I don?? feel we did wrong in taking this great country away from them [Native Americans]. Our so-called stealing of this country from them was just a matter of survival. There were great numbers of people who needed new land, and the Indians were selfishly trying to keep it for themselves. – This quote may come as a surprise. It was made by John Wayne in a 1971 Playboy magazine interview. He was criticized for his comments at the time by Native American leaders.