In 2014 Dr. David Wilkins (Lumbee) published an essay titled “Deconstructing the Doctrine of Discovery.” (here) and Steven T. Newcomb responded with a piece titled “Toward Disestablishing the Doctrine of Christian Domination” (here). The conversation continues with Newcomb’s newest piece “Acknowledging the Doctrine of Christian Domination.”
In his article, Wilkins calls the discovery doctrine “one of the most important tenets of federal Indian law.” He points out that it has “gained general acceptance.” But he cautions that the doctrine has been “misused to distort perceptions of past and present oppressions.” Yet rather than provide a clear means of arguing against the doctrine and challenging it, he says that U.S. government officials should never mention or write about the doctrine.
