical genocide as people here are left to suffer, with others losing their lives.

Another term linked to conflict theory that helps in exploring the topic is class conflict. In this case, there are two primary classes of individuals. Some hold the majority of wealth, whereas others are identified as the poor. Such existence usually results in a group known as bourgeoisie, which is also another term reflected upon in conflict theory. In this case, this forms the capitalist class that tend to own the resources. When it comes to the lives of Native Americans, South Dakota can be described as probably the most hard-hitting as individuals here depicts the true definitions of the poor, especially when compared to the other regions. Most people are forced to engage in war as a result of cases of rape and indiscriminate violence. It is worth noting that the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian does not in any way give the proper picture of the history of genocide, starvation as well as the violation of treaties being experienced (Hedges 2012). This is no different from the policies against native spirituality that Lakota nations are forced to experience. One might wonder whether the US cares about the American Indians as poor and elderly individuals are left with houses that are never fixed, worms in their sugar as well as rat faeces in their flour (Red Cry time). Additionally, there is sexual abuse of native girls as well as women, something that is very shocking. With such an occurrence, it becomes clear that some forms of physical and cultural genocide are being practiced.

As seen in the documentary, (Red Cry time), one issue that is of great concern revolves around the destruction of languages as well as the removal of children to non-native families. This is also something that illustrates how the US is presently guilty of a continuing genocide of indigenous individuals. Even though it is always proper to protect the language linked to other races, this is not being practiced in this documentary. According to Hedges (2012), native Americans are being robbed of their culture. As a result of this, no individual is left with the freedom to exercise their rights fully and engage in what defines them. This is what Lemkin identified as cultural genocide, and where proper measures are not taken, then it becomes tough to eradicate it. Sometimes it requires deviance to see that things get back in order. Native Americans should not accept to emulate life that is not theirs. Deviance in conflict theory refers to going against the existing social norms.