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O'siyo Brothers and Sister!
Two hundred thirty-one years ago, 56 men signed
their names to a document declaring their, and this foundling Nation's,
independence from the yoke of European control. This year also marks the
one hundred fortieth anniversary of the founding of Canada... in 1946 it
ceased to be a dominion, and in 1982 the Canada Act created the Charter
of Rights and Freedoms - the Canadian Constitution and the Canadian
Parliament assumed operating control of Canada.
What both these nations seem not to comprehend is that the
European-descended founders of these young nations still harbored the
same intent to exert tyranny and control over some subjects within their
assumed borders that they had themselves escaped. Both nations'
indigenous peoples, various non-European immigrants, and its women
suffered similar oppressions, and worse, over the years from the
growing "independent" governments.
Native Peoples celebrate independence on "Independence Day". We
celebrate survival and the strength of our ancestors who refused to
become copper skinned copies of the oppressors. We celebrate those
ancestors keeping our traditions, beliefs and ceremonies alive in their
hearts until they could be brought out of hiding. We do not celebrate
the independence that was taken away from us.
I have witnessed something else in recent years. Those white European
descendants are very uncomfortable with the "browning" of North America
and are resorting to old tricks of control and oppression in an attempt
to stem the shift of power.
It's not working nearly as well as they would like. In a city in
Northwest Georgia the mayor and council assumed the best way to keep the
influx of Hispanics at bay was to enact suppressive laws. The first they
trotted out was a law requiring all businesses to have signs of equal or
larger signs in English for every sign, including business name, in any
non-English language. All the Carnacerias would also have signs that
said Meat Market, etc... The "excuse" for this law was it would make it
easier for emergency crews to respond to calls for help.
(Remember this... there are also old enmities between some South and
Central American communities, just as there are between some US Tribes
and Canadian First Nations.)
The Hispanics banded together, in spite of some differences, and did two
things that put "Bubba Law" in its place. First, they went to court and
demanded the law be equally enforced. If Carnaceria de Pueblo must also
carry a sign that read, "Town Meat Market" then Chateau Elan apartments
must also post a huge sign that read "Distinctive Country House", etc.
Naturally, those big dollar backed businesses got their backs up, but
the courts had little choice but to agree the law had to be enacted and
enforced equally. The Mayor and his cronies rescinded their little law.
It was one of their last official acts, because next election the
Hispanics voted against every one of them in a bloc, and cleaned house.
I'm hoping I am not alone in remembering one of the lessons from our
ancestors. It is an especially delicious victory when you defeat the
enemy with his own tools. In the last elections Native People discovered
power at the poll many did not realize they had. There is another big
election approaching, and there are some politicians who have made
beating up on Indians a part of their act. It's past time we used their
own tools and voted these bastards out of office.
Happy Independence Day, my relatives.
Dohiyi Ani Oginalii
Gary Smith (*,*)
wotanging@bellsouth.net
P. O. Box 672168 (`-') gars@nanews.org
Marietta, GA 30006, U.S.A. ===w=w===
http://www.nanews.org
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CONTENTS LIST OF ARTICLES IN
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 028
FOR ARTICLES GOT TO
WOTANGING IKCHE-Native American News
Editorial Section: . Independence (?) Day
- Meaning Of Independence By Huron Chief Of 1700's
- Indians Seeking Say In Presidential Elections
- Winner Wrestling With Cultural Differences
- NCAI Opposes Bill To Terminate The CNO
- Appeals Court Backs Michigan Land-Into-Trust
- Thruway Authority Shoots Down Seneca $2m Request
- Elouise C. Cobell Honored As Rural Hero
- Another White Buffalo Calf Born
- Navajo Council Approves $7.3m For Youth Employment
- Indian Groups Working To Preserve Their Culture
- Emotions Run High At Closing Of Indian School
- Nuvamsa Suit Challenges Tribe's Sovereignty
- Grandmother's Wish Puts Woman On Traditional Path
- Treasury Awards $3.6 Million To Organizations
- Yellow Bird: Wild Rivers Need Our Protection
- Jodi Rave: Gaming Revenues Languish In Montana
- Yellow Bird: Strive For Freedom And Equality, Too
- Ross: Native Law: Our Never-Ending Struggle
- Ii Encounter Of Zapatista With Peoples Of World
- Alberta To Restrict Metis Rights
- Alberta Me'tis Leader Shoots Down Provincial Plan
- Rally For Common Land, Common Ground Initiative
- Naive Chiefs And Delegates Meet In Halifax
- More Native Children Being Abused And Neglected
- Indian Children Pepper-Sprayed
- Mille Lacs County And Band Square Off
- Law Enforcement Is A 'Dotted Blue Line'
- Blackfeet And Sheriff Reach Temporary Agreement
- Justice In Indian Country, Part 2
- Native Justice-- Help Needed For Native Brother At Big Sandy
- Rustywire: Navajo Hour
- Del "Abe" Jones Poem: Final Rest
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"The real and pressing challenges facing Indian
Country are routinely ignored by our political leaders and excluded from
our national conversation."
"At a minimum, it's disheartening to see our candidates miss an
opportunity to recognize the issues - many of which are shared with
other minority communities - that face American Indians."
-- Kalyn Free, President of the INDN's List Education Fund |