Today, a group of Lakota calling themselves the Lakota Freedom Delegation are in Washington DC to announce their Nation’s withdrawal from all U.S. Treaties.
Information is fairly short at the moment, but they sent out a press release last week, explaining:
“For far too long our people have suffered at the hands of the colonial apartheid system imposed on the Lakota Sioux. Our treaties with the United States government are nothing more than worthless words on worthless paper – repeatedly violated in order to steal our culture, our land and our ability to maintain our way of life.
The devastation this has wrought is clear:
[NB: this is just a fraction of what the Lakota, like all Indigenous People are faced with]
- Lakota men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti.
- The Lakota infant mortality rate is 5x the U.S. Average.
- The Tuberculosis rate on Lakota reservations is approx 800% higher than the U.S national average.
- 97% of our Lakota people live below the poverty line.
- Unemployment rates on our reservations are approximately 85%.
- Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group.
- Our Lakota language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction.
We have no choice but to take this historic action to protect our people and our way of life, and reclaim our freedom from the colonial systems of the United States Government. So we travel to Washington D.C. to withdraw from our treaties with the United States and announce full return of our sovereign status under Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution, International and Natural Law. ”
The Delegation, accompanied by Lakota activist and actor Russell Means; Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr.; Gary Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders, Women of Red Nations founder Phyllis Young, Pearl Denet Claw Daniel and other Lakota from the Sioux reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana will be gathering at the Plymouth Congregational Church in Washington at 11:30am to make the announcement.
A few things come to mind about this, but rather than repeat what’s been already said, please have read of Shus li Che dut nah ’s words on her blog, Death and Conscience.
What US government does is immoral and criminal. Change will come though. Nothing last forever. Mother Earth will have last say.
One of the signs of hope comes with internet. I am placing this info on my blog. People should know.
Les.
The elite’s government FEARS you!!!!!!
Their fear is manifested in the laws they pass. Here is a law banning what MANY of the Founders wrote is a RIGHT of citizens when a government no longer represents them:
Section 2385. Advocating overthrow of Government
Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or
teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of
overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or
the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession
thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by
force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any
such government; or
Whoever, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any
such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates,
sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed
matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity,
desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any
government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts
to do so; or
Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society,
group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the
overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or
violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any
such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes
thereof -
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than
twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by
the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five
years next following his conviction.
If two or more persons conspire to commit any offense named in
this section, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for
employment by the United States or any department or agency
thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
As used in this section, the terms ”organizes” and
”organize”, with respect to any society, group, or assembly of
persons, include the recruiting of new members, the forming of new
units, and the regrouping or expansion of existing clubs, classes,
and other units of such society, group, or assembly of persons.
The federal government is allowing MILLIONS of illegals to invade our country who are causing immense economic harm to America’s working poor. Corporate America is becoming increasingly more powerful and influential. Yet, according to the government of for and by the elites YOU, a citizen, have to accept whatever the government does with NO recourse other than voting…… and there is sufficient proof that shows to me voting is worthless since the entrenched power structure ensures that the emplaced elite class can not be removed.
Several Founders specifically wrote of the people’s right to abolish a government when it no longer represents them.
We are forced to live under an elite’s TYRANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers Les.
Obbop, personally this law doesn’t surprise me in the least. I think it’s really a standard for every government.
As far as the US goes, there’s alot more laws people should be concerned about… But then we must remember laws in modern society are just words on paper. They can be changed any time.
I think, that’s actually another big problem with voting… It’s a paradox: in one term so many good things could be accomplished, but then after that term ends everything can be abrogated and the entire society could be literally brought to its knees (cough, cough).Then that term ends, and things start getting better, and on and on it goes… It’d go on for ever if the system wasn’t fundamentally flawed…
A
A landlocked country full of drunks and casinos..What a good time! Will their casino’s still take dollars or should I bring Buffalo hides and beaver pelts? Maybe, if we wait until the peyote wears off then they will come to their senses. I think the Indian revolt should be crushed. Where is General Crook when you need him? He would dispatch these savages with great prejudice. This might actually be a wonderful idea. Let ‘em do it and embargo trade of any kind with their azzes. Then they might figure out which tit the milk comes from !
I realy hope this has the backing of the entire Lakota nation. I have searched untill my fingers are numb and so far it seems like this is a fractured deligation without the athority to speak for the Lakota as a nation.
This can be done. If it has the backing of the Lakota Nation (and I hope it does) the timing is impeckable. With a looming housing market seemed face for doom, war on 2 fronts, and the dollar at an all time low, the US econimy is poised to crumble.
Its solgiers are spread out all over the world and the world has had just about enough of US policy. I would expect a huge backing from the UN, and NATO forces dispatched to US soil to inforce any resulitions they passed. About any resilution agianst the US would have a good chance at passing.
What would this mean? The US Government backed agianst the wall by the UN. American citizens would never stand for a foriegn occupation, therefore it would ultimatly end in war agianst the US by the UN. The US can not win that war.
A case by a native population charging the US with genoside would have an overwhelming backing at the UN. Face it the world hates the US. They have played the schoolyard bully for far too long and have very few allies left. That brings us to proof and its there in volumes. The US government thereselves have stated they have broke each and every treaty ever made with a native tribe, and the genioside is in every school history book.
The best the US government can do is hope this fades away with little notice. If 1 shot is fired agianst the Lakota, or 1 sanshion is passes agianst them, the outcry will ring the world over. This isnt the 1800’s anymore. The world is through with crimes agianst humanity. The US has used that very stage to declare war in every conflict since World War II. Its about time it comes back to bite them.
Bill, that’s gotta be the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You should be ashamed of yourself. Better yet, go back to Europe. You don’t deserve to be on this land.
Now now, We can’t really blame him. The guy’s probably never been exposed to reality. All he can do is make uninformed assumptions that compliment his position, which is by all means not his own.
For instance, Bill have you ever been to a reserve before? Go to Pine Ridge and let’s talk about all this money you think we all have.
Sure there are alot of Casinos, but most of the money does not go to the people. It stays at the top, or it’s spent on infrastructure, and not invested in the community. If you want some proof, go to tribalcorruption.com/
After that, go to your local library and start reading. Or better yet, feel free to ask me a question. I’d be more than happy to answer it…
lucky, at first I didn’t think so, but Brenda Norrell posted an article yesterday that indicates yes, they have the support of the Lakota
Secondly, about the UN–unfortunately, I can guarantee they will not be intervening in any substantial way. At best,they would possibly send aid to indigenous people, but I think even that’s pushing it.
As for charging the US with Genocide, it’s actually been done. America even lost one of the cases to an international court
(The IPT, International Peoples Tribunal, also found the US guilty of genocide, but the IPT only has moral authority)
The problem with the International court case, was that court itself had no power over a state. You see, the ICC (and the ICJ) gives Nation States the right to deny the court’s jurisdiction on a case by case basis. So when the US lost it’s case and was charged with genocide the US exercised this right, making the case entirely moot…
Even more disheartening, the ICJ also has a provision which exludes all history before the year the court was founded, I think 1972. So the historical genocide of Indigenous People cannot be heard. Convenient, isn’t it?
At the moment, when it comes to international justice for the genocide of indigenous People, that’s about all there is to say. There are simply no real options on the table—which is why something like what the Lakota are doing (or attempting to do) is so important.
Things are at the point where Indigenous People the world over are realizing they must separate themselves from the colonial system and stand on their own.
More and more people are coming to realize this: that for one, Casinos need to be abolished; that The Tribal council system of governance (or Band Council system in Canada) must be disposed of so traditional forms of governance can be restored; that we must walk away from the capital system and create our own economy (one that respects customs and traditions); and that it is up to us and us alone to protect our languages, customs, histories, perspectives, and futures.
Nation States may never be held accountable for the crimes of the past, but that does not mean we have to sit idely by or deny ourselves our right to life, while history repeats.
By all means, that is precisely what will happen if we don’t set the example and separate or grow beyond our own historical limitations so we can once again be Onkwehonwe (Real People).
The same can be said for non-indigenous people too. More than needing better government, we must become better people.
If we don’t, then really it won’t matter who’s in power or what a society looks like or accomplishes, because there will always be this massive internal blackhole that can bring the worst of history to our front doors in the blink of an eye.
I honestly think the support from the UN is there. The US is the last world power standing in the way of the UN to be THE world power.
Look at it this way. In the begining the US started with 13 different states (another word for country) signing a coalition to stand with each other. At that time the Federal Government had no athority over the states and was funded by whatever the states decided to give them. States rights were the supreme law. That stood to some degree untill the civil war.
No matter what you have heard, the civil war was a war over states rights NOT SLAVERY. The Souths position was that any state could resign from the union at anytime. The same position on treaties President Bush has affirmed lately.
The UN started in a very similar way. Slowly it has grown to the point that although a country isnt bound by its resilutions, it is almost impossable to declair war without its aproval. Before long it will grow to the position the Federal government has over the states right now. The US will be just a state in a World Government.
If 1 shot is fired agianst the native population, genoside is a new crime. The sheild of time is taken away, and the US can and will be charged and convicted of genoside in world court.
Why do I believe that will happen. I honestly think the world is looking for a reason. By breaking the US there will be a World Government, and many countrys as well as the UN have that as an ultimate goal.
The Lakota might have just set that stage for that. The US cant let them get away with it as it would set the stage for the rest of the tribes to do the same thing (and maybe even some states). They cant resist because the world will ring down on them. Preverbial rock and hard place.
Trust me there only way out without overwhelming change is for this to go away without much notice.
throughout all of this I have yet to see any media coverage.Comes as no suprise.But they can cover every other aspect such as Mexican/Hispanic, African American and so on. This no matter the outcome is a story that should have its time on the news as it is in many ways to the Native American and to Americans as a whole a very important story that has positive and negative on both sides.
I of course cannot say what will happen but then again the Government I am sure will bring about a cover up or worst yet another Wounded Knee situation.
Official Lakota Nation Delegation, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, January 2008: the Lakota Nation has not seceded from the US, nor does it intend to.
http://www.tizzlit.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the follow-up, Lyssa. It does look like it was all blown out of proportion, but that’s not say secession is still not a possibility…. whether or not the Federally-created Tribal Councils would endorse it. Ultimately the decision is up to the People and the People alone… Especially if Traditional Government is restored.