tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post6563605669641889085..comments2023-11-03T05:09:47.246-07:00Comments on Ramblings ~: Lakota Sioux Secede From US, Declare IndependenceFranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14198689517878201943noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-45537729569108877152007-12-25T23:27:00.000-08:002007-12-25T23:27:00.000-08:00Having visited several reservations-- you are righ...Having visited several reservations-- you are right- there IS an invisible door, and you get the sense of extreme poverty and neglect by the US gvmnt. right away. These people got the raw deal.<BR/>But their own sense of culture, and overall kindness and support of each other is also something to behold. I am going to stay on top of the Lakota move to free themselves of this outlaw nation. They themselves said it best when they use the word "genocide", right here in our own country. People living with statistics worse than Haiti, which is considered one of the most poor & troubled Countries on the planet. Damned shame, it is. But right on for them to declare enoughs' enough.Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198689517878201943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-48979589989147799302007-12-25T19:55:00.000-08:002007-12-25T19:55:00.000-08:00ok, I was disrupted by a long ph call in that last...ok, I was disrupted by a long ph call in that last comment. Didn't get to proofread. What I meant to convey was we spent xmas eve watching Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Inspired by your post. And then that inspired us to spend xmas day on the rez. As we left, we saw a big yellow billboard with two checkboxes. It said make your choice: beside one box said, "hide your head in the sand". beside the other said, "get some science at globalwarming.com". Now, I've never seen this billboard elsewhere, only on the rez. It made me think of all the toxic waste, coal-burning plants, etc, that many reservations have had foisted on them "for employment". well, now I AM rambling .... but certainly living in abject poverty in contaminated areas has to contribute to health problems, crime, hopelessness, etc/etc. I shudder about the tribes who think casinos are a solution! The casino tribes we saw in calif are making a few tribal elders wealthy. Much MUCH better to go the Lakota way, if it is viable.D.K. Raedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01451065603615752038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-77505923206364491612007-12-25T18:42:00.000-08:002007-12-25T18:42:00.000-08:00Fran, I'd been successfully avoided watching "Bury...Fran, I'd been successfully avoided watching "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" that we DVR'd some time ago. But becuase of your post here, I thought it was time to immerse myself in it. I wasn't expecting much of an HBO movie, but was amazed at how well they captured the hopelessness. Like you said, when you ain't got nothin'. I recommend it if you haven't seen it. Sitting Bull & Red Cloud are both portrayed pretty realistically, I thought. <BR/><BR/>As I was watching the movie, I kept thinking about Bush stumbling over the meaning of sovereignty. I might be crazy (hmmm), but I almost think if the tribes were conveniently located all together, the govt might just go for it. As it is, didn't the state of Vermont recently try something similar? <BR/><BR/>We spent today on & near a local rez. It's amazing the lack of services encountered as you step through the invisible door.D.K. Raedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01451065603615752038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-33004522846358036232007-12-25T14:44:00.000-08:002007-12-25T14:44:00.000-08:00Dada: Sometimes though, those with pure hearts, an...Dada: Sometimes though, those with pure hearts, and in the Spirit are able to prevail. There is strength & goodness that shines through the darkest of times. Look at Apartheid in Africa, black Africans were severely oppressed & abused in their homeland for 40 years, Mandala imprisoned for decades.... who would have expected his release from prison & to then go on to be president?<BR/>I look at the civil rights movement- sheer hell was endured, but people pulled together in a non violent way & turned things around. Not to say there is no more prejudice & segregation, if not in some individuals minds.... but we've come a long way from white only drinking fountains, and gross discrimination. Black students no longer require National Guard escorts to go to elementary (or any ) schools.<BR/>Another example is Watada. These people have the light within. They will prevail, they will endure.<BR/>I want to think those kinds of positive thoughts, and certainly it will be important to bring it into the International spotlight for Indiginious people.<BR/>But the non-native/tribal people of this country can step up as well. The gvmnt would love to have this be a quiet, out of the limelight situation.<BR/>We the people need to join them & not allow that to happen.<BR/>So for all those who have endured oppression, <BR/>who have the spirit, carry on.<BR/>May they prevail. May they have the strength to endure. May the light shine through this darkness.Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198689517878201943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-36674442372914601482007-12-25T04:55:00.000-08:002007-12-25T04:55:00.000-08:00Amen, Fran. And, yes, I don't want to think about ...Amen, Fran. And, yes, I don't want to think about possible worse case scenarios. (But I'm sure the Lakota did before they declared their independence.) <BR/><BR/>Such is the nature of desperate conditions birthing desperate reactions, with very desperate outcomes possible. But victims of genocide have little to lose I suppose.Dadahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17257598218959429347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-58778125340203105752007-12-24T23:59:00.000-08:002007-12-24T23:59:00.000-08:00It is a real wildcard Dada. I hope they have it ri...It is a real wildcard Dada. I hope they have it right & can be their own soverign nation. Certainly looking @ their statistics, I can see why they came to the conclusion they needed to get out from under the regime of the illegal immigrants (gives it a whole different twist). I don't even want to think about potential worst case scenarios, so I won't even bring them up. They have every right to claim genocide, it is just a slow, painful version.<BR/>But I have to admire the long thoughtful planning, and the timing was great.... just before xmas break. These folks don't have a lot of money, but they sure have soul. I support them in their effort.Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198689517878201943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-38205532218485657722007-12-24T19:30:00.000-08:002007-12-24T19:30:00.000-08:00I pray it is successful and an inspiration for oth...I pray it is successful and an inspiration for others to follow, e.g., California, Oregon, etc. whose environmental standards are too high for the rest of America (formerly known as the United States thereof).Dadahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17257598218959429347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-50844394414182567772007-12-24T01:03:00.000-08:002007-12-24T01:03:00.000-08:00DK~ I was reading through the Lakota web site, the...DK~ I was reading through the Lakota web site, the pdf files of the actual documents they turned over to withdraw. It is heartbreaking, the raw deal and short end of the stick these indigenous people have endured. Just reading the current staticstics <BR/><BR/>In the face of the colonial apartheid conditions imposed on Lakota people, the withdrawal from the U.S. Treaties is necessary. These conditions have been devastating: <BR/>Lakota men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti.<BR/>Lakota death rate is the highest in the United States.<BR/>The Lakota infant mortality rate is 300% more than the U.S. Average.<BR/>More than half the Reservation's adults battle addiction and disease.<BR/>The Tuberculosis rate on Lakota reservations is approx 800% higher than the U.S national average.<BR/>Alcoholism affects 8 in 10 families.<BR/>Median income is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.<BR/>1/3 of the homes lack basic clean water and sewage while 40% lack electricty.<BR/>60% of housing is infected with potentially fatal black molds.<BR/>97% of our Lakota people live below the poverty line.<BR/>Unemployment rates on our reservations is 85% or higher.<BR/>Federal Commodity Food Program provides high sugar foods that kill Native people through diabetes and heart disease.<BR/>Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group.<BR/>Our Lakota language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction.<BR/><BR/>After I read the list, I though of the lyric *when you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose*<BR/>The Lakota Sioux tribe has not been financially wealthy, but they are morally and spiritually rich.<BR/>Their ability live their lives free, in the lands that were theirs to begin with, but greedily snapped up because of profitable resources by the US guvmnt, has clearly had a devestating effect to the Lakota Sioux Nation.<BR/><BR/>But the statistics above show the vast neglect and what they themselves call genocide, I can see where they feel they can only benefit from seceeding.<BR/><BR/>I don't know what will become of it. If they have formally withdrawn & are a soverign nation, then even if the US guvmnt wanted to go to court over archived laws, if the Lakota Nation does not participate in the US guvmnt, then the US court of law is not a binding legal entity in their eyes/country.<BR/><BR/>This is an historical event!Franhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198689517878201943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-52871252906649154262007-12-23T23:55:00.000-08:002007-12-23T23:55:00.000-08:00This situation will be VERY interesting to follow....This situation will be VERY interesting to follow. I hate to point out the obvious -- that the last time a group of people tried to secede from the U.S., it didn't work out too well for them. However, recognizing the native american's unique position, maybe it is possible.<BR/><BR/>Nice vid. Many familiar pics. At 4:44, that is the view taken from Navajo Bridge over Marble Canyon which might be considered the very very beginning of the Grand Cyn.D.K. Raedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01451065603615752038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-26706034714248480422007-12-23T21:16:00.000-08:002007-12-23T21:16:00.000-08:00I just added a historical reference of Red Cloud. ...I just added a historical reference of Red Cloud. That gives it an even more historically important link to the past.<BR/><BR/>Nice bumper sticker.... there is another<BR/><BR/>Indian Parking Only<BR/>All others need a ReservationFranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14198689517878201943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3882537619389851611.post-89761167874006524802007-12-23T21:11:00.000-08:002007-12-23T21:11:00.000-08:00Interesting!While driving through Montana a few ye...Interesting!<BR/><BR/>While driving through Montana a few years back, I saw this bumper sticker:<BR/><BR/>INDIANS HAD BAD IMMIGRATION LAWS<BR/><BR/>True!<BR/><BR/>In Canada, many treaties are just now reaching the table and there's a lot changing with First Nation relationships.Garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15148485566444804108noreply@blogger.com