TRAYVON MARTIN

The aftermath of this has become a tragedy in itself-news outlets selectively editing recordings, hucksters rushing to commercialize this young man’s name-Spike Lee sticking his foot in his mouth and then attempting to atone for it by “picking up the tab”, racists and race baiters eager to voice their opinion-the death of Trayvon Martin has become more of a feeding frenzy than the thoughtful pursuit of justice.

The underbelly of this nation and it’s citizens who present themselves as champions of human rights on the world stage has been put on display  for the global community to see, and it hardly seems worthy of respect.

This isn’t about political currency to be made, enhancing ones celebrity, or scrambling to voice an opinion before a forum page is turned-it is literally about life and death-and now, about the character and quality of justice and a nation as well.

A justice and quality long absent in the pursuit of closure in the case of Annie Mae, Ray Robinson, Jancita Eagle Deer, Roque Duenas,  and a shameful count of others.

As indigenous people we have seen the same attempts to commercialize, to gain the currency of credibility, to self promote and profit related to these deaths among us as that of Trayvon Martin.

I don’t know all the particulars of the death of Trayvon,  that is due in part to not witnessing the events and what the mainstream media agenda has  been-what they choose to promote, but I doubt this will take as long to play out as it has for those spoken above.

Events such as these are feeding grounds for poverty pimps-would be voices said to represent commonly held beliefs and truths-I expect our version of these will weigh in with an “update”, a “commentary”, if for no other
reason than it is current, and in being so will be seen as an opportunity to draw comparisons and attempt to have the light cast their way.

Comparisons can be rightfully made, but what will not be mentioned is their own willful contributory negligence in suppressing justice among our own. Their contributions to injustice-and the all too obvious indifference to it.

The mainstream media, who in their eagerness to promote murderers and common criminals, to make life imitate Hollywood art of cowboys and Indians,  fueled the myth of “liberators” and “warriors”, and instead created a Frankenstein the nations have had to contend with for decades.

Let the media, let MSNBC and Al Sharpton, let AIM and what the Lakota Oyate characterized as “wannabe chiefs” devote a tenth of the attention to the murders that have occurred among us and the present would be something entirely different.

What is going on with Trayvon is the same as what a rape victim has to endure-every bit of minutia will be dug into and exposed in attempt to if not exonerate the alleged perpetrator, then to cast the victim in the role of somehow having “asked” for it.

If Zimmerman, the shooter, is guilty, so be it-if he isn’t, so be it. What is required is a thoughtful and reasoned search for the truth, not the prevailing media driven circus. That would require the media being compelled by a social conscience rather than sound bites in the pursuit of audience.

If any consolation can be found in the death of Trayvon it is that this didn’t happen a few short decades ago-if so the media would relegate it to a line or two in the back pages-we on the other hand still await the death of our own as being something other than a mainstream  media afterthought.

www.jfamr.org/trialtime.html

http://lookingbackwoman.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/old-news-new-perspective-why-is-aim-still-free/

A DISPOSABLE COMMODITY

In keeping with what was said in the Stepping Stones and Art(?) And Informercials blog I felt it was appropriate to expand on what I  referred to as Russell Means penchant for being for what he has been  against,and against what he has been for as it serves him.

No better example can be found of this reset button than that of positions he took related to his arrest for assaulting his then eighty year old father in law, Leon Grant, on the Dine reservation. Another example of this is the selling of matriarchy accompanied by the studious lack of involvement in the pursuit of justice for Annie Mae.

With the long history of working indigenous issues for personal advancement and monetary gain, years, decades, of railing against the system almost singularly characterized by talk of sovereignty,  oppression, and indigenous rights, when push came to shove-when the moment arrived to take responsibility at his own expense to add substance to his purported belief and substance to claims and rights of the nations, he chose instead to denounce the concept of sovereignty and the ability of the Dine nation as a sovereign  people to address  the issues of crime committed  within the boundaries of their land.

In doing so he struck a blow for Government policies of genocide, assimilation, and in the larger picture the ongoing theft of land.

He cast himself in the role of a defacto agent of oppression, a hang around the fort, a provocateur, in an attempt to undermine the Dine and further erode the concept of sovereignty and self governance for all the nations, all indigenous people.

A further reality is here is a would be emperor who has been butt naked from day one-clearly visible to all who refuse to confine themselves to romantic illusions or to be swayed by role playing.

Here’s an “update”, a “commentary”, Russell-the Lakota are not the only who suffer, who are bound hand and foot by repressive policies-anything that affects any nation affects all.

If you want to sell out the Dine you sell out the Lakota and every nation extant as well-you attempt to  impose a “colonial existence”of your own making- one that features you as a “facilitator”.

While it is an astonishing reversal of Means purported advocacy, in reality it isn’t a surprise, but rather a recurring pattern of what appears to be a me first philosophy that is driven by an arrogant and self serving attitude, personal goals, and some sense of having a greater value than others.

This right to self governance that sovereignty creates is not a disposable commodity subject to the whim or fancy of anyone- it is not a gift, it is inherent among all people -anything that obstructs it is a crime against humanity-anyone who seeks to circumvent it  participates in a crime against humanity.

No “patriot” has ever placed themselves above the welfare of a nation or nations-no true “liberator” has ever sought to liberate them self while further enslaving others.

If attacking an aged one armed elder, participating in an event such as WK2 where indigenous peoples homes were ransacked and razed, property and vehicles stolen, women assaulted, elders taken hostage and threatened, rapes and murders committed, are qualifications to be a liberator and or a patriot, none should aspire to this.

If denying the sovereignty of any nation-the basic inherent right to govern themselves in some meaningful way and address issues as they arise within their own community are likewise requirements or definitions none should aspire to that either.

“I want to pound the final nail of the coffin of our Colonial existence,” he said yesterday. “This ruling, if this stands at the Supreme Court, will definitely separate us from the rest of the America and its Constitution forever.”…Means

How very convoluted a self serving approach wrapped in the usual bs of doing the greater good for the nations. Yet cannot separate himself from this very “colonial existence” when it is seen to work in his favor, when there is some measure of money to had. What’s next-a place for him alongside Jefferson, Lincoln, Washington, and Roosevelt at Rushmore?

Or maybe carve up another mountain for him, Banks, Peltier, and Bellecourt-but we have to check first to determine whether he is for or against carving up mountains and desecrating land at the moment.

Come on now people, we’re better than all this-you know it and I know it. If not, then surely our children are……aren’t they?

http://www.tribal-institute.org/cases/navajo/means.htm

http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/marxism/2005w34/msg00111.html

STEPPING STONES

“With two AIMsters, I made a plan. When the verdict was announced, they would shoot the jury and I would kill the prosecutors and the judge. Then we would take white women for hostages, tape guns to their throats and make a run for it.
Killing them would have been a strike at injustice, a calculated expression of frustration and rage that could no longer be contained. In my anger, I didn’t see them as individuals or even as human beings.”…Russell Means

Saw this on the Leonard Peltier Still Guilty site and although familiar with it, it set me to thinking how this has pretty much been the way of it with Russell-doesn’t seem as though any have been seen as human beings, not even the nations, only stepping stones, a means to a personal end.

Note here Russell references “white women”, singles them out as targets, and yet it is predominantly white people who are enamored, who fill the hat when it is passed, and raise a pathetic fist in a comical display of masochistic solidarity-it is predominately white women who gush in response to his matriarchal “lessons”-a profound mystery to me.

Russell’s penchant has been to be for what he has been against, and against what he has been for-like the sovereignty and jurisdictional Chinle issue-that ongoing reset button subject to his take on what topic will garner the greatest approval rating, the most attention,  and serve him the best.

The life, the future, of a single indigenous child has more value, a greater merit than that of Means and his cohorts combined-maybe someday “activists” will come to understand and accept that.

Maybe some day they will come to understand that millions requested to erect a monument to deception in Minnesota would accomplish significantly more if used as seed money for the development of rez based businesses and infrastructure, funding for centers to provide care and housing for abused women and children.

In lieu of any of the above how about dividing this sum up proportionately as rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of “liberators” in the deaths of Annie Mae, Ray Robinson, and those known and unknown victims of WK2?

To segue a little I would add the following quote:
“A woman is like a tea bag – only in hot water do you realize how strong she is” ……… Nancy Reagan

Not just our women, but all women have been in hot water for some time at the hands of men-I’m pleased to see their strength beginning to manifest itself, and would encourage all who would gain an insight into the nations
to listen a little more closely to their voices-to in the least give them equal consideration.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Leonard-Peltier-Still-Guilty/282244061803531

The following link works on Goggle-but at least on my end Yahoo seems to have it’s typical difficulties. This link takes the reader to an FB site that relates a compelling story and sheds further light on the truth about AIM and Wounded Knee 2. The author speaks of forgiveness and new beginnings , there is merit in doing do so-but I would add that forgiveness is predicated upon honesty and admission-neither of which are AIM characteristics, and certainly not that of the “liberators” and “walkers and talkers”.

My personal opinion is that they can still deservedly go straight to hell without stopping to pick up the usual monetary incentive.

http://www.facebook.com/UncoverOurHearts

OMERTA

 

Omerta, the Mafia code of silence, a vow of complete allegiance.Representative of what exists in the AIM hierarchy-  and no doubt much the same as the Mafia AIM has within the ranks of it’s hierarchy well established moles/snitches who are given free reign and exoneration for the crimes they commit.

There will be no public admission as in the case of Durham, and they certainly aren’t going to out themselves.
What is left is to roam freely, do as they will, and routinely file their reports.

Ties that can never be severed due to the inherent vulnerability both handler and “snitch” would be exposed to. Secrets better left to inaccessible files and hopefully taken to generational graves.

The work of obscuring left to pie patrols, books, and the water boarding effect of countless videos, half truths, “investigations” that drag on for decades, and outright lies.

Yet exposure is inevitable, history has proven that as Robert Burns said in his poem, To A Mouse-”The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang  aft agley.” or as most of us would say -The best laid schemes of mice and men / Often go awry.

It has been said that history is a lie agreed upon- AIM has devoted decades attempting to effect this by writing their version and relying on the free pass they have been given to be seen as proof of innocence.

Low level grunts like Peltier and Graham are deemed an acceptable loss, sacrifices at the altar of personal survival as a necessary offering.

Though in keeping with the cover story a professed indignation is  displayed,”support” is offered, and myths of dragon slaying redmen are  created and fostered-if it becomes a profitable venture it is icing on  the cake.

American Indian Mafia? American Indian Murderers? Indisputable fact.

These liberators have been careening around in the same clown car with the same act for decades, and have done so with apparent impunity.

They need a new routine, new material-outrageous as it may seem I would suggest truth and openness would garner them a entirely new audience,  and the attention they crave would be forthcoming.

As “performers” they need to stay current-their entire performance has become stale and dated-we know every bit of slapstick, every pie in the face, every punchline, we can see it coming a mile away and  lipsync along at any given moment.

The painful expression of angst, the look of being burdened by an overwhelming compassion, the feigned indignation and patriotic fervor- all of it predictable, all of it lacking substance-all of it nothing more than a recital, the AIM Choir signature theme song- interactive  theater with an audience composed of willing victims.

Victims of theft-theft of money in the form of donations that never accomplish anything-theft of the purity of concern for the nations and the desire to do something, theft of reason that would look at a  ravaged village and those displaced these many years and say no  liberation exists in the aftermath, theft of the human quality that
would champion victims rather than perpetrators and murderers.

A theater constructed upon the militant coup of elders and tradition, the willful destruction of anything meaningful that stands in the way of avarice and greed, of being third rate actors and liberators, facilitators and patriots.

Con men, scam artists, and poverty pimps-rapists, murderers, convicted drug dealers, and thieves promoting themselves as icons of a way of life, of nations, who rely on a singular premise-that people are willing to be victims depending upon how a lie is packaged.

Had it not of been for sites like Indigenous Women for Justice and News From Indian Country I don’t believe it is a stretch to say it is doubtful anything would have been done or ever would be-that should
be a cause for concern and an eye opener.

The issue of the pipe may or may not be of importance to readers- independent of that Looking Back Woman’s site is another good source of information that merits a  look.  As should  others listed as recommended sites on this  blog page.

ANOTHER LOOK AT MATRIARCHY-HOT BUTTONS AND ETCH A SKETCH

I may offend some people in saying what will follow but I assure one and all that isn’t my intent……as you read though one notable exception exists.

Various topics arise over time, some become fluid based on a truth, while others do not-the one I
would like to address is that of matriarchy.

A lot is being said about the virtues of matriarchal societies and the evils of patriarchal ones-somewhere
in all this the understanding is being lost that gender in itself is no guarantee of integrity or ability.

I’ll qualify that by saying that patriarchal rule has failed miserably-but will also refer to a point stonefeather
made in their blog regarding the Kayapo nation of Brazil who are being evicted from their ancestral home
along with other indigenous peoples as the result of a hydroelectric dam that is projected to be the third largest
in the world.

This forced relocation will effect an estimated 40,000 people, who will not only have their dwellings demolished,
but  will also lose access to their spiritual sites, their land, communities, and the place where their ancestors lay.

The current president of Brazil is Dilma Rousseff, a woman, who took office on January 1, 2011  and exhibits the
same heavy handed approach that is characteristic of patriarchy.

I have never advocated for the ascendency of men over women, or women over men-what I have, and will continue to advocate for is the existence of state of equality and mutual responsibility.

In that I am an equalist- and I say that both and women should be recognized for their strengths and weaknesses,
encouraged in developing their full potential, and in doing so strike a balance.

Gender in itself should not be an entitlement to lead in my opinion-I know both men and women who I consider to be unfit for such a role. Anyone following the conflict in Syria and the actions and spending habits of Assad’s wife Asma-the so called Rose of the Desert, can see the point I make.

No one can dispute that there are women, and have been women, in positions of tribal leadership who are and have been just as conniving and corrupt as their male counterparts-nor can the same be denied on the local, state, national, or international level.

Nor can anyone dispute that women have also abused and neglected their children. I don’t pretend to say on the same scale that men have, but the rate of increase is cause for alarm.

And although I was initially enthusiastic about Rousseff’s election and thought it bode well for all people, her record to date has dampened my enthusiasm.

Matriarchy, both historically and presently is not the cobbled together version expounded  by Russell Means that is episodic in it’s repetition of lunar cycles and the words wow and caveman-he’s attempting to “own” it just as any politician does a issue and insert himself as an authority, much as he  has done with every other topic he has addressed over the years-and predictably the same as it is with those other topics, failing miserably.

If the current hot button topic were dwarves, elves, and leprechauns he would be speaking of those with the same feigned fervor and attempting to own them as well. Russell’s own reset button-his own etch a sketch version ala Romney.

I would encourage one and all who have an interest to spend a little time researching the subject-particularly among the various nations and how they approached it.

Whether or not a true balance and equality can ever be achieved is open to question-but I believe it is something to strive for, and if practiced and nurtured in the home as a starting point has the potential to grow.

An important tool in achieving this is to instill the values of equality, respect, and personal integrity in our children-with the mess we have made it may fall to them.

There is nothing wrong with women being women and men being men-neither should attempt to control or usurp the other though-what defines this is character, or the lack of it.

I think rather than making a mantra of words like patriarchy and matriarchy we would be better served if we said things like unity, equality, mutual respect, and common goals, and in saying them meant it and worked to that end.

We are elemental beings-life forms that contain shared genetics with other species, minerals and elements to be found in the environment, all of which speaks to an interconnectedness and dependency.

Bias, and any form of oppression should be viewed as counterintuitive, counterproductive, yet they seem to be in ascendency and the divisions they create are obvious.

It is an easy thing to say we are all related, sounds good too, but speaking and believing are two different things. For those like Russell Means who work this phrase for all it is worth I say if they did believe it is so they too would feel the same pain as the families of Annie Mae and Ray Robinson, and in doing so pursue justice for
them wholeheartedly and in like manner.

The proof is, as they say, in the pudding, and I liken it to the parent who says do as I say and not as I do, who in their own arrogance fail to understand that a child learns more by example than contradictory statements-or celebrities who feel a different standard applies to them.

Men and women were created for a reason, I am of the opinion that we as human beings cannot improve the design or the intent-what we can improve is the way we go about things and understand neither could
exist without the other.That single fact alone merits respect and nurturing.

People are not possessions-we may possess the heart when given freely but this act of giving should be recognized as a gift, not a right.

Too many people-both men and women abuse themselves-in such a climate it is difficult to expect them not to abuse others.

If they haven’t enough respect for themselves it is doubtful anyone else will-that is a reality that needs to be addressed as part of the solution-until it is the question of whether we are sentient beings is open to debate.

Cultures are defined by the values they hold and the traditions they maintain- a part of the problems the nations face are directly related to the adoption of external values and the decline in tradition they produce-talking about them them isn’t enough-our culture, our traditions, our value systems, must find full time residence in our hearts, they must be lived even when no one is looking-they should not be viewed as marketable selling points or a persona to put on and off like an article of clothing.

I have expressed opinions I hold-in doing so I make no assertion that they are either absolutes or the only viable ones available- I welcome both opposing views and any necessary corrections.

http://stonefeather.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/reality-of-the-true-price-of-our-bourgeois-quality-of-life/

http://news.yahoo.com/eu-imposes-sanctions-assads-wife-relatives-122126856.html

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2010/10/29/f-brazil-dilma-rousseff.html

www.cnn.com/2012/03/21/politics/campaign-wrap/index.html

ART (?) AND INFOMERCIALS

It must be a difficult thing to be constantly driven to pursue money and attention-I don’t know how Russell does it.

I guess with as much practice as he’s had it has become second nature and  he thinks it is a normal process.

Recently I was sent a link to one of Russell’s homages to himself-in this one he poses in a what looks like a fresh out of the box apron, and in the best of infomercial presentations smiles innocently at the camera as though pleasantly surprised unexpected company has dropped by and launches into the equivalent of excuse the mess I’ve just been pouring my heart out as a starving and tortured artist to express my vision on canvas.

All that was lacking to round out the effect was a beret, but I guess wardrobe didn’t have one-maybe makeup would have been well advised to add a smear of paint or two on the apron as well.

The three stooges gave better performances than this-though his may rival theirs in the sheer hilarity of the props employed.

Art? I have an appreciate for it-like most people some styles have a greater appeal to me than others, and I admit I am sometimes confused by what is labelled as art.

No such confusion regarding Russell’s version though-this isn’t art by any stretch of the imagination, any loose interpretation of the word.

It is commercialism, devoid of any appreciable talent, a  shameless pursuit of the dollar.

Hard times at El Rancho Means-the governmental well of grants has dried up, as has those Hollywood roles, donations for such non existent entities as the immersion school, the “band” and the recording venture were an abysmal flop, and Ron Paul doesn’t pay for endorsements.

What’s a patriot to do other than pander and scavenge, attempt to keep their name out there in any way possible, and turn a buck at the same time. Necessity, the mother of invention.

This latest offering is like one of those Ginsu Knife commercials, the only difference is I’m sure the asking price is more than 19.99 plus shipping and handling.

What’s next, a genuine Native American vacuum cleaner-an official Russell Means secret decoder ring with certificate of authenticity?

The avatar I use on this blog was created by a young man by the name of Mahpeva, who at the time was of preschool age-I submit there is a greater integrity, talent, and value in it than anything Toulouse Laumeans will ever be capable of.

Including the infomercial link as I think everyone needs a good laugh now and again.

http://www.republicoflakotah.com/2012/russell-means-update-for-february-22/

ANTHROPOLOGY

Anthropologists- seems like people either love them or hate them-was having a conversation with someone about the subject of anthropology and they happened to ask what I thought of Russell’s rants about anthropology and his attempts  to cast himself as being a greater authority.

In response I brought up Joe Medicine Crow-a  98 year old Blackfoot elder, last traditional war chief,  tribal historian, and  anthropologist,  I suggested Russell should attempt to run his “theories” by Joe.

I believe it serves an obvious purpose for the nations to have anthropologists such as Medicine Crow to insure a
diverse and ethnically oriented approach-one that brings  insight and traditional understanding into the mix.

One that would also have an acute understanding of the relationship of indigenous people and ecosystems.

Aldo Leopold penned an essay entitled “Thinking Like a Mountain” wherein he expressed the belief that the extinctions of biodiversity create a threat as lethal as thermonuclear war.

He further stated that”In Wildness is the salvation of the  Earth and the preservation of all life,long known among  mountains and wolves…but seldom perceived by man.” Think  like a mountain; think like a wolf; think like the Earth.”

This is something we as a people have long known, but a wisdom that is being eroded.

In the final analysis I would say if offered a choice  between Russell and Medicine Crow as to credibility,Russell
isn’t even an also ran.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Medicine_Crow

WITOLD PILECKI

 
Acts of heroism are not restricted by ethnic boundaries-they  exist and will continue to exist among all people wherever abuses take place.

The very commonality of such abuses should lend itself to a global awareness and unity-the mere fact that as an individual one might not have to endure them does not excuse the lack of addressing them.

The focus of this blog is primarily about indigenous people in this hemisphere, and more specifically those within this nation, but it is an impossibility to address the issues without recognizing the existence of them elsewhere.

Acknowledging that human suffering is not a proprietary circumstance peculiar to any people-understanding as well that if such things are allowed to exist anywhere while people remain silence that a tacit consent is given.

During the Bosnian conflict fifty thousand women were raped, and the death toll is yet to be accurately arrived at-the horrors of the second world war are well documented.

Pick a country-any country-and review not only the history but current events and you will find the common thread of selective, directed abuse.

In France for example the Roma are routinely targeted-in South America it is the indigenous and uncontacted tribes-China is a perennial human rights violator, as is much of the Middle East and Africa.

The subjugation of it’s people and violation of the most basic of human rights in North Korea is a global affront, and the history of the genocidal event during the last five hundred plus years in this country, this hemisphere, is such as to defy description.

The purpose of this particular topic is to draw attention to a Polish freedom fighter by the name of Witold Pilecki-a true “land warrior” who was executed for his love of country and efforts.

It is an absolute disgrace that individuals like John Graham, Leonard Peltier, and celebrity AIM attempt to portray themselves in the same light.

http://www.doomedsoldiers.com/volunteer-to-Auschwitz.html

FORMULA OF ASSIMILATION

There is a formula employed when assimilating a people- after all that defines them is forcibly stripped away,or during the process of doing so, substitutions are offered.

Not just language, but belief systems as well-”education” is a part of that process-as is religion, to fill the void
that is left.

This was the singular approach of the boarding schools- to indoctrinate the young who in turn would indoctrinate
their children.

In it’s more blatant current form we see the same with child soldiers in Africa who are kidnapped , indoctrinated, and taught  not only to indiscriminately kill, but abandon family and cultural ties.

This great misery of the boarding schools lingers on in a more subtle manner by the indigenous among us, who inspite of the history have become Christians and continue the work of proselytizing.

They have orphaned themselves from all that defines us a people and seek to make orphans of those they “witness” to.

To a degree we have our own version of these child soldiers-they are referred to by names such as Native Gangster Bloods and Native Mob, in my opinion a large part of the blame for this lies with the examples set by AIM in the sixties, seventies, and eighties- the examples they continue to set in supporting convicted murders, and the silence and denial they adopt in the issues of Annie Mae and Ray Robinson.

http://www.angelfire.com/biz4/stopvarriowar/nativegangs.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk31YKZeUr4&feature=related

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112200614

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdwMQR9XMIQ

ABROGATION-THE COMMERCE CLAUSE-AND SOVEREIGNTY

The subject of treaties and the rights which they afford has become a convoluted mess.

William Penn, an early immigrant, openly stated and advocated for a policy that recognized indigenous people as deserving of respect, autonomy, and fair treatment.As we can see though through the lens of history such a policy didn’t last long and did not become a model for future agreements.

Early on indigenous people had little if any familiarity with documents. That lack of familiarity and an understanding of the language was an extreme disadvantage.The lack of citizenship and representation only served to exacerbate that as time went on.

During the Constitutional Convention of 1787 it was determined that states entering various treaty agreements of their own created conflicts-to address that a decision was arrived at to singularly grant those powers to the federal government under Article 1 Section 8 -that reads in part as follows:

The Congress shall have Power … To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes………

In furtherance of this Article 2 Section 2 states:
That the President “has the Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur….”

Steps were taken to insure that the language regarding this presidential power applied to both domestic and foreign nations and required a two thirds vote of approval by the Senate.

Article VI provides, “This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, SHALL BE THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND….”

On the face of it this seems clearly defined and binding, but amendments and legislation have served to dilute -and that is the core of the issue and the fight that is being waged.

What has followed as matter of course is if a “law” isn’t found to be convenient then a new one is written to circumvent it.

When the current president was on the campaign trail he made a point during his photo op tour of echoing this sentiment that treaties are in effect law-and no doubt when he hits the campaign trail again we will probably hear another vacant blurb to the same effect.

During the Congressional Session of 1871 Congress passed new additional legislation that disallowed the Federal government from entering into any new treaties with indigenous people-effectively transferring authority to the courts, acts of Congressional legislation, and the Dept. of the Interior.

In effect what this accomplished was to grant plenary power to Congress in treaty matters.

The Cherokee Tobacco case of 1870 brought by Stand Watie and Elias Boudinot under Article 10 of the treaty between the Cherokee and the federal government, and the ruling that followed is another indication of the direction the U.S was taking-a ruling designed to undermine the concept of the nations as being sovereign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cherokee_tobacco_case

The next major blow came in Lone Wolf v Hitchcock as decided by the Supreme Court in 1903 and ruled that treaties between the nations and the government can be abrogated-which in effect grants what is referred to as plenary authority and defined as the  following:

“In United States constitutional law, plenary power is a power that has been granted to a body in absolute terms, with no review of, or limitations upon, the exercise of the power. The assignment of a plenary power to one body divests all other bodies from the right to exercise that power, and where not otherwise entitled; also, the right to substantively review the exercise of that power in a particular instance or in general.”

The only sufferance related to this absolute power is an “obligation” to compensate as stated in the 1937 case of Shoshone Tribe v U.S. and based on the 5th Amendment.

Maybe it’s just me, but I believe the very concept of absolute power within a democratic structure is completely antithetical and lacking merit.

Not a single nation in this country or Canada, has escaped the legislative manipulations effecting treaties, or the outright violations of them. In this nation alone hundreds of treaties were entered into and every one of them has been violated.

What the non -indigenous fail to understand is that the “treaty” they have is also routinely violated by acts committed under the premise of Eminent Domain as one example.
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/eminent+domain

The “treaty” they have entered into safe guarding their right to privacy, freedom of assembly, being secure in their persons, and most importantly the right to a redress of their grievances are all being systematically eroded as well.

If you doubt this send your grandmother to stand in line to be mauled by a TSA agent, or ask yourself why such things as secret courts and warrantless wiretaps exist. Join the OWS and see how long it takes to get tased, sprayed, or smacked down.

If any want to know where it all leads they need look no farther than the nations.

What transparency exists when Senate and Congressional committees meet behind closed doors with no public awareness or input to cobble together legislation?

What needs to be addressed is more than the treaties as they are written-the focus should be on those legislative acts that have undermined them and their obvious lack of constitutional viability in relationship to what was intended to be the Humanist nature of the Constitution-reverse those and the treaties will in fact become the supreme law of the land.

The Constitution’s inclusion of such things as “all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights” speaks to this Humanist intent-had the original document been adhered to, society as we know it would be markedly different.

The backdoor  employed to circumvent this has been amendments, revised interpretations, and legislation-often done so under the guise that it is a living document that requires manipulation to keep abreast of social change-yet this very quote of equality seems to me to be sufficient in itself to address any issues that arise.

This and the inclusion of the word War when a right is to be violated. A war on drugs, a war on terrorism, a war on crimes-all needing to be addressed, but the mere inclusion and marketing of this word war in such a context by design lends itself to violations.

There is an irony that the Commerce Clause is employed as a defense of the healthcare bill-I suspect we will see this same clause applied at some date to the Second Amendment, which in fact has it’s origins in the English Bill of Rights enacted in 1689 after James the Second was overthrown in what is known as the Glorious Revolution.

For all their rhetoric it is groups such as the so called militias, and hate groups like the Aryan Nations that will contribute to this.

I cannot envision a scenario where such a reversal of legislation would take place, but it certainly is worth the effort to attempt doing so-in the interim what is left is more will be lost while being “compensated” for.

A dollar value has been placed on, and too often accepted in matters of sovereignty and what is rightfully ours.  Nothing easy-but we can either work to simplify things or make them more difficult.

Finally, on having mentioned the Healthcare Bill,  I favor it-again it is the taxpayers money, and I don’t believe the issue of health is to be defined by profit as big pharma and corporations would have it to be.  A sticking point for me is the inclusion of criminalizing people who aren’t covered.