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Opinion
Harjo: Tribal money lands in hands of anti-Indians


"One Nation United and its cronies took their anti-Indian agenda to Capitol Hill the week before Thanksgiving. At a time when most Americans are saying nice things about Native peoples, ONU's lobbyists focused on how to undermine tribal rights and federal Indian policies.

ONU leaders met with members of Congress, who have gotten piles of Indian monies from treaty rights and tribal enterprises opposed by the anti-Indians.

None of the congressional offices issued statements disagreeing with ONU's goals: to stop Native nations' land claims, recognitions, gaming, retail businesses, environmental protection and sovereign immunity.

ONU's conference featured lawyers and other local organizers against Native rights in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and elsewhere.

Some speakers came from academia - the University of Illinois, San Diego Law School and The Manhattan Institute - and others represented trade associations of convenience stores, petroleum marketers, crab fishermen and Western states sheriffs, as well as the National Federation of Republican Assemblies.

Members of ONU have teamed up with regional groups that have demonized Native peoples for decades. Several operate in organizations that have been discredited and disbanded, only to reemerge under new monikers with combinations of the same words: ''citizens,'' ''community,'' ''equal'' and ''rights.''"

Get the Story:
Suzan Shown Harjo: Stop giving Indian money to anti-Indians and their backers (Indian Country Today 12/8)

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