Taking a lesson from reader Rodney Little Bird
By Charles Trimble
“The way I see it is that we pretty much play into their hands, we allow groups, interested parties to lead us to yet another dead end; i.e. Cobell, et al. And local tribal agencies corrupt at every turn--lack of accountability from the councils; nepotism like never seen before; throwing good money after bad; in fact sealing our fate with every lawsuit that is filed.
“However from all of this seemingly unending parody of the dog and pony shows, I get one thing and that thing really haunts me: We have long outlived the usefulness of a Tribal Council. We are too large in membership; together we can get things done...sheer numbers always works. And further Nations should come together to work on issues that require sheer numbers...find Solidarity through national unity...a solid voice of opposition to this ongoing denigration of our People....We have nothing more to lose...for it has all been bargained away.”
If tribes did unify from the beginning, history may have taken a different turn for America.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, most tribes squabble amoung themselves as it is, blinded by the quick cash schemes of gaming and lucrative enterprises. Tribes do not have the policitcal clout or manuevering, so they find a corrupt lawyer that charges the crap out of them or lobbyist that do the same.
Jack Abramhoff is a good lesson, and theres got to be more than one "Jack" out there playing both sides and I doubt that tribes have learned from that lesson with the "good ol' Indian boy" factions that have alot of power in Indian country.
I expect alot more in-fighting and anti-Indian sentiment amongst our ignorant non-native brethren.
Only thing is, these ignorant anti-Indian factions do have the political clout and they use it.
The more progressive tribes, such as the Cherokees and Choctaws in Oklahoma, knowingly or unknowningly, make legal precedent that unfairly commits other tribes into doing the same.
The greatest downfall these two tribes did that ruined it for the rest of Indian country was negotiate gaming and tribal revenues to the State of Oklahoma's corrupt government.
This paved the way for all Oklahoma tribes to follow suit, and the state and its meth cultured, uneducated trailer trash Okies are still bitching while our Indian people either work and struggle to make ends meet, or they have a tribal job and stand around with a cell phone texting, watching an OU game and have a half inch slice of a grilled commod cheese hanging out of their mouths. Pathetic.
In reality, tribes could and should, over-ride the state of Oklahoma's soveriegnty and kick their butts out of Oklahoma and call it Indian Territory like it really is, but with Christianity on the whiteman's side, most Indians become Pavlov's dogs when they hear the word "Jesus".
Oh well, its a nice dream anyway!