Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Standing Bear & Sitting Bull

In 1877, Standing Bear declared Indians are persons. He stated,
"my hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, you also feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be the same color as yours. I am a man. The same God made us both."
Judge Dundy ruled,
"the question cannot be open to serious doubt. Webster describes a person as 'an individual of the human race.' This is comprehensive enough, it would seem to include even an Indian." And so it was at this time that Indians were finally considered "people."
Sitting Bull replied,
"God has made me an Indian, but not a reservation Indian."

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