First of all, I never said the Native Americans were "insignificant," YOU did. I don't feel that way, and I would never say that, and I seriously don't appreciate you putting those ugly words in my mouth. that's a MAGA debate technique, putting words in someone else's mouth, and then condemning them for it.

I don't deny at all that the indigenous people took the same hit they always take when the new people show up to town, and it is entirely indefensible.

True, my entire diatribe about the founding of America ignores the issue of the Native Americans, because frankly, candidly, I don't know what to say about them. Along with slavery, the genocide of the Native Americans is one of the two indelible stains in our history, and I can't/ won't defend it because it is indefensible.

It's an even more frustrating issue to discuss because it is even worse than slavery. At least slaves had a monetary and economic value, so it was worth treating them with some basic humanity, but Native Americans were different. They were in the way, and wouldn't move without a fight, so the only solution that they bothered with was to wipe them out.

Ironically, without anyone's knowledge or efforts, it began with the first European explorers, who brought multiple diseases, which ran rampant through the entire population on the continent, killing as many as 90% of them before the Pilgrims showed up in 1620. That's why the Native Americans were so willing to help the Pilgrims - they needed help, too. Ultimately, of course, this was more or less forgotten, and any potential friendship turned ugly.

So yeah, the Native Americans were "sidelined" in the founding of America (that's a good word for it), and I don't defend it in any way. I loved history as a kid, and I was ALWAYS uncomfortable with the way the Native Americans were portrayed in films, and when Brando sent Satcheen Little feather to refuse his Oscar, and everyone was outraged, I got it. Whenever we discussed Native Americans in school, and they conveniently tried to skip past the genocide issue, I would always ask uncomfortable questions about it. I was very aware that the Native Americans were kept in this dark corner of our nation's history, and barely acknowledged.

And it has only gotten worse. When I was a kid, our history curriculum always had a section on Native Americans every year. When my son went to school (in a different state than me), they never talked about Native Americans at all. I don't recall him ever learning about Native Americans in school a single time.

American education has always glossed over the plight of the Native Americans, and now they want to do it with Black History, too. I agree that we have neglected the Native Americans and their unique position in our society, and that we have to do a lot more to help them and try and make up for our national crimes, as much as possible.

You are 100% correct, that the Founding Fathers, and every single presidential administration since then, no exceptions, have continued to badly drop the ball regarding Native American affairs for every moment of our 250 years, and we have to do better by them.

BUT...

The bottom line is that none of that changes the fact that the CONCEPT of founding a nation based on equality and liberty is still better than founding it on the basis of military power and the ability and willingness to kill all the citizens if they don't obey.