| 1 | 1 | | 84R19134 BPG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: White of Bell H.R. No. 1843 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For millennia, Indigenous People of Indigenous |
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| 7 | 7 | | Nations have been good stewards, honoring and protecting this land, |
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| 8 | 8 | | including the land called Texas, which we cherish; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Indigenous People are very spiritual, with a deep |
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| 10 | 10 | | and abiding belief in a Creator, and have maintained a powerful |
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| 11 | 11 | | spiritual connection to the land for centuries; and |
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| 12 | 12 | | WHEREAS, While struggling for survival since the arrival of |
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| 13 | 13 | | Europeans in North America, the Indigenous People have remained |
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| 14 | 14 | | resilient, determined to protect the lands of their heritage and to |
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| 15 | 15 | | preserve their unique cultural identities and transmit them to |
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| 16 | 16 | | future generations; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, For centuries, the governments of this country, |
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| 18 | 18 | | including the Republic of Texas and subsequently the State of |
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| 19 | 19 | | Texas, endorsed policies carried out by the militia that harmed the |
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| 20 | 20 | | Indigenous People because the political leaders who signed treaties |
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| 21 | 21 | | upon their honor did not keep their promises; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, The Indigenous People's culture was forever altered |
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| 23 | 23 | | and their livelihood was decimated by their systematic removal from |
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| 24 | 24 | | their historic lands; families were separated and entire tribes |
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| 25 | 25 | | were purged; the buffalo herds, which the people held sacred and |
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| 26 | 26 | | which had sustained their culture for centuries, were destroyed; |
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| 27 | 27 | | and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, In spite of the transgressions visited upon them, |
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| 29 | 29 | | the Indigenous People have remained steadfast in their traditional |
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| 30 | 30 | | commitment to protect this great land by continuing to serve |
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| 31 | 31 | | honorably, with distinction, in the military forces of the United |
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| 32 | 32 | | States in all wars since the founding of this nation; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, We recognize the transformative effect of |
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| 34 | 34 | | acknowledging mistakes; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 36 | 36 | | Legislature hereby acknowledge regret for the trespasses of our |
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| 37 | 37 | | predecessors against the Indigenous People, express respect for the |
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| 38 | 38 | | culture of the Indigenous People, and honor them for their |
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| 39 | 39 | | stewardship and protection of this land; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the Texas House of Representatives commit to |
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| 41 | 41 | | building an honest, constructive relationship and to forging a |
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| 42 | 42 | | covenant with the Creator and all Indigenous People to work toward |
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| 43 | 43 | | achieving our mutual goal of a society that advances opportunities |
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| 44 | 44 | | for all citizens of this great state we call home. |
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