So the UN wants the US to return land to the Indians.
OK, but fair is fair.
Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and all the other countries in the Americas should be part of the deal. Those of us whose ancestors came from Europe, Africa, and Asia should be resettled. Let’s see … I’m descended from a Scot who came in 1680, and all my other known ancestors came from the British Isles except for a German great-grandmother, so I guess I’d go to the UK. My wife is descended from English immigrants who came around 1630, but most of her ancestors that we know of came from Switzerland and Norway. Where would they send her? Could she come with me?
And our “Native Americans” aren’t the only ancient people displaced by more recent invaders. Australia should go back to the Aboriginals. The Palestinians should leave Israel to the Jews. Wait a second … This is getting too complicated. Why don’t we leave well enough alone?
UPDATE—The BBC has coverage here. They do not say if the Queen will be restoring Anglo-Saxon lands seized by her ancestor William in 1066.
UPDATE 2—Amused comments that the UN report is not as extreme is I make it seem. Fair enough. The point that only the United States would be held to such standard of behavior with respect to a minority population still stands. Does anyone believe that China or Congo or Saudi Arabia (all members of the UN Human Rights Council that chartered the report) would be held to account for how they treat their minorities? Tibetans in China or Christians in Saudi Arabia?
Hmm. I think the report states that (1) it was one UN investigator who made the statement, not like it was a UN resolution or anything; and (2) he stated that the US should return some of the land that was taken in violation of treaties that the US government had with Native Americans. Which I understand you may still object to — but the actual statements are far less extreme than you seem to suggest. He certainly didn’t say the US should just return all the land to the Native Americans. Or most of the land. Or even a sizeable chunk of the land. Just some of the land specifically referenced in treaties that were violated.
Well John, seeing that our ancestor settled in the “Americas” over a hundred years before “The Declaration of Independence” and even “The Constitution” were written thus creating The United States; Could we not be considered “Native Americans?”