Plea to help buy back and preserve sacred Lakota land from highway development
August 24, 2012 5:24 pmPosted In: Uncategorized
The video basically says it all;
This land has an extremely important spiritual significance to the native people of the area, and the owners are looking to sell it in the near future. Certain parties have expressed interest in running a highway through the land, so the seven bands of the Oceti Sakowin are trying to pool their resources to buy, if not all 2000 acres, at least enough strategic plots to prevent the construction. They have an Indiegogo page set up to accept donations from the general public, as well as more information over here.
Sounds an awful lot like a ponzi scheme.
That’s a very cynical way to look at it.
I can vouch at least for the veracity of their claim to the land, and ironically there is a large trust of money in the Lakota name held by the US, which they can’t claim (or choose not to claim) because accepting it is basically saying “this money pays for everything done to and taken from us” including this land–so they couldn’t even buy it back with it.
Just FYI– as mentioned on the website linked– the property is no longer up for auction which is possibly a good thing because it means there is apparently no longer such a quick deadline and is possibly a bad thing because it means there is the possibility that the land will be sold privately with no chance or the group to make an offer. Also, unlike some sites (like kickstarter), they will be able to keep all funds raised (minus site fees) regardless of whether they meet their goal or not. So don’t be put off by how far away they are from their goal. We can all still make a very positive difference.
It’s not up for auction, but it’s still listed,
Not sure they COULD stop a highway from being built. Eminent Domain, and all.
They can’t stop the highway, but they can prevent further development. No subdivisions or fast food on their sacred land!
If the US gov’t is willing to use their right to take away people’s land to pave over a site sacred to the people they buggered over to get said land in the first place, it says quite a lot about the country they run.
And makes me very, very glad I moved just north of the US/Canadian border about five years ago.
You ought to go check out how the Canadian government has treated the natives in the northern half of the country, Dok. It’s far worse than paving over sacred land.
Damn right, bloody folks don’t even get near as much as a rural municipality does (in Manitoba, one of the great welfare provinces of Canada), but on top of that they’re told they can’t build needed sanitation, roads, housing, etc. because the government decides that they need a 40-80 million dollar school (for a town with only 2 hundred and change people in it) with a cafeteria and enough space and amenities that if something ever happened to the settlement, they could all go in there.
Getting materials and food up there is a joke, you either have to fly it up, or you have to wait until the winter roads open up (for all of 3 to 5 weeks) and hope your shipment makes it up there in time.
Canada pays New Brundswick more than the first nations, statistically it’s bogus because the first nations in total sit in around 1.3 to 1.5 million people, New Brundswick? 700 thousand-ish.
In the government’s defense, yes, there was some major issues with jackass band chiefs, and the government stepped in and said enough. But the problem is, what they’re doing isn’t any better, instead of cruises, new toys, and other nonsense for the band chiefs, now it’s useless expenditure in the name of ‘ensuring quality of life.’
I generally don’t go crazytalk (often) on the net, but this is one of those damning moments where quite frankly, the museum for human rights couldn’t possibly be in more ironic hands considering what the Canadian government does to these people.
Now again, in their defense, there are always assholes, the problem is, they’re letting the assholes get in the way of good sense and trying to quietly force the abandonment of reserves (at least here in Manitoba) because of high cost of living, poor quality of living, and no opportunity. That last one is everywhere in small towns in Manitoba though, not entirely their problem alone, but it’s still one forcing these communities to wither and die in the face of over-obsessive bureaucracy.
You should reference the Kilo decision in SCOTUS a couple years ago. Gov can take land you own, sacred or not, under the guise of ‘urban blight’ or any other excuse and sell it to a developer to build whatever if he can convince the local gov he can generate more tax revenue from the same space.
Man refused to sell his beachfront home he built in the 60s to a developer, so the city E.D.’d it.
I always wonder why in addition to the third amendment, we didn’t set down an unalienable right to own property and the defense thereof. Would have made for interesting times with the gold confiscation in the early 20th when the commerce clause was (ab)used.
So, if the Lakota buy this land, do the Cheyenne have a legitimate claim to it, seeing as how they took it from them. And if they get a chunk, do the Kiowa get a piece of that, considering how they owned it before them?
Aww man, what the hell, government? You’re all old dudes! What have you got against Lakota? That shit is great for arthritis and back pain… maybe… I mean it’s basically just snake oil…
But Floyd Westerman told me it works and I believe him!
Unfortunately for the Lakota people, I am a miserly bastard and I don’t respect cultures or religions enough to be willing to help. I wish them luck in their efforts though.
Didn’t expect to see this. Thanks for sharing it with everyone and all that. Pidamayaye do.
Ha ha ha ha ha, no.
Why not? This is a good cause. If i had more than Fity dollars i’d donate to the cause.
And just Think. Right now the Gov. just chooses what to do to our land, but that’s just the first step to being able to decide what to do to our Bodies. Nomura man.
“Sacred” land isn’t a thing. To be blunt, I don’t care about this. I understand you sharing it as you obvious ly care and I don’t object to those who contribute, but not all of us who aren’t contributing are jerks. Just reasonable.
Per the treaty of 1868 the Black Hills belong to the Lakota. The Cheyenne fought for the terms of that treaty, so they do accept it as under Lakota custody. However the USA as state or, often, as private citizens without the state controlling them as it’s its duty, has desecrated the holy land often.
First Nations deserve some respect.
I know i am way too ate for this but i just read the whole story arc.
I do not think it was fair to put Auron with the pretty boy disease, the guy was the epitome of manliness.
Wow, the indians got really screwed over, I’m just thankful that the government was less populated with jackasses ,cough, Jackson, when they bought Alaska, to this day the largest private landowners are the Native Alaskan Corps.
Great comic. Red the whole thing in about two days after I found it. lol
I don’t know if anybody’s ever suggested this, or if you’ve ever even thought of doing it yourself, but you should have Commander Shepard show up. It could be a battle of the Commanders. lol
I’m not sure why they care. I’m half lakota myself, and maybe it’s because I didn’t grow up on a reservation, or maybe it’s because I’m a cold callous person, but either way. I don’t see why this land is such a big deal.
Because you probably don’t see yourself as a Lakota.
Perhaps that might be the case, but I’ll tell you this much, I identify with the Lakota half a lot more than I do with the other half that’s Hispanic. When people ask me my race, I say Lakota, not Mexican. But then again, my mom never bothered to teach me any of her peoples customs or culture… But my dad didn’t exactly teach me about any of his culture either.
Then that explains why you don’t really relate to the people who are concerned about this land and what happens to it. It’s about culture, not blood, but if you’ve never had access to the culture, it’s understandable that you don’t really sympathize.
If I win the lottery this week EVERY CENT will go to them.
I think Commander should be the only person allowed to vote, being from the future and all.