Topic: Social and Cultural Issues
Musings on the Republic of Lakotah My musings on the Republic of Lakotah, its viability, and its future.by Chad_Underdonk
(libertarian)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Many thanks to Hickory Henderson of this site for bringing the happenings of the Republic of Lakotah to my attention. Again, the mainstream media has failed to inform me of things that are interesting and worth learning about.
Based upon the small amount of reading I've done tonight I have to agree that some of the "Republic of Lakotah" naysayers do at least have it partially right. The Republic of Lakotah is currently a faction, but they are more than that, they are a freedom movement. Their obvious goal is to reclaim their heritage as a proud people and to to assert their sovereignty.
For them to gain legal standing they will have to convince a majority of the legal residents on tribal sioux lands to back them. Gaining momentum by publicly pointing out the plight of the residents of their reservation is a good start for them. If they can convert that exposure into investment in both time and capital by outside resources to improve the standard of living of the average person on the reservation they will gain a LOT of traction towards taking legitimate power.
If they can achieve those three things then they will be truly tested by the State and Federal Gov't. Having (correctly) chosen non-violent means they have little other choice than protracted legal battles.They will be forced to fight court battle after court battle to reclaim their lands and identity; since those Gov't bodies control the time line of such action it could be drug out for quite some time. Assuming they can achieve all of that successfully then they will likely face economic warfare by way of tarrifs, embargos, price gouging, and limited mobility outside their recognized borders.
There will be quite a lot of resistance to the idea of renouncing American Citizenship to retain land rights within the RoL. Realistically creating a dual-citizenship situation until they can prove economic viability would be much more attractive to people. They should give people an incentive to choose the republic and let them see the benefits of doing so. If the current land-owners make the choice to commit to the republic then they will be an asset as opposed to a hindrance.
I think the path to success truly lies in economic freedom. Creating a situation where they can promote outside investment in the Sioux people and the Republic of Lakotah to improve their situation will make their effort viable. Considering their average yearly per capita income is under $ 4,000.00 they could initially attract industry by promoting the willingness to work for relatively low wages. Rather than shipping auto supplier plants to the Mexican border they could ship them to the Republic of Lakotah. Offering a tax haven to businesses could also be a similar way of inviting investment. There has also already been discussion of wind farms as a way to improve the RoL. Another goal for them might be to find a way to achieve a socially acceptable means of extracting gold from the black hills. This could aid them in creating a viable and stable currency that would de-link their people from the inflation that will be exacting a toll on the rest of the U.S.
The ultimate goal is and must be to improve the way of life for all those who embrace the Republic of Lakotah. By embracing freedom, free will, and responsible laissez-faire free markets they might just succeed in their endeavor. I certainly will be wishing them luck, and watching for ways that I might lend a hand.
Final off the wallmusing...After looking into this more I also can't help but think of an old pen and paper role playing game called Shadowruntm that first appeared in the mid 80's. The game was set in the year 2050 and had a very detailed timeline (And so it came to pass...1) that explained how the world would change. Today I look around and see that many of those gaming technological predictions have in some minor form come true or are being researched, likewise some of the social predictions from that game seem to be in some ways prophetic. Shadowrun had one foot in the world of technology, one foot in the world of fantasy, and was firmly stradling an innovative understanding of socio-culture. The creation of sovereign native american nations, including a Sioux Nation was part of that games "future history"; and I can't help but marvel at how this is another milestone in its predictions.
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Nice article. Yes this is going to be extremely interesting. The fact that TV-addicts know nothing about it doesn't surprise us. So we need to spread the word. Share the news with all your family and friends.
The link in the article (the 1) gives a game history for it. It doesn't have the full flavor of the game to show just how "prophetic" it is, but it does show the basics of what I'm talking about. The game also goes so far as to have 2 sourcebooks describing how those game nations developed and thier social issues, the ideas within them (discounting the fantasy side of it) might even be in some ways thought provoking.
Actually, after looking at it that link is somewhat distracting. The streamlined easy to read version in the original books was a bit easier to read. Shadowrun Sourcebook 1st, 2nd, or 3rd edition: "And so it came to pass..." Its all really more of an alternate future sci-fi kind of thing, so obviously not too much stock should be put into it. But on the other hand its also the only sci-fi (that I know of) that actually examines the topic. And sci-fi does have a tendency to reveal neat possibilities.
Maybe it would help if those trying to run this circus of a show, like Russell Means, would quit flip flopping on subjects and quit misleading people. In a recent Black Hills Pioneer article with him, he flat out said legal and violent means are not effective. Seriously. Not because it's not possible. But because he DOES NOT LEGALLY represent the Lakota. He's been creating a false hope and misleading people, and people are sick of it. Misleading? Yes. He's been trying to convince people this is a done deal. When it's not. And in the BH Pioneer article at the end he states how this is the last chance his people have. Basically, he's trying to be the savior of his people. When in reality, only they can save themselves if they want to be saved.
And anyone blaming the media, has their head up their butt. I have seen this mentioned on ALL major newscasts and papers, as well as local ones. But because Russell holds no legal or political standing for his tribe (aka an elder), and the fact he keeps changing his tune on things, isn't helping his or the causes credibility. As long as the elders aren't a part of this, NOTHING will move forward. No nation or country will truely recognize this cause beyond a pat on the back and a "hope you do well with this" attitude. Basically, good luck. You'll need it. Especially since no one in the movement holds the proper political standing needed.
Those that are living on the reservation are doing so by choice. I honestly believe your forefathers would be very disappointed in your actions. They fought not to live on the rez. And here some are fighting to stay on it looking for govt. handout checks because they simply do not want to work and refuse to re-locate to better lands and areas. Who's really to blame for that?
The sympathy thing IMO has been worn out. Most aren't buying it much anymore. Not even their own people. They have the capability to do more with their lives and refuse to. They want the free handouts.
As well, anyone with a small but of history knowledge knows that the Chippewa drove the Lakota out of Minnesota. The Chippewa drove them off their own land. So in return, the Lakota wiped out the tribes that had inhabited the plains and Black Hills for THOUSANDS of years. Those tribes didn't stand a chance. There were no 'truces' or 'let's share the land' moments with those tribes. The Lakota forcefully took the land from them and declared it their religious right. Funny, they only had the Black Hills and plains about 100 years before the Europeans showed up and took it from them. So why don't they try getting their land back in Minnesota?
What the Europeans did was no more right than what the Lakota did to the tribes before them. But unlike those tribes, at least the Europeans gave them a chance and some land (although admittedly crappy land). Where they could have wiped them off this earth forever. Thats more than can be said about what the Lakota did with the previous tribes. It's like the pot calling the kettle black. (With both being black.)
Maybe next time, before spouting off that "it's the Lakota's land and they deserve it back!", some should realize, they forcefully took it and were only on it for no more than around 100 years before the Europeans showed up. And the tribes that were here before should have it back instead, while the Lakota can have their land in Minnesota back. Since the Lakota forcefully took the land. It's no different than when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Or when Germany invaded other countries. The Lakota are no more innocent than the Europeans in all of this. Or maybe we should ask the tribes the Lakota took land from.
Posted By: anson black calf
Date: 2009-06-25 18:38:18
In response to Hmmmm,
I have to agree with you in what you say about Means, he was at one time of some benefit to our people, but unfortunately he’s just a detriment now to us (this just being my opinion of course). However, I cannot agree with you when you start talking about my Lakota people like you understand our situation because you’ve lived it or something.
I mean come on, do you know what it’s like to grow up experiencing the generational effects of oppression caused by Euro-American colonization in all its entirety among the Lakota people? No, you do not! Otherwise you wouldn’t have said all the things you’ve already expressed. You haven’t the slightest idea what it’s like for us, so don’t talk about our situation like you understand it! Because you don’t.
There is some truth to what you say, yes, but you make a lot of assumptions too. You think that because we live on the reservations in the state of condition our reservations’ are in that it’s our ‘choice’ to keep it like this and live here like we do. Well your wrong, we’re an oppressed people and things are like this on our reservations’ because this is what oppressed people do to each other when they’ve been kept in a state of domination for a long time. It’s called ‘lateral violence’ look it up sometime.
Don’t assume too, that because I gave you this explanation that I’m looking for some sort of an apology or assistance on yours or your governments part, because I'm not. In fact, I must say that it would be impossible for you or for your government to help us because you (people with a mentality such as Hmmmm's) are the oppressors and it would be a contradiction for you and yours, in terms of oppressor and liberation ideology, to help us. Although, you may think you and yours have helped us in someway or another, but in reality your notion of ‘help’ is and always will be a false generosity with your intentions only meant to keep you up there and us down here.
I’m sure your right too about our forefathers being very disappointed in those of our people who want to remain subservient and dependent to your country. But once again you don’t know anything about living in oppression or what it’s like to be mentally and revolutionary free where you want real freedom and sovereignty for your people, but you just can‘t quite seem to over come the status quo with others like you - at least not yet anyway.
People like you from your oppressor point of view always assume it comes down to the simple power of choice where you blindly think if we wanted to, we would raise ourselves out of the oppressive situations we live in and carry on in your image, but since we don’t, you go ahead and make the conclusion that we don’t want to change, when in fact it‘s your very government and all its policies it has imposed on us over the generations that won‘t let us live the way we want to so we can make change.
When bringing up Lakota and Dakota history don’t forget the Chippewa were only able to push out our people because they had the support from the Euro-American settlers; and the Chippewa only came west in the first place because your people pushed them westward. To try and compare Euro-American expansionism with Dakota-Lakota forced-migration onto the Plains, as if both histories were no different in comparison with one another, is ridiculous. There you go assuming again, you think just because we fought with other tribes who were within the Plains region first, we wiped them all out like your people almost did to us?
Our method of warfare was nothing even similar to Euro-American warfare. We did not practice the killing of women, children or elders; we never used biological warfare in the disguise of peace (small pox blankets) on our enemies; and we sure never tried to systematically exterminate entire peoples for their lands and resources on the belief that it was our divine and god given right to do so; your people did though. Don’t you forget that.
And lastly for what you propose in regards to the previous Natives getting their land back here within the Plains and Black Hills region, and we Lakota-Dakota going back to Minnesota or where ever it is you think we came from, sounds like a great idea to me. But I think it would be an even greater idea if you and your people also went back to Europe, just to make it fair. -wanblii
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