The Republic of Lakotah has come under fire, of late. Public opinion has counted them out. Here is why public opinion is wrong! by Hickory Hendrickson
(libertarian)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
By now, most freedom lovers have read, or been told about, the Republic of Lakotah They know about the group of activists withdrawing from treaties with the US.
What they read, however, might be misleading.
The popular opinion, among non-Lakotah, is the Republic has no chance at success. Many authors have written about the division in the Lakotah, and lack of tribal support. Some have even accused Russell Means of hijacking the movement.
While accurate in some of their broad assumptions, these writers are missing the big picture. The Republic of Lakotah is alive and well!
The first point of concern among Lakotah, and non-Lakotah, is where the Tribal Government stands on the issue.
"All tribal governments whether formal or de facto, are organized as an undefined corporation under the restrictions of the Indian Reorganization Act." said Russell Means, Lakotah activist and member of the Lakotah Freedom Delegation. "They are also bound by all of the subsequent rulings of the Department of Interior, and it's Bureau of Indian Affairs".
The tribal government of the Rosebud and Cheyenne River tribes released a joint statement condemning the Republic. .
"Our Grandfathers fought and died for these treaties; they are the backbone of Sioux Tribes' legal relationship with the United States," Rosebud Tribe President Rodney Bordeaux said. "They protect our remaining lands, our water, our resources, our rights and our sovereignty."
Let's look closer.
"Our Grandfathers fought and died for those treaties." - True.
So did the grandfathers of the Lakotah Freedom movement. Regardless of these treaties, the US stole land granted to natives in said treaties.
"They are the backbone of Sioux Tribes' legal relationship with the United States." -Questionable?
If the treaties, are the tribal leaders backbone, it would explain why they seem paralyzed. The backbone, has been broken!
"They protect our remaining lands, our water, our resources, our rights and our sovereignty."-Not True!
The treaties have never done so in the past.
Are the tribal leaders, equivalent to our congressional leaders?
Neither congress, nor tribal leaders, act in the interest of the people who put them in power. The only fight they participate in, is the fight for a bigger paycheck!
The use of the term Sioux by the tribal leaders, shows how out of touch with the people they are. According to Wikipedia Sioux, is an offensive term coined by their traditional enemies, over two-hundred years ago.
Here is another part of that statement:
"The announcement had no practical effect -- Means does not formally represent any tribal government."-true
Kind of like, George Washington, did not formally, represent the Crown! One point for Means!
Rosebud, Tribe President, Rodney Bordeaux helped draft the joint statement.
"They protect our remaining lands, our water, our resources, our rights and our sovereignty." Bordeaux wrote, "The United States' theft of Sioux lands and resources has placed the Sioux people in abject poverty on the reservations. I am in favor of asking countries around the world for foreign aid to rehabilitate our tribes and reservations."
Bordeaux, is on the right track, but shouldn't he look to the US government instead of foreign.
Bordeaux also said, the treaties of 1851 and 1868 still protected tribes.
"Without these treaties, the United States Congress and the multinational corporations that control it will attempt to steal all the remaining treaty lands and sovereignty we have left through their legal institutions." said Bordeaux
What faith! It's like someone who left their keys in the car, and had it stolen. They then buy a new car, and leave the keys in it. When asked why the keys are still in the car, they say, my neighbors will watch it!
Where were the neighbors the first time around!
In the case of the Lakotah, their car has been stolen more then once!
Many of the Sioux people, who Bordeaux claims are in opposition of the Republic, know nothing about it. They have no access to TV or the Internet and tribal leaders have made no attempt to find out what they think.
It's understandable for tribal leaders not to support the Republic, their jobs are on the line!
What about you? Why don't you support them? What do you have to loose?
The Republic of Lakotah is Legit! Spread the word!
Did you like this article? If you did, Thumb It! 192
thumbs so far
The views expressed
in this article are those of Hickory Hendrickson only and
do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates.
Hickory Hendrickson is solely responsible for the contents
of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated
with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
I have been following this on the internet and have been wondering how many of the Lakotah people support this move. I am on thier blog and don't see many native people there. It could be because most of the people don't have access to the internet. The government has kept them so poor that they can't afford it. I think the tribal leaders are not doing there job.
It seems pretty clear that these opposing tribal leaders are worried about their private pocket books. The tribal leaders should be ashamed of themselves if they are living comfortably while their people suffer. They have become no different than the U.S. Congress men and women are to the U.S. citizens. Get it together, meet face to face for as many days as it takes to unite, but stop airing your cowardess laundry to the media. It's time to stop the tears of our brothers and sisters.
This article is not correct: For the lakot apeople, it is not the elected tribal leaders who are charged with the diplomacy concerning the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. the organization created in 1893 for that purpose is the Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council, composed of traditional elders. This organization has issued a formal response to the Press Release of Russe4ll Means. Thie spokesperson of that organization is Charmaine White Face. The statement says that the Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868 inculded a provision for its enforcement. Article 12 of the Treaty stipulated that it would require three-fourths of the Lakota adult male vote to change any of it. This was expressly stated in order to protect the land, the people and the lakota way of life. Mr. Rusell Means, the statement underlines, is only one man and he did not obtain three-fourths of the Lakota adult male approval; he, therefore cannot change anything concerning the treaty. However, his efforts remind the world that an international treaty still exists betweren the Lakota nation and the US government.
Lakota traditional elders (Teton Sioux Nation Treaty Council) and OST (Oglala Sioux Tribe) elected tribal representatives met jointly on Pine Ridge Reservation on Jan 28-30 to re-affirm treaty relationship with the USA. For any further info, consult article on Lakota Country Times, where telephone numbers for Public Relation officer for the traditional Treaty council, and the Executive Secretary of OST are listed.
The Freedom of the Lekota Nation means Freedom to me and my family. And the only hope of making this great nation of nations the promise that our creator promised to our forfather Abraham.
Please let me know what I my do to support this most blessed cause.
Something about your comment strikes true. Maybe it's the fact that your words seem to come from the heart. Thank You!
In answer to your question........what you can do to help is demand accountability from the so called Leadership of the Republic of Lakotah. The only hope (very slim) for this new vision of a Free Republic would be for Mr. Means and his flunkies/thugs to abdicate their thrones.....I mean leadership positions. The people in the area will not support Russell Means or most of his thugs. They have known him.....or heard him tooting his horn for decades now. They are fed up with his attention grabbing, wanabee king attitude. Means is doing more harm than good to the Lakota Freedom Movement. He is no longer the leader he once was. Years of abusing women and beating up old men make him an object of scorn embarrasment to most Natives. People would follow Means if he had ever done anything that actualy helped anyone. His famous takeovers and standoffs made him famous and gave him lots of bragging rights but what really happened was Indians lost their jobs or had their homes looted and ransacked by those very same thugs that are now the founding members of the Republic of Lakotah.
You might also ask Russell why such a "Free" country: censors and restricts free-speech, keeps everything a closely guarded secret, preaches racism, and is not supported by anyone who actually lives on the reservations other then his elitest clique of family and friends.
What irks me most is that the Golden Boy of the Republic and the newest member of the arostocracy is most likely a federal agent who was recruited durring his years in prison. The Republic of Lakotah endorses and elevates the status of this coward who learned to be a Lakota by reading books in prison. The Coward often boasts that he "felt disrespected as a war-lord" so he killed the one who insulted him. His WarLordship however, always seems to leave out the method by which his antagonist was murdered. In a drug induced frenzy, caused by years of huffing paint, the coward, very bravely, snuck up behind the Lakota brother and stabbed him in the back.
The Lakota people the cause for L akota Freedom is a noble one. The ROL is a
Your article sounds like you are for the Freedom Fighters then your posting dated July 17, 2008 is the opposite. Which one are you for? For or against? I have just spent 6 weeks trying to write a research paper for my college english class in favor of Russell Means efforts. Now you remind me what a jack ass he's been all these years with your later posting. ugh! I haven't even written my closing paragraph.
The Lakota Freedom movement is alive and well. It has been for over 100 years! Today people like Alfred Bone Shirt, Phyllis Young, and countless others are working outside of the spotlight just as they always have. They are the real heroes. Russell Means represents only himself, and his followers are either his family or his other well-to-do actor and artist friends. Hense my reference to the ROL Arostocracy in my earlier post.
I have been to the Republic of Lakotah three times since I wrote the original article. I stayed over a week durring each visit. The overwhelming attitude of the people (especially those on the Reservations) towards Means was one of ridicule and contempt. Many people also expressed the opinion that Means was out of work, needed a job and wanted to run for office again but knew he had very little support and the media wouldn't listen to him anymore. He hoped to gain media attention for his campaign by exploiting the Lakota Freedom Movement and using it as a platform for being sucessfully ellected this time around. This opinion seems to have been at least partly true as Means is now running for Pine Ridge Tribal President only a few months after inventing the Republic of Lakotah publicity scam and solliciting thousands of dollars from ROL supporters who mainly live in foriegn countries and know Means only as the actor who everyone fell in love with after his role in Last of The Mohicans..
The cause for Lakota Freedom is very noble and has at it's roots great leaders like Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. The people who live in the third world ghetto that is the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation are what Lakota Freedom is about. Russell Means is no Sitting Bull......Russell Means is to the people of Pine Ridge Reservation as David Rockefeller is to Americans. He has a few fans but those in the know........well...... they might not share the same sentiment.
I can understand you disscuragment and I share the same feelings in regard to the months of work and thousand of my own dollars I put into researching and trying to spread what I thought was a great and noble Idea. I am a fan of freedom, not fame, and I can't honestly continue supporting the ROL after learning what I believe to be the truth.
Just a suggestion...but you might change the emphasis of your paper to reflect the noble character and determination of the real Lakota Freedom Movement which Means is only a small part of. Hell it could even be your closing paragraph.
Feel free to email me with any questions or to further disscuss this matter. You can reach me anytime at
The United States should never concede any lands. The Lakotah and other tribal descendants (such as myself) should feel fortunate to live in the greatest country on Earth (as many legal and illegal immigrants will tell you).
History isn't always fair. Canada was once part of France and England. Texas was Mexico. The city of Constinople is now the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Past misdeeds were and are unfortunate, but they are the past and not the present. The best course of action for all indigenous peoples is to keep your heritage alive in your communities, while taking part of a greater whole - which is the United States.
Many peoples of the Earth fall victim to rampant disease, communism, and Fundamentalist Islamic Fascism - if they are not gunned down by the local warlord first. They die because they existed...
America has killed some of my ancestors too - although that was the America of the past - not the America of present. Us getting along as a country is not drawing some imaginary state on a website map, and bringing up treaties of another time and convincing one's self to some past entitlement. We need to "love thy neighbor"... help each other in need, and pray that the country, OUR country, can facilitate all the hopes and dreams of her citizens...including the Lakotah people.
As I continue to learn from the Native people what it means to be an Indian, I am still shocked and disgusted by the injustices and discrimination that they face each and every day not only from the general populace but the federal government. I am sickened every time I have heard "we have given the Ute every chance to succeed, yet they choose to live off the government, and live in poverty." What kind of choice have they been given? To conform to white man's beliefs or walk knee deep in the blood of their people? To give up their land, children, culture, traditions or die?
The arrogance and attitudes of supremacy toward the Indian people has prevailed for 150 years unchallenged, and few have had the courage to stand up and say, enough, we're not going to take it anymore or knowingly participate in genocide of the American Indian people. I am astonished that they have had little or no voice, ignored, shunned, kept out on the fringes of society and denied access to the basic fundamentals of equality and human rights. That they live in fear of telling their story, their truth, that there may be retribution for exercising their freedom of speech.
How much longer must they be prisoners on their own land? When will they be allowed to live their lives in dignity, no longer demoralized, and free to live their lives according to their ancient traditions? How can we continue to tolerate the mindset of those who are aware but say, it's not my problem, I'm just doing my job? If you don't think it's not your problem or your duty then never ever again pledge your allegiance to the flag and the United States of America and make the promise you will defend liberty and justice for all when you only mean for your own kind. It is time for every one us to take a hard look at our own mindset toward the Native Indian peoples and find the ways to rid ourselves, and society from hypocrisy and racism that has wrecked so many innocent lives.
Jeremy your argument is to forget the past, that would be criminal. You say the Indian people should embrace the American dream as citizens, then stand by the Native people as citizens and demand they are treated with equality, and that treaties are honored with integrity and honesty.
I would also ask, Jeremy, that you take some time to study the law as it pertains to citizenship to the country you mentioned. That is assuming that you have not done so already, and if I am in error, my apologies. The States United of this continent are indeed a wonderful nation, but you are most likely not a sovereign citizen of the States United, because you are bound to a corporate identity that looks like your name but is in fact a STRAWMAN (capitalization not for emphasis, but as legal spelling of the corporate name) federal citizen. You are most likely a federal citizen of the U.S.A (a corporate entity in Washington D.C. that is foreign to the States United and subject to laws of commerce and ruling via statutory jurisdiction, or courts of commerce.) In addition, you are most likely in bondage to the IMF because of a Certificate of Birth signed by your parents which leaves as collateral the corporate citizens under the U.S.A. on the loans of the U.S.A. granted by the IMF.
If you were, in truth, a sovereign flesh and blood man or woman on the land you were born, you would not be subject to statutory laws or federal taxation, but only to the Common Law as a Citizen of the land state you were born on granted by the Constitution.s of the state and sovereign nation. And if you do not have a Birth Certificate and are not a part of the Social Security system, you are a very fortunate person and should start learning how to assert your true sovereignty which is granted by the law of the land. I, unfortunately, am not so lucky and must find the way through legal remedy and recourse to try and undo / remove myself from bondage.
The Lakotah have every right to their sovereignty, as do all other nations of the native people of this continent provided their treaties are written as such, and I hope that the native people of the continent are able to find their own freedom and re-establish their rightful sovereignty under the laws of the land and as flesh and blood men and women born of the earth. After reviewing the violation of treaty as put forth by the RoL, I believe that there is all right and legality to the claims of violation of the treaties. And given the legal and economic realities of the U.S.A., I can see no other way for the people that are the Lakotah to retain their culture and heritage other than to do what is being done.
Now, as to Mr. Means' intentions and affiliations, I cannot speak. It is a matter for the people of the RoL to deal with as necessary. If his intentions are truly fame and he is a federal agent, then an investigation should be done into the situation and once the Lakotah have established sovereignty, they should do what needs to be done to insure their freedom against all transgressors. I would personally suggest it being stated explicitly in the laws of the nation that a fractional reserve bank and central bank tied to the IMF be made illegal without prejudice and tied so tightly to the laws that it cannot be undone.
Yours in spirit and in hope. And possibly blood, if the family stories are to be believed.
Interesting to read this article and even more interesting the comments. I came across the Republic of Lakotah via internet. There were some old pictures of my childhood in my head which needed answers. The whole idea of peace for the Lakotah Nation in terms of creating a own republic was very attracting to me. But more and more I feel confused when I am reading the Forum of the republic and get side information as in these comments. Too many romantics like myself from across the ocean do project their unfulfilled dreams on this matter. It is difficult for a white man do get a proper idea of it. But who knows perhaps one day this seemingly crazy republic struggle becomes a good base for a reality many people dream of.
I'm sorry, but this "Republic of Lakotah" is just plain Rubbish. Nobody here on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation recognizes it. They aren't, in any way, recognized by the Oglala Sioux Tribe or the U.S. Government. It just does not make any sense.
well i like the idea of freedom .i support russel means .just yall are blind .if the treaty system is so good then why are we suffering the tribe gets all the money and us tribal members dont the system we got now are people are suffering .then we should just cash in and get all are money when we die we cant take the blackhills with us we need are money now we have dicators now they say nothing can be done unless are chiefs sign we got millions of dollars owed to us.its ours not the tribes were stuffering you guys have the brand new truks so i want to be free from the chiefs and tribe that opresses me .quit makeing excuses porky.we have the rite to be free as a soldier we fight for others to have freedom well wat about us are ancester died for us to be free aho ive spoken.so pay up i want my money so my family can prosper.only the familys that have the right names get the jobs i thought we had a sacred hoop for all people.And for the spelling part we are getting a bastard language teach us to say ink pen in lakota or lakotah we have no word for ink pen in our language so dont try to change our language into a whitemans dictionary.And as of SOVEREINTY NATION WELL ITS A JOKE.we are not a nation with in a nation cause if we were a soverntiy nation that mean .COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE THAT WE DONT TAKE ANY OUTSIDE HELP OR PRODUCTS OR WELFARE IF WE ARE TRUE LAKOTA WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES WE NOT THAT DUMB PORKY WE CAN GROW OUR OWN FOOD WERE NOT STUPID AS UYOU MAKE US PORKY WE HAVE DONE IT FOR 1000 YRS HELLO ARE SO SO FAR UP THE US BUT YOU NEED EVERY THING HANDED TO YOU ARE YOU ON WELFARE THERE IS WARRIORS OUT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THERE ELDERS FORM A SACRED HOOP DONT BREAK IT PORKY..LIVE AND LEARN OK MAY TUNKASHILA WAKAN TANKA BLESS ALL AND LET FREEDOM RING DONT CRUSH MY DREAMS PORKY..
ok.... I am confused. hopefully someone can clear this up. I thought by creating the R.O.L. that the tribe was already self sufficient ? If the Lakotah are still taking assistance from the U.S. than how can Independance be established.
I agree with Crazy Horse's belief in "Natural Law". However with that said. IF the tribal leaders are ignoring the wishes of the people then they are no diffrent than the U.S. Gov't. I won't judge as I don't know how things are but I do know what I see. Going into youtube.com and viewing videwo of Pine Ridge I saw a Civilization in need of so much. but the most of all was "hope". The Lakotah are a great and proud people. The fact they have been devestated by poverty and addiction, the gov't and their lack of internal leadership, yet continue to perservere. It should be a reminder to us all. That to bow down to someone else is truly a failure. The Lakotah are an inspiration and make me proud to call myself Native American. not because of the way they live but because of their willingness to fight. no matter what the odds.
With that being said. I want to offer some assistance. but with all the corruption, not sure how to make my minimal contributions, benefit the overall good.
If there is anyone at "the rez" or anywhere else on the Lakotah land that want to email me. I would like to help but first I need to understand. thanks keep up the fight
well i like the idea of freedom .i support russel means .just yall are blind .if the treaty system is so good then why are we suffering the tribe gets all the money and us tribal members dont the system we got now are people are suffering .then we should just cash in and get all are money when we die we cant take the blackhills with us we need are money now we have dicators now they say nothing can be done unless are chiefs sign we got millions of dollars owed to us.its ours not the tribes were stuffering you guys have the brand new truks so i want to be free from the chiefs and tribe that opresses me .quit makeing excuses porky.we have the rite to be free as a soldier we fight for others to have freedom well wat about us are ancester died for us to be free aho ive spoken.so pay up i want my money so my family can prosper.only the familys that have the right names get the jobs i thought we had a sacred hoop for all people.And for the spelling part we are getting a bastard language teach us to say ink pen in lakota or lakotah we have no word for ink pen in our language so dont try to change our language into a whitemans dictionary.And as of SOVEREINTY NATION WELL ITS A JOKE.we are not a nation with in a nation cause if we were a soverntiy nation that mean .COMPLETE INDEPENDENCE THAT WE DONT TAKE ANY OUTSIDE HELP OR PRODUCTS OR WELFARE IF WE ARE TRUE LAKOTA WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES WE NOT THAT DUMB PORKY WE CAN GROW OUR OWN FOOD WERE NOT STUPID AS UYOU MAKE US PORKY WE HAVE DONE IT FOR 1000 YRS HELLO ARE SO SO FAR UP THE US BUT YOU NEED EVERY THING HANDED TO YOU ARE YOU ON WELFARE THERE IS WARRIORS OUT THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THERE ELDERS FORM A SACRED HOOP DONT BREAK IT PORKY..LIVE AND LEARN OK MAY TUNKASHILA WAKAN TANKA BLESS ALL AND LET FREEDOM RING DONT CRUSH MY DREAMS PORKY..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkqnNOMOp_w&feature=related
check that out
also
http://thinkfree.ca/
check that out
and last but not least
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9xayBdBn_Q
peace and blessings my brothers
take care
Want to comment on
this article? Leave your comment
here. Your email address is required to track your
comment. However, we will neither publish your email
address nor distribute it to other organizations or
persons. The only reason we might use it would be if
we needed to contact you regarding your comment. All
comments are subject to our
terms of use policy.
