thebitterguy

Remember how everyone was amused by the whole "Lakota declare independance from US" thing that turned out to be "Some Lakota Guys (four, apparently) declare independance from something American, possibly tax laws"?

YHB did a quick Google of Lakota in Google News. The first article basically said "Hi, we're the Lakota leadership, and we don't know who these guys are."

Warning, that link has that annoying talking smiley ad that shouts "Helloooo" at you. You're warned.

The second said, and I quote:

Jan. 10, 2008. This is a very important international gathering. On December 17th the Lakota declared their continuing independence and withdrew from all treaties with the U.S.
People worldwide have come to realize that colonial societies are responsible for wars, deaths, degradation of the environment and many social injustices. They still haven’t admitted that their colonial practices fully fit the definition of genocide. They haven’t even admitted that colonialism is a form of addiction to hierarchy and domination. Now that some Europeans are coming to their senses and starting to heal themselves, we’d like to move our relationship forward onto a more respectful footing. Ordinary heirs to the colonial order are supporting Ongwehonwe efforts. Some of them even want to serve as ambassadors from their states to the Lakota to facilitate an orderly transition from the colonial modes of operation that have wreaked havoc in the world during the last few centuries. We all want an egalitarian society that will protect everyone and the environment that our future generations must depend upon. The old colonial “command and obey” paradigm simply does not work. At the first sign that the sickness of colonialism is about to go into remission, they do everything they can to prevent open, public and egalitarian discussions aimed at creating good social health. In times like these the colonists reassert their model using violence, threats, coercion and skullduggery. There are lots of “ambulance chasers”, bureaucrats, politicians and corporations who are eager to do this; a) because they don’t know any better; and b) because they’re greedy and they know at some subliminal level that their neurotic control freak functions will be considered criminal in a decolonized world order. If we ever manage to eradicate this disease there will be no more use for “ambulance chasing Chihuauas” who claim to be working for Ongwehonwe “pro bono”. They invariably fail to mention that the impoverished Ongwehonwe are expected to pick up the tab for their fancy dinners and executive hotel suites while they engage endlessly in dead end negotiations that would not be legal if they ever saw the light of day. [Why can't they meet at Tim Horton's or Dunkin Donuts?] Colonialism has been repudiated under international law. We need to re-examine our independence and the terms of co-existence with the colonizers. Despite growing support for the positive initiatives the Lakota are taking, we can expect intrusive and obstructive tactics. No doubt, they have already cranked their surveillance up to the hilt. In keeping with their habit of ignoring our humanity and treating us disrespectfully, they especially dislike those who have a clear sense of our rights and identity. We would never succumbed to the dubious pleasures of joining them in their “crack house” addiction. Among other Ongwehonwe, these junkies dislike the Mohawks and the Lakota. We have called each other, in jest, “the Mohawks of the West” and “the Lakota of the East”. We even joke about who is hated the most by the colonists!