wizard's first rule

Aug 20, 2006 22:03

i just read a beautiful essay written by chief seattle to president pierce in 1853. the essay is in response to pierce's offer to buy the pacific northwest. it extols the virtues of anarchism and predicts the decline of the world because of the white man's manifest destiny in the most eloquent of language.

it reinforced my world view so profoundly that i quickly discounted the nagging voice in my head that wondered why a native american spoke english so fluently and with such a grasp on how to manipulate my emotions based on a western view of "the red man."

in all of 5 minutes of research (instigated by the profundity of the essay, not any suspicion on my part) i found that not only did the chief speak very limited english, but that it is likely that no letter of his would have made it through the 5 layers of bueracracy back to the president. all of his speaches were likely paraphrased by an american journalist of the period.

damn.
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