jeel, despite the flogging I and others have given you, I’m not going to be the one to deny you your opinion. I hope you don’t think that I’m trying to do that.
What I would like to do is present the facts that American Indians and their form of government is unique, legal, accepted, and sanctioned in American law. They are perfectly legitimate. Your opinion, as I understand it, does not meet those criterion. Yet. It will be a sad day if it ever does.
You are astute in your judgement that many actions in Indian Country are not the American way. Many, if not most, of my clients would probably prefer to be totally independent of the United States, as they once were. Nevertheless, American Indians are great Americans.
They are us, but not of us. They are sovereign, but not independent. They gave us our concept of freedom, but they are not free. Unlike you and me, they must fight daily to preserve their culture and way of life, and unlike almost anyone else in America, they are allowed to attempt to do so, by law. I try hard, every day, to get these concepts across to people who are hardened by inherited opinion and misunderstanding of the basic premises behind the issue. Your tenacity, jeel, indicates to me that you are willing to also learn. If you do, and do so well, I believe your opinion can change. Sometimes people get pissed off at me when I say that, but it is the truth.
kimstu, you um… wouldn’t happen to be interested in coming to Washington, would you? I suspect I could score you a job. You’ll probably wind up getting ripped off, but it looks good on a resume.