Crystal Echo Hawk: U.S. Supreme Court part of ‘anti-Native, anti-woman war’ across the country

Indianz.Com > News > Crystal Echo Hawk: U.S. Supreme Court part of ‘anti-Native, anti-woman war’ across the country

Crystal Echo Hawk. Courtesy photo

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Indianz.Com

Crystal Echo Hawk, a citizen of the Pawnee Nation who is the founder and executive director of IllumiNative, issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta on June 29, 2022.

Crystal Echohawk, IllumiNative

Today, in a 5-4 vote in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, the United States Supreme Court was a witting accomplice in Oklahoma Governor Stitt’s crusade to chip away at tribal sovereignty — one of our most basic and inherent rights. As Justice Gorsuch stated in his dissenting opinion, “Where our predecessors refused to participate in one State’s unlawful power grab at the expense of the Cherokee, today’s Court accedes to another’s.”

Despite the advances made in McGirt v. Oklahoma, which was decided before Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the Supreme Court, today, the highest court in the land failed to protect Native rights. Tribal sovereignty is a fundamental part of over 360 treaties signed by the federal government and Tribal Nations. Even after forced removals, genocide, and the decades of systemic racism and oppression inflicted against Natives peoples, the United States continues to flagrantly look for ways to break their treaty obligations to Tribal Nations.

The Supreme Court’s decision to rule in favor of an anti-Native administration is infuriating, but not at all shocking. There has never been a Native justice on the bench of the highest court in the land, and their lack of understanding of tribal sovereignty is clear. Nothing has changed in 244 years – white supremacy continues to be a cornerstone of the United States government.

While the Court’s decision ruled against legal precedent, this is not about legal precedent. During arguments, Justice Gorsuch asked if the Court would, “wilt today because of a social media campaign.” And clearly they have, allowing themselves to be pawns of a larger, long-term coordinated attack against tribal sovereignty. In the time Governor Stitt has been in office, Oklahoma has become a polarized battleground for basic human rights. He has perpetuated a false and racist narrative about public safety, pretending to care about the epidemic of violence against Native peoples, all in an attempt to water down tribal sovereignty.

This culture war is much bigger than Oklahoma, and it’s only the beginning. With over 20 states where tribal reservations reside, this ruling serves as a reminder of how far the United States government will go to destroy tribal sovereignty, and how much is at stake for Tribal Nations across Turtle Island with white supremacists in power.

Regardless of Oklahoma’s show of force through misinformation and scare tactics, the Court has refused to overturn McGirt v. Oklahoma, and our reservations and Tribal sovereignty remain unassailable. But make no mistake, unless we demand change, the anti-Native, anti-woman war currently raging in Oklahoma and throughout our country will continue. We cannot allow them to take any more power away from us. We must stand together and vote racism and white supremacy out of office.

U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta

Syllabus | Opinion [Kavanaugh] | Dissent [Gorsuch] | Complete Document

U.S. Supreme Court Documents in Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta

Questions Presented | Docket Sheet: No. 21-429 | Oral Argument Transcript | Day Call

Syllabus – Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta

21-429_8o6a-syllabus

Opinion [Kavanaugh] – Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta

21-429_8o6a-opinion

Dissent [Gorsuch] – Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta

21-429_8o6a-dissent

Full Document – Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta

21-429_8o6a