135 years ago today.
A long-time friend and correspondent wrote this monologue which we are pleased to share with our readers today. He remains anonymous for many reasons. We at TPOL have edited somewhat, and his writings do not always adhere to our practices. But we felt it worth sharing on this 135th Anniversary. We see the value of his warning even better in 2025 than when D**** wrote this in 2013.
In remembrance of the massacre at Wounded Knee by the United States government, I had written the following poem titled “They Came For Our Guns.”
This massacre of American citizens took place on December 29, 1890. At that time, my great-grandmother (whom I would spend summers with) was 18 years old. She would teach me the native ways, and I would learn from her not to trust our government because of the betrayal that had been shown towards the “American Native.”
Also, our first President of these United States did not trust the government but revolted against the English.
We have had various Presidents tell the American public not to trust our government but to “verify.” [No, not just Ronald Reagan warning about the Soviets.]
May we learn to get along and may we learn that it is God that we can trust completely. [And Him alone.]
Enjoy and I love you. D****
“They Came For Our Guns” a poem by D**** (c) 2013
We were innocent Americans and Native we were,
and our government came for our guns.
The American government took our guns
and they massacred us, women and children as one.
They came for our guns and they took our lives,
and 297 of us died innocent people in the fields of Wounded Knee.
They came for our guns and we were innocent Natives.
Our 29 men were not a threat to Washington D.C.
nor were our guns they came to take from our families.
The United States soldiers that came to our land,
they came with their guns and slaughtered us,
killing our ponies and pets.
The American government guns may have taken our lives
but they could not remove our souls.
They will come for our guns which is a reminder of old,
and they will kill us for our guns like the Native of past.
Washington D.C. of today is an image of the American government in history.
The vision of Wounded Knee is being delivered to you and me,
for they will come for our guns from Washington D.C.
D**** is a preacher of the Gospel by profession and certainly a peaceful man. He is now in his 80s, but saw clearly what has gone wrong. He knows his Bible and knows what the basis of human government is: rebellion against the Creator.
We would disagree with some things, but they are minor compared to his warning. Still, we point them out.
First, of course, there is not and was not a single nation, culture, or society that can be labeled “Native American.” And there are many of us, enrolled and not enrolled, who reject that label and the concept behind it. Turtle Island (North America) was far, far less united prior to the coming of large numbers of Europeans than it is today, with just 13 nations (counting Cuba and the nearer of the Caribbean island nations of today).
Secondly, to the US Army of 1890, and the settlers (and indeed, many tribes other than the seven bands of the Lakota), the people that rode (and walked) to Wounded Knee that cold Winter month, were a threat. Not directly to DC, but certainly to thousands of mostly peaceful and mostly honest people in the new State of South Dakota and the adjoining State of Nebraska. Although many of the actions taken that bitterly cold December day in what is now Oglala Lakota County of South Dakota were wrong, and cannot be justified as a decent or appropriate response to that threat. It had been only twelve years since the Cheyenne Autumn or Northern Cheyenne Exodus saw 353 Tsistsistas (“Cheyenne” for “beautiful people”) flee from horrible conditions in Oklahoma to return to the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. But in their flight, they created a 700-mile path of raids, battles, and killing of innocent settlers across much of three states or territories. Conditions were bad; the Great Sioux Reservation had been broken up into five pieces, and the BIA was an inept and corrupt government agency. The fear, the threat, was real.
Again, that does not justify nor excuse the actions of the 7th US Cavalry that bitter winter day. No more than the dozens of excuses used for tyranny and totalitarian control here in the Fifty States or around the world in 2025.
If we do not remember Wounded Knee, we shall see it repeated, over and over. By human government. Against other humans: and the color of our skin will not matter.
The Price of Liberty 
30 December 1890, Wounded Knee, SD
135 years ago today.
A long-time friend and correspondent wrote this monologue which we are pleased to share with our readers today. He remains anonymous for many reasons. We at TPOL have edited somewhat, and his writings do not always adhere to our practices. But we felt it worth sharing on this 135th Anniversary. We see the value of his warning even better in 2025 than when D**** wrote this in 2013.
In remembrance of the massacre at Wounded Knee by the United States government, I had written the following poem titled “They Came For Our Guns.”
This massacre of American citizens took place on December 29, 1890. At that time, my great-grandmother (whom I would spend summers with) was 18 years old. She would teach me the native ways, and I would learn from her not to trust our government because of the betrayal that had been shown towards the “American Native.”
Also, our first President of these United States did not trust the government but revolted against the English.
We have had various Presidents tell the American public not to trust our government but to “verify.” [No, not just Ronald Reagan warning about the Soviets.]
May we learn to get along and may we learn that it is God that we can trust completely. [And Him alone.]
Enjoy and I love you. D****
“They Came For Our Guns” a poem by D**** (c) 2013
We were innocent Americans and Native we were,
and our government came for our guns.
The American government took our guns
and they massacred us, women and children as one.
They came for our guns and they took our lives,
and 297 of us died innocent people in the fields of Wounded Knee.
They came for our guns and we were innocent Natives.
Our 29 men were not a threat to Washington D.C.
nor were our guns they came to take from our families.
The United States soldiers that came to our land,
they came with their guns and slaughtered us,
killing our ponies and pets.
The American government guns may have taken our lives
but they could not remove our souls.
They will come for our guns which is a reminder of old,
and they will kill us for our guns like the Native of past.
Washington D.C. of today is an image of the American government in history.
The vision of Wounded Knee is being delivered to you and me,
for they will come for our guns from Washington D.C.
D**** is a preacher of the Gospel by profession and certainly a peaceful man. He is now in his 80s, but saw clearly what has gone wrong. He knows his Bible and knows what the basis of human government is: rebellion against the Creator.
We would disagree with some things, but they are minor compared to his warning. Still, we point them out.
First, of course, there is not and was not a single nation, culture, or society that can be labeled “Native American.” And there are many of us, enrolled and not enrolled, who reject that label and the concept behind it. Turtle Island (North America) was far, far less united prior to the coming of large numbers of Europeans than it is today, with just 13 nations (counting Cuba and the nearer of the Caribbean island nations of today).
Secondly, to the US Army of 1890, and the settlers (and indeed, many tribes other than the seven bands of the Lakota), the people that rode (and walked) to Wounded Knee that cold Winter month, were a threat. Not directly to DC, but certainly to thousands of mostly peaceful and mostly honest people in the new State of South Dakota and the adjoining State of Nebraska. Although many of the actions taken that bitterly cold December day in what is now Oglala Lakota County of South Dakota were wrong, and cannot be justified as a decent or appropriate response to that threat. It had been only twelve years since the Cheyenne Autumn or Northern Cheyenne Exodus saw 353 Tsistsistas (“Cheyenne” for “beautiful people”) flee from horrible conditions in Oklahoma to return to the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana. But in their flight, they created a 700-mile path of raids, battles, and killing of innocent settlers across much of three states or territories. Conditions were bad; the Great Sioux Reservation had been broken up into five pieces, and the BIA was an inept and corrupt government agency. The fear, the threat, was real.
Again, that does not justify nor excuse the actions of the 7th US Cavalry that bitter winter day. No more than the dozens of excuses used for tyranny and totalitarian control here in the Fifty States or around the world in 2025.
If we do not remember Wounded Knee, we shall see it repeated, over and over. By human government. Against other humans: and the color of our skin will not matter.
Share this:
About TPOL Nathan
Follower of Christ Jesus (a christian), Pahasapan (resident of the Black Hills), Westerner, Lover of Liberty, Free-Market Anarchist, Engineer, Army Officer, Husband, Father, Historian, Writer, Evangelist. Successor to Lady Susan (Mama Liberty) at TPOL.