‘Legal’ Theft Of Indigenous Land | Peter D’Errico | TMR

Peter D’Errico, professor emeritus of legal studies at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, discusses his recent book Federal Anti-Indian Law: The Legal Entrapment of Indigenous Peoples.

Professor D’Errico then walks through the evolution of the doctrines of settler colonialism in what is now the United States, with the doctrine of Christian discovery that launched the colonial era from Spain and England setting the stage for the US’ own domestic justification for the “manifest destiny” agenda. Expanding on this, D’Errico and Sam explore the central cases in the establishment of Chief Justice John Marshall’s ‘Marshall Doctrine’ in Indian Law, which actively committed to the perspective of Christian dominion and discovery, and asserted the native peoples as a sub-human class unable to look after their land. Next, they look to the post-Marshall evolution of the doctrine, with the Court carrying its vision forward while slowly obscuring its origins, seeing it affirmatively cited even by supposedly progressive justices like RBH, without reference to Christianity. After expanding on the Marshall Doctrine’s secondary purpose as a reinforcement of federal domination over the states, D’Errico wraps up by walking through the contemporary battles over the Marshall Doctrine, the push for full assimilation of Native territories, and the need to bring the origins of the doctrine back into full public view.

Watch the Majority Report live MondayFriday at 12 p.m. EST on YouTube OR listen via daily podcast at

#SamSeder #EmmaVigeland #MajorityReport #politics #news #progressive #leftist #democrats #liberal

SUPPORT the show by becoming a member

Download TMR's FREE app

CHECK OUT MORE from the MR crew:

Matt Binder DOOMED

Brandon Sutton DISCOURSE

Emma Vigeland ESVN

Matt Lech LEFT RECKONING

OTHER LINKS: