Obama's Children's Book

[Diane Merkel]

One of the thirteen people profiled in Obama's book is Sitting Bull and, of course, there is no concensus about that pick. You might enjoy the article below for its quotes by Bob Utley and Paul Hutton, but I found Ernie LaPointe's most interesting:

Ernie LaPointe, Sitting Bull's great-grandson, thinks he should have been left out for another reason.

"He never was an American," LaPointe said in a phone interview from his home in Lead, S.D. The author of his own biography of his ancestor, LaPointe notes that indigenous people were not granted full citizenship until 1924.

"I don't think he should be included in any book about Americans," LaPointe said. "He was a Lakota."

Article: www.aolnews.com/discuss/fox-news-headline-on-president-obama-kids-book-ignites-sitting-bull-controversy/19720203#gcpDiscussPageUrlAnchor

If you want to see a spectrum of American political thought, check out some of the 6400+ comments.

[Dark Cloud]

Sitting Bull was nothing if not a prototypical American. He was born here, in land that came under this government, just like so many whites, blacks, and Indians. That he didn't adore the government is hardly relevant or unique. He was concerned for his people and did try to incorporate the Sioux into a world he didn't vaguely understand interspersed with frustrations and vanity issues and violence. Not alone.

After all, Daniel Boone cheerfully worked for the Feds, states, the British, and the Shawnee and was widely distrusted by all, returned in spades. Like SB, he tried to evade government, yet at need would make melodramatic protestations of patriotism (he tried to enlist in the War of 1812 in his mid-70's to curry favor) for situational need. Not unlike SB and so many others.

But the same folks questioning Sitting Bull as American (absent those trying to use him for current separatist advantage) would never dare question Boone's inclusion as an American. Nor Robert E. Lee (or any Confederate), whose army killed more Americans (and not a few actual generals in combat) than anyone's, nor John Paul Jones, who served in armed service to Russian totalitarianism. Nor Custer, who was perfectly willing to serve in the Mexican Army for cash.