George Saurman's second book, "We've Done Them Wrong!: A History of the Native American Indians and How the United States Treated Them," is an indictment of America's mistreatment of the Native tribes during the days of the settlement and how these injustices continue to this day. In 2009, both Houses of Congress passed a resolution asking forgiveness for those misdeeds, which was signed by then-President Obama, but according to Saurman, this process was never seen out. Now, he and his son seek to have a massive restructuring of the reservation system to create a more equitable arrangement for Native Americans and correct the injustices that continue. This book is part of his effort to do right by the marginalized communities and raise awareness of what they have been through and continue to go through.
Saurman recounts how, from the mountains to the prairies, from coast to coast, Native communities were relocated. He asks his readers to imagine how they would react if someone came to their home and forced them to leave at gunpoint. One would react in a "savage" way at this intrusion, and "savage" was how the invaders described the Native Americans who stood up for themselves. Saurman shows how settlers chased these peoples across the continent while the government signed treaties that they later broke and subjected them to horrible atrocities.
Saurman, a World War 2 veteran and a proud American who served in local and state government positions, delves into what really happened to Native American communities, examining their tribes and customs, as well as the actions of early settlers. He enumerates the contributions of Native Americans and the conditions on reservations today. He gives readers a glimpse of how the Bureau of Indian Affairs handled relations between natives and settlers and what Native Americans from the past and the present day about what has happened.
"Even today, broken promises obscure what's really going on in Native American Indian communities. It's time that a serious effort be made to rectify the situation, and it starts by realizing that 'We've Done Them Wrong.” Saurman says.
About the Author
George E. Saurman has written several books, including "We've Done Them Wrong!: A History of the Native American Indians and How the United States Treated Them" and "Revisiting the Memories of Yesterday." He served in the 65th Infantry Division in Europe during World War 2, graduated from Ursinus College, held several executive positions in business, and served a total of 33 years in local and state government. He currently lives in a Pennsylvania retirement community.