Jackson the Jogger

Myth:  Andrew Jackson has often been disparaged as a man, who was, in a crude sense, the architect of the Trail of Tears – the forced removal of Native American tribes residing in what would now be called the Deep South.  The purge of many of the tribes, namely the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Seminole, was initiated by the passing of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.  Many of the Native Americans died en route to their new locations in present-day Oklahoma and the surrounding area due to exposure, starvation and disease.  Andrew Jackson, an otherwise highly celebrated American president, had blood on his hands after propagating such a barbarous agenda.

Fact:  Andrew Jackson, Old-Hickory himself, was by no means a barbarian.  The Indian Removal Act, or the Trail of Tears if you side with the ignorant faction of historians, was in fact a grossly misunderstood piece of legislation during the Jackson administration.  Jackson was actually quite compassionate toward his native brethren, often deeply concerned about their aloofness and twisted sense of belonging to the fledgling nation.  He thought they had become an idle people, bitter over their status among the throngs of white Americans.  He had a plan – a simple plan.  Jackson often jogged in the mornings, and after each jog he felt rejuvenated, even feeling a sense of belonging and accomplishment after such a simple exercise.  Why not implement a Presidential Fitness Plan for his disheartened comrades?  He would carve out a glorious nature trail from the Deep South to the Midwest that the American Indians could jog on.  Along the trail there would exist wooden workout equipment every few miles so the natives could perform push-ups and chin-ups while enjoying their invigorating jog.  “I want this trail to be so majestic that it brings a tear to one’s eye,” Jackson said during a meeting regarding the proposed legislation.  Jackson even went so far as to propose awards for those who finished in the top ten percent of their jogging group.  Awards would include a certificate, a Presidential Fitness Plan pin and recognition at each Native American’s respective high school.  Such a grandiose and generous plan deserves praise, not condemnation.  The problem lies in later historians’ misinterpretations of antiquated terms and the reason for the high casualties.  The term “jogging” would be unknown to Jackson in his day, for the act of jogging was referred to as “removing” – as in removing the foot from the ground and placing it in another place, often in front of the other foot.  Hence, the Indian Removal Act would be translated as the Indian Jogging Act in today’s terminology.  Furthermore, most of the Native Americans were unaware of the importance of hydrating; instead they would often ate maize and squash when feeling parched.  The death of so many was in fact due to heat exhaustion and dehydration during strenuous exercise.  Jackson never forgave himself for not suggesting the use of a Nalgene bottle, a popular accessory among the whites of the day.  So, let us celebrate this American hero and president as a man who advocated exercise as a means to gain excellence.  He was America’s physical education teacher.