Book Review: Crimes Against Humanity (Book Review Sample)

Name Course Tutor Date Ward Churchill's article Crimes against Humanity gives a description of the discrimination against the Native Americans. Churchill does a comparison of discrimination against the Native Americans to imaginary cases that are extreme of discrimination against other nationalities or races. Churchill states that the naming of teams after particular races is discriminatory, even when the team is not famous. The Redskins is one of the many teams that give a reference to the Natives. The Natives may find this name discriminatory although others do not find it discriminatory. Churchill gives an example of an instance of a match in Kansas Redskins were playing the Chiefs and a fight broke between the Indians and supporters. Due to this, some of the minority players were trotted out by university and college officials, and professional team owners such as Ted Turner to state that their intentions were not to insult the native people but rather honor them (Churchill, page 127). The television networks and major newspapers editorialized that the discomfort experienced by the Indians was no big deal insisting that it was just fun with no intention of hurting anyone. The though held by many was that the country need some fun of such sort and felt that the native people had no right to stop that from happening just because they were insecure. Some people urge that the outrage by Indians is being degraded creating a serious barrier for communication. Churchill challenges those referring to the discomfort to be open minded and engage other races and nationalities in their so called fun. That is to make sure that the Indians fee equal to other races (Churchill, page 127). Churchill feels that it is wrong that people see no harm in making the Indians uncomfortable, challenging them to engaging other races so that they can have more fun. Churchill suggests that there be a team known as Niggers in honor of the African Americans. This accompanied by activities like stewing up the coach of the opposing team in a big pot while the cheerleaders and players dance around, wearing bones that were fake in their noses and skin. The actions displayed by the Chiefs players who wore Indian regalia despite their not being Indian may have cause the discomfort among Indians. Therefore, the African American ought to have their team where they have the freedom to wear and do thing indigenous Africans would do. Churchill also gives other examples of names that various teams could be named including Slopes, Gooks and Dinks. Teams addressing sexuality and gender such as St. Louis Sluts, Fresno Fags, and Boston Bimbos among other could also be formed to make sure every aspect is addressed and a certain group of people does not feel left out or discriminated (Churchill, page 128). Churchill states that the reason why Indians are discriminated most is because of the few numbers; therefore, there is a perception that they are weaker and unable to defend themselves. However, there is a reason to smile for the Indians given the fact that some teams and their fans like the Stanford University who chose to drop the name they had used for long, Indians, did not have a drop in their attendance. In addition, Portland's local newspaper prohibited the use of racial epithets; the Redskins began to be known as the Washington team. Such development are highly encouraged, they prove that it is possible to have fun in sporting without necessarily involving themselves in racism. When Julius Streicher died his ashes were dumped in a river in an unknown Germany river so that any person wanting to pay their last respects would have no where to go. Streicher had been charged with crimes against humanity. There was no evidence that he had actually done what he had been charged with. The only offence which he had been sentenced to death was the fact that he served as an editor and publisher early 1930s way before the genocide of the Nazis. In this position, he usually depicted the Jew in derogatory fashion through the cartoons he out up. This according to prosecution made it easier for the Germans to turn on the Jews and he was therefore blamed for the genocide and sentenced to death (Churchill, page 129). From this story Churchill was trying to show just how bad crimes against humanity were in Germany and United States was no different even when they try to portray themselves as just and democratic. The native people in America were been reduced by been moved from their homes. Government policies out in place made sure that their population diminished and became weaker while the Americans increased in number making it harder for the natives to speak for themselves. Some were guarded by militants in their own homes and massacres increased with time. With time more novels and books portraying Indians as inhuman, grotesque and menacing were sold in large numbers. This was to make sure that other groups of people got rid of them. By the year 1900, the eradication of Indians from their land was complete and the Anglo Americans who were now superior. By this time children from Native American home were taken up to compulsory boarding schools in regions where the Anglo Americans were and prompted to act like the Euro Americans. They were slowly taught new culture making sure that the Indian culture died completely. They were then put on foster home and denied information of where they came from making it hard for them to trace their families (Churchill, page 130). The policies that had been put in place to eradicate the natives were against the objectives of the United Nations; however, no one was punished for these crimes. The natives drowned in alcohol and drugs and by mid 1980s, there was no allocation money for their education, food nor medical needs and children would die from disease, malnutrition and other related problems. The life expectancy of the natives decreased with a man having only 45 years and woman three years more. Churchill refers to these actions as crimes against humanity. This is because of the fact that even with all these happenings, there is less or no public concerns on what the natives went through especially given that no one was punished. There have been films about the Indian people being dangerous, strange and perverted in Hollywood. People have take Indians as nothing more than props caring less about the...