Any suggestions? There is still hope that despite whoever takes the BIA helm or the OST helm and is still subject to Federal Oversight and Federal Program Managers, we might still have a chance at an appointment who will be our voice. I believe that tribes would do well to assemble a top-to-bottom consensus for who we think might be a good choice.
A nationally elected representative might be a good place to start. Those scholars who have visited our tribes preaching the gospel of sovereignty from our Universities might be a good choice. Some people who have the ground-level view of how Federal policies have affected us might be a good looking place.
The venerated warriors who have suffered through the indignities of our struggles to retain hunting and fishing rights may yield some cheers from throughout Indian Country. In the end, the person who has a personal stake in assuring Indian Country has a voice in how the Federal Government Policy is affecting us, who can both speak with and hear from the general Native American Populace is a good sure bet.
Some of our warriors who are elders may be the ones to listen and speak for us. Afterall, this position is an advisor. They are there to tell our side. In any population, the best ones to do that are the Elders who speak from several generations of experience. The re-hashing of an old trick will do no one well. The voice of experience has the most valid argument, not from what is thought to be happening, but from the trenches where sovereignty's dignified warriors presented themselves as obstacles to those who would have taken everything from Native Americans nation-wide.
In a cultural-reawakening it would be appropriate that the People begin to ask which elders among us can sit in the position best suited to mentor a government in its task to honor the treaties made by our ancestors.
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23 comments:
John Echohawk
Billy Frank
Wilma Mankiller
Colleen Jollie
Sam Deloria
Sharon McCulley
Claudia Kauffman
Denny Hurtado
Joe Garcia
My pick is also Billy Frank, Jr!
OREN LYONS
Oren Lyons & President Obama? What a team - yeah.
Michael Her Many Horses
Winona LaDuke
TOM GOLDTOOTH
This list looks like it draws names from a familiar "bunch."
But it's a good list nontheless. I know Billy Frank is a venerated warrior known from the Northwest and throughout Indian Country and he is well-respected for taking the hit for Treaty rights numerous times. How many times was he arrested for exercising treaty rights? (over 50?) He's been on the front lines many times for the protection of treaty rights in the State of Washington, the Federal Courts, the Supreme Court, and the United Nations. His sacrifices give proof to the sincerity of his words and his heart when we look at Billy Frank and what he endured. That's a choice I could support. It is an impressive list, and Billy Frank's name on this list is among comparable, honorable members.
Ted Strong
Dr. Charles Gourd
Antone Minthorn is a well-respected elder and leader from the Umatilla Tribe. He ranks amongst the top elders listed here.
I thought this over and I think Billy Frank Jr would be a good choice.
Billy and others from his era have a special commitment to our people. The reason is because they had to pay a price for their beliefs and their stands. Going out and defending the rights of our people wasn't something you did without consequences back then.
Nowadays, people get paid through non profits, grants, consulting fees etc to do this work. There isn't a whole lot of risk or sacrifice required. I think that makes the commitment much less heartfelt and real.
So I would definitely like to see Billy Frank or someone from his era be given an advisory position.
If you have any clout with Michelle Obama can you tell her to tell her husband that we want Billy Frank, Jr? All joking aside, I completely agree. Billy Frank, Jr is one of the few leaders who has sacrificed his own personal freedom in the name of protecting tribal sovereignty. He's a golden choice.
Word has it that Heather Kendall Miller has been interveiwed for the job.
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