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Argumentative Essay: America's Internal Indigenous War

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America's Internal Indigenous War The U.S. Indian Commissioner in 1945 stated the following: "The war caused the greatest disruption of Native life since the beginning of the reservation era" (Boundless). These kinds of statements were most agreeable by Native Americans who were a key component on home and battlefronts during World War II (Kennedy, Cohen, and Bailey 830). They decided to enter into this war for Americas freedom and for their own, as well. They also hoped that this war would bring about positive outcomes and for a better, closer relationship with America considering their long history of assimilation with America. Although the war had brought some positive impacts and highlighted the forgotten struggles of Native Americans, …show more content…

voting rights. When Native American veterans returned from the war, it was revealed through multiple failed attempts that they were not allowed to vote like every other citizen could. These incidents continued to occur even though Native Americans were granted citizenship in 1924 and then again in 1940 (Rios). Furthermore, A majority of the veterans home states also recognized their citizenship poorly and still recognized them as second-class citizens (Rios). Native Americans, then began to take their case to U.S. courts, which can be examined within one of the first voting cases after World War II, Trujillo v. Garley (Chavers). Miguel Trujillo, a Pueblo Native American World War II veteran of the Marine Corps, attempted to register to vote, but was denied by the recorder of Valencia County (Chavers). Rather than accept his non-citizenship he pursued this case which revealed the Court had found that New Mexico had discriminated against Native Americans by denying them the vote even though they did pay all state/federal taxes (Chavers). These circumstances discussed are clearly violations of voting rights and displayed Americas inequality towards Native Americans, which directly benefited injustice in their own war with

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