Yes We Can!

Being Native American myself, I see that Mr. Obama did not put ANY Native American Leaders from any of the Nations on his team.  Nothing has changed, just the name.  Mr. Obama will not be for "WE THE PEOPLE".  He has just demonstrated that he is not for "WE THE PEOPLE" by not including the people who were here first, instead.  Not one from his chosen few even stood up for the Native American people.  Somethings will never change.  Frankly, you can call us names (several of you have on this blog site) but we were here first, and how can a man that said he is bring the change this Country needs without starting first with the Native American's.  Yes, your greedy Gov workers have made your $$ disappear before your eyes, let's talk about what they have done to the Native Americans, we have nothing left, it has all been taken from us, you all live on the land that our fathers freely hunted, you have killed the wildlife and trees that graced the land.   You all continue to close your eyes because we are all keeped in a place where no one can see us.  Wake up, if you want change, lets start where this all began, stealing from the Native American's many years ago.  Let's start with making that right.

Faith McGary

Bethlehem, PA

Being Native American myself, I see that Mr. Obama did not put ANY Native American Leaders from any of the Nations on his team.

I also noticed he didn't have any "little-people" either. Who does this Obama character think he is only representing people who are over 4 feet tall? What does this liberal elitist know about discrimination?

I take it that all you dislike Obama in a way or another. I don't like him. What will we do for us?  Not a damn thing.

I voted for McCain because I felted he was a hell of a lot better the Mr. President elect here. Didn't care for Sarah too well but still.

Everyone has a right to there own opinion. We have the Freedom to do many things. I fear with Obama in office he will take away many rights we do have.

How could America elect and support someone who turns his back on the American flag???? How I ask?

Yes, this was a historical election. But that is the way people set it up. No matter what the out come would have been it would have been historical.

May honest opinion I think this election was set up like this. No matter the vote I like it was set up for Obama to when.

We elected a non-American to be the President of the United States of America.

Whats wrong here??????????????

Also, some may not agree with me but that is your right to.

I look forward to hearing your remarks.

Power, I appreciate your post, you are well written, and well spoken.  You put no one down that is trying to be heard.  I may have posted in may spots today, and as stated earlier, but you refuse to listen Angel, I am sorry if it offended you.  Native people are for the most part, never heard, we keep quiet as our land is taken, our people oppressed.  But, I am not angry, I have just had enough.  I do not, and have not, ever asked anyone to take care of me, or make my way.  I am educated, and a well known inventor for Mobile Technology... check the patent office yourself, I have made my own way. 

The Gov will need to give back what has been stolen from the Native people over the years.  They need to make good on all of the treaty agreements that have been signed, and then not followed.  Power, if  Mr. Obama can take these first steps, plus do what he said he would do on the reservations (he promised to put Native People in his Administration) we have something to work with.  Where the issue comes in, is as follows;  Mr. Obama has announced his transition team, and right out of the gate, not one Native American.  His words become empty to me, and to Native People, however, we are used to these types of broken promises. I am willing to wait the 90 days to see what he does, but I have little hope that his words will be filled with truth and life.

Our people are never taken serious during elections, we look different, we dress different, and for most Americans (not all) we are Savages, or not Educated, or our Native people who speak in stories to people, these same people do not want to take the time to listen,  or learn the lesson in the story, so they will not vote for our people.  We are told to be like the rest of Americans if we want to win an election, and that is not right.  We were here first, how about you be like us, or allow is to be among the Elite without changing our appearence.   For years now, we have stayed where you put us, we have followed your rules, yet the Gov has broken the rules the signed, we have stayed quiet, we have been kind to visitors who roam our reservations, we have tried to educate, but make no headway.  We have not given up, and our story tellers, and elders continue to reach out, with a strong hope than many will listen.

SO, thank you to all that have taken the time to listen.  If it causes you to think of other cultures, and the Native people, it was worth it.  Many do not know that the Gov has broken so many of the treaty documents that were signed. 

Again, for those that were offended that I would dare post in more than one location, for that I am sorry.  Freedom is never free, that I see.

Our people are never taken serious during elections, we look different, we dress different, and for most Americans (not all) we are Savages, or not Educated, or our Native people who speak in stories to people, these same people do not want to take the time to listen,  or learn the lesson in the story, so they will not vote for our people.

Faith,

I'm not Native American but I know what you mean. Hear me out.

On election night I heard from a news station (cannot remember which one) that that only people who are voting for McCain in the South are uneducated white trash who know nothing about politics. Or something to that nature.

Well I"m hear to say that that is a false. Not all people from the South are like that. We are educated and we know what we want and don't want in politics.

I'm proud to be a Southern Redneck.

So you see, you are not the only ones who are not listen too.

a open government.....

A open area of ideas.....

I'm sorry for cursing, but it about (censoring) TIME!!!!!

And look at the result, we've made history people!!!!!!!

And opened the presidential door for others who are of not of Caucasian skin, but are full of ideas for a better America....

We won, we finally WON!

And i love that picture above.....

A true REAL 1st family.....

If you haven't seen palinaspresident.com since the election, it's worth the trip.

Yes We Can! And now if I can only find a place to download that song!

Power you invite me to a conversation and then delete my comments? I said nothing to violate the COH, and was totally on topic.

I see you a fairness act supporter too?

Dear Faith,

I’m jumping aboard this fast moving train and hope I can catch up on the conversation. If you are Iroquois, Saygo!. If not you’ll have to teach me how you say hello in your nation’s tongue. The Native Americans living on the rez are in an awkward situation and that is probably the main source of their suffering. In my humble opinion, this is where lawyers and politicians of all nations should focus their attention. What almost all non Native Americans don’t know and that you should be telling them is that your people weren’t even considered Americans by law before the early 19 hundreds. Natives (for short) weren’t given the right to vote before 1921 I believe and not in all states of the union. It’s relevant information like this that you should be spreading to allow others to be outraged as I am that such injustices have been perpetrated in a so-called Free Country.

Dear Faith,

If the Gov. has been and will continue trying to steal land from the reservations, it’s because of their very position with respect to the rest of the US. Technically, by law, the rez is a country within the country. If the Elders of the different nations have not yet understood that, they have been delaying the inevitable. What most whites don’t know is that the Gov. slowly but surely preparing a general take over of as many reservations as they can. All natives are registered and some even tattooed numbers on their arms (Hello Auschwitz) and their children even living on the rez can be dislodged as Non-natives if they don’t have at least 50% native blood. In other words, sooner or later when all of the natives living on a rez will have between 25 and 50% native blood, they can be legally kicked out of the rez and if no other native can claim to be of the Tribe or Nation, the rez can become US property. This is the kind of info your need to be aware of and to make heard, not complaints of stolen land. This means that instead of a return to ancient story ways, your Elders need to get their heads out of the sand and do something radical on a legal basis

The rez being an island closed on itself, even if it is in an ocean of other cultures and even if there are no fences around it, nobody wants to touch it with a ten foot pole and especially companies that might help it become a prosperous nation. The Gov. would frown on a native nation becoming too powerful. In other countries of the world, nations have evolved into other nations. Governments have changed. Europe for example went a from feudal-vassal structure in the 15th and 16^th centuries to Monarchies and finally to democracies. Should we regret those old days? We need to live with our times and our technology. Crying on spilt milk never solved anything.

Your Nation needs to decide if it is going to make the leap from the 17^th century to the 21st. Trying to hold on to a system that does not have its place  in a fast moving and ruthless civilization of “every man for himself” is like trying to bring back the old kings and queens of Europe. The Seminoles of Florida for example never signed a treaty with the US Gov. even after having been beat: they are still legally the enemy of the US. Ironic isn’t it. It’s hard to live in live in a country within a country.

The whole issue of a rez is what is putting natives in a lose-lose situation.

As far as appointments go, I believe Obama will appoint the best minds he can find for the work he needs to do. Within the next 2 weeks, we will know every person he has picked.

This entire election has renewed my enthusiasm for government even more than when Ross Perot ran. Regardless of anything else, this election was all about solving the issues we have and will solve.

I Think Obama will be a great president and I Love the new web site they set up taking idea's from anyone .Also he has all of his and Bidens plans on the site and setting up all kinds of ways for people to help .

You have clearly painted the picture.  Further, you are right, this is the style of information that should be blogged.  Your information has helped our people in a way that I was not able.  I am an software engineer, and the gift of the written, and spoken word, not my strong points.  As a chief inventor for a major company, I spend most of my time, heads down, working on new concepts, and new patents for all of your mobile devices that you carry.  I would like to set up a Native American Information site, or an author, such as the one in this room, should open a page for Native American's to tell the story, or, for people such as yourself to help us tell the true story through blogging.   The Native Nations are in need help, we do need to hold the Gov accountable for each treaty signed.  We continue to sign them, even in the past 5 years, and as quickly as they are signed, the Gov breaks the treaty.  And, yes... we do have real fears of the Gov.  I have had high hopes for Mr. Obama, but with no Native American in the Transition team, my hopes became like all of the past hopes, and dreams I had with each treaty signed, all like a hollow empty drumb.  I am willing to give him a chance over the next few weeks as he pulls the rest of the White House Staff together.  But, he can not just meet with the Nations one time per year, then believe it will solve the differences of some many years, on both sides, we need to roll up our sleeves and get down to working.  You are also right about the % of Native Blood, if our numbers reduce to a set point, the Gov can take our land again, and we need to change that. 

I want to personally thank you for your well thought out blog on this subject, for your concern for the truth, and your time given to this subject and the Native American Nations.  Feel free to contact me either at my office:  faith.mcgary@kgb.com  or faithmcgary@yahoo.com

Peace

Faith McGary

Ani-Yun

Power:

Thank you for taking time out of your day to notify me of the wonderful blog by Dominic Dunherst.

"having been nothing more than a civil rights lawyer, teacher and community organizer"

I didn't see the deleted comment either. Regarding the comment above though, you say "nothing more"? As if being any of those deserves no credit, especially for a person that could've gone to make big bucks working at almost any prestigious law firm after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School? Wow!

For the record he was also an Illinois State Senator and United States Senator.

Hey dixiedi, truce.  You were making predictions of his failure and saying you support him.  It seemed confusing.  I hope that you are sincere when you talk of supporting President Elect Obama.  If you are, please stop making predictions of his failure and give him a chance.  He is taking control of a nation that is in BIG TROUBLE. 

I don't expect him to be able to do it by himself.  I am sure he will surround himself with the best people he can find and get about the business of changing the direction of our country.  Our country has been driven into a ditch.  It will take time, sacrifice, hard work, patience, and support for Obama or anyone else to get us back on track.  If you support him, do that but don't claim to support him in one breath and guarantee his failure in the next. 

At this point he is going to be the leader of our nation no matter what we would like.  He is deserving of the support of all citizens of the Unites States.  Just as John McCain would have been if he had won.  You have got to understand something.  WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER WHETHER WE WANT TO BE OR NOT.  IF HE FAILS OUR NATION FAILS. 

It is my opinion that the people will give up on him before he ever gives up on them.  There are those who no matter what he does they will call it failure.  He said that he would need us, that means you too.  You can either be a part of the solution or be a part of the problem.  You decide, and remember YES WE CAN!