| In the essay entitled, Joseph Brant Compares | | | | and greed are its greatest components. The |
| Indian and White Civilizations, 1789, Mr.Brant | | | | Native American civilization from which he came |
| describes his feelings of disgust for White | | | | from, was a place where everyone was treated |
| civilization and why he had those feelings. The | | | | equally. Materialism did not exist, so there was no |
| essay seems be the answer to a question that | | | | need to compete with others over who had the |
| asked him to compare the civilizations of Indians | | | | most possessions. Their allegiance was to the |
| and Whites. He discusses how his life changed | | | | Great Spirit and to the land. |
| when he was sent to live amongst Whites to be | | | | In European society, what one owned determined |
| educated when he was an adolescent. Although | | | | one's lot in life. People were imprisoned because |
| his people were thought of as savages, he never | | | | they owed money. They confiscated land for |
| lost pride in his culture and came to view the | | | | their own use and whether someone else was |
| White world with contempt. | | | | living on it did not matter. the Indians had no |
| He states, "We do not hunger and thirst after | | | | concept of money and had no need for the glitter |
| those superfluities of life, that are theruin of | | | | and gold of White civilization. They had no laws |
| thousands of families among you. Our ornaments, | | | | expect what was written in the hearts of its |
| in general, are simple, and easily obtained. Envy | | | | people. They had no prisons because crimes such |
| and covetousness, those worms that destroy the | | | | as robbery did not exist. There was no need to |
| fair flower of human happiness, are unknown in | | | | steal. Everyone was equal and shared their |
| this climate" (Hoffman & Gjerde, p.198). | | | | resources. Although their lives were simple, they |
| Mr. Brant obviously felt that although the Indians | | | | were richer because they had what many in |
| were not rich with material wealth, they were | | | | European civilization did not; a nobility of spirit that |
| happier than Whites because they were not | | | | could never be crushed. Joseph Brant knew this |
| consumed with the greed that comes with | | | | and that is why he looked upon Whites with |
| money. The Indian nation wore no crown jewels | | | | contempt. |
| and owned no land, but they were filled with the | | | | After much thought, and without prejudice, |
| spirit of God and their ancestors. They had no | | | | Joseph Brant felt that his civilization was better |
| need for anything else. He also expresses great | | | | than White civilization and he gave some sound |
| disdain at how Whites treated other Whites | | | | advice to Whites that can be used in today's |
| because of class differences. | | | | society. There is a biblical saying that goes, "You |
| He states that "The palaces and prisons among | | | | without sin cast the first stone," and that is the |
| you, form a most dreadful contrast. Go to the | | | | point that Joseph Brant makes. The White society |
| former places, and you will see, perhaps, a | | | | that he lived in had to clean up its own backyard |
| deformed piece of earth swelled with prideBhere | | | | before trying to clean up someone else's. How |
| descriptions utterly fails!Bcertainly the sight of an | | | | could a society that claimed to be Christian treats |
| Indian torture, is not half so painful to a well | | | | its inhabitants and other cultures so dishonorably? |
| informed mind"(Hoffman & Gjerde, p.199). It | | | | White civilization in the 1700s and in today's |
| was hard for him to grasp the concept of a | | | | society still have not learned to practice what |
| society that claimed to be so God-fearing and | | | | they so piously preach. How can true liberty for all |
| holier than thou could treat its inhabitants so badly | | | | exist when monetary gain is placed above |
| based on material worth. He had a deep disgust | | | | everything? Those with money and power in |
| for penal system used by America and Europe. | | | | White civilization are the ones with liberty and that |
| He felt that because the majority of prisoners | | | | is not fair to those who are still struggling to find |
| were confined for debt, White culture had a lot of | | | | their way. Freedom should not have to come with |
| nerve calling Indian nations cruel because of their | | | | a price tag attached to it. |
| different cultural beliefs. At least they were not | | | | The words that Joseph Brant spoke two hundred |
| locking up people for stealing food. | | | | and fifteen years ago still ring true. "Cease then, |
| European and American civilization as seen through | | | | while these practices continue among you, to call |
| the eyes of Joseph Brant is a cruel place where | | | | yourselves Christians, lest you publish to the world |
| gaining material wealth is all that matters and | | | | your hypocrisy. Cease to call other nations |
| rights of its citizens means little. The estates of | | | | savages, when you are tenfold more the children |
| widows and orphans were often swallowed up by | | | | of cruelty, than they," (Hoffman & Gjerde, |
| the court system, most of people that are in | | | | p.199). In the case of the dominant civilization, the |
| prison are there because of debt, and worship of | | | | pot is still calling the kettle black and it sad that its |
| God is second to worship of money. Hypocrisy | | | | inhabitants have not learned a thing. |