How my View of Engaging in Conflict has Changed

The analysis is on a documentary article namely, ‘Oneida Declaration of Neutrality 1775’ by the American Yawp Readers. This article narrates how the Oneida Tribe of Indians reacted when confronted to take a side during a brewing war between Great Britain and their North American colonies. It states the position and stands that the Indians took and their interesting view on the developing conflict. A lot of people believe that when two people are fighting, you should take the side of the one who is your friend. In situations where you are not very close with the quarreling parties, then one should pick the side of the person who is on the right or rather the one who has been wronged. This is I believe, is also the view of many others on engaging in violence between two parties. After reading the article ‘Oneida Declaration of Neutrality 1775’, I have re-evaluated my views on engaging in violence especially where one is a third party.

The Indians viewed the conflict between Great Britain and their North American colonies as a war between two brothers. They wrote, “We cannot intermeddle in this dispute between two brothers.” For this reason, they saw it unnecessary to be involved. In the letter, the leaders wrote that, “We Oneidas are induced to this measure on account of the disagreeable situation of affairs that way; and we hope, by the help of God, that they may go and return in peace’’ indicating that they were however concerned about their fellow Indians and were aware on the impacts that the conflict could have had on them.

I found it very amusing on how the Indians view the conflict as unnatural and strange. They indicate that they are for peace hence and cannot join either side since they have equal affections for both. For this reason, they declare their neutrality. The Oneida tribe also spoke for their counterparts in New England asking the two warring parties not to involve them too. I find it interesting that the Oneida tribe claimed to stand for peace yet they say that had they would have only supported either side if the attack was from a foreign nation. Despite standing for peace, they were totally not against war. They were aware that joining one side would definitely mean becoming an enemy to the other hence decided to sit on the fence