Killing Crazy Horse

Just finished "Killing Crazy Horse". I have loved all of Bill O'Reilly's killing series. There is so much American history that needs to be taught in our schools. The 1800s were a mad time. To me the Native American story is another testament warning of the excessive powers held in Washington DC and that quote “Give a Commie an inch and they'll take a mile" fits perfectly fine with the madmen in DC. We weren't supposed to cross the Appalachian Mountains... then we crossed them. The Great Plains were meant strictly for the Native Americans... until they weren't.

I'm not someone who tries to be biased with history or cast moral judgments in a time with complete cultural differences. But it astounds me how so many atrocities in this world are committed by the single stroke of a pen.

The book covers many Native American leaders and tribes. Most of which were peaceful and or caught in the crosshairs of New world politics. I would say it paints a pretty fair story of both sides.

There were times Indians were attacked unprovoked and times white man attacked unprovoked. There were times such small things would lead to massacres of 500 plus people. The Comanche tribes we're always a violent people but struggled to reproduce.

Therefore they would kidnap children. One young boy was kidnapped and this led to the slaughter of hundreds. Another example is a deaf Indian got confused and began to struggle with soldiers which then led to men women and children being butchered in a fort.

As for crazy horse in particular. I like that it didn't paint him as the perfect hero. He had lots of flaws and ultimately can be blamed for the demise of his people.

Many Native Americans try to resist him and he would kill them. His blood last turned him to Madness but I still admire his willingness to fight to preserve his culture. He became the leading war chief of his tribe at the age of 14 and killed Custer at the Battle of bighorn at the age of 36. Custer was also 36 when killed by him. (Killed in the battle. Not necessarily by the hands of crazy horse).

His Monument was started in 1948 and is still not complete this day. I would rather my tax dollars go to building that than most things that they do. Geronimo was one of the last true Native leaders and accepted treaties with the US. However he very much hated Mexico as they were responsible for killing a lot of his tribes and he continued to fight the Mexicans. He's supposed to be told his son on his dying breath that he regret ever surrendering and stated that he should have kept fighting.

Though there are thousands of different tribes throughout all of the Americas and Russia I think all of their stories should be told. RESPECT (gives an indian war cry woot)