Killing Custer Reflection

James Welch illuminates the history of the Indian Wars through his own eyes as well as historical facts.  This portrayal of the Indian people allows, at least for me, (a person with an inept grasp on the history of the Native American people) to grovel with this painful 'white' past.  I found this reading to be informative both in the way it captured the historical events and its unbiased tone, allowing the reader to form their own intellect regarding the Indian Wars.  

I wanted to comment on a point I found really interesting in discussion.  On the topic of how our educational systems have taught us about the Indian Wars, one person who was educated in a predominately black school spoke up and said her teacher did not sugar coat these wars because they were acts committed by the white people.  I found this comment interesting for two reasons.  Coming from a predominate white school, myself, my teacher's did withhold parts of the truth about factual historical events, and I feel as though I have been lied to.  Also, it makes me think about how racial groups don't have a problem revealing acts of wrongdoings of groups outside their own, but when it comes to their own mistakes, they are quietly brushed under the rug.  

As I was reading "Killing Custer," I too found difficulty tying together this book and the title for the week, "White City/White Nation."  After lecture and discussion, I realized that Professor Hass, wanted us to connect the idea of Manifest Destiny, conjured by the white people, and how this 'god given right' affected our country and those present at the time.