Opinion: Native Americans weren't the first environmentalists


First Lady Michelle Obama greets Elizabeth Ferguson, 21, of Kotzebue, AK, following her remarks at the Tribal Youth Gathering in support of the Generation Indigenous and Reach Higher initiatives in Washington, D.C., July 9, 2015. Photo by Lawrence Jackson / White House

Columnist Naomi Schaefer Riley, who is writing a book about Indian issues, argues that First Lady Michelle Obama got it wrong when she spoke to Native youth about environmental issues:
It’s hard to make it through a US history textbook without coming across the silly claim that American Indians were the original environmentalists.

First lady Michelle Obama even repeated it at last week’s gathering of tribal youth. “Long before the United States was even an idea, your ancestors were harvesting the crops that would feed the world for centuries to come,” she said. “Today on issues like conservation and climate change, we are finally beginning to embrace the wisdom of your ancestors.”

Embracing the wisdom of your ancestors? Really? Has Mrs. Obama discovered some ancient Indian text that predicted the melting of the glaciers?

Sorry: There’s little evidence that Indians had any fundamentally different understanding of the environment than any other people on Earth.

Which is to say, when resources were scarce, Native Americans worked to conserve them. When they weren’t, they didn’t.

Get the Story:
Naomi Schaefer Riley: No, Native Americans *weren’t* the original environmentalists (The New York Post 7/14)

Related Stories:
UNITY brings large group of Native youth to the nation's capital (7/13)
Student from Nooksack Tribe focused on traditions after tragedy (7/13)
Native youth hear from top officials at historic White House event (7/10)
Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribal Tribune: Youth see White House support (7/10) More Native youth arrive in nation's capital for UNITY conference (7/10)
Large contingent represents Navajo Nation at White House event (7/9)
Nearly 900 youth in town for White House Tribal Youth Gathering (7/9)
Native youth arriving in nation's capital for White House gathering (7/8)
Company pushing mine at sacred site gives $10K to Apache youth (7/8)
Lakota Country Times: Rosebud youth hold suicide awareness walk (7/3)
Ponca Tribe sends twelve youth to White House conference (6/30)
Students from Oglala Sioux Tribe get close with First Lady Obama (6/4)
Native youth help First Lady Obama harvest White House garden (6/2)
Deadline extended for White House Tribal Youth Gathering (05/11)
President Obama invites Native youth to White House on July 9 (04/27)
Mark Trahant: Invest in our Native youth for long-term success (04/24)
Opinion: First Lady brings truth with remarks about Native youth (04/23)
White House Blog: Improving the lives of Native American youth (04/22)
First Lady Obama speaks to Native youth at White House session (04/08)
First Lady Obama to deliver remarks at Native youth meeting (04/03)
White House Blog: Launching the Gen-I Tribal Leader Challenge (3/12)
Interview: Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on Native youth focus (03/11)
Jodi Gillette: Administration making progress in Indian Country (03/02)
President Obama makes Native youth a priority in administration (12/04)
White House to host first-ever Tribal Youth Gathering next year (12/03)
White House Fact Sheet: Sixth annual Tribal Nations Conference (12/3)
White House invites youth to DC for Tribal Nations Conference (11/26)
Obamas welcome youth from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to DC (11/21)
Native Sun News: Oglala Sioux youth to join White House meet (11/21)

Join the Conversation