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O'siyo Brothers and Sister!
Hellllloooooo... Is anybody home? Can anyone
hear? Does anyone care?
Long before this simple newszine began its 15 year journey, the same
basic issues existed and the same questions were being asked.
The dominant society wants control over Indian Country but wants no
responsibility dealing with it.
When Indian Nations and Indian people would not accommodate the invaders
by conveniently all dying, often due to introduced diseases or
malnutrition, and refused to assimilate into red (and indentured)
versions of the white conquerors, they were swept off to reservations in
hostile, inhospitable chunks of land deemed unusable by the white
society.
Oh sure, there are treaties. Treaties were and are enforced to the nth
degree when it comes to control of the Indian population, and to
policies that quickly or gradually reduce our numbers; and broken at
will when treaty provisions inconvenience the folks in Washington and
Ottawa, or when they block profiteering by their corporate masters.
However, sometimes things become so bleak or so damn rotten the stench
simply cannot be ignored. In these cases, where the poverty, rotten
provisions and valueless education splashed over into border towns, or
the outcry became loud enough it could no longer be ignored, the
legislative representatives in the US Congress and Canadian Parliament
would add "the issue" to their collective agenda. There would then be
hearings and proclamations, but little action of any real substance. The
law makers would pat themselves on the back for handling the job in such
a profound way, and go onto real "bizness", like pork barrel legislation
and sound bites for the news media.
So I'm asking, "Is anybody home? Are you listening? Do you give a damn?"
I hope there are a few with hearts and souls that haven't sold out
totally to corporate interests, because there are real education, health
and social issues in Indian Country. If you legislators continue to play
your old, tired games you may discover too late it is like Pandora's
Box. The evil has spilled out into whiteland and you will not be able to
put it back in its Indian Country box.
Get off your ass and provide real legal, health and educational help.
For at least this once, honor the treaties your predecessors made.
There are real human beings out here with real problems.
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 026
FOR ARTICLES GOT TO
WOTANGING IKCHE-Native American News
Editorial Section: . Does Anybody Care?
- Indians Speak Forcefully On Climate
- US Border Barrier Desecrated Burial Sites
- Tribes Question Land Swap
- Leaders Are Dedicated To Improve Health Care
- Tensions Build Between Seneca & State Of New York
- Urban Indian: Portland's Invisibile Minority
- Farmington, Navajo Nation Still Seek Bridges
- Federal Regs Make Traditional Foods Scarce
- The Cherokee Nation's New Battle
- CNO Votes to Remove Feds from Process
- Tribe Pleads for Artifacts
- American Indian Veterans Honored
- Battle Over Memorializing Sitting Bull
- Oklahoma Tribal Leaders Attend Ceremony
- Woman Tries To Save Ottawa Language
- Grandmother's Advice Guides Dine' Man's Path
- FEMA Trailers To Go to American Indian Tribes
- JODI RAVE: A Long Walk For Fitness, Fellowship
- Giago: The Great Horse Of The Pawnee Nation
- Yellow Bird; Festival Days And Prairie Nights
- Yellow Bird: Embrace Change, But Don't Forget Past
- Andrade: The Education Of President Bush
- Ukb Chief: Cherokee Nation Can't Break Treaty
- Opinion: Keeping The Law In Indian Country
- Land Deal Could Prevent Rail Blockade
- Stop AFN Fontaine from Signing Protocol with RCMP
- Joint AFN/RCMP Response Team Set Up
- Province Allows Me'tis Decision To Stand
- It's Time For Ottawa To Pay The Rent
- ACLU: NA Families and Winner School Settlement
- Native Justice -- Indian Country Problems Regarded As `local Issues --
Time To Deal With Law Enforcement Problems On Reservations
- Rustywire: In The Midst Of Them Yeis
- Del "Abe" Jones Poem: Falling Tear
- New Online Drum Contest
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