Chief Seattle Speech

This speech/letter, written by Chief Seattle of the Suquamish Indians, was in response to a letter from the President to buy his lands for American settlers.  He says how can you sell something, like air and land, if you do not own it, and he makes many refrences to thier god, and the white man's god, and how the white man's god loves them, but punishes the Native Americans, so they can't be children of "that" god.  He goes on to say that every part of the world is sacred to the Native Americans and that they value all of it, and men cannot own the earth, it owns them.  He is saying that putting a price on land isn't right, and that everybody should live in peace, but then goes on to say how the white man is always being violent, and that they will destroy everything sacred to the Native Americans, and that it will be the end of living for them, and the beginning of survival.  He then goes on to say when the last Indian dies, will there be any more memories of his people and traditions.  He then goes on to say if they sell the land, love it and don't ruin it and deface it, because it is sacred to the white man too.  He then ends the passage by saying that all men are brothers.  This passage is mainly a critique of Americans taking land, and just throwing the Indians aside, and not caring about them.  I found this passage very deep, and shows that our anscestors were very inconsiderate of Native American lands and traditions.