Wounded Knee

[Big Chief]

First off, I got this in an EMAIL and haven't did a fact ckeck, but it is food fer thought with all that's going on lately.



A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY TO THINK ABOUT.......December 29, 2012 marks the 122nd Anniversary of the murder of 297 Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. These 297 people, in their winter camp, were murdered by federal agents and members of the 7th Cavalry who had come to confiscate their firearms "for their own safety and protection". The slaughter began after the majority of the Sioux had peacefully turned in their firearms. The Calvary began shooting, and managed to wipe out the entire camp. 200 of the 297 victims were women and children. About 40 members of the 7th Cavalry were killed, but over half of them were victims of fratricide from the Hotchkiss guns of their overzealous comrades-in-arms. Twenty members of the 7th Cavalry's death squad, were deemed "National Heroes" and were awarded the Medal of Honor for their acts of [cowardice] heroism.

We hear very little of Wounded Knee today. It is usually not mentioned in our history classes or books. What little that does exist about Wounded Knee is normally a sanitized "Official Government Explanation". And there are several historically inaccurate depictions of the events leading up to the massacre, which appear in movie scripts and are not the least bit representative of the actual events that took place that day.



Wounded Knee was among the first federally backed gun confiscation attempts in United States history. It ended in the senseless murder of 297 people.



Before you jump on the emotionally charged bandwagon for gun-control, take a moment to reflect on the real purpose of the Second Amendment, the right of the people to take up arms in defense of themselves, their families, and property in the face of invading armies or an oppressive government. The argument that the Second Amendment only applies to hunting and target shooting is asinine. When the United States Constitution was drafted, "hunting" was an everyday chore carried out by men and women to put meat on the table each night, and "target shooting" was an unheard of concept. Musket balls were a precious commodity and were certainly not wasted on "target shooting". The Second Amendment was written by people who fled oppressive and tyrannical regimes in Europe, and it refers to the right of American citizens to be armed for defensive purposes, should such tyranny arise in the United States.



As time goes forward, the average citizen in the United States continually loses little chunks of personal freedom or "liberty". Far too many times, unjust gun control bills were passed and signed into law under the guise of "for your safety" or "for protection". The Patriot Act signed into law by G.W. Bush, was expanded and continues under Barack Obama. It is just one of many examples of American citizens being stripped of their rights and privacy for "safety". Now, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is on the table, and will, most likely be attacked to facilitate the path for the removal of our firearms, all in the name of "our safety".



Before any American citizen blindly accepts whatever new firearms legislation that is about to be doled out, they should stop and think about something for just one minute-

Evil does exist in our world. It always has and always will.
Throughout history evil people have committed evil acts. In the Bible one of the first stories is that of Cain killing Abel. We can not legislate "evil"
into extinction. Good people will abide by the law, and the criminal element will always find a way around it.



Evil exists all around us, but looking back at the historical record of the past 200 years, across the globe, where is "evil" and "malevolence"
most often found? In the hands of those with the power, the governments.

That greatest human tragedies on record and the largest loss of innocent human life can be attributed to governments. Who do the governments always target? "Scapegoats" and "enemies" within their own borders, but only after they have been disarmed to the point where they are no longer a threat. Ask any Native American, and they will tell you it was inferior technology and lack of arms that contributed to their demise. Ask any Armenian why it was so easy for the Turks to exterminate millions of them, and they will answer "We were disarmed before it happened". Ask any Jew what Hitler's first step prior to the mass murders of the Holocaust was- confiscation of firearms from the people.



Wounded Knee is the prime example of why the Second Amendment exists, and why we should vehemently resist any attempts to infringe on our Rights to Bear Arms. Without the Second Amendment we will be totally stripped of any ability to defend ourselves and our families.

[REDDEVIL]

[Big Chief]

I halve no idy who the author was, but would certainly give him/her credit if I knew.

[2manyhobbies]

Wounded Knee was hushed up, hidden as one of those embarrassing things just as Ruby Ridge and Waco were.

Then there was the incident after WW I where vets had a tent city in DC protesting a lack of care for returning veterns. Their tent city was buldozed, the WW I Veterans were shot (aka murdered) as were their families that had camped with them by DC and WH police by Presidential order.

So do we need arms against a tyrannical government, you decide......

[woodsrunner]

I don't have any "heartburn" with this. To think that our govt. is pure and innocent and won't sweep things under the rug is a laugh. But I don't know the details of the Wounded Knee episode, and would want to know all of the facts honestly (if that's possible) before I pass judgement.

I'll take strong opposition to one thing mentioned, however. In the 4th paragraph down the writer says that "target shooting was an unheard of concept". Far, far from the truth! Target shooting was common as hell all through the Colonial Period and afterward. Everywhere....all through the Colonies and later states. Local marksmen were highly regarded. The young Tim Murphy who shot and killed a British general from over a quarter mile away was a local marksman of renound in the Shamokin Dam area of Pennsylvania. Now, being as frugel as the early settlers were, the lead round balls were fired into a backdrop where the lead could be collected and salvaged. In fact, the right to collect the lead was often part of the reward for being the best marksman in matches.

[Slanteyedshootist]

Great post Chief.

[Teach]

Good points, Rich! Those early marksmen didn't get their skills by reading about precision shooting!
Jerry

[Jayhawker]

Wounded Knee was hushed up, hidden as one of those embarrassing things just as Ruby Ridge and Waco were.

Then there was the incident after WW I where vets had a tent city in DC protesting a lack of care for returning veterns. Their tent city was buldozed, the WW I Veterans were shot (aka murdered) as were their families that had camped with them by DC and WH police by Presidential order.

So do we need arms against a tyrannical government, you decide......

You're talking about the Bonus March...the encampment was burned and it wasn't just capital and DC police.....the U.S. Army was involved and used infantry and cavalry supported by a half dozen tanks. Army Chief of Staff Douglas MacArthur , with Major Dwight D. Eisenhower acting as his aide...Major George Patton was also involved. The campsite was also gassed.... This was done in clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878

[JerryBobCo]

Now, being as frugel as the early settlers were, the lead round balls were fired into a backdrop where the lead could be collected and salvaged. In fact, the right to collect the lead was often part of the reward for being the best marksman in matches.

Interesting that you brought this up, Rich.

My great-great-great-great grandfather settled in Texas, near Austin, in the mid 1830s. He is reputed to have a lead mine, which was considered a valuable asset in those times. When men would come to his house to purchase lead, he would make them stay at his house while he left for his mine. He would always return from a different direction than he left to prevent anyone from finding the mine.

[snake284-1]

First off, I got thie in an EMAIL and haven't did a fact ckeck, but it is food fer thought with all that's going on lately.



A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY TO THINK ABOUT.......December 29, 2012 marks the 122nd Anniversary of the murder of 297 Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. These 297 people, in their winter camp, were murdered by federal agents and members of the 7th Cavalry who had come to confiscate their firearms "for their own safety and protection". The slaughter began after the majority of the Sioux had peacefully turned in their firearms. The Calvary began shooting, and managed to wipe out the entire camp. 200 of the 297 victims were women and children. About 40 members of the 7th Cavalry were killed, but over half of them were victims of fratricide from the Hotchkiss guns of their overzealous comrades-in-arms. Twenty members of the 7th Cavalry's death squad, were deemed "National Heroes" and were awarded the Medal of Honor for their acts of [cowardice] heroism.

We hear very little of Wounded Knee today. It is usually not mentioned in our history classes or books. What little that does exist about Wounded Knee is normally a sanitized "Official Government Explanation". And there are several historically inaccurate depictions of the events leading up to the massacre, which appear in movie scripts and are not the least bit representative of the actual events that took place that day.



Wounded Knee was among the first federally backed gun confiscation attempts in United States history. It ended in the senseless murder of 297 people.



Before you jump on the emotionally charged bandwagon for gun-control, take a moment to reflect on the real purpose of the Second Amendment, the right of the people to take up arms in defense of themselves, their families, and property in the face of invading armies or an oppressive government. The argument that the Second Amendment only applies to hunting and target shooting is asinine. When the United States Constitution was drafted, "hunting" was an everyday chore carried out by men and women to put meat on the table each night, and "target shooting" was an unheard of concept. Musket balls were a precious commodity and were certainly not wasted on "target shooting". The Second Amendment was written by people who fled oppressive and tyrannical regimes in Europe, and it refers to the right of American citizens to be armed for defensive purposes, should such tyranny arise in the United States.



As time goes forward, the average citizen in the United States continually loses little chunks of personal freedom or "liberty". Far too many times, unjust gun control bills were passed and signed into law under the guise of "for your safety" or "for protection". The Patriot Act signed into law by G.W. Bush, was expanded and continues under Barack Obama. It is just one of many examples of American citizens being stripped of their rights and privacy for "safety". Now, the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is on the table, and will, most likely be attacked to facilitate the path for the removal of our firearms, all in the name of "our safety".



Before any American citizen blindly accepts whatever new firearms legislation that is about to be doled out, they should stop and think about something for just one minute-

Evil does exist in our world. It always has and always will.
Throughout history evil people have committed evil acts. In the Bible one of the first stories is that of Cain killing Abel. We can not legislate "evil"
into extinction. Good people will abide by the law, and the criminal element will always find a way around it.



Evil exists all around us, but looking back at the historical record of the past 200 years, across the globe, where is "evil" and "malevolence"
most often found? In the hands of those with the power, the governments.

That greatest human tragedies on record and the largest loss of innocent human life can be attributed to governments. Who do the governments always target? "Scapegoats" and "enemies" within their own borders, but only after they have been disarmed to the point where they are no longer a threat. Ask any Native American, and they will tell you it was inferior technology and lack of arms that contributed to their demise. Ask any Armenian why it was so easy for the Turks to exterminate millions of them, and they will answer "We were disarmed before it happened". Ask any Jew what Hitler's first step prior to the mass murders of the Holocaust was- confiscation of firearms from the people.



Wounded Knee is the prime example of why the Second Amendment exists, and why we should vehemently resist any attempts to infringe on our Rights to Bear Arms. Without the Second Amendment we will be totally stripped of any ability to defend ourselves and our families.

Amen Chief, this is a beautifully Written and factual paper. Great work!!!!! Whoever authored it. Can I use it in an editorial in my local News Paper? I will give proper credit, well I'll say I got it in an Email...or whatever you wish.

[Big Chief]

Of course, pass it around, it does have some good points that deserve to be shared.

[Bigslug]

Wounded Knee is one good example of why the individual should never be disarmed. I've made this point elsewhere before, but it bears repeating - Germany is another.

In the course of one really long human lifespan, Germany went from being a monarchy (Kaisers), to a parliamentary democracy (Weimar Republic), to a fascist dictatorship (Adolf Hitler), to the Cold War division of East and West, to the modern, unified state that came into being in the early 1990's. Regardless of your race, religion, or political affiliation, if you lived in Germany during that roughly 125 years, somebody probably wanted you dead at some point, and they might well have had official government backing at the time.

The Bonus Army, Ruby Ridge, and Waco are the examples to hold up for those deluded folks who claim "it can't happen here".

[Airedale]

If you google "Ghost Dance" you'll find the misguided reason for Wounded Knee.

[SideOfBacon]

This is a great post. Thank you.