English Blog # 5

In my second blog I discussed the topic of discrimination more in depth.  For example, I stated that the Indians had settled in the “New World” long before anyone else. We have read about settlers who came to the “New World” in search of independence and FREEDOM from the British Parliament.  The settlers felt that they deserved to be treated better and set out to establish a new colony known as the Thirteen Colonies. By the time the Thirteen Colonies had been established most of the Indians had been driven out of their territories and forced onto reservations. These settlers were escaping unfair treatment however; they were unfairly discriminating against the Native Americans.

While reading “An Indian’s Looking-Glass for the White Man” and “Indian Names” I noticed more similarities rather than differences. Of course the readings are written by two different authors of different gender and race but they shared a common message that these authors felt needed to be heard by the American people. The theme that these two readings share is the discrimination of Indians that was occurring at that time.

In “An Indian’s Looking- Glass for the White Man” Apees the son of white man and an Indian woman was taking somewhat of a religious approach. For example, “Did you ever hear or read of Christ teaching his disciples that they ought to despise one because his skin was different from theirs? Jesus Christ being a Jew, and those of his Apostles were certainly not whites and did not he who completed the plan of salvation complete it for the whites as well as for the Jews, and others?”  In the “Indian Names” Sigourney is taking a different approach. She tries to remind her audience of the of the Native Americans.  Before the reading a question is asked “How can the Red men be forgotten, while so many of our states and territories, bays, lakes, and rivers are indelibly stamped by names of their giving?” That is here message throughout the reading. For example, “Yes say, they have all passed away, But their names is on your waters, Ye may not wash it out.” I believe that Sigourney is trying to let her audience know that although the Native Americans may not be as visible of a people as they once were but they remain with the land because they had settled their homes in America first.  

Appes looks tries to discuss the importance of putting an end to discrimination based on skin. While Sigourney is reminding her audience to never forget the people who settled in Americas. By doing this Sigourney is showing the negative effects of discrimination. One of those effects the Native Americans have almost ceased to exist. At this time if they still do exist they were forced onto reservations.  While the two readings may seem to have difference they share one important message which is informing readers that the Indian people will always be the land and as Sigourney said “Your mountains build their monument, though ye destroy their dust.”