Many of us are concerned about various stereotypes. Fortunately, Devon A. Mihesuah, a Professor of History and an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, has taken aim at many of them in her book, American Indians: Stereotypes and Realities.The Table of Contents itself says a lot - at least it says a lot about how wrong many Americans are about the Native people.
Here are some of the Stereotypes that are refuted:
[2] Indians were conquered because they were inferior
[4] Indians had no civilization until white people brought it to them
[9] Indians had/have no religion
[10] Indians welcome outsiders to study and participate in their ceremonies
[12] Indians are confined to reservations, wear braids and ride horses
[14] Indians get a free ride from the government
[19] "My grandmother was an Indian"
[22] Indians know the histories, languages and cultural aspects of their own tribe... and all other tribes
Mihesuah counters each stereotype with a reality.
So... if Indians weren't inferior to whites (in many ways), then how were white invaders able to conquer them? Mihesuah explains (pages 29-32) the reality: Indians were conquered because of their lack of immunity to European diseases.
Of course - if you've been reading Algonkian Church History - you already knew that.