Peace Through Unity

Today Sunday the 13^th day of June “The Homer Goes West” tour explored the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Montana. The monument commemorates the battle of Little Bighorn; known to many as Custer’s Last Stand.  The battle took place on the 25^th and 26^th of June 1876, between Lt. Col. George Custer’s detachment form the 7^th Calvary and an alliance of Indian Tribes lead by Sitting Bull. 

 

We expected a stop of an hour or two, but the visit turned into an all day event. When the site was first commemorated, shortly after the battle, the focus was on the Custer and his soldiers: today the site commemorates the Indians as well.  In 1991 the name of the site was changed and a monument to the Indians was included. The theme of the Indian monument is Peace Through Unity.

The Monument is thought fully constructed to allow a combination of driving and walking allowing visitors’ access to the miles of battlefield and related camps. At one point I was certain that we were going to walk the forty or so miles we traveled from the Wyoming border to reach the National Monument. I know that Homer is diligently working on a blog that will tell the story so please visit his site for his report http://fredorourke.blogspot.com/ .

Today was the first time in my life that I had ever visited a battlefield.  Before today I did not understand the utility in visiting such sites.  While I enjoy learning about the past and the lessons we so often ignore, I never took the time to stop and explore a battlefield. My character is such that I usually focus on the “Big Picture” often ignoring the details that I do not consider relevant.  I am sure that I was trying Homers patience with my attitude towards viewing a recreation of a shooting pit.

What kept my mind exercised is why? Even today the space seems endless and while pretty to look at, the terrain is hostile and I am sure unforgiving.  So why did the 7^th Calvary have to pursue the Indians and force them back to reservations. Was it purely economic? Or one sided?  I think not.

Rather, I think it was a clash or cultures, of thinking, of resisting the inevitability of change. I resist the notion that either side was right or wrong. As I view the markers of the dead, Indian and Solider, laying amongst the flowers that have forever bloomed, I can only wonder if in the present we can find a way to resolve our differences with out resort to battle.

My belief in this was fortified by the words used in the Indian Memorial.  Reading the words I found such similarity to the Deceleration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights that I wondered why conflict existed.  I suspect that conflict arose not from the words, but rather from the deeds, the breach of the words, and the natural instinct to protect what one has.

I can only hope that others will draw similar observations from such visits and strive for Unity Through Peace.