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Monday, May 14, 2007

Stupid Plagiarists

North Dakota’s most insipid blogger, Ryan Gustafson, managed to find a copy of a recent column I wrote about North Dakota’s Indian reservations ("The Appalling State Of Our Indian Reservations") on some Canadian “progressive” blog with a completely re-written conclusion.

The conclusion on the “progressive" Canadian National Newspaper website (which is included in Google News) blames racism among North Dakotans for the Indians’ problems (this is the newspaper’s home page):

So how is this happening in North Dakota? A state that is thriving economically right now? A state where the unemployment rate is so low that employers are practically screaming for workers? I know why it’s happening, but not a lot of people are going to want to hear it — institutionalized racism which has been perpetuated from the days of U.S. expansion into what American colonist perceived to be against ’savages’. The Civil Rights movement has yet to reach many parts of America, and notably ‘Indian Country’ in North Dakota.

My conclusion blamed the appalling state of the reservations on big-government, liberal/socialist policies:

Our government has tried to take care of the Indians for decades now, and all it has resulted in is rampant crime, rampant unemployment, rampant substance abuse and poverty.  It is cruel to perpetuate the current system simply because the idea of removing assistance from these people seems cruel.  What is cruel is putting them in a situation where there is no impetus to succeed.  Now is the time to shift the responsibility for making it in the world to the Indians themselves.  Not only to help them, but also to end the mean charade of the status quo.

There were other changes made to my column in the plagiarized version aside from the conclusion, but you get what they were trying to do: Completely change the meaning of my column.

I’ve left a comment on that blog, emailed the blog owner and emailed the company which hosts the blog asking for the column to be taken down.

Update: You won’t believe the email I got back from these idiots.

This is what I sent them:

Someone on your site is plariarizing my work.  This “Rob Tross” article:

http://www.blog.agoracosmopolitan.com/?p=274

Is a modified duplicate of a column I wrote for my blog and a local magazine:

http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/the_appalling_state_of_our_indian_reservations

I would appreciate “Rob Tross’” version of my column be taken offline and an apology put in its place.

I will await a reply within 48 hours after sending this.  If I don’t receive one I’ll be taking legal action.

This is what I got back:

Dear Mr. Rob Port,

Many of you Americans seems to be always seeking a quick way to make a fast buck, by trying to abuse your legal system with vexatious claims, eh.

Our legal system in this country, does not tolerate such vexatious claims, and a matter of fact, often places heavy fines on such abuses of the legal system.

The cited article which is now DELETED was received as a “Letter to the Editor” from the email williamtross1947@peoplepc.com. on May 1, 2007, and was published in good faith, to support public awareness of human plight on U.S. Indian reservations.  There was no attempt to “plgararize”.

It is apparent that your interest is not Native-Amercians, but you own apparent mis-guided ego.

Rest assured, that any further attempts to harass us with your vexatious claims, will published to warn Native-Americans, and other Americans, of your apparent greed-driven mischief.

Office of Peter Tremblay
Legal Department

The Canadian National Newspaper

Gotta love that.  They print plagiarism, and I’m “harassing” them and causing “mischief” by alerting them to it.

Excuse me for taking plagiarism of my work, especially plagiarism that completely misrepresents my position, seriously.

For the record, I’m pretty sure that plagiarism is actually illegal in Canada, and legally actionable for someone like myself as well.  Of course, I’m not Canadian so maybe plagiarism isn’t illegal up there.  Regardless, my point here wasn’t to profit.  My point was to stop people from plagiarizing and misrepresenting my work.

The post on the Canadian National Newspaper blog I linked above has been taken down, but here’s Google’s cached copy of it.

Update by likwidshoe, May 15th 2007:

This is what I had sent them:

This:

http://www.agoracosmopolitan.com/home/Frontpage/2007/05/04/01539.html

is blatant rip-off from here (with only the ending changed to suit the
guilty liberal conscience):

http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/the_app/

Please take care of this.

This was before they had erased the post. After they had erased the post, I sent this:

Nevermind. It’s taken care of:
http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/stupid_plagiarists/

This is what they sent back:

We expect the following part of your website to be also deleted, otherwise your blog will immediately be outed for defamation:

http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/stupid_plagiarists/

Office of John Stokes
Legal Affairs

The Canadian National Newspaper

Amazing, isn’t it? I kept it short and sweet after that and informed them that, “The truth is a defense against your claims of defamation. The post will not be deleted.”

Update by likwidshoe, May 15th 2007: just received this at 10:42 pm Eastern time:

Firstly, your website is not the “truth”.

Anyways, we have better things to do that do try to prosecute against individuals who act consistent with being a bunch of Ugly Americans.

Ugly Americans are known internationally to be a bunch of ignorant individuals and bigots anyways.

Your website just further proves that.

Office of John Stokes
Legal Affairs

The Canadian National Newspaper

Update by likwidshoe, May 15th 2007:

After that last bit of tomfoolery, I had sent them this e-mail:

The whole world is seeing this foolishness of yours:
http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/stupid_plagiarists

Keep talking as this makes for good blogging.

Which in turn got the response:

Yes, great blogging for Ugly Americans.

No more updates. This guy isn’t a lawyer. I get the feeling that I’m being had by a poser.

Comments

Rob,

It seems to me that the blog owner and/or the hosting company owe you the courtesy of an explanation and a public apology, as well as the true identity of the individual who plagiarized and maliciously edited your work.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on May 14, 2007 at 12:22 pm
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That’s exactly what I’ve asked for.


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Rob on May 14, 2007 at 12:26 pm

"Course, its hard to take seriously a web site which includes this sort of nonsens in its featured articles and post:

Individuals and groups that currently seek full truthful disclosure concerning UFOs and Extraterrestrials (ETs) could be viewed to have an unrealistic goal. Full truthful disclosure can only occur if the prevailing capitalism can be replaced by a people-driven economic system.

Makes Margaret Cho and “Diane” appealingly normal by comparison.

The well-reported use of the Presidential Veto Power shows that the U.S. Bush administration does not substantively believe in democracy.

Michael C Luckman - author of Alien Rock: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Extraterrestrial Connection - says The Rolling Stones rocker (Mick Jagger) developed an interest in extraterrestrial phenomena after a close encounter of the third kind in the 60s.

Having problems writing a personal ad? Writing, erasing, writing and erasing again. Most people have gone through that stumbling block when writing personal ads. Well that is going to change, with this simple article. I will present the 5 most important qualities that you should focus on …


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on May 14, 2007 at 12:40 pm

Rob
Give em hell. You could even sue, if you felt so inclined.


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on May 14, 2007 at 12:43 pm
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I’m not a very litigious person, but this really ticks me off.


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Rob on May 14, 2007 at 02:28 pm
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You may have left a comment but it’s gone now. And I bet the one I just left won’t last more than an hour.

marc on May 14, 2007 at 02:51 pm

censoring plagiarists! who knew!


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on May 14, 2007 at 02:58 pm
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Marc, I just went to their post again and my comment is still showing.  And I don’t see yours…


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Rob on May 14, 2007 at 03:32 pm

The lefties need to lie and distort.  They don’t have the truth on their side.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


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The Whistler on May 14, 2007 at 03:45 pm

Rob
the post on that canadian site is gone now.


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on May 14, 2007 at 03:47 pm

And what do we hear? That libs are models of morality, ethics, and honesty!

Yeah right! Judging by the behavior of liberal blogs in North Dakota I would beg to differ!

C.

Chris Brownell on May 14, 2007 at 04:11 pm
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I got a response from the Canadian National Newspaper about the plagiarism, and you don’t believe what they had to say.

It’s in an update to the post above.


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Rob on May 14, 2007 at 04:27 pm

What does Vexatious mean?  Cause I don’t think they are using it right.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 14, 2007 at 04:37 pm
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The response that you got Rob was hilarious! :D They hit the nail on the head there!  rasberry

Janel on May 14, 2007 at 06:51 pm
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Janel, they plagiarized.  And you think that’s a good thing?

C’mon.  Get real.


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Rob on May 14, 2007 at 06:54 pm

Rob
That response was a joke. If I were you I would contact their opponent newspaper and fill them in. They would surely be interested.


rasberry

Sparkie Arbuckle on May 14, 2007 at 07:35 pm
Avatar for Janel

Why is it that every time someone disagrees with you, you get mad?  They may have very well plagiarized, but you stretch the truth WAAAAAAAY out of proportion with your metaphors. 
I am very real Rob.

Janel on May 14, 2007 at 07:40 pm
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I don’t get mad when people disagree with me. I get mad when people steal my writing, twist its meaning, and claim it as their own.

That’s stealing.

And I never once stretched the truth about Belcourt.  Not even a little bit.


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Rob on May 14, 2007 at 07:45 pm
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That is your opinion, which you are entitled to.  I guess.
But oh, you do get mad, and so do your friends.  But who cares?  Not me.

Janel on May 14, 2007 at 08:06 pm

Rob...You should sue. When you win donate the funds to some kind of organization that helps people in denial.

Zsa Zsa on May 15, 2007 at 04:00 am

That response is something else.

Everybody should know that Canada doesn’t take too kindly to plagiarism either.

likwidshoe on May 15, 2007 at 04:28 am

If I don’t receive one I’ll be taking legal action.

-Rob

Many of you Americans seems to be always seeking a quick way to make a fast buck,

-Peter (aptly named)Tremblay

Who said anything about money? There are more legal actions than one! Do you get the impression that this isn’t the first time they’ve done this sort of thing?



A troll is someone who only wants to stir up trouble, not have an honest debate.  Some signs that a poster is a troll:
* Dodges questions from other posters * Refuses to give sources
* When one of its arguments is shown to be false, either ignores the proof or moves the goalposts.  Heh. (From the LGF faq)

Proof on May 15, 2007 at 04:34 am

Check out the update and the continuation of their ridiculousness.

These guys are clowns.

likwidshoe on May 15, 2007 at 07:13 pm
Avatar for andy l

And I never once stretched the truth about Belcourt.  Not even a little bit.
Rob on May 14, 2007 at 07:45 pm

Rob, that’s a lie, and you know it.  Whoever heard of nicotine dripping from the walls!  HA!  That’s impossible!  Your article is totally implausible.  The only thing you really haven’t addressed is your proposed “solution”.  Abolish Indian Reservations!  That’s suggesting genocide, and you know it.

andy l on May 15, 2007 at 07:17 pm
Avatar for andy l

These guys are clowns.
likwidshoe on May 15, 2007 at 07:13 pm

the only clown in the room is you!

andy l on May 15, 2007 at 07:19 pm

Stunning wit Andy.  Coming from a guy that makes threats and bans people rather than engage them in debate it’s about what I expect.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 15, 2007 at 07:30 pm

Another update! These guys won’t stop. It’s like they just can’t help themselves.

likwidshoe on May 15, 2007 at 07:48 pm

Vexatious indeed.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


The Whistler's signature
The Whistler on May 15, 2007 at 07:50 pm

One more update and I’m done with this guy. He’s shot all of his ammo and he’s no longer amusing.

likwidshoe on May 15, 2007 at 07:55 pm
Avatar for Henry Spencer

It is apparent that your interest is not Native-Amercians, but you own apparent mis-guided ego.

QFT. (Quoted for Truth)

I hope you get sued into the stone age. You deserve every moment of misery caused by your own misguided arrogant ego. Rot in hell fucker.

Henry Spencer on May 15, 2007 at 08:33 pm

Henry,

I hope it won’t intrude on your smug reverie if I note that all that venomous belligerence would be a good deal more meaningful, and satisfying too, if you had bothered to address it to someone in particular.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on May 15, 2007 at 08:40 pm
Avatar for Brian McDougal

With any luck Rob should be having fun with a new set of friends by late afternoon tomorrow. You\’ll know what I\’m talking about by then, trust me. F\’n hypocrite.

Brian McDougal on May 16, 2007 at 12:21 am

Henry Spencer - I erased the comment you copied verbatim from here. That’s not appreciated.

Brian McDougal - what are you babbling about?

likwidshoe on May 16, 2007 at 12:40 am

Wow, drop off the net for a couple days and look what happens. When the leftards(Canuck edition) call you an ugly American you know you’ve laid your fire on target.

andy, “your” Tribe’s unemployment, drug addiction, and alcoholism rates are a matter of public record. Denial is not a river in Egypt.

Janel? If you don’t care why are you here?


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 16, 2007 at 04:36 am

2Hotel9 - Janel likes to tell us over and over again that she doesn’t care what we say. Of course, that position begs the question of why she is here in the first place…

likwidshoe on May 16, 2007 at 07:32 pm

Funny, I figured this thread would pick up.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 17, 2007 at 03:01 pm
Avatar for andy l

And I never once stretched the truth about Belcourt.  Not even a little bit.
Rob on May 14, 2007 at 07:45 pm

Nicotine dripping from the walls?  Come on Rob!  That’s the most implausible statement I have ever read in my life!  It’s right up there with the mock turtle’s story in Alice in Wonderland!  Give us all a break, OK?

andy l on May 17, 2007 at 09:38 pm

Nicotine dripping from the walls?

Yeah. You’ve never seen that? Go into an old bar or bingo hall that hasn’t painted its walls in a long time (anyplace where there are heavy smokers will do; those two just came to mind first). It looks like amber dripping from the walls.

likwidshoe on May 17, 2007 at 09:53 pm
Avatar for andy l

Yeah. You’ve never seen that? Go into an old bar or bingo hall that hasn’t painted its walls in a long time (anyplace where there are heavy smokers will do; those two just came to mind first). It looks like amber dripping from the walls.
likwidshoe on May 17, 2007 at 09:53 pm

Sorry, although I never go into those types of places anymore, I don’t recall ever seeing nicotine dripping from the walls.  We you hallucinating or something?

andy l on May 18, 2007 at 05:49 am

We you hallucinating or something?

Yeah, that must be it.

You’re an ass Andy.

likwidshoe on May 18, 2007 at 05:58 am
Avatar for andy l

Yeah, that must be it.
You’re an ass Andy.
likwidshoe on May 18, 2007 at 05:58 am

Hatred.  Hatred.  Hatred.  Little OHIO boy.  Don’t you have anything good to say to Indians or about Indians?

andy l on May 21, 2007 at 06:46 pm

Lik has lots of good things to say about Indians. America hating scumbag socialist fuckbags like you are an entirely different matter. All true Americans hate socialist scumbags, andy, hence everyone taking a healthy shit on you at every opportunity.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 22, 2007 at 03:32 am

andy does a good job of projecting his hatred onto others at every opportunity. Someone needs to sit the guy down and explain that hatred is a wasted emotion that takes too much energy. Someone also needs to sit him down and explain that reminding everybody of the usless information that I live in Ohio is,..well,...useless. As in - who cares?

likwidshoe on May 22, 2007 at 03:42 am

He would really flip if he knew you are from Detroit!


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 22, 2007 at 04:14 am

He would really flip if he knew you are from Detroit!

2Hotel9 - it matters not. I’ve already stated that I have lived in six different states for more than a year. I’m not “from” anywhere and really have no city, town, or state to call my own. A couple come close, the Detroit area among them, but Ohio is definitely on the bottom of the list. He ignores all of that and continues to state that I am a “Little OHIO boy” (Ohio is always all capitalized for some reason). He doesn’t care about the truth and has shown reckless abandonment of fairness (it’s what allows him to keep on making it about skin color).

Andy Laverdure is just trying to make it about me. It’s kind of funny the way he hangs onto my every word. In the end, it’s all a big ‘whatever’ when you get right down to it.

likwidshoe on May 22, 2007 at 04:25 am

Well, he won’t be finding this out till this evening, when his buzz wears off. And it is capitalized because that is how Bugs Bunny did it to Elmer Fudd, round on both ends and high in the middle.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 22, 2007 at 04:41 am
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Andy Laverdure is just trying to make it about me. It’s kind of funny the way he hangs onto my every word. In the end, it’s all a big ‘whatever’ when you get right down to it.
likwidshoe on May 22, 2007 at 04:25 am

It is about you Lik.  You’re always spewing hatred toward Indian People, then deflecting by declaring everyone else a racist.  Get with the program.  Detroit, HUH?  Great, fine with me.

andy l on May 22, 2007 at 11:21 am

See? 12:21 EST, like the tide.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 22, 2007 at 01:21 pm

Oh, and andy, he is addressing you, not “Indian People”.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 22, 2007 at 02:16 pm
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You’re always spewing hatred toward Indian People, then deflecting by declaring everyone else a racist.

Well, Likwid was talking about you, Andy, not Indians in general.  But it’s interesting that you would talk about deflection, since that’s exactly what you’ve been doing this entire time.

Not one word about the problems that actually exist on the reservation.  Like Turtle Mountain representing 27% of the state’s TANF case load while representing only 2% of the population.  And state-wide unemployment on reservations being at 63%.  Nope, all you’re doing is calling people who disagree with you racist, bigoted, etc.

You, sir, are the king of deflection.


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Rob on May 22, 2007 at 02:20 pm
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Well, Likwid was talking about you, Andy, not Indians in general.

Rob, check out other blogs.  Likwid is a racist, period.  Stop defending the little boy.  He’s been addressing all Indians at this site in the same way, not only me.  Rob, get a life.  You and your teletubbies have been pegged.  Racists and bigots.

Enough said.

andy l on May 24, 2007 at 09:41 am
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You, sir, are the king of deflection.
Rob on May 22, 2007 at 02:20 pm

No sir.  Never deflected, never will.

andy l on May 24, 2007 at 09:42 am

How about giving links to the blogs you are talking about. You could even just spell them out if you don’t know how to link.


Una Salus Victus Nullam Sperare Salutem

2Hotel9 on May 24, 2007 at 12:20 pm
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I’ve yet to see you substantiate even one of your accusations of racism, Andy.  You make a lot of them, but you never prove them.

And those accusations are, in fact, deflections.  Because if we’re talking about whether or not Lik or I are racists then we’re not talking about the embarrassing situation on the reservations right?


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Rob on May 24, 2007 at 12:28 pm

You and your teletubbies have been pegged.

Let’s see, Rob’s Tinky Winky.

I got dibs on being Po, he’s the smart one.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


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The Whistler on May 24, 2007 at 12:30 pm
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No, Rob.  Wrong.  I’ve been involved in these so called threads since the end of April.  I’ve read many.  You know where they’re at.  You keep denying.  Read the threads.  I shouldn’t have to show you.  On the other hand, you keep denying you and lik and your other buddies are not racists, where can I find that?  Everything to the contrary is shown in here.

andy l on May 24, 2007 at 12:32 pm

Once again Andy’s proven to be making stuff up.


What’s going to happen to US industry when the global warming extremists like John McCain double the price of electricity?  I would think all these factories will close and set up in countries where they aren’t scared of technology.


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The Whistler on May 24, 2007 at 12:37 pm
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So...you’re going to make the accusation, but you’re not going to back it up with any proof or anything like that.  Because there isn’t any.  Because these racist accusations are baseless.

Pathetic.


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Rob on May 24, 2007 at 12:52 pm
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Pathetic.
Rob on May 24, 2007 at 12:52 pm

Rob, I’m not making accusations.  Read YOUR pathetic blog.

andy l on May 24, 2007 at 01:31 pm
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Rob, I’m not making accusations.  Read YOUR pathetic blog.

I’m reading it, and I’m not seeing it.

Please point me in the right direction, since you’re so adamant that it exists.


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Rob on May 24, 2007 at 01:57 pm

Andy Says, “On the other hand, you keep denying you and lik [sic] and your other buddies are not racists, where can I find that?  Everything to the contrary is shown in here.”

Don’t mistake the readers here or at Ryan’s blog who think YOU are a belligerent, dishonest, cretin for not liking ALL Indians. You do not represent all Indians. Heck you have a hard time keeping your story straight, let alone representing someone else’s point of view.

So do you think you are ever going to summon up the testicular fortitude to contest my points on Ryan’s blog? I could post them here if you would like.

C.

Chris Brownell on May 24, 2007 at 02:07 pm

Andy will you explain this statement to me, “Abolish Indian Reservations!  That’s suggesting genocide, and you know it”?

How is not having a reservation genocide? If an Indian moves from a reservation to say a new home in Bismarck are they no longer an Indian? Does he have to check his heritage at the entrance to the reservation? If he moves back does he become an Indian again? Will he die if he moves off the reservation? If the reservation ceases to exist, does he stop being an Indian? If a Jew moves from say Tel Aviv to Fargo, does he stop being a Jew or will he die? Does he have to surrender his language, culture and heritage upon arriving?

I would love to know your answers to these and so many other questions.

C.

Chris Brownell on May 24, 2007 at 02:18 pm
Avatar for andy l

Chris.  Our culture is tied to our land.  Always has been.  I don’t know if you would understand.  Our ceremonies, in many cases are specific to land base or realm.  Our culture is based on community concepts.  Many tribal members may be successful in Bismarck or Fargo or Minneapolis, for instance, but they always come home to the rez for rejuvination and spiritual strength.  I don’t expect understanding, but this is the basis for most of the anger associated with Rob’s so-called solution.  Also, treaty rights, history, the works.

andy l on May 25, 2007 at 10:49 am
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