By John Pullano
Opinion Editor
On the front steps of the Lincoln Memorial Covington High School junior Nick Sandmann went face to face with Native American Elder Nathan Phillips. Sandmann and Phillips went toe to toe in a crowd of chanting Hebrew Israelites and Covington High School students. Both groups believed they were in the right, when in reality, no one was willing to admit they were wrong.
The Hebrew Israelites were reportedly chanting rude and derogatory statements at the crowd of students, calling them “incest babies” and “child molesters.” The students, whom many of which were wearing hats with the phrase “Make America Great Again” printed on them, were coming from an anti-abortion rally when they heard the chants from the Hebrew Israelites. They were given permission by their chaperones to respond with school chants of their own, eventually elevating to the students doing the “tomahawk chop,” directed towards Phillips and the natives.
Video of the stare down went viral, resulting in both Phillips and Sandmann being interviewed on USA Today by host Savannah Guthrie.
During Sandmann’s USA Today interview, he was asked by Guthrie if he felt that he owed anyone an apology, and Sandmann said, “As far as standing there, I had every right to do so, and my position is that I was not disrespectful to Mr. Phillips…in hindsight, I wish we could have walked away and avoided the whole thing, but I can’t say I’m sorry.”
Phillips’ interview held the same tone as Sandmann’s. Phillips, in his interview, never issued an apology for the belittling and vulgar chants, but instead he claimed he was trying to “walk away” and “take his people elsewhere.”
As the story grows with more video clips of the events becoming public and further public assumptions being made about the intent of the actions, more people are missing the point.
Much like the current government shut down, nothing is happening to resolve the issue. Neither Sandmann and the students nor Phillips and his Omaha Tribe want to admit they did something wrong. Both Sandmann and Phillips refuse to apologize, refusing to surrender and be seen as the one who was wrong.
Based upon the current staff that runs the United States of America, it is not difficult to understand why both groups are acting in this manner. During President Donald Trump’s press conference in Singapore regarding admitting he was wrong about engine testing, Trump said, “I don’t know that I’ll ever admit that, I’ll find some kind of an excuse.” Trump has been known for dodging and failing to admit a mess up. Struggling to apologize spans across party lines, leaving the nation in the power struggle we deal with today.
Phillips and Sandmann both believe they have the right to speak and protest freely, and under the first amendment they have that right. But, to truly make change in this nation, Phillips and Sandmann’s groups need to use their freedom of speech to apologize and set an example for a nation of people that at times struggles to admit they were wrong.
pullanjj18@bonaventure.edu
