10.31.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The Great Spirit is in all things;
He is in the Air we Breathe.
The Great Spirit is our Father,
But the Earth is our Mother.
She nourishes us;
That which we put into the ground,
She returns to us..."
-- Big Thunder, Wabanaki
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"As Long As The Grasses Grow And The Rivers Run"
Toxic waste is a subject that corporate, cities, counties, states
and right up to the federal government, do ignore and limit the
ability for the people to realize the full impact toxic waste has
in our the environment and in our physical beings! It is a reality
produced by the military industrial complex as a by product of
their own production.
Consider that military bases are handed over for one dollar to the
local government and their contributors. Prior to the base closing;
the environmental studies and toxicology reports are for the most
part after thoughts and the excess cost needed to cleanup and to
use the lands are heaped on the tax base of the area.
Even in recognition of this type of deal, there is no liability factor to
the military nor the federal government,
who had have contributed to the creation of this mess!
The impact to our health and well being is not discussed nor brought
into the public awareness. Only by the coincidence of a few cases
linked with others, are the studies to verify the pollutants involved.
As an "Army brat", i was raised in this other world of the military bases;
that may have contributed to this spawning of so many forms of illness.
These are directly attributed to stored munitions, petrol storage, lead
pipes, asbestos, uranium based armaments and an extremely large
class of toxic practices. By the way, much of the dangers from these
practices were not known to our families in service to our country nor
even those civilian contractors or the townships and near by.
Genetically Modified Food corporations world wide contribute to the limits
imposed on individual farmers and those in Mexico are under siege in the
rapid decline of food that is natural and independently produced.
Armed with G.M.O. crops now appearing on the selves (unlabeled), the
consumer is keep unaware of these foods are untested and unnatural.
It is essentially a war that guarantees profits for the G.M.O. groups and
as they are capable of sizable farming, market influence and controls
provide them with a dominant position of our future.
We are in major trouble in the food world. This has prompted many to
consider organic foods as often as possible in choice of diet and the ability
to make a consumer decision to enhance the choice of better health.
This support helps the individual by providing a healthy food source and
in turn supports the small farmers. Industrial farming techniques control
the marketed food of the day.
A footnote to consider is that this plight of the small farmers is not new.
Most of the farming that fed the east coast was provided by small plot
black farmers (the figure is 54% of small farms were black owned in the early
part of the 1900s). The conclusion of studies that followed these losses
have attributed this situation directly to racial causes. Many of these small
farmers were run out or had their property and deeds ruled unfounded by
racist elements, jealousy, and false forces imposed on these hard working
folks.
The Zapatistas revolt began when President Clinton signed on to the NAFTA
accords. They were very wise in their decision then for we are all now just
beginning to comprehend the bearing this treaty holds. Zapatistas were of
the realization that this format is a continuation of the "Euro-Peon" historical
systematic controls (feudalistic origins) founded on the idea of people being
sold with the lands!
Here in California, one should note the "poisonous" qualities that contribute
to environment degradation (irreversible water altering toxins) in the product
we under NAFTA accords. Signed with Canada to provide us with a source
of "clean" fuel that contains toxins that are irremovable from the Earth and
Water; these are known to directly contribute to ill health, cancers and are
akin to a poison in our environment. Think about our roadways and the spill-
age along them, our streams and rivers, the air, the land, the waters are not
safely used by the two leggeds that populate the Great Mother. We have
chosen to follow the inherent greed of consumerism over the Old Ways of
Living in Balance with the Creation and our Creator's Gifts of Life in a Loving
Manner that is Sustainable.
There is an adage that is appropriate to this destructive phenomenon,
which begins with...
"any child who turns against his mother is...!"
Walk in Balance
aho
"Everything on the earth has a purpose,
Every disease an herb to cure it
And every person a mission.
This is the Indian theory of existence."
-- Mourning Dove, Salish
"Grandfather,
I ask you to Bless the white man,
He needs your wisdom, your guidance.
He has tried for so long to destroy my people
And only feels comfortable when given power.
Bless them with wisdom.
Show them the peace we understand.
Teach them humility
For I feel they will destroy themselves and all our children
As they have done for so long with Mother Earth.
I plead, I cry.
After all
They are my brothers and sisters."
-- Sandy Kewenhaptewa, Hopi
**********************************************
"The Great Spirit is in all things;
He is in the Air we Breathe.
The Great Spirit is our Father,
But the Earth is our Mother.
She nourishes us;
That which we put into the ground,
She returns to us..."
-- Big Thunder, Wabanaki
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"As Long As The Grasses Grow And The Rivers Run"
Toxic waste is a subject that corporate, cities, counties, states
and right up to the federal government, do ignore and limit the
ability for the people to realize the full impact toxic waste has
in our the environment and in our physical beings! It is a reality
produced by the military industrial complex as a by product of
their own production.
Consider that military bases are handed over for one dollar to the
local government and their contributors. Prior to the base closing;
the environmental studies and toxicology reports are for the most
part after thoughts and the excess cost needed to cleanup and to
use the lands are heaped on the tax base of the area.
Even in recognition of this type of deal, there is no liability factor to
the military nor the federal government,
who had have contributed to the creation of this mess!
The impact to our health and well being is not discussed nor brought
into the public awareness. Only by the coincidence of a few cases
linked with others, are the studies to verify the pollutants involved.
As an "Army brat", i was raised in this other world of the military bases;
that may have contributed to this spawning of so many forms of illness.
These are directly attributed to stored munitions, petrol storage, lead
pipes, asbestos, uranium based armaments and an extremely large
class of toxic practices. By the way, much of the dangers from these
practices were not known to our families in service to our country nor
even those civilian contractors or the townships and near by.
Genetically Modified Food corporations world wide contribute to the limits
imposed on individual farmers and those in Mexico are under siege in the
rapid decline of food that is natural and independently produced.
Armed with G.M.O. crops now appearing on the selves (unlabeled), the
consumer is keep unaware of these foods are untested and unnatural.
It is essentially a war that guarantees profits for the G.M.O. groups and
as they are capable of sizable farming, market influence and controls
provide them with a dominant position of our future.
We are in major trouble in the food world. This has prompted many to
consider organic foods as often as possible in choice of diet and the ability
to make a consumer decision to enhance the choice of better health.
This support helps the individual by providing a healthy food source and
in turn supports the small farmers. Industrial farming techniques control
the marketed food of the day.
A footnote to consider is that this plight of the small farmers is not new.
Most of the farming that fed the east coast was provided by small plot
black farmers (the figure is 54% of small farms were black owned in the early
part of the 1900s). The conclusion of studies that followed these losses
have attributed this situation directly to racial causes. Many of these small
farmers were run out or had their property and deeds ruled unfounded by
racist elements, jealousy, and false forces imposed on these hard working
folks.
The Zapatistas revolt began when President Clinton signed on to the NAFTA
accords. They were very wise in their decision then for we are all now just
beginning to comprehend the bearing this treaty holds. Zapatistas were of
the realization that this format is a continuation of the "Euro-Peon" historical
systematic controls (feudalistic origins) founded on the idea of people being
sold with the lands!
Here in California, one should note the "poisonous" qualities that contribute
to environment degradation (irreversible water altering toxins) in the product
we under NAFTA accords. Signed with Canada to provide us with a source
of "clean" fuel that contains toxins that are irremovable from the Earth and
Water; these are known to directly contribute to ill health, cancers and are
akin to a poison in our environment. Think about our roadways and the spill-
age along them, our streams and rivers, the air, the land, the waters are not
safely used by the two leggeds that populate the Great Mother. We have
chosen to follow the inherent greed of consumerism over the Old Ways of
Living in Balance with the Creation and our Creator's Gifts of Life in a Loving
Manner that is Sustainable.
There is an adage that is appropriate to this destructive phenomenon,
which begins with...
"any child who turns against his mother is...!"
Walk in Balance
aho
"Everything on the earth has a purpose,
Every disease an herb to cure it
And every person a mission.
This is the Indian theory of existence."
-- Mourning Dove, Salish
"Grandfather,
I ask you to Bless the white man,
He needs your wisdom, your guidance.
He has tried for so long to destroy my people
And only feels comfortable when given power.
Bless them with wisdom.
Show them the peace we understand.
Teach them humility
For I feel they will destroy themselves and all our children
As they have done for so long with Mother Earth.
I plead, I cry.
After all
They are my brothers and sisters."
-- Sandy Kewenhaptewa, Hopi
**********************************************
10.29.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"This war did not spring up here in our land.
It was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father (whites)
Who came to take our land from us without price,
and who do many evil things. . . .
It seems to me that there is a better way than this.
When people come to trouble it is better for both parties
to come together without arms, to talk it over,
and find some peaceful way to settle."
-- Spotted Tail, Brule, Sioux leader, 1877
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://IndianCountry.com/?1067456922
Environmental justice movement sprang from their blood
by Brenda Norrell
October 29, 2003 - 2:44pm EST
"We need to live and to fight together," urged Petuuche Gilbert.
"Live in dignity with life, live in peace and with respect for all
and in courage to carry on the fight."
GALLUP, N.M. - The victories of saving sacred Zuni Salt Lake from
the destruction of a coal mine and the formation of 37 new American
Indian rights groups on the Navajo Nation alone would have made
Leroy Jackson, Fred Walking Badger and Cate Gilles happy.
If they had lived to see it.
"These are my heroes," said Louise Benally of Big Mountain, Ariz.,
after gathering with other Natives for workshops on environmental
justice, hosted by Dinà Bidziil, representing 37 Navajo grassroots
groups seeking justice.
"Live to fight!" urged Petuuche Gilbert, in nearby Acoma Pueblo,
active in the struggle for international indigenous rights.
"I believe it is our responsibility to live, to struggle and fight
against injustices," Gilbert said.
Contemplating indigenous heroes, he said, "I sit here at this
computer because someone lived, fought and died valiantly for
their people and so I could live and survive to carry on that struggle."
Jackson, Navajo leader of the modern-day movement to save old-growth
yellow pines on the Navajo Nation, was found dead a decade ago,
in October 1993.
Jackson lived long enough to question the lack of environmental impact
statements on the Navajo Nation, cofounded Dinà Citizens Against
Ruining our Environment and helped organize the Indigenous Environ-
mental Network.
Just eight months after Jackson's death, Walking Badger, 42, and
Walking Badger's friend Aaron Rivers, 26, disappeared on Gila River
Indian tribal land in south-central Arizona. They were last seen preparing
for a traditional sweat May 21, 1994. Their car was found burned.
More than five years later, the remains of Walking Badger were found
buried in the desert near Sacaton, Ariz, in January 2000. Rivers was
presumed dead.
Urging a return to traditional healing ways and speaking out for the environ-
ment, Walking Badger, Akimel Ootham/Zuni Pueblo and father of four,
led protests of aerial spraying of cotton and other crops.
"He left without saying good-bye or leaving a note," said Walking Badger's
wife, Marilynn Walking Badger at the time of his disappearance.
Because of the lives and deaths of indigenous activists, others have
moved forward with strength and courage.
Gilbert urged indigenous peoples to have hope and argued against
suicide or violence as means of bringing about justice.
"Does suicide make a difference? I don't think so, especially one lonely
indigenous individual. It makes no difference and no sense to sacrifice
one's life.
"I remember Leighman Brightman Mitchell's statement made during one
of the Long Walks to Washington, D.C. He said, If every indigenous man,
woman and children, took up arms against the United States it would make
no difference. It would just give the U.S. a good chance to kill us all off.
"We need to live and to fight together," said Gilbert. "Live in dignity with life,
live in peace and with respect for all and in courage to carry on the fight."
Jackson, Walking Badger and Gilles, an environmental reporter in Indian
country, all died before seeing the fruits of their sacrifices, as did many
Hopi elders like Dan Evehema and Thomas Banyacya.
Navajo elder Roberta Blackgoat, leader in the resistance to Navajo forced
relocation on Black Mesa, and Arlene Hamilton, wife of Leonard Benally,
both died one year after taking their message to the stockholders of
Peabody Coal at the World Trade Center.
They were in a small delegation of Navajo and Hopi who took their message
to Peabody's corporate offices at Lehman Brothers in April 2001. Speaking
to stockholders, they pleaded for Peabody to halt coal mining on Black Mesa.
One year later, Hamilton died in a car crash and Blackgoat died, apparently of
natural causes, at Hamilton's memorial in San Francisco.
Now, a watchdog group for corporations admits grassroots environmental groups
have made stockholders nervous. Companies are increasingly using Non-govern-
mental organizations (www.ngowatch.org) to protect themselves against negative
publicity or consumer boycotts.
"Big shareholders are getting embarrassed to be associated with some companies,"
said Jarol Manheim, George Washington University political science professor.
It is watchdog news that Gilles would have loved. Like Jackson and
Walking Badger, she was a southwest environmental iconoclast.
Gilles focused on uranium mining in the Grand Canyon and environ-
mental damage on the Navajo Nation, before the subjects were popular
with news editors or readers.
She was found dead near her home in the Tucson, Ariz., area in
August, 2002. She served as a writer and newsletter editor the
Pascua Yaqui Tribe at the time of her death. Her death was ruled
suicide.
At Big Mountain, there has been much loss.
Benally has another hero on her list of heroes. It is her son, Arrick
Crittenden. The 20-year-old was shot and killed by a local youth near
the family home in January. Louise remembers her son who remained
at the hogan on Big Mountain to defend his family and the land.
When the Camp Anna Mae Sun Dance grounds were bulldozed in
August 2001, Arrick was arrested as he photographed the destruction
by police officers of the Hopi Tribe, Apache County and BIA. Still he
remained at home by the bulldozed Sun Dance grounds as Hopi
Rangers patrolled the past two years.
"These are all my heroes," Benally says of all those who fought and
went to the Spirit World at an early age.
Jackson's life was threatened after he exposed corruption and more
than $15 million in debts at the tribe's sawmill. His efforts led to
closure of the tribal sawmill, Navajo Forest Products Industries.
Jackson was found dead in his van near Chama, N.M. in October
1993. The cause of his death remains a mystery.
Just weeks before his death, Jackson said federal officials were
turning over documents to him that would stop the desecration
of Navajo lands. Navajo loggers, too, were joining in the struggle
because of their low wages and sawmill mismanagement.
Earl Tulley, Jackson's friend and Navajo co-founder of Dinà CARE,
said the activism of these environmental justice heroes came from
their blood, from a place within that can not be learned.
Tulley said it comes from the well of one's being.
"It comes from your soul."
"This war did not spring up here in our land.
It was brought upon us by the children of the Great Father (whites)
Who came to take our land from us without price,
and who do many evil things. . . .
It seems to me that there is a better way than this.
When people come to trouble it is better for both parties
to come together without arms, to talk it over,
and find some peaceful way to settle."
-- Spotted Tail, Brule, Sioux leader, 1877
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://IndianCountry.com/?1067456922
Environmental justice movement sprang from their blood
by Brenda Norrell
October 29, 2003 - 2:44pm EST
"We need to live and to fight together," urged Petuuche Gilbert.
"Live in dignity with life, live in peace and with respect for all
and in courage to carry on the fight."
GALLUP, N.M. - The victories of saving sacred Zuni Salt Lake from
the destruction of a coal mine and the formation of 37 new American
Indian rights groups on the Navajo Nation alone would have made
Leroy Jackson, Fred Walking Badger and Cate Gilles happy.
If they had lived to see it.
"These are my heroes," said Louise Benally of Big Mountain, Ariz.,
after gathering with other Natives for workshops on environmental
justice, hosted by Dinà Bidziil, representing 37 Navajo grassroots
groups seeking justice.
"Live to fight!" urged Petuuche Gilbert, in nearby Acoma Pueblo,
active in the struggle for international indigenous rights.
"I believe it is our responsibility to live, to struggle and fight
against injustices," Gilbert said.
Contemplating indigenous heroes, he said, "I sit here at this
computer because someone lived, fought and died valiantly for
their people and so I could live and survive to carry on that struggle."
Jackson, Navajo leader of the modern-day movement to save old-growth
yellow pines on the Navajo Nation, was found dead a decade ago,
in October 1993.
Jackson lived long enough to question the lack of environmental impact
statements on the Navajo Nation, cofounded Dinà Citizens Against
Ruining our Environment and helped organize the Indigenous Environ-
mental Network.
Just eight months after Jackson's death, Walking Badger, 42, and
Walking Badger's friend Aaron Rivers, 26, disappeared on Gila River
Indian tribal land in south-central Arizona. They were last seen preparing
for a traditional sweat May 21, 1994. Their car was found burned.
More than five years later, the remains of Walking Badger were found
buried in the desert near Sacaton, Ariz, in January 2000. Rivers was
presumed dead.
Urging a return to traditional healing ways and speaking out for the environ-
ment, Walking Badger, Akimel Ootham/Zuni Pueblo and father of four,
led protests of aerial spraying of cotton and other crops.
"He left without saying good-bye or leaving a note," said Walking Badger's
wife, Marilynn Walking Badger at the time of his disappearance.
Because of the lives and deaths of indigenous activists, others have
moved forward with strength and courage.
Gilbert urged indigenous peoples to have hope and argued against
suicide or violence as means of bringing about justice.
"Does suicide make a difference? I don't think so, especially one lonely
indigenous individual. It makes no difference and no sense to sacrifice
one's life.
"I remember Leighman Brightman Mitchell's statement made during one
of the Long Walks to Washington, D.C. He said, If every indigenous man,
woman and children, took up arms against the United States it would make
no difference. It would just give the U.S. a good chance to kill us all off.
"We need to live and to fight together," said Gilbert. "Live in dignity with life,
live in peace and with respect for all and in courage to carry on the fight."
Jackson, Walking Badger and Gilles, an environmental reporter in Indian
country, all died before seeing the fruits of their sacrifices, as did many
Hopi elders like Dan Evehema and Thomas Banyacya.
Navajo elder Roberta Blackgoat, leader in the resistance to Navajo forced
relocation on Black Mesa, and Arlene Hamilton, wife of Leonard Benally,
both died one year after taking their message to the stockholders of
Peabody Coal at the World Trade Center.
They were in a small delegation of Navajo and Hopi who took their message
to Peabody's corporate offices at Lehman Brothers in April 2001. Speaking
to stockholders, they pleaded for Peabody to halt coal mining on Black Mesa.
One year later, Hamilton died in a car crash and Blackgoat died, apparently of
natural causes, at Hamilton's memorial in San Francisco.
Now, a watchdog group for corporations admits grassroots environmental groups
have made stockholders nervous. Companies are increasingly using Non-govern-
mental organizations (www.ngowatch.org) to protect themselves against negative
publicity or consumer boycotts.
"Big shareholders are getting embarrassed to be associated with some companies,"
said Jarol Manheim, George Washington University political science professor.
It is watchdog news that Gilles would have loved. Like Jackson and
Walking Badger, she was a southwest environmental iconoclast.
Gilles focused on uranium mining in the Grand Canyon and environ-
mental damage on the Navajo Nation, before the subjects were popular
with news editors or readers.
She was found dead near her home in the Tucson, Ariz., area in
August, 2002. She served as a writer and newsletter editor the
Pascua Yaqui Tribe at the time of her death. Her death was ruled
suicide.
At Big Mountain, there has been much loss.
Benally has another hero on her list of heroes. It is her son, Arrick
Crittenden. The 20-year-old was shot and killed by a local youth near
the family home in January. Louise remembers her son who remained
at the hogan on Big Mountain to defend his family and the land.
When the Camp Anna Mae Sun Dance grounds were bulldozed in
August 2001, Arrick was arrested as he photographed the destruction
by police officers of the Hopi Tribe, Apache County and BIA. Still he
remained at home by the bulldozed Sun Dance grounds as Hopi
Rangers patrolled the past two years.
"These are all my heroes," Benally says of all those who fought and
went to the Spirit World at an early age.
Jackson's life was threatened after he exposed corruption and more
than $15 million in debts at the tribe's sawmill. His efforts led to
closure of the tribal sawmill, Navajo Forest Products Industries.
Jackson was found dead in his van near Chama, N.M. in October
1993. The cause of his death remains a mystery.
Just weeks before his death, Jackson said federal officials were
turning over documents to him that would stop the desecration
of Navajo lands. Navajo loggers, too, were joining in the struggle
because of their low wages and sawmill mismanagement.
Earl Tulley, Jackson's friend and Navajo co-founder of Dinà CARE,
said the activism of these environmental justice heroes came from
their blood, from a place within that can not be learned.
Tulley said it comes from the well of one's being.
"It comes from your soul."
10.25.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FALL Back is a ploy to steal another hour!
An unending adventure during today gave me a gift...
This life is a test, just a test! The Sacred Ones were tasting or testing
the levels of my understanding and patience. Beauty is ever present
on this mountain that watches over three major towns north of the
Golden Gate Bridge. Rolling hills coming out of the Great Waters of
the Pacific. A large Spirit Being lying covered with a robe of so many
different striking patterns mixed together covering the Sleeping Elder.
Colorful patches decorate this robe, each area of it changes constantly
in the hues of living layers. The robe covering the Sleeping One drapes
from the waters edge over meadows right up and over the feet, legs,
hips, shoulders lowering to the head which is hidden by the living robe.
Our Great Mother is resting, as all Life rest upon her and constantly
radiate Her Loving Blissings..
Standing People, that is what the trees up here are. I've received so
many Blessings from these Elders who are watching over our rancheria.
Keeping water available, cleaning the water, that smell of the misting
moisture in the air, using their roots by holding the hill and offering
homes for the winged ones and under their arms a peaceful refuge
for all. It is kind to give us air to breathe and humbling to see the
Standing People offer up clouds to the Sky.
Their Ceremonies are conducted around the dancers of Night and Day.
It is the world of the Standing People that witness all things. They take
in all energy through being in constant Prayer Ways.
Thank you Creator for having placed me the hands of my great Elders,
the Standing People. A fine year round spring flows out from this living
giant canopy. This area home to my horse, wolf brother, cats, chickens,
deer, rattlesnakes, mountain lions, wild turkeys, raccoons, spotted owls,
peacocks, red tail hawks, eagles and so many more.
The sounds of crickets and frogs fill the night, the wolf is singing to the
Moon and horses snorting talking to each other as the sparkling stars
lay in the Sky Blanket.
Silence has a place everywhere up here, between the time to time!
Daily as we all walk through the gauntlet; we can do the dance of
Offering and receiving by following our Prayers that lay in the Heart.
Our newest neighbors moved in three years ago and from their first day
up here they have made a Mark on these lands! Their Mark was and
even now after three years still are the cuts of destruction. This is now,
just like a war zone, as most of the lands on Turtle Island.
I've always held a peculiar thought..."who sold the first piece of land on
Mother Earth and where is their head at?" Oh yeah, the other part of
the thought is..."what about the impact of inherited powers...?"
My relations and i have watched the systematic stripping away of much
of the top skin of the Great Mother; shock with rage jumps out of me as
the Standing People began falling over from being slammed into by the
mindless bulldozing. All the leaves on every remaining tree are totally
covered in dust and dirt layers of suffocation. Weapons of this war on
Nature roar as they tear into the arms of the Fallen Elders as the chain-
saws brutally cut into the Standing People. The smell of oil and gasoline
hang in the air like a cloud over the battlefield.
Louder and louder the unending slaughter continues till the Sun flies on!
On the ground around the old apple orchard that is next to the edge of
the creek side are the dead...
Shaking the Earth, shaking my bones, as the trees screamed before
they crashed to the ground and tried for a moment to get up!
When a child turns against its' own Mother! What is going on?
Just what is going on?
Destruction, hate of the Mother, oblivious to the Life all around
us and unbridled greed. Pocketbooks are more important than Life?
Today was a test and tomorrow's another chance to enjoy the Solar
Fire of Change. We all live in this Great Circle and there are countless
Relations.
Oh, the crickets and frogs play such nice songs!
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
We are at the Crossroads!
Mitakuye (my relative),
I, Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nation, would like to ask for this time for you to understand an Indigenous perspective in reflection of what has happened in America, what we call "Turtle Island".
For the past six years, my work has concentrated on an effort on uniting the Global community, through a message from our sacred ceremonies in recognizing a day of World Peace and Prayer as a time to unite spiritually, each in our own ways of beliefs in the Creator. We have been warned from the messages, passed down from Ancient Prophecies of these times we live in today, but also a very important message of a solution to turn these terrible times around.
To assist you in understanding the depth of this message involves the recognition in the importance of Sacred Sites. It is important that you realize the whole interconnectedness of what is happening today, in reflection of the continued massacres that are occurring on other lands and our own Americas. I have been learning about these important issues of Sacred Sites since the age of 12, upon receiving the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle and it's teachings. Our people have strived to protect Sacred Sites from the beginning of time. There needs to be an understanding in the concern of the protection of Sacred Sites that goes deeper than just the issue of Shrines built by humans.
Our people have built similar objects and Shrines to identify and to remind the significance in the power of the Sacred Site. We have also witnessed them being destroyed for many decades, but we also realize it is what is underneath them that is important. These places have been violated for centuries and have brought us to this predicament that we are in concerning the unstable Global Level thus far.
Look around you, our Mother Earth is very ill from these violations and we are at a brink of destroying a healthy and nurturing survival for generations to come, our children's children.
Our ancestors have been trying to protect our Sacred Site from the continued violations called the Sacred Black Hills in SD, "Heart of Everything that is". Our ancestors never seen this site from a Satellite view, but now that those pictures are available with modern technology, we see that it is in the shape of a heart and when fast forwarded it looks like a heart pumping. The Dine have been protecting Big Mountain, calling it the liver and now that the coal is depleting, we are suffering and going to suffer more from the extraction of the coal and poison processes used in doing so. The Aborigines has warned of the contaminating effects on the Corral Reefs from Global Warming, which they see as Mother Earth's blood purifier, our sacred water is being polluted.
The Indigenous people of the Rain Forest relay that the Rain Forest are the lungs and need protection and now we see the Brazilian Government approved the depletion of 50% of this Sacred Site. The Gwich'in Nation has an issue of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, also known to the Gwich'in as 'Where the life begins!' The coastal plain is also the birthplace of many other life forms of Animal Nations. The death of these Animal Nations will destroy Indigenous Nations in this territory.
As these destructive developments continue all over the world, we will witness many more extinct Animal, Plant and Human Nations, because of the misuse of power that mankind has made and their lack of understanding the "balance of life". The Indigenous people warn that these destructive developments will cause havoc globally.
There are many, many more Indigenous awareness's and knowledge of Mother Earth's Sacred Sites, connections (Mother Earth's Chakras) to our spirit that will surely affect our future generations. These people are still suffering from this contamination and their livelihood is being destroyed as I write this to you. There needs to be a fast move toward other forms of energy that are safe for all Nations upon Mother and the whole picture in the type of minds that are continuing to destroy the spirit of our whole Global Community. Unless we do this, the powers of destruction will overwhelm us. Our Ancestors foretold that water would someday be for sale. Back then this was hard to believe, since the water was so plentiful, so pure, and so full of energy, nutrition and spirit. Today we have to buy pure water, and even then the nutritional minerals have been taken out; it's just empty liquid. Someday water will be like gold, too expensive to afford. Not everyone will have the right to drink safe water. We fail to appreciate and honor our Sacred Sites, ripping out the minerals and gifts that lay underneath them, as if Mother Earth were simply a resource, instead of the Source of Life itself.
Attacking Nations and having to utilize more resources to carry out the destruction in the name of Peace and elimination is not the answer! We need to understand how all these decisions affects the Global Nation, we will not be immune to it's repercussions.
To allow continual contamination of our food and land, is now affecting the way we think. A "disease of the mind" has set in World Leaders and many members of our Global Community, with their understanding that a solution of retaliation and destruction of peoples will bring Peace.
In our Prophecies it is told that we are now at the Crossroads, either unite Spiritually as a Global Nation, or be faced with chaos, disasters, diseases and tears from our relatives eyes.
In times of disasters it is sad to say that it is the only time that we unite spiritually, but we must not taint it with anger and retaliation. We are the only species that is destroying the Source of life, meaning Mother Earth, in the name of power, mineral resources and ownership of land, using methods of chemicals and warfare that is becoming irreversible, as Mother Earth is becoming tired and can not sustain any more impacts of war.
I ask you to join me on this endeavor. Our vision is for the Peoples of all continents, regardless of their beliefs in the Creator, to come together as one at their Sacred Sites at that sacred moment of what is known as the Summer Solstice of June 21st, to pray and meditate and commune with one another, thus promoting an energy shift to heal our Mother Earth and achieve a universal consciousness toward attaining Peace. As each day passes bringing us to this day of concentration together, I ask the Global Nations to begin a Global effort, in knowing that each and every one of us are making a daily effort in waking to a gratitude of another day, that is gifted to us and begin to remember to give thanks for the Sacred Food that has been also gifted to us by our other Earth, so the nutritional energy of medicine can be guided to heal our minds and spirits.
This new millennium will usher in an age of harmony or it will bring the end of life as we know it. Starvation, war and toxic waste have been the hallmark of the Great Myth of Progress and Development that ruled the last millennium. To us, as caretakers of the heart of Mother Earth, falls the responsibility of turning back the powers of destruction. We have come to a time and place of great urgency. The fate of future generations rests in our hands. We must understand the two ways we are free to follow, as we choose-the positive way or the negative way, the spiritual way or the material way. It's our own choice--each of ours and all of ours.
You yourself are the one who must decide. You alone-and only you--can make this crucial choice. Whatever you decide is what you'll be, to walk in honor or to dishonor your relatives. You can't escape the consequences of your own decision. On your decision depends the fate of the entire World.
You must decide. You can't avoid it. Each of us is put here in this time and this place to personally decide the future of humankind. Did you think the Creator would create unnecessary people in a time of such terrible danger? Know that you yourself are essential to this World. Believe that!
Understand both the blessing and the burden of that. You yourself are desperately needed to save the soul of this World. Did you think you were put here for something less?
In a Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no beginning and no ending!
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
from November 1, 2001
FALL Back is a ploy to steal another hour!
An unending adventure during today gave me a gift...
This life is a test, just a test! The Sacred Ones were tasting or testing
the levels of my understanding and patience. Beauty is ever present
on this mountain that watches over three major towns north of the
Golden Gate Bridge. Rolling hills coming out of the Great Waters of
the Pacific. A large Spirit Being lying covered with a robe of so many
different striking patterns mixed together covering the Sleeping Elder.
Colorful patches decorate this robe, each area of it changes constantly
in the hues of living layers. The robe covering the Sleeping One drapes
from the waters edge over meadows right up and over the feet, legs,
hips, shoulders lowering to the head which is hidden by the living robe.
Our Great Mother is resting, as all Life rest upon her and constantly
radiate Her Loving Blissings..
Standing People, that is what the trees up here are. I've received so
many Blessings from these Elders who are watching over our rancheria.
Keeping water available, cleaning the water, that smell of the misting
moisture in the air, using their roots by holding the hill and offering
homes for the winged ones and under their arms a peaceful refuge
for all. It is kind to give us air to breathe and humbling to see the
Standing People offer up clouds to the Sky.
Their Ceremonies are conducted around the dancers of Night and Day.
It is the world of the Standing People that witness all things. They take
in all energy through being in constant Prayer Ways.
Thank you Creator for having placed me the hands of my great Elders,
the Standing People. A fine year round spring flows out from this living
giant canopy. This area home to my horse, wolf brother, cats, chickens,
deer, rattlesnakes, mountain lions, wild turkeys, raccoons, spotted owls,
peacocks, red tail hawks, eagles and so many more.
The sounds of crickets and frogs fill the night, the wolf is singing to the
Moon and horses snorting talking to each other as the sparkling stars
lay in the Sky Blanket.
Silence has a place everywhere up here, between the time to time!
Daily as we all walk through the gauntlet; we can do the dance of
Offering and receiving by following our Prayers that lay in the Heart.
Our newest neighbors moved in three years ago and from their first day
up here they have made a Mark on these lands! Their Mark was and
even now after three years still are the cuts of destruction. This is now,
just like a war zone, as most of the lands on Turtle Island.
I've always held a peculiar thought..."who sold the first piece of land on
Mother Earth and where is their head at?" Oh yeah, the other part of
the thought is..."what about the impact of inherited powers...?"
My relations and i have watched the systematic stripping away of much
of the top skin of the Great Mother; shock with rage jumps out of me as
the Standing People began falling over from being slammed into by the
mindless bulldozing. All the leaves on every remaining tree are totally
covered in dust and dirt layers of suffocation. Weapons of this war on
Nature roar as they tear into the arms of the Fallen Elders as the chain-
saws brutally cut into the Standing People. The smell of oil and gasoline
hang in the air like a cloud over the battlefield.
Louder and louder the unending slaughter continues till the Sun flies on!
On the ground around the old apple orchard that is next to the edge of
the creek side are the dead...
Shaking the Earth, shaking my bones, as the trees screamed before
they crashed to the ground and tried for a moment to get up!
When a child turns against its' own Mother! What is going on?
Just what is going on?
Destruction, hate of the Mother, oblivious to the Life all around
us and unbridled greed. Pocketbooks are more important than Life?
Today was a test and tomorrow's another chance to enjoy the Solar
Fire of Change. We all live in this Great Circle and there are countless
Relations.
Oh, the crickets and frogs play such nice songs!
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
We are at the Crossroads!
Mitakuye (my relative),
I, Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nation, would like to ask for this time for you to understand an Indigenous perspective in reflection of what has happened in America, what we call "Turtle Island".
For the past six years, my work has concentrated on an effort on uniting the Global community, through a message from our sacred ceremonies in recognizing a day of World Peace and Prayer as a time to unite spiritually, each in our own ways of beliefs in the Creator. We have been warned from the messages, passed down from Ancient Prophecies of these times we live in today, but also a very important message of a solution to turn these terrible times around.
To assist you in understanding the depth of this message involves the recognition in the importance of Sacred Sites. It is important that you realize the whole interconnectedness of what is happening today, in reflection of the continued massacres that are occurring on other lands and our own Americas. I have been learning about these important issues of Sacred Sites since the age of 12, upon receiving the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe Bundle and it's teachings. Our people have strived to protect Sacred Sites from the beginning of time. There needs to be an understanding in the concern of the protection of Sacred Sites that goes deeper than just the issue of Shrines built by humans.
Our people have built similar objects and Shrines to identify and to remind the significance in the power of the Sacred Site. We have also witnessed them being destroyed for many decades, but we also realize it is what is underneath them that is important. These places have been violated for centuries and have brought us to this predicament that we are in concerning the unstable Global Level thus far.
Look around you, our Mother Earth is very ill from these violations and we are at a brink of destroying a healthy and nurturing survival for generations to come, our children's children.
Our ancestors have been trying to protect our Sacred Site from the continued violations called the Sacred Black Hills in SD, "Heart of Everything that is". Our ancestors never seen this site from a Satellite view, but now that those pictures are available with modern technology, we see that it is in the shape of a heart and when fast forwarded it looks like a heart pumping. The Dine have been protecting Big Mountain, calling it the liver and now that the coal is depleting, we are suffering and going to suffer more from the extraction of the coal and poison processes used in doing so. The Aborigines has warned of the contaminating effects on the Corral Reefs from Global Warming, which they see as Mother Earth's blood purifier, our sacred water is being polluted.
The Indigenous people of the Rain Forest relay that the Rain Forest are the lungs and need protection and now we see the Brazilian Government approved the depletion of 50% of this Sacred Site. The Gwich'in Nation has an issue of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, also known to the Gwich'in as 'Where the life begins!' The coastal plain is also the birthplace of many other life forms of Animal Nations. The death of these Animal Nations will destroy Indigenous Nations in this territory.
As these destructive developments continue all over the world, we will witness many more extinct Animal, Plant and Human Nations, because of the misuse of power that mankind has made and their lack of understanding the "balance of life". The Indigenous people warn that these destructive developments will cause havoc globally.
There are many, many more Indigenous awareness's and knowledge of Mother Earth's Sacred Sites, connections (Mother Earth's Chakras) to our spirit that will surely affect our future generations. These people are still suffering from this contamination and their livelihood is being destroyed as I write this to you. There needs to be a fast move toward other forms of energy that are safe for all Nations upon Mother and the whole picture in the type of minds that are continuing to destroy the spirit of our whole Global Community. Unless we do this, the powers of destruction will overwhelm us. Our Ancestors foretold that water would someday be for sale. Back then this was hard to believe, since the water was so plentiful, so pure, and so full of energy, nutrition and spirit. Today we have to buy pure water, and even then the nutritional minerals have been taken out; it's just empty liquid. Someday water will be like gold, too expensive to afford. Not everyone will have the right to drink safe water. We fail to appreciate and honor our Sacred Sites, ripping out the minerals and gifts that lay underneath them, as if Mother Earth were simply a resource, instead of the Source of Life itself.
Attacking Nations and having to utilize more resources to carry out the destruction in the name of Peace and elimination is not the answer! We need to understand how all these decisions affects the Global Nation, we will not be immune to it's repercussions.
To allow continual contamination of our food and land, is now affecting the way we think. A "disease of the mind" has set in World Leaders and many members of our Global Community, with their understanding that a solution of retaliation and destruction of peoples will bring Peace.
In our Prophecies it is told that we are now at the Crossroads, either unite Spiritually as a Global Nation, or be faced with chaos, disasters, diseases and tears from our relatives eyes.
In times of disasters it is sad to say that it is the only time that we unite spiritually, but we must not taint it with anger and retaliation. We are the only species that is destroying the Source of life, meaning Mother Earth, in the name of power, mineral resources and ownership of land, using methods of chemicals and warfare that is becoming irreversible, as Mother Earth is becoming tired and can not sustain any more impacts of war.
I ask you to join me on this endeavor. Our vision is for the Peoples of all continents, regardless of their beliefs in the Creator, to come together as one at their Sacred Sites at that sacred moment of what is known as the Summer Solstice of June 21st, to pray and meditate and commune with one another, thus promoting an energy shift to heal our Mother Earth and achieve a universal consciousness toward attaining Peace. As each day passes bringing us to this day of concentration together, I ask the Global Nations to begin a Global effort, in knowing that each and every one of us are making a daily effort in waking to a gratitude of another day, that is gifted to us and begin to remember to give thanks for the Sacred Food that has been also gifted to us by our other Earth, so the nutritional energy of medicine can be guided to heal our minds and spirits.
This new millennium will usher in an age of harmony or it will bring the end of life as we know it. Starvation, war and toxic waste have been the hallmark of the Great Myth of Progress and Development that ruled the last millennium. To us, as caretakers of the heart of Mother Earth, falls the responsibility of turning back the powers of destruction. We have come to a time and place of great urgency. The fate of future generations rests in our hands. We must understand the two ways we are free to follow, as we choose-the positive way or the negative way, the spiritual way or the material way. It's our own choice--each of ours and all of ours.
You yourself are the one who must decide. You alone-and only you--can make this crucial choice. Whatever you decide is what you'll be, to walk in honor or to dishonor your relatives. You can't escape the consequences of your own decision. On your decision depends the fate of the entire World.
You must decide. You can't avoid it. Each of us is put here in this time and this place to personally decide the future of humankind. Did you think the Creator would create unnecessary people in a time of such terrible danger? Know that you yourself are essential to this World. Believe that!
Understand both the blessing and the burden of that. You yourself are desperately needed to save the soul of this World. Did you think you were put here for something less?
In a Sacred Hoop of Life, where there is no beginning and no ending!
Mitakuye Oyasin,
Chief Arvol Looking Horse
19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe
from November 1, 2001
10.22.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Relations:
What is progress?
This morning while sitting in the forest that surrounds my home
to welcome the Sun. i was watching the night people dance off
towards the west and the sunrise dancers glowing in the distance,
heading towards me! While going into prayer and preparing a for
morning smoke; the sharp pounding of a hammer slamming a nail
into a plank, echoed loudly across the canyon. The pounding started
to sound like a drum beat that cracked through the awakening dance
of the Sun's entry dancers. Louder and much more intensely pounding
away the Peace full beginnings of a new day. Birds shrieked and flew
away from their perches, dogs barked and my wolf brother howled
away; the great Sun did not care and blessed us all with Light and the
gift of warmth glowing for His partner Our Mother Earth.
Living in the beauty of Nature was evaporated by the illusions of what
is called progress. The mountains all around here are becoming violently
scraped of their skin, not like preparing a hide, at all!
These ancient mountains are being scraped to prepare for the alcohol
farm on the hills above my home. Mother Earth’s skin is about to be
poisoned by these merchants of greed in order to begin planting wine
grape vines. The top layer of Nature’s skin is to be poisoned but there
is No acknowledgement of the cost to All Life, the Water and the great
gift of Spirit that dwells here!
Pounding away and away, bulldozing uprooted trees, bushes, and the
waste of the livestock into the creek. Screaming and yelling in glee by
teenage children continues to cut the air, along with the potable water,
cement, lumber and delivery trucks rumble by as they vibrate the all
the homes by the road in a race along this country road while the soccer
moms carry the children to school and the commuters press them all to
get out of their way and they try to get ahead to the main freeway in order
to join the congestion dance, bottled up on their way to “work”!
Have a Good Morning!
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Resolution in support of designation of a National Federal
and State Holiday for Native Americans….
United Native America National Holiday Resolution 1-2
Native American Day Second Monday, October
Whereas The American Indian Nations of America recognize the Federal and State governments, therefore be it fitting for the Federal Government to recognize Indian Nations and their citizens in solidarity with the establishment of a Native American Federal National Holiday;
Whereas Indian nations citizens are subject to the laws and taxation of the United States Government;
Whereas There are twelve national holidays now recognized by the Federal Government, not one paying tribute to the Native Americans;
Whereas Columbus Day is the most uncelebrated holiday in America, and not recognized by any Native American Government as cause for celebration of the re-discovery of them and their homeland. True history cannot be taught to our young children in our nation's schools about Columbus; and
Whereas The majority of Americans and Native Americans are in full support of a proposal to change Columbus Day to Native American Day (seventeen states do not recognize Columbus Day). State of South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota has changed Columbus Day to Native American Day.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the United States Government support and promote a recommendation to designate one day each year as a Federal and State National Holiday recognizing Native American Indians, Alaskans, Hawaiians and all U.S. Territory Tribal Nations indigenous to that land before the arrival of Columbus;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all national holidays, specifically Columbus Day, be re-evaluated to accommodate the inclusion of Native American Day.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Columbus Day no longer be recognized as a tax paid National holiday and be moved back to its traditional day the second Wednesday of October, Columbus Day should be re-named Italian Heritage Day;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That in conjunction with the second Monday of October being Native American Day, the month of November shall be designated Native American Heritage Month; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the United States Government and State governments establish such a holiday with the intent to show solidarity and identification with Native American governments in recognition of their historic involvement in the formation of the Federal and State governments we have today, including cultural contributions and social significance as citizens of this great land.
Native Americans National Holiday Petition
Dear Relations:
What is progress?
This morning while sitting in the forest that surrounds my home
to welcome the Sun. i was watching the night people dance off
towards the west and the sunrise dancers glowing in the distance,
heading towards me! While going into prayer and preparing a for
morning smoke; the sharp pounding of a hammer slamming a nail
into a plank, echoed loudly across the canyon. The pounding started
to sound like a drum beat that cracked through the awakening dance
of the Sun's entry dancers. Louder and much more intensely pounding
away the Peace full beginnings of a new day. Birds shrieked and flew
away from their perches, dogs barked and my wolf brother howled
away; the great Sun did not care and blessed us all with Light and the
gift of warmth glowing for His partner Our Mother Earth.
Living in the beauty of Nature was evaporated by the illusions of what
is called progress. The mountains all around here are becoming violently
scraped of their skin, not like preparing a hide, at all!
These ancient mountains are being scraped to prepare for the alcohol
farm on the hills above my home. Mother Earth’s skin is about to be
poisoned by these merchants of greed in order to begin planting wine
grape vines. The top layer of Nature’s skin is to be poisoned but there
is No acknowledgement of the cost to All Life, the Water and the great
gift of Spirit that dwells here!
Pounding away and away, bulldozing uprooted trees, bushes, and the
waste of the livestock into the creek. Screaming and yelling in glee by
teenage children continues to cut the air, along with the potable water,
cement, lumber and delivery trucks rumble by as they vibrate the all
the homes by the road in a race along this country road while the soccer
moms carry the children to school and the commuters press them all to
get out of their way and they try to get ahead to the main freeway in order
to join the congestion dance, bottled up on their way to “work”!
Have a Good Morning!
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Resolution in support of designation of a National Federal
and State Holiday for Native Americans….
United Native America National Holiday Resolution 1-2
Native American Day Second Monday, October
Whereas The American Indian Nations of America recognize the Federal and State governments, therefore be it fitting for the Federal Government to recognize Indian Nations and their citizens in solidarity with the establishment of a Native American Federal National Holiday;
Whereas Indian nations citizens are subject to the laws and taxation of the United States Government;
Whereas There are twelve national holidays now recognized by the Federal Government, not one paying tribute to the Native Americans;
Whereas Columbus Day is the most uncelebrated holiday in America, and not recognized by any Native American Government as cause for celebration of the re-discovery of them and their homeland. True history cannot be taught to our young children in our nation's schools about Columbus; and
Whereas The majority of Americans and Native Americans are in full support of a proposal to change Columbus Day to Native American Day (seventeen states do not recognize Columbus Day). State of South Dakota, Wyoming and North Dakota has changed Columbus Day to Native American Day.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the United States Government support and promote a recommendation to designate one day each year as a Federal and State National Holiday recognizing Native American Indians, Alaskans, Hawaiians and all U.S. Territory Tribal Nations indigenous to that land before the arrival of Columbus;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That all national holidays, specifically Columbus Day, be re-evaluated to accommodate the inclusion of Native American Day.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That Columbus Day no longer be recognized as a tax paid National holiday and be moved back to its traditional day the second Wednesday of October, Columbus Day should be re-named Italian Heritage Day;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That in conjunction with the second Monday of October being Native American Day, the month of November shall be designated Native American Heritage Month; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That the United States Government and State governments establish such a holiday with the intent to show solidarity and identification with Native American governments in recognition of their historic involvement in the formation of the Federal and State governments we have today, including cultural contributions and social significance as citizens of this great land.
10.17.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To All My Relations...
This is just the beginning of support for a National Native American Holiday!
Designating November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day' to honor the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans... (Introduced in Senate) SRES 239 IS
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 239
Designating November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day' to honor the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 3, 2003
Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. THOMAS, and Mr. MCCAIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
RESOLUTION
Designating November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day' to honor the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States.
Whereas Native Americans have served with honor and distinction in the United States Armed Forces and defended the United States of America for more than 200 years;
Whereas Native Americans have served in wars involving the United States from Valley Forge to the 2003 hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas Native Americans have served in the Armed Forces with the highest record of military service of any group in the United States;
Whereas the courage, determination, and fighting spirit of Native Americans have strengthened and continue to strengthen the United States, including the United States Armed Forces;
Whereas Native Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the United States, even in times when Native Americans were not citizens of the United States;
Whereas the establishment of a National Native American Veterans Day will honor the continuing service and sacrifice of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces; and
Whereas November 7th, a date that falls within the traditional observance of Native American Indian Heritage Month, would be an appropriate day to establish a National Native American Veterans Day:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate
(1) honors the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States;
(2) designates November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day';
(3) encourages all people in the United States to learn about the history of the service of Native Americans in the Armed Forces; and
(4) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to demonstrate support for Native American veterans.
Please Note the link to United Native America on the left margin.
we request all to call, write and request the support of their Congress person
to support this idea of backing this important issue!
To All My Relations...
This is just the beginning of support for a National Native American Holiday!
Designating November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day' to honor the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans... (Introduced in Senate) SRES 239 IS
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 239
Designating November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day' to honor the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 3, 2003
Mr. CAMPBELL (for himself, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. BINGAMAN, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. THOMAS, and Mr. MCCAIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
RESOLUTION
Designating November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day' to honor the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States.
Whereas Native Americans have served with honor and distinction in the United States Armed Forces and defended the United States of America for more than 200 years;
Whereas Native Americans have served in wars involving the United States from Valley Forge to the 2003 hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas Native Americans have served in the Armed Forces with the highest record of military service of any group in the United States;
Whereas the courage, determination, and fighting spirit of Native Americans have strengthened and continue to strengthen the United States, including the United States Armed Forces;
Whereas Native Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the United States, even in times when Native Americans were not citizens of the United States;
Whereas the establishment of a National Native American Veterans Day will honor the continuing service and sacrifice of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces; and
Whereas November 7th, a date that falls within the traditional observance of Native American Indian Heritage Month, would be an appropriate day to establish a National Native American Veterans Day:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate
(1) honors the service of Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces and the contribution of Native Americans to the defense of the United States;
(2) designates November 7, 2003, as `National Native American Veterans Day';
(3) encourages all people in the United States to learn about the history of the service of Native Americans in the Armed Forces; and
(4) requests that the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to demonstrate support for Native American veterans.
Please Note the link to United Native America on the left margin.
we request all to call, write and request the support of their Congress person
to support this idea of backing this important issue!
10.12.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chavez: 'No reason to honor Columbus'
Venezuelan president says 1492 voyage led to genocide
Saturday, October 11, 2003
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged Latin Americans on Saturday not to celebrate Columbus Day, saying the explorer's expedition to the Americas in 1492 triggered a 150-year "genocide" of native Indians by foreign conquerors who behaved "worse than Hitler." TE
"Christopher Columbus was the spearhead of the biggest invasion and genocide ever seen in the history of humanity," the populist president said at a meeting of representatives of Indian peoples from across the continent.
Columbus Day, October 12, is celebrated as a holiday in the United States and several Latin American nations, but Chavez said it should be remembered as the "Day of Indian Resistance."
"We Venezuelans, we Latin Americans, have no reason to honor Columbus," he said.
The Venezuelan leader said Spanish, Portuguese and other foreign conquerors had massacred South America's Indian inhabitants at an average rate of roughly "one every 10 minutes." He described Spanish conquistadors like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, as "worse than Hitler."
He said even the continent's geographical names, like America and Venezuela, were imposed by foreigners.
Chavez's opponents, who are seeking a referendum to try to vote him out of office, say his self-styled "revolution" in the world's No. 5 oil exporter is aimed at installing an anti-U.S. system like the one in Cuba. Chavez says his brand of left-wing nationalism will make Venezuela more independent.
The Venezuelan leader hailed as heroes Indian chiefs who had fought the Europeans, such as Guaicaipuro, who resisted the Spanish founders of Caracas, and Sioux chief Sitting Bull, who defeated U.S. Gen. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.
"Long live Sitting Bull!" Chavez declared, drawing applause from his audience, many of whom wore traditional native clothes and headdresses.
-------Copyright 2003 Reuters.-----------------------------------------------
Note: Please go to the site United Native America.com/ and do sign
the petition for a National Native American Holiday. The proper day
to honor the original inhabitants of the Americas instead of the honor-
ing of Columbus and what he represents is quite over due!
We do need more members of Congress to get behind the healing
effect that a Native American Holiday does represent.
This is not an anti anyone but rather a pro reality and respect for those
who are still here and the recognition of healing for the travesties placed
upon the original residents of the Americas. To long the myths and mis-representations have held a false and gross views that do nothing more
than fuel injustice!
Walk In Balance
Chavez: 'No reason to honor Columbus'
Venezuelan president says 1492 voyage led to genocide
Saturday, October 11, 2003
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez urged Latin Americans on Saturday not to celebrate Columbus Day, saying the explorer's expedition to the Americas in 1492 triggered a 150-year "genocide" of native Indians by foreign conquerors who behaved "worse than Hitler." TE
"Christopher Columbus was the spearhead of the biggest invasion and genocide ever seen in the history of humanity," the populist president said at a meeting of representatives of Indian peoples from across the continent.
Columbus Day, October 12, is celebrated as a holiday in the United States and several Latin American nations, but Chavez said it should be remembered as the "Day of Indian Resistance."
"We Venezuelans, we Latin Americans, have no reason to honor Columbus," he said.
The Venezuelan leader said Spanish, Portuguese and other foreign conquerors had massacred South America's Indian inhabitants at an average rate of roughly "one every 10 minutes." He described Spanish conquistadors like Hernan Cortes and Francisco Pizarro, as "worse than Hitler."
He said even the continent's geographical names, like America and Venezuela, were imposed by foreigners.
Chavez's opponents, who are seeking a referendum to try to vote him out of office, say his self-styled "revolution" in the world's No. 5 oil exporter is aimed at installing an anti-U.S. system like the one in Cuba. Chavez says his brand of left-wing nationalism will make Venezuela more independent.
The Venezuelan leader hailed as heroes Indian chiefs who had fought the Europeans, such as Guaicaipuro, who resisted the Spanish founders of Caracas, and Sioux chief Sitting Bull, who defeated U.S. Gen. George Armstrong Custer at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876.
"Long live Sitting Bull!" Chavez declared, drawing applause from his audience, many of whom wore traditional native clothes and headdresses.
-------Copyright 2003 Reuters.-----------------------------------------------
Note: Please go to the site United Native America.com/ and do sign
the petition for a National Native American Holiday. The proper day
to honor the original inhabitants of the Americas instead of the honor-
ing of Columbus and what he represents is quite over due!
We do need more members of Congress to get behind the healing
effect that a Native American Holiday does represent.
This is not an anti anyone but rather a pro reality and respect for those
who are still here and the recognition of healing for the travesties placed
upon the original residents of the Americas. To long the myths and mis-representations have held a false and gross views that do nothing more
than fuel injustice!
Walk In Balance
10.01.2003
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Give wisdom and understanding to my leaders. Protect my warriors
and bring them back safe. Give to the young, love and contentment.
Give health and long life to my old people so that they may remain
with us for a long time. Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if
defeated, I will not be ashamed. And give me wisdom so that I may
have kindness for all. And let me live each day, so when day is done,
my prayer will not have been in vain."
-- Big Lodge Pole, Blackfeet
submitted by ~giovanna~
*********************************************************
WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE
by Bob Dylan
Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.
Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.
Oh the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.
Oh the First World War, boys
It closed out its fate
The reason for fighting
I never got straight
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.
When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.
I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war starts
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.
But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.
In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.
So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.
*********************************************************
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH
There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Buffalo Springfield -1967
********************************************************
WAR
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War is something that I despise
For it means destruction of innocent lives
For it means tears in thousands of mothers' eyes
When their sons go out to fight to give their lives
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War
It's nothing but a heartbreaker
War
Friend only to the undertaker
War is the enemy of all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
Handed down from generation to generation
Induction destruction
Who wants to die
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War has shattered many young men's dreams
Made them disabled bitter and meanLife is too precious to be fighting wars
each day
War can't give life it can only take it away
War
It's nothing but a heartbreaker
War
Friend only to the undertaker
Peace love and understanding
There must be some place for these things today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord there's gotta be a better way
That's better than
War
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
WAR by Barret Strong/Norman Whitfield/Edwin Star
*******************************************************
The words of H.I.M as sung by Bob Marley
WAR
Until the philosophy which holds one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war
That until there is no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war
That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war
That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be pursued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war
And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
That hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywhere is war, me say war
War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war
And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory
Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
*******************************************************
MASTERS OF WAR
by Bob Dylan
Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead
********************************************************
"Oh, Great Spirit,
whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me;
I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty,
and make my eyes ever behold
the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears sharp to hear your voice
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong
in the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf & rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts
& act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion
without empathy overwhelming me.
I seek strength,
not to be greater than my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy -
Myself.
Make me always ready to come to you
with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame.
********************************************************
"Give wisdom and understanding to my leaders. Protect my warriors
and bring them back safe. Give to the young, love and contentment.
Give health and long life to my old people so that they may remain
with us for a long time. Make my enemy brave and strong, so that if
defeated, I will not be ashamed. And give me wisdom so that I may
have kindness for all. And let me live each day, so when day is done,
my prayer will not have been in vain."
-- Big Lodge Pole, Blackfeet
submitted by ~giovanna~
*********************************************************
WITH GOD ON OUR SIDE
by Bob Dylan
Oh my name it is nothin'
My age it means less
The country I come from
Is called the Midwest
I's taught and brought up there
The laws to abide
And that land that I live in
Has God on its side.
Oh the history books tell it
They tell it so well
The cavalries charged
The Indians fell
The cavalries charged
The Indians died
Oh the country was young
With God on its side.
Oh the Spanish-American
War had its day
And the Civil War too
Was soon laid away
And the names of the heroes
I's made to memorize
With guns in their hands
And God on their side.
Oh the First World War, boys
It closed out its fate
The reason for fighting
I never got straight
But I learned to accept it
Accept it with pride
For you don't count the dead
When God's on your side.
When the Second World War
Came to an end
We forgave the Germans
And we were friends
Though they murdered six million
In the ovens they fried
The Germans now too
Have God on their side.
I've learned to hate Russians
All through my whole life
If another war starts
It's them we must fight
To hate them and fear them
To run and to hide
And accept it all bravely
With God on my side.
But now we got weapons
Of the chemical dust
If fire them we're forced to
Then fire them we must
One push of the button
And a shot the world wide
And you never ask questions
When God's on your side.
In a many dark hour
I've been thinkin' about this
That Jesus Christ
Was betrayed by a kiss
But I can't think for you
You'll have to decide
Whether Judas Iscariot
Had God on his side.
So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on our side
He'll stop the next war.
*********************************************************
FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH
There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, now, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Stop, children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's going down
Buffalo Springfield -1967
********************************************************
WAR
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War is something that I despise
For it means destruction of innocent lives
For it means tears in thousands of mothers' eyes
When their sons go out to fight to give their lives
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War
It's nothing but a heartbreaker
War
Friend only to the undertaker
War is the enemy of all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind
Handed down from generation to generation
Induction destruction
Who wants to die
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War has shattered many young men's dreams
Made them disabled bitter and meanLife is too precious to be fighting wars
each day
War can't give life it can only take it away
War
It's nothing but a heartbreaker
War
Friend only to the undertaker
Peace love and understanding
There must be some place for these things today
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord there's gotta be a better way
That's better than
War
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
War
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
WAR by Barret Strong/Norman Whitfield/Edwin Star
*******************************************************
The words of H.I.M as sung by Bob Marley
WAR
Until the philosophy which holds one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war
That until there is no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
Me say war
That until the basic human rights are equally
Guaranteed to all, without regard to race
Dis a war
That until that day
The dream of lasting peace, world citizenship
Rule of international morality
Will remain in but a fleeting illusion
To be pursued, but never attained
Now everywhere is war, war
And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes
That hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique,
South Africa sub-human bondage
Have been toppled, utterly destroyed
Well, everywhere is war, me say war
War in the east, war in the west
War up north, war down south
War, war, rumours of war
And until that day, the African continent
Will not know peace, we Africans will fight
We find it necessary and we know we shall win
As we are confident in the victory
Of good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
Good over evil, good over evil, good over evil
*******************************************************
MASTERS OF WAR
by Bob Dylan
Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build the big bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks
You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly
Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain
You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
As young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud
You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins
How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
Even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do
Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul
And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead
********************************************************
"Oh, Great Spirit,
whose voice I hear in the wind,
Whose breath gives life to all the world.
Hear me;
I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty,
and make my eyes ever behold
the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made
and my ears sharp to hear your voice
Make me wise so that I may understand
the things you have taught my people.
Help me to remain calm and strong
in the face of all that comes towards me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf & rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts
& act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion
without empathy overwhelming me.
I seek strength,
not to be greater than my brother,
but to fight my greatest enemy -
Myself.
Make me always ready to come to you
with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset,
my spirit may come to you without shame.
********************************************************
