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by rayiner 4310 days ago
The article takes a very biased view of the situation. Look at it from the perspective of the Indians. They don't give a shit about our scientific understanding. To them, this is the equivalent of digging up grandpa and putting him on display in a museum. Their religion says they have been there since the beginning of time, so to them these ancient bones are their ancestors. The very process of conducting this study is odious to them.

This isn't just a hollow gesture. The Indians have certain special rights and privilege by virtue of their history, and the federal government has a legal duty to protect their special interests. The federal government is essentially required to take the Indians' side in a dispute like this one.
3 comments
CamperBob2 4310 days ago
Also, the Indians have a big incentive not to allow any scientific inquiry that might disprove their claim to "First Nations" status.

This is a cynical way to look at the issue, but I don't see why it's not valid.

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rayiner 4310 days ago
At least for the American Indians, not much depends on their claim of being "first nations." Their legal relationship with the U.S. is defined by virtue of their occupancy of the United States at the time of the founding and subsequent expansion of the country, and our displacement of them, and their formal agreements with the United States during that period. I don't think anything would change for them if it was proven that someone else was in the U.S. first.
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A_COMPUTER 4310 days ago
I'm okay with honoring existing laws and treaties with the Indian tribes, but the scientific evidence strongly indicates it's not their ancestor. Are we obligated to honor what is essentially their version of creationism as evidence of ancestry? Maybe we are, I don't know the wording of the law.
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rayiner 4310 days ago
The nature of the federal government's obligation to the Indian tribes goes beyond just honoring treaties and laws. Its more in the nature of a guardianship/trustee relationship: http://www.nihb.org/tribal_resources/indian_health_101.php. The government is not obligated to believe the Indian version of facts, but federal agencies responsible for Indian affairs are not and cannot be neutral parties when others make claims that affect Indian interests.
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deciplex 4310 days ago
>Their religion says they have been there since the beginning of time

So? They haven't.

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