The Dudesons = treaty violation?

MTV is violating the Ft. Laramie Treaty--plain and simple!The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 establishes the peace between the United States and the Lakota Nation,and the first Article states that “if bad men among the whites or other people subject to the authority of the United States shall commit any wrong upon the person or the property of the Indians, the United States will (...) proceed at once to cause the offender to be arrested and punished according to the laws of the United States, and also reimburse the injured person for the loss sustained.”

We have plenty of proof of how programs like the Dudesons can be linked to the high suicide rates among our youth, which makes you, MTV breaking the peace between the US and the Lakota Nation. Have your lawyers check out the Treaty and the James Arthur Ray case as the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council forced the US to arrest him for violating the first Article of the Treaty--remember that according to the 6th Amendment of the US Constitution states that Treaties are one of the four supreme laws of the land.

Just so you know, Many Lakota People are complaining about your choice of programing that it is adversely affecting the health and happiness of our youth. They are complaining to the Treaty Council. And on June 2, there will be an AIM (American Indian Movement--remember Wounded Knee, 1973) Grand Council Meeting and you are on the agenda. So, if you want to avoid Federal prosecution, I suggest you remove the "Cowboys and Finndians" episode alltogether and post a public apology everywhere.

Pat Brock
Lakota/Dakota/Nakota
Creator of Ambitious Efforts--Indigenous Style
Yellow Bear Canyon, Pine Ridge, South DakotaComment:  The authorities would've arrested James Ray whether the Lakota intervened or not. And it's Article Six of the US Constitution, not the Sixth Amendment.

You basically could say that anything that harms a single Lakota is a treaty violation. While this may be true, technically, the US won't prosecute people for intangible violations such as stereotyping Indians. It definitely won't limit MTV's First Amendment rights over something as "stoopid" as The Dudesons.

This and the James Ray lawsuit seem like a gross overreaction to me. I suggest saving the "treaty violation" talk for the truly egregious cases--e.g., corporate or government malfeasance. If you threaten to sue over every harmful stereotype, you'll be filing thousands of lawsuits a year. People will label you gadflies who "cry wolf" whether you have a case or not.

If you found someone who committed suicide after leaving a note blaming The Dudesons, then you might have case. But you can't say people have been committing suicide for years...shows like The Dudesons are to blame...so let's censor MTV. That'll never happen. It's an emotional reaction, not a valid legal case.

For more on the subject, see Dudesons Fans Don't Get It and Natives Protest The Dudesons.