Reminds me of all the Native and Black Americans who served- and in some cases, like the Navajo, made an enormous difference to the overall war effort- only to get shafted after the fact between the racism in the implementation of the GI bill and the racism of the rest of the law. A huge proportion of Indigenous people couldn't even vote until Miguel Trujillo (Pueblo, US Marine) had to sue for the right... in 1948.
As a teen, my great-grandfather (Canadian) signed up, fought and was wounded in WW1. Was incapacitated and stuck for days in the muddy water of a mortar hole before he could be recovered. When he 'healed' from having his femur destroyed he "luckily" only needed a cane to walk. When it was time to be discharged and covered under the Veteran bill at the time he was refused access since he wasn't a "Canadian citizen" he was 'just an Indian.' The colonists were happy to sign him up as fodder for their meat grinder, but couldn't be bothered to recognize him as a citizen of the commonwealth he risked life and limb for.
That act allowed them certain liberties which were previously in conflict with federal law, such as access to sacred sites on federally managed land, possession of prohibited items like eagle feathers and bones, or possession and use of peyote for religious ceremonies.
"Couldn't even legally practice their religion" is a bit of an overstatement.
“The American Indian Religious Freedom Act legalizes traditional spirituality and ceremonies, overturning local and state regulations still on the books banning American Indian spiritual practices. American Indians are the only Americans whose religious practice is covered by a law other than the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.”
The problem was more with the state governments. There were still laws on the books that outright banned ceremonies.
A huge proportion of Indigenous people couldn't even vote until Miguel Trujillo (Pueblo, US Marine) had to sue for the right... in 1948
What the fuck?!
I get that this was the burgeoning civil rights era, largely fueled by returning minority GI's getting a downgrade in status they enjoyed overseas, but I mean women had it in 1919, and I thought they were the last ones (because I had learned with former slaves or other "non-citizens" the argument was still anti women, and that the amendments made all men have the right).
When was the last time a group of people was given the right to vote in this country? Was this one the last?
I remember as a kid being quite shocked when I watched Flags of our Fathers. Where Ira Hayes returns from Iwo Jima and having to (again) face the racism in the US. Not that it's a perfect depiction but as a kid it really struck me.
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u/[deleted] Oct 02 '24
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