Letters from an American September 26, 2025
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Sep 27, 2025 The podcast dives into the controversial decision to keep Wounded Knee Medals amid political failures. It explores the historical context of Grover Cleveland's tariff promises and the Republican strategies that reshaped American political power. The narrative highlights the tragic circumstances leading to the Ghost Dance movement among Lakotas and the subsequent massacre at Wounded Knee. It also addresses the consequences of political mismanagement, the Army’s frustrations, and the lasting impact on indigenous relations.
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Medals Kept Amid Controversy
- The Pentagon kept 20 Wounded Knee Medals of Honor despite longstanding controversy over their appropriateness.
- Heather Cox Richardson frames Pete Hegseth's defense as politically driven and tied to incompetence covering mismanagement.
Politics Drove The Cover-Up
- Richardson links the medals to a broader cover-up of political appointee incompetence that led to civilian deaths at Wounded Knee.
- She traces the political origins to late-19th-century partisan fights over tariffs and patronage.
New States Sought For Political Power
- Republicans added five new states in 1889–1890 hoping to cement Senate power and protect tariff policy.
- Richardson shows how state admissions affected congressional balance and fed into West policy toward the Lakotas.