Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

As the Native American Indian Community steps into a new era, one may ask how different this New Year 2000 will be than that of 1999? Has another "Century of Dishonor" come and gone without much observation? Has the United States Government honored it's obligation and trust responsibilities to the Sovereign Nations? Has the American Society and the World fully examined the illegal and often ignored fundamental freedoms and rights violations of the Sovereign Nations? Will the year 2000 in fact be any different for the Sovereign Nations than the last 500 years?

Oh so long ago, a government encouraged their new citizens, mainly of Christian confidence, to help strengthen the process of assimilation of the Native American Indian into main stream society, a society that consisted of a people who had no dire concern or real forthrightness to accept the descendants of a race of people who were considered responsible for the death of innocent Europeans emigrants entering a country, searching for a freedom, and better way of life, often by violent force, that in fact is viewed as the "Worlds Worse Holocaust".

Gradual encroachment is a term enjoyed by the United States Government as the process in which land from the Sovereign Nations was obtained. Viewed as a legal factor of relevant respect for the theft of millions of acres of traditional territories by the jurisprudence system, the tribes have watched as the federal and state governments, Corporate America and Land Right's Organizations infringe upon their land base, most of it treaty land, and the rest what is considered "Public Lands", slowly is put up for sell cheaply.

The traditional lands are those area's that the tribes once utilized for time immemorial, lands that contain seasonal campsites, medicinal area's, food gathering places, hunting and fishing domains, ceremonial grounds and burial sites, all which are categorized as prehistoric, historic and contemporary archaeological references that hold a significant value of immensity to the Sovereign Nations and their future generations, however, the government endorses a legal review of these area's utilizing a theory of illusive data compiled to oversee all traditional installment by the Sovereign Nations, and slowly traces of the ancestral past of the Indian is slowly being gathered up under false pretense for no other reason than to pave the way for "Modern Progress".

How is it that a government can authorize an obvious legal process which is slowly wiping away a culture, tradition and a race of people?

How is it that a government installed decades and centuries of policies, rules, regulations and procedures that forced a people to pledge allegiance to a country against their fundamental freedoms and human rights? And advocate and promote such actions as a justified means throughout the world in order to populate a people who search for the so-called "American Dream" of "Liberty, Democracy and Justice for all"?

Tyrannized for over 500 years, the Sovereign Nations have tried to affiliate their endeavors as one in order to gain a margin of hope for their people by enhancing the social, economical, health and educational avenues in order to meet the modern standards of today's society, but the legal obstacles put up by the government during this process have hindered the tribes efforts to reach any sincere advantage to where their communities can actually live in balance with all of the free world.

Oppressed by the spoils of propaganda, a suppressed people continue to proceed forward to gain a foot-hold in an incorporated manner in a world that has allowed a promise for future generations, yet such financial expansions have spoiled the minds through greed, where in some cases, climbing up out of the state of repression has become a valid nightmare and a society seemly enough continues to refuse a people to step beyond the horizons of the 21st century.

Should tribal leaders depend more on the educational process to help direct their governments to appreciate financial security? Or maybe it is time, the federal government enforced rules and regulations that would discourage those who fail to utilize federal funds for the justified purpose they were allocated for, instead of allowing the tribal governments to address their own affairs in these matter's?

Mismanagement of money? Factually, the US Government has failed as a constructive role model in that department, when it has allowed millions of dollars of Indian monies to disappear,and the evidence which would have led to convictions is shredded up so reputations and livelihoods would not be destroyed. Of course, 500 years of government transgressions against the Sovereign Nations stand as major historical views that would tarnish the record of every individual who has held the office of the President, or any other federal political office and the "Great American Society" would not allow that to become a feasible respect to answer for anything.

American War Criminals? 507years of War Crimes against the Sovereign Nations? By the likes such as the "Founding Father's"? Pioneers? Settler's? Trapper's? American Heroes? Not likely, American Society will not let their history be ruined by such accusations, no matter how real and true.

507 years of "War Crimes". 507 years the Sovereign Nations have stood in the shadows of times as "America's Political Prisoner's of War". 507 years, the people have endured the "Worlds Worse Holocaust". 507 years the tribes have suffered cultural and traditional deterioration. 507 years the Indian has faced humiliation through beatings, torture, murder and the theft of his land by a government and a society of Christian Devotion.

Now, as the year 2000 begins, how will the Sovereign Nations begin to develop a constructive avenue to enhance the well being of their people? Will they continue to allow thieves and uncultured individuals to control tribal government positions? Will they continue to go unrepresented in Government-to-Government arbitrations? Will they continue to allow the appropriation of their Treaty and Traditional Lands? Will they continue to allow the piracy of the culture and traditions? How long will the Sovereign Nations continue to allow impostors, hypocrites and fraudulent characters to change, distort and destroy the ancient customs and beliefs of their ancestor's? And how long will the Sovereign Nations continue to allow embarrassing characters to shame the blood of their ancestors?

Unity? Now more than ever, a people need to unite as a force of one. Together they need to stand unified, and not with just one leader, but a force of many tribal leaders that will advocate a voice that will share the same representation towards bringing an end of centuries of illicit proceedings. The criminal atmosphere must come to an end, and a people must rise above the occasion if they are to succeed.

Now is the time, that the Sovereign Nations begin to close out the chapter's of a dark and ugly history and move forward forging a path of value, honor and dignity for their future generations. Now is the time that the Sovereign Nations turn away from the non-Indian theories, theologies and philosophies and begin to convert the inhumanities inflicted upon their ancestors and people into a constructive plan of serious cultural, social, and economical endeavor's that will greatly magnify and produce a path filled with golden opportunities and cultural and traditional realization.

Let the year 2000 be the beginning of an historical chapter in American History that will allow the Sovereign Nations to step forward as a people destine to escalate above and beyond the dreams of other nations and nationalities, to where their fundamental freedoms and human rights will be an adage in the restoration of their ancient customs and beliefs, and that their formulation of unity will go unchallenged, and their tribal governments will stand for justice, democracy and liberty. Let the beginning of this new era be the beginning of a future which will carry our youth forward into time as a people full of life! May the peace and tranquility of this new year be within the hearts, souls and mind of all our people, now and forever.