Post by blackcrowheart on Nov 23, 2005 16:11:35 GMT -5
Growing anti-Indian movements threaten to destroy many of the gains
that Indian country has made
Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images file
Anti-Indian movements might be angling to utilize California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger as a spokesperson to greatly raise their public
profiles.
COMMENTARY
Updated: 5:28 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2004
High on the reading list of the Web site of One Nation, the anti-
Indian organization, is the article titled, ''Schwarzenegger, tribes
on collision,'' by Alan Murray of CNBC. The main thrust of the
article is to cheer on the terminator governor from California as he
shakes down the tribes for all they are worth. That's the
opportunistic focus on one coast. Elsewhere in the country United
Property Owners of Redmond, Wash., has announced that they will be
merging with One Nation of Oklahoma to form a new non-partisan anti-
Indian organization called One Nation United. The new organization
states it will have approximately 300,000 members in all 50 states.
New York will be represented on the One Nation United Advisory Board
by David Vickers, president of anti-Indian organization Upstate
Citizens for Equality.
The news is a reminder of the steady stirring by anti-Indian groups
nationally. One Nation is the Oklahoma-based portion of the
nationally fast-growing coalition of organizations intent on the
destruction of tribal freedom throughout the United States. Wrapping
themselves in the American flag, these groups seek to gain both a
national profile and national influence. At this time in history,
given the trend toward majority excesses and the tenuous support for
Indian positions in federal courts, this is a movement that is poised
to become seriously dangerous to Indian governments. Indian country
leadership dismisses it at its own peril.
The enemy's argument against Indian tribal rights and particularly
against the sovereign jurisdictions asserted by American Indian
nations, is being finely honed. The modern anti-Indian movement has
been brewing for over 30 years: From small groups of non-Indian
reservation residents clamoring to start enclaves of state
jurisdiction within Indian land, to the hue and
cry of convenience store operators near reservations who must compete
with separate tax bases, to the toothy grins of the state governors,
legislatures and municipalities positioning in the good old American
dance to secure for themselves Indian property or the jurisdiction
thereof.
In America circa 2004 public metaphor is everything. One Nation and
other groups that need someone to attack, joined to the politicians
of various states, are now onto something: The power of the Indian
image in the American mind can perhaps be damaged and reversed: From
legitimate governments comprised of the first peoples and rightful
property owners of this land, to greedy, special-interest casino
kingpins. Say it and portray the seedy image enough times, it becomes
the over-riding public
metaphor, one that will last a long time. The antagonist idea is to
denigrate Indian jurisdiction in the public mind, paint the American
Indian as getting a free ride, as conniving and thievish, and you can
get a measure passed against them!
Here is how the danger grows. The anti-Indian movement is shopping
for a national voice and face. Much like the NRA gained tremendously
from the voice and face of Charlton Heston, so can the anti-Indian
movement gain from the recognizable voice and face of someone, say,
like Arnold Schwarzenegger. This would be (perhaps already is) a huge
escalation of the Indian profile problem. But this is only a tactical
problem. Like the Democrats who have not been able to get ahead of
the Republican game plan for two elections now, Indian tribes will
progressively lose in the court of public opinion and ultimately in
legislatures and Congress, unless they think ahead of this growing
problem. There is still time but as the California experience
reveals, events can turn on a dime.
While Indian enemies envision the complete deconstruction of Indian
sovereign bases, the fight over Congress and by extension, over the
hearts and minds of the American public, becomes paramount. Remember
John Kerry's ''flip-flop'' image, how, true or not, it stuck. Again,
that was just a tactic. The damage was done through a public
relations strategy built on
repeated innuendo. The same is happening to Indian issues. It is not
fair and follows no logic but manipulates anger and intends to
diminish any gains by Native tribes. Thus the push is on to portray
the tribes as lobbying nightmares, enclaves of values-less societies
rolling in ill-gained casino dollars. This is cultural preparation
for the political kill. It's the swift-boat attack of the Indian
issue polemic: Indians as ''rip-offs,'' ''cheats,'' corrupt
lobbyists, as ''special interests,'' as impediments to American
unity. The only thing in the way is that pesky American Indian
sovereignty and ''properties'' over which these phony governments
exercise control.
American Indian nations beware. This is not about a fight between the
rich gaming tribes and the poorer, big-land tribes. Indians fighting
Indians is not, once again, the inherent contradiction (although
plenty will promote such). The response to the anti-Indian movement
is not in pitting one group of tribes against another. The solution
is in the active defense of the overall interests of all of Indian
country. The solution is in the gaming rich tribes leading a major -
hugely major - national television and print educational initiative
to introduce this current moment in the history of the tribal nations
to America and to educate the American people about who Indian people
are, what they know and what they mean to this land. The overall
humanity of Native people needs to be emphasized and the place and
role of gaming in the overall uplifting of many, but not all, Indian
economies must be explained and made acceptable and understood by the
American public.
Most of all, such campaigns must let America see and hear from and
get to know the core personalities and values of Indian America.
Always stressing that which is real, they must engage the public mind
at all times, in all the major venues where the world of American
Indian people can be presented. It must present the Native family and
the wisdom of the most superlative of Native ways when properly
applied to the building of family and community. It must present the
American Indian military presence, the proud veterans, what they gave
and give and what they aspire. And certainly such a campaign would be
structured and launched most successfully on the foundation of a
discernable American Indian philanthropy, in the context of
an Indian country where the financially strong tribe is best
recognized and admired who extents a helping investment to the less
fortunate tribes also seeking self-sufficiency.
Such a public media campaign would gather the best of Indian talent
and strategic and creative thinking and install the best of Indian
communications talent in the circle of the most respected media
renowned among the friends of Indian country. Such a campaign, to
succeed, must be done actively and pro-actively, starting now, week
by week, venue by venue. This is the most important task facing the
collective Indian country, because the elements of active destruction
are growing, they are consistently meeting, improving their rhetoric,
honing their arguments, making strategic alliances, positioning
themselves closest to the American flag and to the American mission.
When their moment comes, they will be ready and the attack will be
thunderous. The campaign to dislocate the Indian image in the public
mind and relegate it to the outer edges of American consciousness -
along with other ''troublemakers'' or anti-American elements - puts
in peril the Indian generations. Indians
must do that one better. We need to cover the same ground much, much
better; much more consistently, with better quality and, most
importantly, with the truth.
There are positive, negative, confusing and simply neutral media
stereotypes. American Indians have suffered them all and of all of
them the one most closely tied to reality, even when romanticized and
overused, is the American Indian as ''caretaker'' of these lands.
That national image of American Indians, particularly as captured and
projected through the 1970s and 1980s, rested on a sense of spiritual
integrity the public sustained about Indian cultures and particularly
Indian elders. This is an
important public image for any people to enjoy and to consider. It is
an image that still lingers in the mind's eye of most of the American
public, slowly clouded and wrapped over by the casino and high-roller
image, but nevertheless still palpable. It is still based on
substantial reality and remains a potential factor to revitalize -
with more precise intention - to once again reach into the hearts and
minds of the American public.
Indian country cannot afford to wait for this latest termination
trend to walk in its front door. There are more than enough lessons
in the history of the United States to teach us that these threats to
our inherent and hard-preserved freedoms require the utmost vigilance
and defense.
that Indian country has made
Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images file
Anti-Indian movements might be angling to utilize California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger as a spokesperson to greatly raise their public
profiles.
COMMENTARY
Updated: 5:28 p.m. ET Nov. 16, 2004
High on the reading list of the Web site of One Nation, the anti-
Indian organization, is the article titled, ''Schwarzenegger, tribes
on collision,'' by Alan Murray of CNBC. The main thrust of the
article is to cheer on the terminator governor from California as he
shakes down the tribes for all they are worth. That's the
opportunistic focus on one coast. Elsewhere in the country United
Property Owners of Redmond, Wash., has announced that they will be
merging with One Nation of Oklahoma to form a new non-partisan anti-
Indian organization called One Nation United. The new organization
states it will have approximately 300,000 members in all 50 states.
New York will be represented on the One Nation United Advisory Board
by David Vickers, president of anti-Indian organization Upstate
Citizens for Equality.
The news is a reminder of the steady stirring by anti-Indian groups
nationally. One Nation is the Oklahoma-based portion of the
nationally fast-growing coalition of organizations intent on the
destruction of tribal freedom throughout the United States. Wrapping
themselves in the American flag, these groups seek to gain both a
national profile and national influence. At this time in history,
given the trend toward majority excesses and the tenuous support for
Indian positions in federal courts, this is a movement that is poised
to become seriously dangerous to Indian governments. Indian country
leadership dismisses it at its own peril.
The enemy's argument against Indian tribal rights and particularly
against the sovereign jurisdictions asserted by American Indian
nations, is being finely honed. The modern anti-Indian movement has
been brewing for over 30 years: From small groups of non-Indian
reservation residents clamoring to start enclaves of state
jurisdiction within Indian land, to the hue and
cry of convenience store operators near reservations who must compete
with separate tax bases, to the toothy grins of the state governors,
legislatures and municipalities positioning in the good old American
dance to secure for themselves Indian property or the jurisdiction
thereof.
In America circa 2004 public metaphor is everything. One Nation and
other groups that need someone to attack, joined to the politicians
of various states, are now onto something: The power of the Indian
image in the American mind can perhaps be damaged and reversed: From
legitimate governments comprised of the first peoples and rightful
property owners of this land, to greedy, special-interest casino
kingpins. Say it and portray the seedy image enough times, it becomes
the over-riding public
metaphor, one that will last a long time. The antagonist idea is to
denigrate Indian jurisdiction in the public mind, paint the American
Indian as getting a free ride, as conniving and thievish, and you can
get a measure passed against them!
Here is how the danger grows. The anti-Indian movement is shopping
for a national voice and face. Much like the NRA gained tremendously
from the voice and face of Charlton Heston, so can the anti-Indian
movement gain from the recognizable voice and face of someone, say,
like Arnold Schwarzenegger. This would be (perhaps already is) a huge
escalation of the Indian profile problem. But this is only a tactical
problem. Like the Democrats who have not been able to get ahead of
the Republican game plan for two elections now, Indian tribes will
progressively lose in the court of public opinion and ultimately in
legislatures and Congress, unless they think ahead of this growing
problem. There is still time but as the California experience
reveals, events can turn on a dime.
While Indian enemies envision the complete deconstruction of Indian
sovereign bases, the fight over Congress and by extension, over the
hearts and minds of the American public, becomes paramount. Remember
John Kerry's ''flip-flop'' image, how, true or not, it stuck. Again,
that was just a tactic. The damage was done through a public
relations strategy built on
repeated innuendo. The same is happening to Indian issues. It is not
fair and follows no logic but manipulates anger and intends to
diminish any gains by Native tribes. Thus the push is on to portray
the tribes as lobbying nightmares, enclaves of values-less societies
rolling in ill-gained casino dollars. This is cultural preparation
for the political kill. It's the swift-boat attack of the Indian
issue polemic: Indians as ''rip-offs,'' ''cheats,'' corrupt
lobbyists, as ''special interests,'' as impediments to American
unity. The only thing in the way is that pesky American Indian
sovereignty and ''properties'' over which these phony governments
exercise control.
American Indian nations beware. This is not about a fight between the
rich gaming tribes and the poorer, big-land tribes. Indians fighting
Indians is not, once again, the inherent contradiction (although
plenty will promote such). The response to the anti-Indian movement
is not in pitting one group of tribes against another. The solution
is in the active defense of the overall interests of all of Indian
country. The solution is in the gaming rich tribes leading a major -
hugely major - national television and print educational initiative
to introduce this current moment in the history of the tribal nations
to America and to educate the American people about who Indian people
are, what they know and what they mean to this land. The overall
humanity of Native people needs to be emphasized and the place and
role of gaming in the overall uplifting of many, but not all, Indian
economies must be explained and made acceptable and understood by the
American public.
Most of all, such campaigns must let America see and hear from and
get to know the core personalities and values of Indian America.
Always stressing that which is real, they must engage the public mind
at all times, in all the major venues where the world of American
Indian people can be presented. It must present the Native family and
the wisdom of the most superlative of Native ways when properly
applied to the building of family and community. It must present the
American Indian military presence, the proud veterans, what they gave
and give and what they aspire. And certainly such a campaign would be
structured and launched most successfully on the foundation of a
discernable American Indian philanthropy, in the context of
an Indian country where the financially strong tribe is best
recognized and admired who extents a helping investment to the less
fortunate tribes also seeking self-sufficiency.
Such a public media campaign would gather the best of Indian talent
and strategic and creative thinking and install the best of Indian
communications talent in the circle of the most respected media
renowned among the friends of Indian country. Such a campaign, to
succeed, must be done actively and pro-actively, starting now, week
by week, venue by venue. This is the most important task facing the
collective Indian country, because the elements of active destruction
are growing, they are consistently meeting, improving their rhetoric,
honing their arguments, making strategic alliances, positioning
themselves closest to the American flag and to the American mission.
When their moment comes, they will be ready and the attack will be
thunderous. The campaign to dislocate the Indian image in the public
mind and relegate it to the outer edges of American consciousness -
along with other ''troublemakers'' or anti-American elements - puts
in peril the Indian generations. Indians
must do that one better. We need to cover the same ground much, much
better; much more consistently, with better quality and, most
importantly, with the truth.
There are positive, negative, confusing and simply neutral media
stereotypes. American Indians have suffered them all and of all of
them the one most closely tied to reality, even when romanticized and
overused, is the American Indian as ''caretaker'' of these lands.
That national image of American Indians, particularly as captured and
projected through the 1970s and 1980s, rested on a sense of spiritual
integrity the public sustained about Indian cultures and particularly
Indian elders. This is an
important public image for any people to enjoy and to consider. It is
an image that still lingers in the mind's eye of most of the American
public, slowly clouded and wrapped over by the casino and high-roller
image, but nevertheless still palpable. It is still based on
substantial reality and remains a potential factor to revitalize -
with more precise intention - to once again reach into the hearts and
minds of the American public.
Indian country cannot afford to wait for this latest termination
trend to walk in its front door. There are more than enough lessons
in the history of the United States to teach us that these threats to
our inherent and hard-preserved freedoms require the utmost vigilance
and defense.