"The only sounds were the water lapping on the sides of the four airboats floating beside a small island deep in the Florida Everglades, the call of a heron somewhere, and the voices of our Miccosukee guides. The boats floated on dark water, cluttered with small islands or clumps of grass, and the sky was a giant bowl arcing over us from horizon to horizon, steel blue and dotted with small clouds.

Except for the airboats, there was no indication of civilization anywhere. Yet, to our guides this was home, a place of fond memories of a simple life of hunting, fishing and living with nature. But, it was those things no more.

"Once," said our lead guide, the venerable Buffalo Tiger, a tribal elder, "I could drink from these waters." He swept his arm around the horizon to indicate where he could drink. "But no more. The white man has poisoned them with his refuse. I hope that one day, I will be able to drink here again."

Get the Story:
Joe Crankshaw: Miccosukee tribe in a new war with civilization - over water (The Stuart News 3/25)

Get the Decision:
Syllabus | Opinion [O'Connor] | Other [Scalia]

Relevant Links:
Miccosukee Tribe - http://www.miccosukeetribe.com

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