[lcpiper]

In 2000, the head of the BIA, Kevin Gover, offered a formal apology for his agency's role in what he himself described as ethnic cleansing:

This is so wrong. First, who can offer an apology for what others did over a hundred years ago that no one is alive to speak about? It's useless foo pah, an insincere statement of condolence.

An apology is useless unless it comes from the ones who did the wrongs.

That said, "the destruction of all things Indian" was in fact the policy of the federal government.

This is a far departure from George Washington's policies toward the Native Americans expressed here.

George Washington formulated a policy to encourage the "civilizing" process.[2] He had a six-point plan for civilization which included,

1. impartial justice toward Native Americans
2. regulated buying of Native American lands
3. promotion of commerce
4. promotion of experiments to civilize or improve Native American society
5. presidential authority to give presents
6. punishing those who violated Native American rights.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultura...tive_Americans