Whereas is a poem by Layli Long Soldier that responds to the congressional apology to native tribes in the US. The congressional apology was signed in obscurity by then President of the US Barack Obama. Native people have long suffered systematic violence. Long Soldier asserts that the government acknowledges its mistake but fails to accept responsibility. The poet argues that the language used in the apology document is formal, thus, rendering the admissibility of the offenses null in the court of justice.
The word “Whereas” in the poem is used as sarcasm reflecting how America documents its language as a result of a perpetual act of violence against minorities. Long Soldier is an American citizen but considers herself as holding dual citizenship due to the mistreatment of natives. The American government has enacted policies that do not favor native tribes in order to deprive them of legal sovereign status indirectly. As a result, Long Soldier airs her grievances through poems to condemn violent actions by the federal government.
The poet deconstructs the formal language of the resolution by the US government through using statements majorly used in the apology documents. The continual use of similar language in every document justifies the non-commitment of the government to recognize native people. The poem critiques the frequent use of the same word “whereas” in every statement. Whereas is used either as “an introductory statement, a connector, or a conjunction” (Soldier). The repetitive statements portray the formality in which the U.S government handles serious matters regarding natives.
