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After seeing all their progress Rockson was more than happy to retire to the Indian chiefs study and discuss their relative philosophies while the rest of the team looked around； led by eager Indian maidens； who expertly elucidated the many sights for them。
After inquiring about how Rockson's trip had been so far； and Rockson saying 〃Not too bad〃 laconically； the subject got heady。 As usual among men of learning； the discussion turned to the Great Nuclear War。 And the usual Monday…morning quarterbacking got more intense than usual。 The Indian chief insisted that if the Indians had run the world； the war would never have happened。
〃Please explain that；〃 Rockson asked。
Smokestone had put on a softer loose shirt and lit up a pipe with a pungent tobacco。 He offered Rockson some … there were many pipes … and Rockson accepted one。 He puffed away too。 They could； Rockson mused； be sitting in an ancient English mens' club lined with books； and not in the middle of a primitive cliff dwelling in Arizona。 Smokestone； between puffs of the stuff which tasted better than it smelled to Rockson； went on with his remarks。
〃When the Indian nations owned America； they respected nature； worked with it。 To us； to all the tribes； the earth was our mother。 To dig up huge tracts of land with giant shovels was evil。 Just as you cannot dig holes in your mother breasts with a knife … the Indian thought of the land as our mother。 The land repaid us for our respect； and fed us； and the cycle of life was plete。
〃Neither did the the Indians … the native Americans … consider the land dividable。 We couldn't own the land； instead it owned us。 Our way was … and is … to walk with the beauty； to know that the spirit of land and sky and man are one whole。 The white man lost that identification to the earth。 They took away the soil； dug it up and refined it； made it into uranium； and then into thermonuclear bombs。 To destroy themselves； and us； and the land and the air and water； in all the ten directions。
〃It all started a hundred years before the war。 The fences went up … barbed wire； then razor wire。 The white man said to the native Americans： 〃This piece is my land； and this piece is your land；〃 and gave themselves the better land。 Then the white man discovered oil； and it was on the Indian lands。 And they said； 〃Wait a minute； sorry about that； this piece of land is not your land either； so get off。' And the Indian nations were moved again to even dryer； more remote and useless lands。 And still we； the Arapaho； the Cheyenne； the Hopi； the Dineh； survived。
〃Then this wasn't enough。 The white man found an evil element … plutonium； the deadliest； most unnatural element of all … could be made out of a whole lot of another element … uranium。 And guess where all the uranium was？ Right； it was on the useless scrubland of the Indian reservations。 But the times had bee liberal； so they couldn't just take Indian land anymore。 They would have the Indians sell it cheap to the big corporations。 But the Indians would not sell their mother； the earth。
So the panies found the few Indians that wanted to sell … Indians that had ceased to be Indians … and made them into the tribal councils。 They did this by holding elections。 Even though the pany men knew Indians ways were different。 To an Indian； not voting is a negative vote。 Just not showing up at the polls means they vote against this new council。 But the newspapers reported that the elections were held； and though turnout of voters was low； the Indians who wanted to sell the digging rights to our land won the elections。
〃And so all was done legally。 The earth was raped； a knife was dug into our mother's heart and the uranium dug up； to make plutonium； and the plutonium to make bombs。
〃If the white men could understand that nature is a unity； if he could walk in the beauty； he would not disturb nature。 There would not be any big holes in the mesa land； and no uranium and no bombs to destroy everyone and everything under the sun and stars。〃
Rockson found himself largely agreeing with the chief。 Still； the Doomsday Warrior said； 〃Some of the uranium was used to make power plants； to supply electricity to the big cities。 Not all of it was used for bombs。 What was wrong with that？〃
〃The sun could provide as much or more power for nothing。 The greed of the big panies was to make nuclear power plants； and so control all the energy； sell all the energy that people could gather free from the sun and the wind。 And the nuclear power plants spread radiation death even before they were targeted by Soviet ICBMs。 One plant； located in the Ukrainian slave state and run by the Russians； exploded three years before the war … in 1986。 The cancer rate in Europe doubled。 No； Rockson； it was as I say to you … the utility panies here in the United States； and the government fat cats in Russia； wanted nuclear power to enslave the people。
〃White man … or should I say paleface； for some whites did understand； it wasn't a racial thing … never understood。 Paleface never understood that he was a part of the cycle of nature。 He didn't understand that nature is a reflection of the Great Spirit； that man is part of that great spirit； as is every rock and tree and mountain。 The white man's religions all said man was separate from nature； greater than nature。 Such conceit。〃
〃There were some white people who believed as you do； Chief。 They saw what was happening and tried to stop it。〃
〃These people；〃 said Smokestone； 〃I would call Indians。 They are American Indians in spirit； though their skin is white。 I believe that you； Rockson； are such a man … a white Indian。〃
The Doomsday Warrior was touched by the pliment； he could only say； 〃Thank you； Chief； you do me an honor。〃
〃To be an Indian is not a matter of race … it is a state of mind。 Did you know that in the 1850s； when Indians captured white women； we took them into the tribe？ And if they learned to be squaws they were wele。 The nonracist Indians did this because the long…knives … the cavalry … had depleted our numbers in the war of genocide。 Indians took in runaway slaves too。 We Indians were never bent on genocide； just on saving the earth … the precious land we roamed。 We failed to do this。〃 Smokestone's pipe had been used up； he put it down。 〃The human race failed；〃 Rockson said； 〃all of us。〃 〃You will see the seeds of the destruction； Rockson； I have assembled it all in the Hall of Atrocities … e with me。 You will see how humankind defiled the Great Spirit。〃
CHAPTER 13
After walking down a long rock…hewn corridor deep into the canyon wall； Rockson was ushered into a room the size of a good…sized ballfield。 It was loaded with exhibit cases。
〃Take a look at the first case on the right；〃 Chief Smokestone said。
Rockson did。 There were photographs； blown up to two by three feet … the inside of some sort of metal building … and what was inside made him nearly sick。 〃This is a real photograph？〃
〃Yes。 Before the war； the Great Nuke War； the meat for American tables was raised this way … cows in small cells； confined； force…fed。 The reason was greed。 Cattle that don't move gain weight faster。 Of course we Indians believe that animals；