This evening I heard Dr. Eric Cheyfitz speak regarding Native Indian populations in the United States. Dr. Cheyfitz spoke about how Indian populations have been and continue to be mistreated to this day. In the past, their populations were massacred from things like the Trail of Tears, ethnic cleansing, and not providing small pox vaccines to small pox ridden Indians. Additionally, 1/3 Indian women are raped, many by non-Indian men. There have also been forcible attempts to wipe out Indian culture. Almost nothing relating to Indian culture and history has seem to have been embraced by the United States. A further example that hits close to home, showing that the U.S. has always dominated Indian populations, is that the land the Cornell sits on was once the Cayuga peoples’ land, which was eventually taken from them by the government using force and fraud to obtain it.

What I learned from hearing Dr. Cheyfitz speak was that it seems that little is talked about of Indians and indigenous peoples. Their history seems to be entirely ignored and many people are unaware of the unfair, harsh treatment of these peoples. Without any attention being drawn to the topic, the government and other groups can continue to ignore and treat Indian populations wrongfully. With this being the case, people must question what else is going unnoticed in society? It seems to me that in order to correct this problem of unfairness for Indian populations, education needs to be further spread and the Indian history needs to be embraced by the U.S. government. Attention needs to be directed toward Indian Nations if we ever hope for this inequality to stop persisting. And for that matter, people must become more aware of all their surroundings so that other groups and other people are not treated wrongfully. I believe that this problem in the treatment of these Indian nations stems from peoples’ lack of knowledge and awareness. People must become more educated and aware to protect society.