So, let's just say things don't go so well in November for our side.
Who really thinks they can honestly live under eight more years of a repressive regime that arbitrarily violates and ignores international global climate treates, engages in illegal rendition and torture, wiretapping and spying on it's own citizens, continues to illegally occupy a foreign sovereign nation and to date, has now spent over half a trillion dollars on said occupation?
If, God forbid, we lose the White House in November 2008, where you gonna go, seriously? Just as we require student and work visas for foreign nationals, so do other countries and these are not easily obtained, unless you have a special skill set that is needed. Picking up and moving to France isn't quite as simple as it sounds.
Fortunately, there appears to be hope on the horizon and you won't even need a passport to get there.
Freedom! Lakota Sioux Indians Declare Sovereign Nation Status
Washington D.C. – Lakota Sioux Indian representatives declared sovereign nation status today in Washington D.C. following Monday’s withdrawal from all previously signed treaties with the United States Government. The withdrawal, hand delivered to Daniel Turner, Deputy Director of Public Liaison at the State Department, immediately and irrevocably ends all agreements between the Lakota Sioux Nation of Indians and the United States Government outlined in the 1851 and 1868 Treaties at Fort Laramie Wyoming.
Yep, you read it right. My next door neighbors had officially had enough and are withdrawing from the United States. This is no sudden act of impulse--Lakota delegates have been meeting with traditional treaty delegates for over a year and a half to build consensus and support for this withdrawl.
The four member Lakota delegation traveled to Washington D.C. culminating years of internal discussion among treaty representatives of the various Lakota communities. Delegation members included well known activist and actor Russell Means, Women of All Red Nations (WARN) founder Phyllis Young, Oglala Lakota Strong Heart Society leader Duane Martin Sr., and Garry Rowland, Leader Chief Big Foot Riders. Means, Rowland, Martin Sr. were all members of the 1973 Wounded Knee takeover.
Lest you question the level of betrayal the Lakota Nation has been subjected to...perhaps a review of just what level of poverty our next door neighbors are experiencing is in order:
* Lakota men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti.
* Lakota death rate is the highest in the United States.
* The Lakota infant mortality rate is 300% more than the U.S. Average.
* More than half the Reservation's adults battle addiction and disease.
* The Tuberculosis rate on Lakota reservations is approx 800% higher than the U.S national average.
* Alcoholism affects 8 in 10 families.
* Median income is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.
* 1/3 of the homes lack basic clean water and sewage while 40% lack electricty.
* 60% of housing is infected with potentially fatal black molds.
* 97% of our Lakota people live below the poverty line.
* Unemployment rates on our reservations is 85% or higher.
* Federal Commodity Food Program provides high sugar foods that kill Native people through diabetes and heart disease.
* Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group.
* Our Lakota language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction.
As for where our current administration stands, I'm sure this will come as no surprise.
In 1974, the Lakota drafted a declaration of continuing independence. Their cause got a boost in September, when the United Nations adopted a non-binding declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples. The Bush administration opposed the measure.
Presidential hopeful John Edwards often talks about Two Americas. I respectfully disagree. There are Three Americas. The third one has been consistently ignored by this country for over 150 years...to the great and never ending shame of each and every human being who deplores segregation, poverty and racism. And make no mistake, these all factor heavily into the ongoing neglect of our neighbors, who apparently, have officially had about enough.
For more information on how to get involved, visit the Lakota Freedom website.
Update: See Meteor Blades comment regarding this declaration. (H/T to DH for this.)