Sen. Barack Obama, speaking to a gathering of minority journalists yesterday, stopped short of endorsing an official U.S. apology to American Indians but said the country should acknowledge its history of poor treatment of certain ethnic groups.

Our mistreatment of Native Americans is, of course, a closely held secret.

That is why virtually every film or television episode about Indians made from 1965 on has depicted the Indians as noble, peaceful protectors of the earth slaughtered by genocidal, double-dealing white men.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is just the latest. Before that there was Little Big Man and Dances with Wolves.

Obama promised to unite America. He can begin by acknowledging the truth. That would be “change we can all believe in.”