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The American Bison, sometimes mistakenly called buffalo, once roamed the Great Plains in millions, sustaining the livelihood of indigenous communities for centuries. In the 1800s, the United States government launched a campaign to eradicate bison to control and subjugate Native American communities. At the time, bison were a fundamental source of clothing, shelter, and food for many tribes. By eliminating the bison, the government could effectively starve out and control indigenous communities who relied on them. Additionally, the government hoped to clear the Great Plains of bison to make way for commercial ranching and the expansion of the railway.
For decades, the government encouraged and supported the mass killing of bison with policies such as the Railroad Development Act of 1864, which provided incentives to hunters to kill bison along the railway. Bison were hunted for their hides, which could be sold for profit and sport. Many bison were left to rot or used as target practice for entertainment.
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By the 1880s, the bison population had fallen from millions to a few hundred due to this massive scale of hunting. The genocide of bison had catastrophic effects on native communities, leading to widespread hunger and displacement. The forced migration of Native Americans to reservations prevented them from hunting and obtaining bison, further exacerbating their already precarious situation.
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The killing of American Bison during the 1800s was a dark chapter in American history. While many see the mass killing of bison as an unfortunate byproduct of Western expansion, it was a carefully calculated act of colonialism to eradicate Native American communities’ way of life. Today, indigenous communities are fighting tirelessly to bring back the bison population and restore their traditional practices. The genocide of the bison serves as a stark reminder of the brutal consequences of colonialism and the need to recognize and reconcile with a dark past of oppression and exploitation.
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Certainly, the decimation of the American Bison and native people is not a “great” America we should ever want to be again.
Well stated, Earl. We’re fortunate to have some remaining. I always found it odd that California still has the magnificent grizzly on its flag even thought they were wiped out in CA years ago.
Thanks, Joe. Agreed, it’s strange about the grizzly and California’s state flag. Look what we killed, I guess? At least to my knowledge, when grizzlies were eliminated from CA, it wasn’t also an effort to eradicate any specific group of people. But there’s probably a QAnon conspiracy about it. 😎
Your post is a stark reminder of where our thinking was in those days and unfortunately still is. I have been saddened by the knowledge I now have of how we treated the Native Americans as well as Spanish and the slaves we brought to this country. I was not taught that as a young man. Not so sure America ever has been great.
Our public education system has always been selective, embracing convenient gaps in this nation’s history. Sadly, if the GOP has any say, it will become even more censored and distorted entirely to a conservative Christian viewpoint that hinges on indoctrination rather than education. I don’t believe America’s history is any worse them most other countries, and it may be better. The bottom line is humans can embrace angelic highs or satanic lows, ranging from sainthood to pure evil. No other animal on earth kills there own with such little thought or feeling. We should at least be honest and forthcoming and hope that someday America can be great for ‘everyone’ for the first time.
~ Stepping down from the soap box now since it’s pretty clear where I stand. ~ 😉
While we continue to write some of those dark chapters, these photos give me at least a little hope that in some places, we’ve learned a little bit.
PS. (Comment via Firefox) Note I tried to leave this comment via Safari on my iPhone and also via Safari on my desktop, each resulting in an error. You may have a plugin conflict going on?
You are more optimistic than I am, Mark. When I look at the southern border crises that no one ever seems to take action on to the point that it’s easier to put adults and children in cages than try to find a solution. When I consider that the leading cause of child deaths in this country is firearms, but there hasn’t been a comprehensive piece of firearm legislature in over a decade. Or we could talk about national healthcare or climate change. My examples are not on the scale of Native American genocide, but still show a lack of thought to human or environmental cost…it’s all about greed and profit…then and now.
I’ve not made any changes to the plugins, so if there is a conflict, it’s probably due to one of their recent updates…I will check. Thanks for letting me know. Oh, by the way, I’m replying using Safari v16.4.
I am not sure it is optimism on my part, only that some species have escaped our wrath like the bison or eagles, etc. For certain many others will not be so fortunate.
(I seem to recall on another post when I replied it went thru, it was just on the initial comment I had an issue. so we’ll see here)
I’ve checked, and on the surface, I don’t see anything that might be causing an error with comments. If it happens again, let me know. Thanks!
I agree there have been successes on the species front, but who knows what might result from long-term climate change.