Saturday, April 11, 1998 | 2:04 a.m.
Is it not ironic that our president goes to Africa and apologizes to their people for slavery by the United States, when the same country he is apologizing for is still violating its own Constitution, treaty and acts of the past concerning the American Indians and the outright theft of their land. Where's their apology?
Since when does our government ignore Article VI, paragraph 2 of the U.S. Constitution? Who invalidated the Northwest Territorial Ordinance of 1787? Or the Territory of Nevada Act 1861? How about the Treaty of Ruby Valley 1863, which was recognized as being in full force by a U.S. district court in 1986? Despite all of the evidence of their legal right to land, our government is stealing it.
I resent that President Clinton thinks it's quite appropriate to apologize for something my ancestors had nothing to do with. It's an insult to our American Indians who are still suffering from outright violations of their treaties with the United States. We have a government that will only uphold their own laws and acts when it's convenient to do so and doesn't give a damn about others.
Donald F. McDermott
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