{"id":15213,"date":"2021-08-23T17:37:01","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T21:37:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=15213"},"modified":"2021-08-23T17:37:02","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T21:37:02","slug":"rodney-bordeaux-the-truth-about-americas-genocide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/08\/23\/rodney-bordeaux-the-truth-about-americas-genocide\/","title":{"rendered":"Rodney Bordeaux: The truth about America’s genocide"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Black<\/a>
Land defenders in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Photo by Willi White, Courtesy of NDN Collective<\/figcaption>\r\n
Time to Acknowledge America\u2019s Genocide Against Native Americans<\/div>\r\n
Monday, August 23, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Rodney M. Bordeaux<\/div>\r\n
President, Rosebud Sioux Tribe<\/div>\r\n
rosebudsiouxtribe-nsn.gov<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\tAmerica committed Genocide against American Indians. President Biden has acknowledged the Armenian Genocide, so he must acknowledge the America\u2019s Genocide. \r\n

<\/P>\r\nPresident Biden, in the cause of humanity, it\u2019s time to publicly proclaim the Apology to Native Americans that Congress enacted in 2009. Our Rosebud Tribal Councilman Gabe Medicine Eagle championed this issue. America should know the truth. It is time to establish a Native Sovereign Nation Treaty Commission. America must re-name Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples\u2019 Day, and President Biden should issue the requisite Proclamation. \r\n

<\/P>\r\nIn our Lakota winter counts, we remember Indian traders giving smallpox blankets and the dawn attacks of the U.S. Army on sleeping villages. Disregarding our treaties of peace and friendship, the United States massacred our Lakota People over a Mormon Cow and the transgressions of its own troops, who murdered Chief Conquering Bear in violation of the 1851 Treaty with the Sioux Nation. \r\n

<\/P>\r\n\"Rodney<\/a>

Rodney M. Bordeaux. Courtesy photo<\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\tIn the late 1860s in the wake of the Civil War, President Johnson and Congress established the Indian Peace Policy as the 14th Amendment was adopted. To end the Powder River War, the United States pledged its honor that \u201cwar shall forever cease\u201d in the 1868 Treaty. The United States guaranteed the \u201cpermanent home\u201d of the Great Sioux Nation, including the Black Hills of South Dakota, and our unceded Indian territory in North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas. \r\n

<\/P>\r\nAt his Second Inauguration, President Grant said, its \u201cCivilization or Extermination.\u201d He sent Generals Sherman and Sheridan on a scorched earth winter campaign against the Sioux and Cheyenne Nations. In the summer, President Grant ordered Custer to attack our Sioux and Cheyenne Nations at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. Crazy Horse defeated Custer, whose men had wantonly attacked women and children at home in their tipis on treaty-protected land. In violation of the Constitution and our Treaties, President Grant sent more Armies to kill our Lakota People for living on our treaty lands.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nIn 1890, the 7th Cavalry massacred our Lakota People at Wounded Knee for dancing the Ghost Dance, seeking to restore our relatives. America so feared us, that it killed our Lakota People after the Cavalry disarmed our warriors, shooting babies on their mother\u2019s backs and killing small boys, after calling for their surrender.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n \"Wounded<\/a>

The Wounded Knee cemetery on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Photo: Jeremiah Murphy<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\tThe Supreme Court played its part in the Genocide against Native Americans, giving America license to violate Indian treaties under the \u201cplenary power\u201d doctrine. The fictional doctrine violates our human rights and America\u2019s Organic Documents, contrary to the original understanding of the Constitution. In Lone Wolf, the Supreme Court held that America had free license to sell Indian lands, contrary to treaty, because the United States was \u201cprotecting\u201d us.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTreaties are based upon mutual consent between the United States and Native Sovereign Nations. Read the Constitution, the 1803 Louisiana Purchase Treaty, and the 1805 Treaty with the Sioux Nation which sought Sioux Nation recognition of Federal sovereignty. Message to Supreme Court, follow the law\u2014stop your violations of our humanity.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n\tHere\u2019s the truth. Native American Nations are Peoples in our own right. The Creator gave us the breath of life. With life, liberty and freedom to follow our visions to protect Grandmother Earth. Our rights are inalienable. America\u2019s Organic Acts mandate treaties based upon mutual consent. Our Native Peoples have never consented to American hegemony and we never will, mutual consent is the cornerstone of our Nation-to-Nation relations.\r\n

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