[The U.S. government] was tired of treaties. They were tired of sacred hills. They were tired of ghost dances. And they were tired of all the inconveniences of the Sioux. So they brought out their cannons. ‘You want to be an Indian now?’ they said, finger on the trigger.

Source: "America's Native Prisoners of War." TEDxDU 2010. Sep. 2010. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: This quote is from photographer, adventurer and storyteller Aaron Huey's 2010 TED Talk about the struggle of the native Sioux people, told in photographs. The quote means that the American government, having no respect for the traditions of the Sioux Native Americans, used violence to subdue the tribe into submission and assimilation, violating agreed treaties and reclaiming the Sioux' land. Watch the full TED Talk here: Aaron Huey - America's Native Prisoners of War