Photos courtesy Laverne Beech

By Laverne Beech, for the Journal

When President Obama signed into law the 2010 Defense Appropriations Act Dec. 19, it included a footnote entitled Section 8113, otherwise known as an “apology to Native Peoples of the United States.”

The passage of the apology resolution went largely unnoticed on the national scene; indeed, even the White House is said to be unsure of what to do with Section 8113 beyond signing it into law.

That’s because leaders in Indian country are divided over the meaningfulness of a statement from the nation telling native people it is sorry “for the many instances of violence, maltreatment, and neglect inflicted on Native Peoples by citizens of the United States” as the condensed resolution states. 

Some tribal leaders have told the nation’s leaders: Put your money where your mouth is with more money for tribal programs and reparations to native people for past wrongs.... (more)