Humanity has still not learned to coexist in harmony

Mr. Juni reflects that the U.S.-Dakota War indicates how humanity still acts today.

Audio Chapters

FJ: Some of the events of the Dakota War -- we realize how barbaric some of the actions were. In some parts of the world, we're still doing those things today. Humanity has still not learned to coexist in harmony. And that is so, so sad. It's easy to sit here today and talk about how angry some of the people must have been and how that anger controlled their emotions. And they did things to each other that they would have never dreamt of doing or would never have considered doing under normal circumstances. But their actions were controlled by emotion and hatred and anger and frustration. We haven't changed a lot. If I were put in those circumstances today, where my family and property were threatened, I suppose I would respond in many of the same ways. It's just tough. You can't help but sympathize for everybody during that period. Both sides suffered tremendously. The loss of a Dakota child was every bit as bad as the loss of settler's child. And it happened. We did it to each other. That's humanity.

Oral History- Interview | Narrator Frederick Juni Interviewer Deborah Locke made in New Ulm, Milford Township, MN | Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Citation: Minnesota Historical Society. U.S. - Dakota War of 1862. Humanity has still not learned to coexist in harmony April 20, 2024. http://www.usdakotawar.org/node/1059

Viewpoints: All viewpoints expressed on this website are those of the contributors, and are not representative of the Minnesota Historical Society.