My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Three strangers strike up a conversation in the airport passenger lounge in Missoula, Montana, awaiting their flights. One is an American Indian passing through from Lame Deer. Another is a Cowboy on his way to Billings for a livestock show, and the third passenger is a fundamentalist Arab student, newly arrived at Montana State University from the Middle East.
Their discussion drifts to their diverse cultures. Soon, the two Westerners learn that the Arab is a devout, radical Muslim and the conversation falls into an uneasy lull.
The cowboy leans back in his chair, crosses his boots on a magazine table and tips his big sweat-stained hat forward over his face. The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around, and the old windsock is flapping; but still no plane comes. Finally, the American Indian clears his throat and softly he speaks, "At one time here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few."
The Muslim student raises an eyebrow and leans forward, "Once my people were few," he sneers, "and now we are many. Why do you suppose that is?"
The Montana cowboy shifts his toothpick to one side of his mouth and from the darkness beneath his Stetson he says in a drawl, "That's 'cause we ain't played Cowboys and Muslims yet, but I do believe it's a-comin."
[:D]
Their discussion drifts to their diverse cultures. Soon, the two Westerners learn that the Arab is a devout, radical Muslim and the conversation falls into an uneasy lull.
The cowboy leans back in his chair, crosses his boots on a magazine table and tips his big sweat-stained hat forward over his face. The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around, and the old windsock is flapping; but still no plane comes. Finally, the American Indian clears his throat and softly he speaks, "At one time here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few."
The Muslim student raises an eyebrow and leans forward, "Once my people were few," he sneers, "and now we are many. Why do you suppose that is?"
The Montana cowboy shifts his toothpick to one side of his mouth and from the darkness beneath his Stetson he says in a drawl, "That's 'cause we ain't played Cowboys and Muslims yet, but I do believe it's a-comin."
[:D]
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[:D][:p][:o)] 0 -
Cowboys didn't fight Indians. Well they DID but cowboys had a major job- to drive, heard, and care for cows. Hence the name. That occasionally brought them into conflict with various folks, Indians included, but it wasn't as if their job was riding around having gunfights. An unfortunate impact of a bunch of old westerns. Remember, the Old West wasn't even the Old West. That vision exists in romance and film only, much like the chivalrous dogfights over France in 1918.
Nope, the government did in the Indians. Troops. Reservations. Diseases. Hitler spoke glowing praise of how we treated them; he used the reservation as an example of a succesful concentration camp.0 -
manifest destiny , westward expansion by way of the railroad displaced and eventually wiped out the native americans. History might be repeating itself but not by the white europeans this time. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by jonk
Cowboys didn't fight Indians. Well they DID but cowboys had a major job- to drive, heard, and care for cows. Hence the name. That occasionally brought them into conflict with various folks, Indians included, but it wasn't as if their job was riding around having gunfights. An unfortunate impact of a bunch of old westerns. Remember, the Old West wasn't even the Old West. That vision exists in romance and film only, much like the chivalrous dogfights over France in 1918.
Nope, the government did in the Indians. Troops. Reservations. Diseases. Hitler spoke glowing praise of how we treated them; he used the reservation as an example of a succesful concentration camp.
and all this time I thought it was bad buffalo wings...[V][:o)]..Loko0 -
Well... from the looks of the casino 5 miles away, I'd guess we never did them in.
"their job was riding around having gunfights"
Cool - I always thought that would be fun.
Doug0
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