{"article":{"id":141771,"heading":"Illegal Immigration - A Native American Indian's View","author":"Reposted by El Chivo","created":"2005-12-16 01:10:07","modified":"2013-11-11 00:37:06","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:37:06","article":"

On almost every weekend in the US, the indigenous people of North America (Indians, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, etc.) hold gatherings called \"pow wows.\" During these festive, colorful events, many vendors sell t-shirts that talk about the effects of the so-called \"discovery of America.\" Bumper stickers deride those who would forget that the original inhabitants of the Americas were the first to face the perils of \"illegal immigration.\" Now however, residents of many \"border states,\" particularly California, are looking at the efforts of \"Minuteman\" groups that have been formed under the auspices of \"border security.\" On the surface this seems honorable and to be working to stem the tide of illegal immigration. However, there are some fundamentals that only an \"Indian\" might be able to point out:

First, there is a saying taken from the bible: he, who is without sin, let him cast the first stone. Many of those who would promote Minuteman groups and the proposed California Border Patrol are the same types of individuals who would fight Native tribes over tribal lands. Note that many of the Minuteman's supporters also support restrictions on how Native tribes use their lands and in some cases, these \"protests\" have turned violent. (Witness the border clashes between Native and non-Native people in NYS for proof of this.) Additionally, EVERYONE not of pre-1492 decent in the US is an ancestor of an illegal immigrant, as the islands of the Caribbean, the Continental US, Alaska, Hawaii and other small but no less significant places were invaded then populated by people who were not \"legally welcome.\"

Second, the methods used against the majority population (Mexicans) of illegal immigrants may not be openly violent, but they are inherently racist. Not because the vast majority of those coming across the Rio Grande, etc. are Mexican, but because of the lack of minority involvement in such endeavors as the Minuteman Project, the organization of the California Border Patrol, etc. If security, terrorism prevention, protection of the legal workforce, etc. is so important, then why haven't legal immigrants, minorities, etc. \"jumped on the bandwagon\" and supported border \"protection\" measures? The fact of the matter is that the majority of supporters of this new form of \"border security\" are white males in middle to upper middle class environments who have latched onto an agenda that permits open racism. Even those who are not racist among us still laugh at the occasional ethnic joke, and what better way to justify those jokes than to come up with an element of truth (weeding out “illegals”) to justify harassing a whole group of fellow human beings?

As a descendant of LEGAL immigrants (believe it or not, some Cherokee moved northward and were welcomed in the NY\/NJ area by the local Indians, ultimately becoming part of the Sand Hill Band in New Jersey, New York and parts of Pennsylvania), it’s plain to see that there is strong evidence that the motives of those in these so-called border protectors are more than a little suspect. If illegal immigration and job protections are that important, protect them universally and in a way that respects the sacrifices many make in order to come to this country, and don’t forget that unless of indigenous lineage, YOU are an illegal immigrant.

NOTE: The author is a member of the NJ Sand Hill Tribe of Indians, a Native enclave encompassing NJ and parts of NY and PA. He is also a former military and tribal police officer and has been active in Native affairs for many years.

<\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"http:\/\/www.americanchronicle.com\/articles\/viewArticle.asp?articleID=3821","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"By Carlos Estrella\r\nDecember 13, 2005","numcomment":10,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2005\/12\/141771.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":141807,"heading":"reply","article":"Ah so you're a Native American. We should meet some time and talk. Like I said, for the most part I'm not getting into the issue of "who was here first" and people who are here against US immigration laws. I've moved on to reading up on the Minuteman Project and its founders, starting with the Southern Poverty Law Center. I'll be contacting them. I took a Native American studies class in college, but didn't complete that one. But I've wanted to learn more about them in person since.","author":"Jammer CC","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-16 10:57:22","modified":"2005-12-16 10:57:22","fileurl":""},{"id":141820,"heading":"to jc","article":"personally i am not an indian i just post the article from american chronicle. ","author":"El Chivo","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-16 17:29:40","modified":"2005-12-16 17:29:40","fileurl":""},{"id":141829,"heading":"well spoken","article":"just try to get a staight answer \r\nfrom an "aztlaner".\r\ntheir lies just don't wash,\r\nand most especially to me\r\nA TRUE NATIVE ABORIGINAL PERSON.\r\nMe and my tribe have been actively patroling \r\nthe border for about 15 years now.\r\n\r\nAND we are still seeking satisfaction \r\nfor all STOLEN LAND in mexiKKKo.\r\n\r\nAs you may or may not know,\r\nno indigenous first nations peoples\r\nhave any rights accorded to them\r\nregarding LAND, Culture, or history\r\nor law.\r\nit"s just a big shit sandwich down there for \r\nany NATIVE, speaking for myself and others.\r\nno mexiKKKan is a native.\r\nalthough there are NATIVE TRIBES still\r\nsurviving there.\r\nwe will NEVER support the colonialist \r\nmexiKKKan people or government.\r\nstudy some history.........................","author":"canat","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-16 21:10:00","modified":"2005-12-16 21:10:00","fileurl":""},{"id":141831,"heading":"Joe's Illegal then","article":"by this article, Joe Turner, Gilchirst, Simcox, and most of MMP are illegal. so y do u work for them canat. ","author":"El Chivo","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-16 21:28:58","modified":"2005-12-16 21:28:58","fileurl":""},{"id":141852,"heading":"reply","article":""personally i am not an indian i just post the article from american chronicle. "\r\n\r\nOops, sorry ;)","author":"Jammer CC","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-17 01:14:36","modified":"2005-12-17 01:14:36","fileurl":""},{"id":141866,"heading":"say what..?","article":"on topic of " illegals"\r\n\r\ni am not saying anthing in the above post \r\npertaining to who is legal or not.\r\nmeaning HERE dipshit, \r\nin AMERICA\r\nor do you not know how to read english?.\r\nmy bad, then.\r\n\r\nhistory: Europeans came here , lots of shit happened.\r\nAmerica was born.\r\nNatives fought for THIS great country in\r\nEVERY single WAR.\r\nwhether it was the Original Revolution\r\nor Iraq, you will hear of US.\r\n\r\nWe the Native Aboriginal Peoples kicked ass\r\nall over the dang place \r\nand believe you, me, that we will not \r\nsee it Attacked by outsiders.\r\n\r\nToday you may hear of some \r\nwho are mislead and fed lies \r\nabout MY PEOPLE\r\nwe are not in any way : meixcans, \r\nxicanos, etc. etc.\r\n\r\nI think its great that\r\npeople of various ethnic backgrounds \r\nwould like to come to this country,\r\nI will not judge anyone based \r\non race, religion, sex or creed.\r\nAs long as they come to MY country \r\nLEGALLY.\r\nbig f'n whoop, get in line and do it right.\r\n\r\nHowever, if you are here by any other means\r\nyou have got a problem buddy.\r\n\r\nand if you even DARE to INSULT my\r\nancestors by your bullshit jump claims.\r\nwell, then, lets get it on.\r\nI dont work for anyone, but my people\r\nthe ABORIGINAL FIRST NATIONS \r\nwhich we happen to have Gods blessing \r\nto be a part of ..\r\ndont get me wrong, i make no excuses for anyone\r\nbut this is the REALITY\r\nfor my people , my(and yours, OUR American Families, all races, all creeds etc.)\r\nchildren, elders and deceased relatives.\r\n\r\njust get in f'n line, fill out the papers\r\nand shut yer hole about\r\n 'this is azt-sham. evil gringos, blah blah blah"\r\nI ain't buying it ,homes.\r\ndon't cry to me about "them evil gringos stole mexico"\r\nJUST who in the hell do you think \r\nyou mexiKKKanss stole it from?????\r\nthe friggin tooth faires??.\r\ngimme a break!\r\n\r\nc\/s\r\n","author":"canat","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-17 02:49:26","modified":"2005-12-17 02:49:26","fileurl":""},{"id":141916,"heading":"Confusion","article":"I thought 'c\/s' was some kind of chicano thing to write.","author":"johnk","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-17 23:54:31","modified":"2005-12-17 23:54:31","fileurl":""},{"id":142031,"heading":"huh?","article":"" they will keep goats, they will grow corn in the front yard, they will hang their wash on the front fence. "\r\nAt last! a use for that fence!","author":"way to go","parent_id":141771,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2005-12-19 18:06:46","modified":"2005-12-19 18:06:46","fileurl":""}]}