Erich Longie: Sovereignty or Fighting Sioux
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Filed Under:
Opinion
"There is no way any self-respecting tribal official or tribal member will give up our sovereignty for a college athletic team’s nickname. To American Indians, sovereignty is sacred.
In my view, tribal nations never will give up their sovereignty, even at gunpoint.
Here’s one reason why:
Proposals to force tribes into waivers of their sovereign immunity would put Indian tribal governments at risk. Tribal councils and tribal courts would be subject to immense lawsuits, whether they acted or failed to act.
No government could long operate under such a waiver of sovereign immunity.
By waiving our sovereign immunity for the nickname, all the gains we made in the past 50 years would be in jeopardy. Our tribal nations as they known today no longer would exist.
We no longer would be free from unwanted influence from state and city governments. Huge companies could set up businesses on our lands at will. Unscrupulous outsiders, who are not above paying tribal members to promote their cause, would be able influence our tribal government."
Get the Story:
Erich Longie: Will tribes trade sovereignty for UND's nickname?
(The Grand Forks Herald 10/6)
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