STEP ONE - Voice Due Week 4 - Essay Example

government through the seizure of black hills in Dakota (Nabokov 26) The voice goes ahead to describe the detailed story of the longest legal struggle in American legal history and the betrayal by the United States government. This is illustrated by the signing of a peace treaty between the United States government and Sioux Nation promising a safe homeland. The treaty also included the ownership of the black hills. When gold was discovered at the black hills later, the government sought to have the land back.

The white owned company violated the treaty by literally scrambling for the precious metal. Even though the Sioux Indians protested against this act, there was nothing they could do as the United States government declared war and took the land back. The Sioux were forced to go to a White man’s court to seek resolution as there was no alternative (Sutton 43). The issues that Edward Lazarus addresses in this book are betrayal and injustice. This is very well illustrated by the United States government action to renege on the treaty that gave the black hills to Sioux Indians.

The injustice by the government is also evident in the many years the case has remained unsolved while companies continue to benefit from the gold mines. The book gives insights into the case prolonged by legal maneuverings and delays perpetrating by a system that claims to protect rights. There was much irony even after the court decided the case. The Indians refused compensation in form of money and even chased their lawyers off the reservation (Treuer 67). The argument was that black hills were sacred and therefore could not be exchanged for money.

In so doing, they exhibited much pride in their heritage. Even today, most Indians want the black hills returned. The voices speaking in the ‘Native America testimony’ are genuine as they are derived from statements and speeches recorded in letters from