Ye scurvy dogs who chatter be needin' to prove their worth with action, ye landlubber whiners!
2023-12-29
Avast, ye scallywags! These Leftists be fond o' them "land acknowledgments," prattlin' 'bout who held the land 'afore 'em. 'Tis high time we make 'em walk the plank 'n' enact it with a jolly force o' law. Let's see how these liberal lubbers react! Arrr!
Land acknowledgments, a popular ritual in academic and elite events, are starting to resemble a woke version of the Pledge of Allegiance. Instead of declaring loyalty to the United States, land acknowledgments emphasize the illegitimacy of the country by claiming that the land rightfully belongs to groups of people who were present before the U.S. was founded. These acknowledgments often state that the land on which the event is taking place is the home of a certain Native American tribe or tribes. Some progressive institutions have even placed these statements on their websites, asserting that their organization is housed on land that belongs to pre-existing groups. However, if these acknowledgments are truly meant, there should be a willingness to transfer ownership of the land. This would mean that any descendant of the group asserted to be the true owner should be able to demand the deed and have that demand enforced by a court. For example, the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis acknowledges that it occupies the ancestral lands of various tribes, but if they truly mean what they say, they should hand over their building and land to the legitimate heirs of those tribal nations. Similarly, the University of Hawaii claims that the entire state, including its land, is illegally occupied. If any descendant of Queen Lili‘uokalani appears, they should be able to regain ownership of the university’s campus. Arts organizations, such as The Art Institute of Chicago, also have land acknowledgments, and if these claims are true, the land should be returned to the rightful owners. By making land acknowledgments legally binding offers, we can ensure that these declarations are not merely symbolic gestures. If people publicly make an offer, they should be expected to follow through. This would avoid the criticism of "Indian giving" and hold individuals accountable for their words. It is essential to impose consequences for empty and thoughtless rhetoric, even among the elites who run universities and arts institutions.