Rape On The Reservation

I watched this documentary the other day on Current TV.

While the documentary was thought provoking and sad, it failed to deal with the root cause of violence against women on the Pine Ridge reservation.

Sure, unemployment is extremely high. Alcoholism is rampant. The teens have no activities. No job training. Housing is horrible.

The root cause, however, of the prevalence of violence against women is the sexual violence suffered by the parents and grand-parents at the hands of teachers and administrators at Indian Boarding schools from the early 1900s until the late 1960s.

Indian children were taken away from their families and driven hundreds of miles away to boarding schools from the age of 8. They were forbidden to speak their language, forced to cut their hair, forced to change their names, separated from siblings, and forbidden to see their relatives.

The children were often sexually abused and could not report or speak out about their abuse. The children were often brutally beaten if they embraced any part of their culture. The teachers and administration officials were never charged with crimes or even transferred in most cases. The abuse went on unabated for decades.

As a result, thousands of Indian men and women are continuing this cycle of abuse. They have no idea what a healthy relationship looks like because most have never seen one. People sometimes drink to forget, and Indians have a lot to forget.

Jailing the youth is not the answer. The only recourse for Native people is to return to Native values. This is difficult considering most tribes would have to rebuilt their cultures from scratch. The old generation of warriors like Russell Means, Denis Banks, John Trudell, and Red Crow are passing into history without being replaced. Warrior Societies are no more.

While prosecution of offenders and women's' self help groups are good starts, tracing back the cycle of abuse and holding people accountable would be more effective.

Floyd Red Crow Westerman

Just another Indian you never heard of.

Elouise Cobell Speaks

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While I respect Ms. Cobell, how does $1,000 per person help lift an entire people out of poverty? If you are owed $137 billion, why not get it all?

I understand that 13 years is a long time to keep a lawsuit going, but, they were stealing land for 500 years!

Indians are easily screwed because their numbers are few. How do you thin they got to be so few? By systemic genocide, theft of land, and deprivation of culture. The same thing that is happening to Africans in the country today.

How much will we accept for reparations for 400 years of slavery, genocide, and dis-enfranchisement? Hopefully a lot more than a few billion dollars.

Obama Meets With Native American Leaders-Offers $1.4 Billion To Settle Lawsuit

President Obama met with representatives of 386 nations on Thursday, fulfilling a campaign promise to discuss Native issues. Accompanied by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and several Cabinet members, the President acknowledged government misdeeds marked by violence broken promises, and treaty violations. He also said that the government failed to properly consult native American leaders and communities leading to current conditions of unemployment up to 80% on reservations, 25% living in poverty, and 10% of homes without electricity or running water. "You were told your lands, your religion, your cultures, and your languages were not yours to keep," said Obama.

These are the same issues surfaced by Russell Means, Dennis Banks, and Clyde Bellacourt over thirty years ago. For over 400 years, no government official has publicly stated the obvious and apologized for it.

The President also took questions and comments from the elders gathered and directed federal agencies to develop recommendations within 90 days on how best to improve tribal participation in key government policy decisions.

On Monday, the Justice Department announced a settlement offer of a lawsuit filed by Native Americans in 1996. Thousands of Native Americans would receive at least $1,000 each, or $1.4 Billion to settle the suit over mismanagement of Native American revenue.

The lawsuit had accused the government of failing to account for money held in Individual Indian Money Accounts, which are supposed to represent the value of property individual Native Americans, held and managed by government trustee.

The government would also agree to establish a $2 billion program to buy small fractions of land to help sellers obtain value from ancestral property, which would then be held by tribal governments.

While this proposal does not cover the decades of genocide and treaty violations, it is at least a start. The government made billions of dollars over the years leasing out Native American land to ranchers, miners, oil barons, and the military. No Native American was ever paid a nickle for the use of land that was owned communally. The government can't figure out who owns the land because the concept of land ownership was foreign to Native people. They did not own the land, the land owned them!

Elouise Cobell (Blackfeet) said that "the settlement was not fair, but, in the future we may be treated more fairly." She said that the defendants were just worn down from thirteen years of legal battles.

It is ironic that the same things that the American Indian Movement demanded thirty years ago at Wounded Knee, , honoring treaty rights, a full accounting of Native American funds, are now being won through the courts. True Freedom Fighters like Russell Means, Dennis Banks, Clyde Bellacourt, Ward Churchill, and many others will never get the recognition they deserve for laying their lives on the line time and time again.

Sure, $1,000 per Native American is nothing in the grand scheme of things,but, it is more than has ever been offered before. After Obama, the door will close on Native American relations for another hundred years. Now is the time to make your voices heard if the Black Hills are ever to be returned, the BIA abolished, and sovereignty restored to Native people.

In The Beginning

Black "Indians"- A Secret History

There are many similarities between African and native people.

Both believed in a spirit world, not organized religion. Both valued the earth and all the creatures in it. Both celebrated, prayed, and sought community through the dance and song. Both sought harmony with the world, not conquest.

Many people are unaware that some of the most famous "Americans" in history were Black Indians. Crispus Attucks, the first man to die for the freedom of this country was a Black Indian. So was Cherokee Bill, who made Billy the Kid look like a school boy.

Our history and culture are united by our treatment in this country. Our cultures were seperated in the same way we were seperated from white culture through Jim Crow laws, segregation, poverty, and disenfranchisement.

No matter what, this bond must be made strong.

There is only one thing I fail to understand abut our Native brothers and sisters. Why do they listen to country music? It sucks.

Native American Thanksgiving

Enjoy your turkey!

Top Ten Native American Freedom Fighters

Before anyone gets upset, this is MY list. These are the Freedom Fighters I admired growing up. They inspired me. They epitomized courage and sacrifice. All were true warriors.

10). Woqini or Woo-ka-nay (Roman Nose)- (ca. 1835-1868) Northern Cheyenne

9). Mahpiya Lu'ta (Red Cloud)-(ca. 1822- Dec 10,1909) Oglala Lakota

8). Metacom (King Phillip)- (ca. 1638- August 1676) Wampanoag

7). Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt(Chief Joseph)-(March 3,1840-Sept.21,1904)
Nez Perce

6). Osceola (ca. 1804-Jan. 20, 1838) Muscogee

5). Goyaale'(Geronimo)- (June 16, 1829-Feb. 17,1909)Chiricahua Apache

4). Tecumtha (Tecumseh)- (March 1768-Oct. 5, 1813) Shawnee

3). K'uu-ch'ish (Cochise)- (ca. 1815-June 8, 1874) Chokonen
Chiricahua Apache

2). Thatha'nke Iyoyake (Sitting Bull)- (ca. 1831- Dec. 15, 1890)
Hunkpapa Lakota

1). Thasunke Witko (Crazy Horse)- (ca. 1840-1877) Oglala Lakota

This is just my list. There are hundreds of other warriors who deserve to be listed here, but, these are the charter members of the RealFreedomFighters Hall of Fame. Lest we forget.

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Of Redskins Trademark

The Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal by native groups calling the Washington redskin's trademark "disparaging.

At issue was whether the plaintiffs were decades too late in filing the lawsuit, or whether the trademark should have been denied years ago since "redskins" is as offensive today as it was 500 years ago, a racial epithet that brings native people into "contempt, ridicule, and disrepute."

The justices without comment refused to intervene in the dispute ending the suit.

The team said it has spent "millions of dollars promoting, advertising, and protecting it's mark."

This ruling, or lack there of, really shows the true colors of our so called legal system. An entire race of people can be openly disparaged in front of millions of people simply because they were too late in complaining? Native people have been complaining, conceding, and fighting for over 500 years. to use a legal technicality to deny people basic human dignity is so shameful, ignorant, and bigoted the people making the decision have no business calling themselves human, let alone judges.

The media is no better. No lead stories, 30 second blurbs, or even a mention of this historic decision. Just more news about a dimwitted ex-Governor with the IQ of a moron who dictated a book that makes no sense.

Without publicity there can be no public outrage. Thanks media.

For all the idiots, racists, and assholes who believe the Native people are being overly sensitive, take this test. Walk up to the next Native American you see and call him/her a redskin and see what happens. As they beat the shit out of you, kindly explain that you were honoring them with a term of endearment and meant no disrespect. If you survive, or happen to meet an ignorant dufus, approach a Black person and call them nigger, a Hispanic person and call them (take your choice spic, beaner, wetback.) I will take odds in Vegas that you won't survive more than one hour. All of the judges should take this exercise.

I guess H. Rap Brown was right. A Black or Hispanic Supreme Court Justice makes no difference. They become part of the system that created them.

Tribute To Native Women

While watching this video I was reminded of a Native girl I dated long ago.

A member of the Mohawk nation, she was seperated from her husband. I met her while dancing at a night club. She loved to dance. She had a thirteen year old daughter and a sister and brother-in-law who loved her very much. It was the most honest relationship I ever had. She was beautiful in every way.

To make a long story short, she decided to reconcile with her cheating, lying, white husband. However, before she left, she introduced me to a friend of hers she thought I might like, a white girl, who turned out to be crazy.

But that's another story.

Jim Thorpe-The Worlds Greatest Athlete

My personal hero and greatest athlete the world has ever known.

Dave Chappelle On Native People

Just for laughs and to show how ignorant we are when it comes to Native people.

Black Hills Protest 1970

From 1969 unitl today little has changed for Native people. The promises of Kennedy and Agnew sound just as hollow today when coming from Obama. All politicians pander for Native votes, then forget about them once elected. Shameful

Obama's Message To The First Americans

Sounds like pandering and lip service. Now that the votes are counted, where is the accountability? Any Native judges or cabinet members? Who is head of the BIA?

Russel Means On Obama's Peace Prize

In honor of Thanksgiving, all of the posts this month will be by Native people. Without their help the pilgrims and conquistadores would surely have starved. Had they the foresight to kill Columbus and his whole crew, Europe would believe the ocean was inhabited by sea serpents. Had the Native people not been decent human beings, America would not exist.

I love Russel Means. He is an old school revolutionary who always speaks the truth, no matter how painful. He deserves our honor and support.

Thanks, I think?

Native Thanksgiving

One more time for our native brothers. Free Mumia!

Israel Demolishes Palestinian Homes In Jeruselum

Another story not covered by CNN, ABC, NBC, or CBS.

Suppose someone came to your door, told you to get out, bulldozed your home and left you homeless within a matter of hours. Then proceeded to steal the land and give it to someone else. All without paying you a dime. If you complain, you are jailed or shot.

Sounds familiar.

Brief History Of America

Just for fun.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to our native brothers!

Native Americans Ask Supreme Court If "Redskins" Offends

A group of Native Americans who find the Washington Redskins name offensive have asked the Supreme Court to review a lower court decision that favored the team on a legal technicality.

Seven Native Americans have been working through the court system since 1992 to have the Redskins trademark declared invalid. The U.S Patent and Trademark Office ruled in their favor in 1999. Since then they were handed a series of defeats from White judges who ruled that the plaintiffs waited too long to bring their suit in the first place.

Daniel Snyder, the current owner of the NFL team is a racist asshole. He had every opportunity to change the name when he bought the team, but he has no desire to. He is not alone. Ted Turner, former owner of the Atlanta Braves, The Cleveland Indians, and the Kansas City Chiefs are other professional sports teams that defame Native people. The list of college and high school teams is far longer. No other race of people is demeaned as a mascot by another race of people in this nation. Native Americans are placed on the same level as Timberwolves, Cardinals, White Sox, and Blue Jays. Their rituals and religions are openly mocked by huge crowds of morons.

African and Hispanic people must join the Native people in their just cause. Black athletes should refuse to play for teams with names that demean Native people. If one team named itself the Nashville Niggers, the Spokane Spooks, the Huntsville Honkys, the Jacksonville Jews, or the Russelville Rednecks, the outrage would be immediate. Why? Because there are millions of Blacks, Hispanics, Whites and Jews. The Native people have been reduced to a few , and the rest are here for entertainment purposes. Shameful. Disgraceful. A boycott of these teams by like minded individuals would have an immediate and chilling effect on the sports world. My son or daughter will never play for any team that demeans a people. They will never attend a school with a Native American as a mascot.

Yes Redskins is offensive. So is Nigger. So is Honky. So is Spic. Why would any sane individual wear a shirt or cap with the most racist term imaginable on it. Time to wise up.