Trending
To the editor:
In the "Opinion" article, "Upper Sioux State Park decision reflects changing mindset" (10/21/23), Jim Muchlinski shares his thoughts about the decision to transfer ownership of the Upper Sioux Agency State Park, near Granite Falls, to the Dakota tribe of the Upper Sioux reservation.
"Maybe we didn't need to plow up almost every square inch of native prairie . . "knowing what we know now about taking care of our resources," Jim wrote.
He told about his great great grandfather who was a homesteader, but he also described the Homestead Act as "a story of taking away the Native Americans' life and a story of prejudice."
Prejudice hurts everyone!
When the American Library Association decided to ban the school room reading of "Little House On The Prairie" and removed the author's name from a children's reading book award, that was showing prejudice against Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family.
The words, "The only good Indian is a dead Indian", are in Chapter 22 of the book. Laura is listening to neighbors, Mr. Scott and Mr. Edwards talking to her Pa.
"The only good Indian is a dead Indian," said Mr. Scott.
Pa said he didn't know about that. He figured that Indians would be as peaceable as anybody else if there were left alone. On the other hand, they had been moved west so many times that naturally they hate white folks."
In Chapter 23, Laura relates how the Osage tribe led by Soldat du Chene meaning "great soldier" tells Pa he is going to challenge the gathering tribes so they disperse. And they did. "That's one good Indian!" Pa said. No matter what Mr. Scott said, Pa did not believe that the only good Indian was a good Indian." (end of the chapter)
Why did the Library Association disregard the truth? Will anyone take responsibility for giving Laura Ingalls back her award?
Trudy Madetzke
Marshall