... Can someone shed light on the US situation why is it so different up here? History?
Here's an over-simplified explanation:
The US basically practiced Genocide with the vast majority of their "First Nations" (don't care overly much for that term). They engaged in Open Warfare with many, intentionally destroyed the base food supply (the damn near extinction of the buffalo was based not only on "economics", but part and parcel of a concerted effort to bring the Plains Indians to their knees) and relocated the survivors to reserves (generally far removed from ancestral lands) where they could be kept an eye (and gun for those who disobeyed) on. In reflection, it was an "
effective campaign" as pretty well all Bands were brought under their heel within a relatively short time frame. These people were "
Subjugated" in every sense of the word.
The Canadians on the other hand didn't overtly practice Warfare on the FN's much. Instead, they tried to "
Assimilate" them. Get rid of the "old ways" including language, religion, etc, and attempt to turn them into "White Indians" (Residential Schools etc) or at least make them more inline with what was considered "proper" to become what fit (in their minds) as contributing members of their society.
The Treaties established in the US were done so largely under duress. And they were "Final". The Treaties established in Canada were done so from a somewhat paternal feeling of "Fairness" (recognizing many were not all that "fair") and in many cases, simply not established at all (relying instead on such "Legislation" as the British North America Act and those that followed in it's wake).
Today, the Indians (or FN's if you prefer) in the US are largely a Proud & Noble People (Not all of course. Problems still exist, just not to the extent as seen in Canada). Canadian Indians still feel "Oppressed", still feel the effects of "Sins Of The Past", and still quite obviously feel a sense of
Entitlement as a consequence.
Not suggesting what the US did was "
Right", but the Social Experiment of Assimilation in Canada has more than less proven to be a somewhat Dismal Failure. How to address that at this point is
WELL Beyond me, even with a somewhat basic understanding of the causes thereof...
NO "
Conquered Nation" ever before was (and is) offered so much. No "
Conquering Nation" has ever displayed such a feeling of complete and utter Guilt over they ways things went. This is itself is something of an "Experiment", and when looking at the
Royal Mess both sides of the equation find themselves in today, one also likely doomed to Failure... both for the "
Conquered" and the "
Conquerors".
And you're right, from where we stand now, it looks downright
SCARY!
And NONE of that is anywhere near "
Cheery",
Nog
