Exhibit A In How Passion Can Cloud Logic

It is almost common knowledge that when tea partiers and the more nativist elements of the less intellectual talk radio world of conservatives talk about illegal immigration, it predominately refers to those migrating from Mexico.

But one prankster at a recent rally in Minnesota this weekend, actually tricked the tea partiers into railing against European immigration, for their ethnic cleansing, genocide, and economic injustices against Native Americans. All something they only belatedly realized.

A speaker at an anti-immigration rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, this past weekend got the crowd to support more than just the deportation of all illegal immigrants -- he got them cheering for the eviction of all European-descended immigrants to America who "stole this land through genocide and ethnic cleansing."

A crowd of some 40 people showed up to the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol on Saturday to protest proposed reform of US immigration law. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Friday that the Obama administration was pushing for immigration reform that would create a pathway for the legalization of undocumented immigrants.

Napolitano said she would like to see a "tough, fair" plan that would allow illegal migrants to gain legal status if they pay a fine, pass a criminal background check, pay all back taxes and learn English.

That idea brought 40 anti-immigration protesters to Saturday's protest, as well as 30 pro-immigration reform counter-protesters, according to FightBackNews in Minneapolis.

One of those protesters, going by the alias "Robert Erickson," got a speaking spot at the rally and used it to argue for the eviction of all descendants of European immigrants -- in other words, that contingent of white Americans who these days see themselves as "real" Americans.

Life on the Rez

Heart wrenching 2007 report on life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Native Tobbaco Garden to Grow the Ingredents to Traditional Tobacco for Native American Youth

Tobacco to most is an instrument of enjoyment, often a bad habit in terms of health. However in Native American culture tobacco isn't only consumed and smoked, ingested into the body. Tobacco also has a number of sacred uses including prayer and a show of respect.

Tobacco is one of the plants of the four Manido (the spirits of the four directions), as it represents the eastern direction. Some say that tobacco is the plant that with its roots.

One Indian Health Center in Montana has broken ground on a garden to harvest the ingredients of traditional tobacco.

As Native Americans over the years have come to represent such a small slice of the population (PDF) numerically and their culture and traditions have been marginalized, defiled, and cast aside by many; it is good to see some keeping alive the traditions and enriching the minds not only of the Natives but of all.

KPAX.com

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - Work has begun on a garden to grow the ingredients for traditional tobacco in an effort to reduce the number of American Indian youths who use commercial tobacco.

Ground was broken Monday at the Missoula Indian Center, an organization that offers health care and a chemical dependency program for Indians.

Dana Kingfisher, who works at the center, says the garden will help educate youth about the sacred role of traditional tobacco.

Traditional plants such as red willow, kinnikinnick, bearberry, sweetgrass and sage will be grown in the garden, along with some vegetables.

Native Yards, a landscaping business, is providing labor, materials and guidance for the garden. Kingfisher says the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program, a state organization, is providing about $4,000 for the project.

The American Indian in Oklahoma

Brenda Goldman of the Native American Community Examiner, writes a fascinating and sad piece on the state of the American Indian in Oklahoma, where at least 37 Federally recognized tribes reside.

Native Americans are a small sliver of the overall population, but despite: starvation, disease, harassment, forced assimilation, coercion, the avarice of industry and government alike, and brutalization and death at the hands of settlers; there are those still alive and still living in despair, as well as beating the odds.

Before the Day Ends....

One last note, On this date in 1971 the two year long Native American Occupation of Alcatraz island ends.

"We Shall Remain"

Tonight a new five part special "We Shall Remain" begins on PBS, about the History of Native Americans in America, beginning with this weeks episode that starts in 1621 with relations between the Wampanoag Tribe of New England and the newly arrived pilgrims. A heritage of sorrow, tragedy, and amazement in the American land. It is history through the eyes of Native Americans.

Airs starting tonight at 9pm Eastern Time on PBS. Be sure to watch.

On February 27 The Occupation of Wounded Knee Began

The seventy-one day long Siege at Wounded Knee began when members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) and other Native American Activists seized several facilities at the Ogoloua Sioux Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It would touch off a standoff with FBI and government agents that would capture the attention of the world.

On This Date: Crazy Horse

The Oglala Sioux leader and Shirt Wearer (war lord) Crazy Horse, and his warriors fought their last major battle in the Montana territories, the Battle of Wolf Mountain against the U.S Calvary. There they were defeated and strayed off in their own ways with the remnants of Crazy Horse's band of men surrendering at Fort Robinson in Nebraska in May of that year.Crazy Horse was revered and brave, according to his Sioux contemporaries Crazy Horse saw visions and was fearless in battle against both the U.S military and rival Indian tribes.

"Crazy Horse" is probably best known for his part in the infamous Battle of Little Bighorn, where he, his fellow Oglala Sioux Warriors and the Cheyenne Indians combined forces and led the U.S Calvary led by U.S General George Armstrong Custer into one of the biggest defeats of the U.S Military in its History.

The Massacre at Wounded Knee

It was yesterday, December 29 in 1890 when the Massacre at Wounded Knee took place. Following months and years of being pawns in the game of the Federal Government and members of the U.S Bureau of Indian affairs, facing starvation, poverty, and shelter on a massive scale, where the government not only was negligent but helped exacerbated the situation, the U.S Army opened fire on hundreds of members of the Lakota Sioux, at Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota. As many as 200-300 were killed. Amidst the carnage were women, children, and elderly. They die freezing to death, their blood staining the snows. Even the children who were fled and were promised that their lives would be spared if they emerged from hiding after the gunfire ceased, were slaughtered.

Happy Thanksgiving

Picture from: gospel.com

> Interesting facts and statistics about Thanksgiving.

> Send a message of gratitude to U.S Soliders in some cases seperated by oceans from thier loved ones.

> a different perspective, a Native Americans take on Thanksgiving.

> Sirius Satellite Radio on Thanksgiving.

> Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special.

And who can forget the Butterball hot line:

Also on this Date

American Indians seize Alcatraz Island in 1969

"March Point"

Fascinating documentary on the PBS Independent Lens series last night, about how three Native American teenagers who find a passion for storytelling when they make a movie about how two oil refineries affect life on their Indian reservation.

The Swinomish Indian Tribe on their reservation in Washington state located on the Fidalgo Island has two oil refineries, one owned by Shell the other by Tesoro; that can be seen in plain view billowing smoke and exhaust into the air from the refineries like an ugly gray flower of sorts ascending to the sky. But it goes even beyond that, much of the hazardous waste of these facilities are dumped around the reservation, deeply affecting the wildlife there.

The Swinomish have deep roots with fishing their, especially shellfish that could now very well be contaminated due to the pollution from these two facilities, and thus negatively affecting the economy there, which for generations has had fishing as the heart of the reservation's economy. Native Americans, although this country's first real citizens have sadly been attacked in the past and are now often relegated to the margins in American life. In fact, according to the film all five oil refineries in the state are located in close proximity to tribal lands.

Their curiosity takes the boys on a journey from their small reservation, to the state capitol in Olympia, Washington, to ultimately the nation's capitol, as they search for answers and are changed by it all forever. This shows the power and potential for documentaries at its best as both an art form and a powerful resource in battles for social justice and education.

Check it out here at the movie's official website

The Directors of the documentary are part of the LongHorn Media Organization

March Point

On American Indian Day

On my wordpress blog, a reader from the Bauu Institute comments:

I think they should get more then just a day - we did steal their land and destroy their culture. How about a week?

Well I don’t know if there was a bit of sarcasm there, but I think even if it was just a day more recognized that would actually educate people in their schools and communities about the contributions and culture of Native Americans, as well as the hardships still plaguing them, it would be helpful.

I myself am a descendant of Native Americans, although I am only 1/8 Native American (Lakota-Sioux to be exact) and I am ashamed to say even i don’t know that much about Native American culture as i would like to. Imagine the lack of knowledge others who don’t have Native American ancestors in their history have. We owe them not only a day or week, but greater education and attention to Native Americans and both their history and marginalization in American society both historically and even today.

Happy American Indian Day

Bumped up from Wednesday Night

This week is American Indian Day, which is a celebration of the culture of the American Indian (also known as the Native American) and their contributions. It is celebrated on the fourth Friday of every September.

Long before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon this land between two oceans and before the Mayflower washed ashore with migrants from England, who voyaged to begin a new life in a land beyond the bounds of what they had known.

Over the centuries and decades, hostility between those who came to America and those who were here well before the Mayflower brought those pilgrim's ashore has been prevalent. There has been demonetization of their cultural traditions, battles with the U.S Calvary, displacements, mutilated promises, shed tears, massacres, marginalizing of them by the broader society, environmental destruction, and hardships of poverty and drug and alcholism still are rampant on Indian reservations.

But their culture has always been rich and fertile, as it was they who were the original pioneers of this land and indeed the first Americans.

No matter how virgin the soil beneath our feet may seem, we walk in their footprints that are so deep, yet so gently entrenched in our earth and the terrain of our history.

Here are some interesting statistics on Native Americans from the U.S Census Bureau.

American Indian Day

This week is American Indian Day, which is a celebration of the culture of the American Indian (also known as the Native American) and their contributions. It is celebrated on the fourth Friday of every September.

Long before Christopher Columbus stumbled upon this land between two oceans and before the Mayflower washed ashore with migrants from England, who voyaged to begin a new life in a land beyond the bounds of what they had known.

Over the centuries and decades, hostility between those who came to America and those who were here well before the Mayflower brought those pilgrim's ashore has been prevalent. There has been demonetization of their cultural traditions, battles with the U.S Calvary, displacements, mutilated promises, shed tears, massacres, marginalizing of them by the broader society, environmental destruction, and hardships of poverty and drug and alcholism still are rampant on Indian reservations.

But their culture has always been rich and fertile, as it was they who were the original pioneers of this land and indeed the first Americans.

No matter how virgin the soil beneath our feet may seem, we walk in their footprints that are so deep, yet so gently entrenched in our earth and the terrain of our history.

Here are some interesting statistics on Native Americans from the U.S Census Bureau.

Today in History

The legendary Ologalo Sioux Indian leader 'Crazy Horse' was bayoneted to death by U.S
forces at a Fort in Nebraska.

What do the Internet and Smoke Signals have in Common?

An interesting observation over at Watergate Summer.

Native Americans were the first to send signals through the air if you think on it....Smoke Signals connecting people miles apart...sharing important information...and Connecting.....The First Internet...Smoke Signals....

Tribal Homelands

Interesting map of the locations of various Native American tribes throughout the United States.

Interesting Perspective From the Native American

From the movie "Little Big Man":