Montana Congressman James Cavanaugh spoke for most Americans of that period: “I have never seen in my life a good Indian. . .except when I have seen a dead Indian.”
General Sheridan boiled it down. After listening to the Penateka-Comanche chief Tosawi–Silver Brooch–allude to himself as a good Indian, Little Phil observed: “The only good Indians I ever saw were dead.” And the collective American unconscious gradually reduced Sheridan’s remark to that celebrated epigram: The only good Indian is a dead Indian.
Leonard Durso 
Rather disgusting, don’t you think?
Leslie
Yes, it was. Unfortunately, decimation of the native populations was US government policy beginning with Andrew Jackson.
We didn’t do so well in Canada either.
Leslie
Every country has its own history of injustices towards different races/ethnic groups/religions.
Holy cow, I didn’t know if I should have clicked on like or not. As to acknowledge this, I did. Isn’t that just awful? I’ve read up a bit on the history of how the ‘white man’ has treated the first nation’s people in the past. So so so sad.
Yes, it is. But knowing the injustice in the past should make us all aware of not letting it happen again in the present and the future. Unfortunately no country is without blame in its treatment of people of other races or ethnic backgrounds. Change, though, starts with each one of us individually, don’t you think?
Yes, change is a very individual thing. I don’t think things are getting better though, unfortunately.
Such a sad, sad legacy…
Yes, it is.
Shameful.