Uploaded October 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Mark Charles shares the complexities of American history regarding race, culture and faith in order to help forge a path of healing and reconciliation for the nation. Interviewed by Brent Carlson, host of ''Brethren Voices,'' Mark Charles shares his feelings of being Navajo, as well as history of Native Americans.
Mark is a speaker, writer, and consultant who recently moved to Washington DC from the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. The son of an American woman of Dutch heritage and a Navajo man, Mark partners with numerous organizations to assist them in respectfully approaching culture, faith and working with native communities.
Mark serves as the Washington DC correspondent and regular columnist for the ''Native News Online'' and is the author of the popular blog, ''Reflections from the Hogan.'' He is also the founder and director of 5 Small Loaves, an organization that pursues racial conciliation through honest education, intentional conversation, and meaningful action. Under this organization, Mark has proposed the development of a Truth Commission to shed light into the injustices perpetrated against Native Americans. He is in the process of writing his first book. The proposed title of the book is ''Truth To Be Told.''
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A Buried Apology to Native Peoples of the United States
December 19, 2014 was the 5th anniversary of an apology given by the US Congress and the President of the United States on behalf of the citizens of the United States to the Indigenous peoples of this land. Unfortunately, this apology received very little, if any, press over the past half-decade.
It was inserted by Senator Sam Brownback (KS) into House Resolution 3326, the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act and buried on page 45 in sub-section 8113.
This seven-bullet point apology contained no reference to any specific tribe, treaty or injustice and ended with a disclaimer. It was inserted into this bill because Senator Brownback had tried unsuccessfully for about 2 years to get an apology into a stand-alone bill. But that bill never made it out of committee. So he inserted it into an appropriations act. Apparently that was how Congress historically passed Indian Treaties. They found that there was less likely to be opposition when the treaties were part of large appropriation bills.
The bill passed and went to President Obama's desk to be signed on December 19, 2009. The signing of this bill was private and there was no press conference regarding it. The White House did release a press release about the bill, but no mention was made of the apology contained within it.
You may be wondering how this could be. How could a bill containing an apology from the United States Congress to Native Americans for centuries of injustice be buried so deep and not make any public waves in either political circles or in the media?
I believe it is because of the history this apology is attempting to address. It is a history that is not taught in schools. Our leaders don't know the history and are terrified that it is true. Its a history that most citizens are too ashamed to learn even exists. It is also a history that goes back centuries and affects the very foundations of this nation.
Mark Charles
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Tags: Native American History, Navajo, Navajo Reservation, Mark Charles, American Culture, Reconciliation, Historical Misconceptions, Peace, Social Justice, Native Communities, Reflections From The Hogan, Indian Wars, Doctrine of Discovery, Constitution of the United States, Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren,
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Published: Oct 29, 2018, ID: BV 18-11 PSA 102
Category: Education, 1:44
License: Standard You Tube - ©
--
View On YouTube
youtu.be/cf0_LL1zyBw
--
More from - Brethren Voices - on YouTube
youtube.com/BrethrenVoices
--
Phone your local public access TV station and ask them to broadcast this film to your local community. Your station can download the film in TV broadcast format from PEGMedia.org .
This film is available for any Public Access TV station in the country - and world - to broadcast.
Stations that use Telvue, DVDs or other media can contact us for instructions.
--
This episode is on PEGMedia - for public access TV stations
- in ready for TV broadcast format HD & SD
pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/32728/detail
--
More PEGMedia Films From - Brethren Voices - For Public Access TV Stations
pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/577/detail
--
Brethren Voices Web pages
About Brethren Voices - Community TV
brethren.org/news/2012/brethren-voices-now-broadcast-across-country.html
Peace Church of the Brethren, Portland, Oregon - Welcoming All..... Regardless
peacecob.org
--
Mark Charles shares the complexities of American history regarding race, culture and faith in order to help forge a path of healing and reconciliation for the nation. Interviewed by Brent Carlson, host of ''Brethren Voices,'' Mark Charles shares his feelings of being Navajo, as well as history of Native Americans.
Mark is a speaker, writer, and consultant who recently moved to Washington DC from the Navajo Reservation in Arizona. The son of an American woman of Dutch heritage and a Navajo man, Mark partners with numerous organizations to assist them in respectfully approaching culture, faith and working with native communities.
Mark serves as the Washington DC correspondent and regular columnist for the ''Native News Online'' and is the author of the popular blog, ''Reflections from the Hogan.'' He is also the founder and director of 5 Small Loaves, an organization that pursues racial conciliation through honest education, intentional conversation, and meaningful action. Under this organization, Mark has proposed the development of a Truth Commission to shed light into the injustices perpetrated against Native Americans. He is in the process of writing his first book. The proposed title of the book is ''Truth To Be Told.''
--
A Buried Apology to Native Peoples of the United States
December 19, 2014 was the 5th anniversary of an apology given by the US Congress and the President of the United States on behalf of the citizens of the United States to the Indigenous peoples of this land. Unfortunately, this apology received very little, if any, press over the past half-decade.
It was inserted by Senator Sam Brownback (KS) into House Resolution 3326, the 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act and buried on page 45 in sub-section 8113.
This seven-bullet point apology contained no reference to any specific tribe, treaty or injustice and ended with a disclaimer. It was inserted into this bill because Senator Brownback had tried unsuccessfully for about 2 years to get an apology into a stand-alone bill. But that bill never made it out of committee. So he inserted it into an appropriations act. Apparently that was how Congress historically passed Indian Treaties. They found that there was less likely to be opposition when the treaties were part of large appropriation bills.
The bill passed and went to President Obama's desk to be signed on December 19, 2009. The signing of this bill was private and there was no press conference regarding it. The White House did release a press release about the bill, but no mention was made of the apology contained within it.
You may be wondering how this could be. How could a bill containing an apology from the United States Congress to Native Americans for centuries of injustice be buried so deep and not make any public waves in either political circles or in the media?
I believe it is because of the history this apology is attempting to address. It is a history that is not taught in schools. Our leaders don't know the history and are terrified that it is true. Its a history that most citizens are too ashamed to learn even exists. It is also a history that goes back centuries and affects the very foundations of this nation.
Mark Charles
--
Tags: Native American History, Navajo, Navajo Reservation, Mark Charles, American Culture, Reconciliation, Historical Misconceptions, Peace, Social Justice, Native Communities, Reflections From The Hogan, Indian Wars, Doctrine of Discovery, Constitution of the United States, Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren,
--
Published: Oct 29, 2018, ID: BV 18-11 PSA 102
Category: Education, 1:44
License: Standard You Tube - ©
--
View On YouTube
youtu.be/cf0_LL1zyBw
--
More from - Brethren Voices - on YouTube
youtube.com/BrethrenVoices
--
Phone your local public access TV station and ask them to broadcast this film to your local community. Your station can download the film in TV broadcast format from PEGMedia.org .
This film is available for any Public Access TV station in the country - and world - to broadcast.
Stations that use Telvue, DVDs or other media can contact us for instructions.
--
This episode is on PEGMedia - for public access TV stations
- in ready for TV broadcast format HD & SD
pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/ep/32728/detail
--
More PEGMedia Films From - Brethren Voices - For Public Access TV Stations
pegmedia.org/index.php?q=msvr/showall/577/detail
--
Brethren Voices Web pages
About Brethren Voices - Community TV
brethren.org/news/2012/brethren-voices-now-broadcast-across-country.html
Peace Church of the Brethren, Portland, Oregon - Welcoming All..... Regardless
peacecob.org
--
