"I don't feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves"

John Wayne's quote reflects a common mindset of the time period in which it was said, which was among entitlement and supremacy. It implies that the Native Americans were wrong for trying to keep their land, and that the Europeans were justified in taking it far from them. This attitude is rooted in the concept of Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the Europeans were destined to broaden their area and spread their culture. This quote likewise shows the idea that the Native Americans were not viewed as equates to, however rather as obstacles to advance. This attitude of privilege and superiority is still seen today in the way that Native Americans are treated, and it is essential to acknowledge the wrongs of the past in order to progress in a more equitable way.