"The weirdest thing about the recent stop in Virginia by the World's Biggest Freeloader was how the local Indians reacted.
Her Majesty, the begloved Queen Elizabeth II, was on hand to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent British settlement in North America -- an early outpost for what was to become a full-scale invasion with genocidal consequences.
Fully feathered and deferential, representatives from eight indigenous Virginia Indian tribes, or at least what's left of them, performed a welcoming dance for the queen.
Virginia General Assembly, Elizabeth II pontificated on the importance of Jamestown: "Three great civilizations came together for the first time -- Western European, native American and African."
That's like saying Seung-Hui Cho "came together" with the professors and students at Virginia Tech.
At Jamestown and onward, Europeans got the land, Africans got long-lasting chains, their offspring born into a lifetime of slavery, and Indians got virtually eradicated. Still, declared Her Majesty, we're good here in the colonies at doing the "melting pot."
Perhaps -- assuming that blacks wanted to work for nothing for two centuries and Indians didn't mind trading a culture for a shot at a casino."
Get the Story:Ralph R. Reiland: The 'discovery' racket (The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 5/14) Statements:
Rep. Jim Moran: House Approves Federal Recognition for VA Tribes (May 8, 2007) | WOLF STATEMENT ON FEDERAL RECOGNITION OF VIRGINIA INDIAN TRIBES (May 8, 2007) Roll Call:
Providing for the consideration of H.R. 1294, Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act (May 8, 2007) Committee Hearings:
Full Committee Markup (April 25, 2007) | Full Committee Legislative Hearing: H.R. 1294 and H.R. 65 (April 18, 2007) Recognition Bill:
Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act (H.R.1294) Relevant Links:
Virginia Indians Tribal Alliance For Life - http://www.vitalva.org
House Resources Committee - http://resourcescommittee.house.gov Related Stories:
No rush for Virginia recognition bill in Senate (5/10)
Editorial: Take up Virginia recognition in Senate (5/10)
Virginia tribes clear hurdle in House (5/9)
House passes Virginia tribes recognition bill (5/9)
Gaming affects federal recognition bills (5/8)
Vote expected on Virginia recognition bill (5/8)
Pat Buchanan: Indians had the land and we took it (5/8)
Virginia tribes hope 2007 is year for recognition (5/7)
Editorial: A step forward for Virginia's tribes (5/7)
Opinion: Virginia Indians advocate 'mythology' (5/4)
Rep. Moran expects vote on Virginia recognition (5/3)
Editorial: Virginia tribes deserve recognition (5/1)
Virginia recognition bill clears House committee (4/26)
Virginia tribes make case for recognition bill (4/19)
Adkins: Virginia tribes deserve federal recognition (4/18)
House hearing on Lumbee, Virginia recognition (4/18)
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Letter: Indians are the Palestinians of Virginia (10/16)
Editorial: No recognition for Virginia's tribes (10/10)
Virginia tribal recognition bill remains in limbo (09/07)
Virginia Indians set to return from trip to England (07/20)
Senate panel to consider Virginia recognition bill (07/19)
Virginia Indians enjoy historic week in England (07/18)
Virginia tribes make historic trip to England (07/13)
Virginia tribes head to England to share history (07/10)
House, Senate panels take up recognition bills (06/22)
Virginia tribes press for recognition measure (06/22)
Virginia tribes make case for recognition bill (6/2)
Virginia tribes jockey for federal recognition (5/26)
Bill introduced to recognize Rappahannock Tribe (04/07)
Virginia tribe won't boycott Jamestown events (01/20)
Book Review: Virginia Indians not friendly to settlers (10/25)
Virginia tribal leaders visit grave of Pocahontas (07/28)
Virginia tribal delegation heads off for England (07/15)
Virginia tribal leaders on historic trip to England (7/11)
Groups call for changes to Virginia recognition bill (7/6)
Editorial: Federal recognition a matter of justice (05/24)
Virginia tribes to mark Jamestown in England (05/09)
Six Virginia tribes to gather for annual powwow (03/25)
Editorial: Virginia tribes in need of recognition (03/14)
Virginia tribe not optimistic on recognition bid (02/11)
Virginia tribes fight for federal recognition (10/12)
Bill seeks to speed recognition process for tribes (2/7)
Virginia tribes fight for federal recognition (10/12)
Rep. Moran: Virginia tribes deserve recognition (06/24)
Virginia tribes press case for federal recognition (06/17)
Senate panel backs recognition of Virginia tribes (05/10)
Virginia tribes press case for federal recognition (04/19)
Virginia tribes seeks support for recognition bill (03/15)
Va. tribes seek recognition for Jamestown 2007 (2/16)
Senate bill to recognize six Va. tribes advances (10/30)
GOP Editorial: Say no to Virginia's tribes (05/19)
BIA opposes Va. recognition bill (09/27)
Va. tribes rally for sovereignty (4/30)
Recognition of Va. tribes opposed (1/26)
Recognition bills crowd Congress (11/29)
Virginia tribes: Recognition Yes, Casinos No (09/19)
