84R19134 BPG-F
By: White of Bell H.R. No. 1843
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, For millennia, Indigenous People of Indigenous
Nations have been good stewards, honoring and protecting this land,
including the land called Texas, which we cherish; and
WHEREAS, Indigenous People are very spiritual, with a deep
and abiding belief in a Creator, and have maintained a powerful
spiritual connection to the land for centuries; and
WHEREAS, While struggling for survival since the arrival of
Europeans in North America, the Indigenous People have remained
resilient, determined to protect the lands of their heritage and to
preserve their unique cultural identities and transmit them to
future generations; and
WHEREAS, For centuries, the governments of this country,
including the Republic of Texas and subsequently the State of
Texas, endorsed policies carried out by the militia that harmed the
Indigenous People because the political leaders who signed treaties
upon their honor did not keep their promises; and
WHEREAS, The Indigenous People's culture was forever altered
and their livelihood was decimated by their systematic removal from
their historic lands; families were separated and entire tribes
were purged; the buffalo herds, which the people held sacred and
which had sustained their culture for centuries, were destroyed;
and
WHEREAS, In spite of the transgressions visited upon them,
the Indigenous People have remained steadfast in their traditional
commitment to protect this great land by continuing to serve
honorably, with distinction, in the military forces of the United
States in all wars since the founding of this nation; and
WHEREAS, We recognize the transformative effect of
acknowledging mistakes; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby acknowledge regret for the trespasses of our
predecessors against the Indigenous People, express respect for the
culture of the Indigenous People, and honor them for their
stewardship and protection of this land; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas House of Representatives commit to
building an honest, constructive relationship and to forging a
covenant with the Creator and all Indigenous People to work toward
achieving our mutual goal of a society that advances opportunities
for all citizens of this great state we call home.