Bismarck, North Dakota News

" what??? i think you all need to chill let the native americans do what they want to do and all you other people need to just mind your business. who cares if they want to keep there reservation camps and somebody thinks they want to be all by themselves...so what...they were here first "

" "Be an American and live as the American does, so the racism will stop." {The Native AMERICAN population suffered severely with the arrival of the White men. In the 1500s, the Native population North of the Rio Grande was numbered at ten million. By 1800, the population was down to 600,000 and by 1900 it was a mere 250,000. The dramatic drop in population is attributed to exposure to new diseases(There were no diseases before the whiteman), famine(This word did not exist in the native language), to the toll of slavery(The native AMERICAN were the first slaves in AMERICA), and the wars with the White settlers(Wars that consisted of killing and raping women, children, buffalo, horses). In 1830 the Natives faced another unthinkable blow, the Removal Act called for the removal of all Native AMERICANS forcably out of their homelands and onto Reservations established by the government. There are 437,000 Native AMERICANS living on 314 reservations that constitute two percent(2%) of the United States soil. The United States Government passed the Allotment Act years later, this act gave 138 million acres of land to be divided up among the native AMERICANS, although this act was in place it worked againest the native people as the government had intended it to(The government knew the native AMERICANS were unable to understand their language, The Government knew that they had killed the native AMERICANS spirit)given an unreasonable time frame the native people could never meet the lands were leased to the White man until the Government could sell it to them. When all was said and done, the native AMERICANS had lost 90 million of 138 million acres of their own land which "had been given to them by the Government." Once again, the White man ended up with their land. The Government came up with another ploy to silence the cries for justice coming from the native AMERICAN: The Relocation Program sought to assimilate natives into dominant white society. This would serve to alienate them from their culture and even their family. The Native people have been crying for justice since their contact with the white man. The United States Government has broken every single treaty it has made with the native people. The United States has been undemocratic in its dealing with the Native people. A movement of Pan-Indianism has emerged in response to their undemocratic treatment. They have begun regaining their cultural identity and seeing things and movements through the lens of their own AMERICAN Cultures and not the White American Culture.} If Living as an American, you mean by the whitemans Government ethics, you will find no takers. The System that you percieve to be forthright and honorable has managed to be apprehensable to the first AMERICANS who had to endure the humiliation by the very Government that exudes codes of Freedom and Dignity only to reply that the First AMERICANS "want and take more", if in fact that statement could be justified by any accuracy it is by simply saying that a "Want" is a greedy mans word for give me more; a "Need" is a poor mans word for survival. The First Americans "need" but are not given, They need due process, They need entitlement not compensation. They need to understand why this Government tried to commit genocide on a race of people who commited no crime againest them, They need to know why the white man speaks of Respect and uses it as a weapon of ignorance. You speak of how you give respect to those whoThe most important and most sacred to the First American is land. The land that was red with the blood of innocent elders, women, children, animals. The land that the First Americans Ancesters, and now there sons and daughters, grandchildren, family fight for wearing the United States Military uniforms; It is not you they fight for, it is not the President they fight for; It is not the Tribal people or Reservations they fight for; But the Land! That is honor. That is integrity. The battle that occurs daily in Washington D.C. between the Government and Native American Leaders all begin with the phrase, "When you broke your treaty and took our lands away.." Now you explain how it is the First American "Wants more and takes more" of what rightfully belongs to him. Educate yourself on history before you speak of circles that have you biting your own facts. "

" When referring to your people as "Americans" and us as "Indians" that already shows how you view yourself to how you view Native Americans. Are we not "Americans"?? Show me an educated Native American trying to live as an "American" and getting the same respect as an "American". You say you are getting sick and tired of the Native Americans wanting and taking more-how then did WE end up living on reservations when from in the beginning we had all this land?? "

" Americans do not fear the educated Indians. We are just getting sick and tired of the Indian tribes wanting and taking more. Give it a rest....... Be an American and live as the American does, so the racism will stop. I treat and respect the people around me as they deserve to be treated and respected. It doesn’t matter what color you are to get the highest respect. "

" As perplexed as I am at the continuous statements evolving here the main focus is not the Indian being divided from the United States, the Indian is the United States. The Reservation boundaries were not put up to keep the majority out but to barricade the Indian in, which foreign land did you descend from to become squatters on a parcel of land once deemed Indian Country? If Sovereignty is only proposed to those within Reservation Boundaries by the Bureau of Indian Affairs which is a division of the United States Government, how do you justify the endless banter which exists in the minds of the majority who seek nothing more from the Indian but what he cannot have for himself? Question not the lowly Indian when the rules were written by your Leaders to legally condemn what you choose not to understand; Perhaps the ultimate dilemma in life is not how Tribal Government's, the Indian Casino's, or Daily Reservation life is administered but why can't the majority be sovereign as any one Tribal member is? Time and Time again the details of History are corrupted and twisted into a tale of how the Indian wronged the Majority, either by defending and dying for land upon your arrival, or by getting educated, and stepping into the same corridors of your prestigious Leaders to become the equal your majority always feared the Indian to become. Never believe that it is your right to determine another worth in this world because of which side of the boundaries you stand on; It has always been an undisputed fact that we tear down what we believe to be different; as history has revealed thru every turbulent racial battle. It's always best to educate yourself on stories before your view point is documented; that way your ignorance can be justified and overlooked with pity "

" The Native American tribes should quit dividing themselves from the rest of the US. Face it, as long as the tribes make this division there will be discrimination between the people and racism. "

" As long as the refinery is on the reservation who will have the authority to monitor it? As a reminder when the buffalo were dying on the reservation NO ONE was allowed on the reservation unless they were Indian even though the buffalo were dying at the hands of these people. It has been proven that over the years the reservations do what they want, when they want and no one is authorized to interfere. They will find every loop-hole to control everyone around them and do as they please. "

" They're also asking the Bureau of Indian Affairs to put the refinery land into trust so it's sovereign and not subject to state and local taxes and regulations. What is this about? The tribes are trying to get by with a fast one again. This is one reason why people no not like the Indian Tribes and the people involved with them. "

" In reading about this refinary, lets look back State & Tribe. You talk of rules and regulations, you talked about trained personal . didnt happened to the Families on the Fort Berthold Reservation,Three Families suffered due to the accident on the Bridge Pier that collasped. they were not to be out there that day. it is said that they were sent out there to chair it up. the orginal crew knew they would have to go out there so they didnt show up. talk about skilled workers, the Young Men that were sent out there that day were told to disassemble it. Guess by who ?The Engineeers that where there were they skilled. They were hired by who they know. not by exerience in the field. did these Families have justice. it sure is quite. are do they know. this was on the core of engineers land. rumor has it that the State said if they were to be shut down for an investigation they were going to pull out. and that would leave the Tribe with the Bill. not only that why didn't the Tribe do a full investigation. these Young Men didn't deserve this . any comments. Tribal Employment Rights Employer. What was the contracts on this. are did anyone tell them what happened. I heard they didn't even talk with them. there were People on the Job on the Bridge that never had any experience and had some very dangerous Jobs. I will say more to this if you like. for I know the truth . "

" It is always the most insecure and frightened that have to condemn and criticize a race of people. Why revert to chastising a Nation that seeks financial opportunity and growth for it's people? This Refinery has it's pros and cons, as does every decision a human makes for his family, business, nation, why now does it come down to the inability of an "Indian" to work, or be motivated by financial gain? Within the walls of a Reservation lives third world First Americans, if you don't live within those walls you don't understand the people, or the motives behind the Tribal leaders who seek financial self sufficiency and growth to maintain the very promises that were stolen by the Government. This same Government which entitles Free Speech to people who have no facts to base their comments on other than what is how they deem the lowly Indian; How is another race so above any member of a Tribal entity? How can such blatant citizens speak of Casino revenue and taxes without general knowledge of how the cash flow is brought in or paid? You speak of the "real" needy and the poor. My friend, you are only as needy and poor as you choose to be. We are all quick to throw insults and a barrage of innuendos that echo the past of how to keep Human Beings in bondage and stereotype what keeps our ignorance fed. I am opposed to people that believe that they do not bleed like an Indian does, I am opposed to people that attend church every Sunday ask for their sins to be forgiven than scream that their life is considered more valuable than the man who is asleep under the bushes because of an addiction that has control over him. I am opposed to people that were taught to discriminate because of color; I am opposed to the same ancient comments repetivley spoken by small minded citizens pertaining to Indians. If it is your intention to seek shame upon the life of an Indian, if it is your intention to continuously have to belittle what you don't understand to simply justify what it is about yourself that is ungratifying, if it is your intention to magnify the amount of hostility and resentment towards a race of people whom from the beginning of your arrival on ships maintained their dignity and pride in who they were and how they were raised to respect all living creatures, even when they knew lies and death were all they would receive. These majestic people don't hear your words of disdain, because they have heard all before, I call them majestic and I will tell you why I do and with clarity; These people have been given every disease, every addiction that you can hand to them, some die, some recover, but it is understood that without these hindrances to befall them, and make them mirror the majority, the Indian would be more hated because his glory would out shine the brightest star. In closing I will also add, get new material, the repetition of your insults have become nothing more than expected, after all you are the superior race right? "

" I dont think they should build.. if the tribe wants to be a soverign nation then they shouldnt be getting any moneies from the U.S.A.. but they always get what they want.. just wait and see they will get it built then it will leak and kill the lake and what will they say sorry now it's your problem "

" Why should we want them to build a refinery. They say in the article they don't want to pay any taxes. So it is of little benefit to the state. They will however emit pollutants into the atmosphere that will add to the deteriation of the air quality of the whole state and dump waste water into the lake which can come down the Missouri. Will they be trained well enough to ensure no spills or unneccessary dischage of pollutants do not affect those of us who do pay our taxes? The casinos don't seem like they have contributed much to the overall living conditions of those on the reservation and that venture pulls in millions. "

" I don't know who build it is, I agree with him but that's not me. To scuttlebutt, the oil from the tar fields will be refined just like the oil from crude sludge. North Dakota refineries have AAA rating for air quality. As far as the spill in Mandan, Burlington Northern won't be in charge of the refinery, thank God. "

" To to Build it, What is prejudice about pointing out they may be scared that a refinery may open that has jobs that will need to be filled by newcomers. Also there is nothing prejudical about saying a casino would have no problems. I refer to Prairie Nights and Four Bears casinos. As far as my parents being proud of me, they sure are. But not as proud as the parents of the people who sleep under the bushes next to my wife's workplace. The way they evade the police is BRILLIANT! "

" Perhaps they should compromise and just build half of it. "

" Build it, Tell me how we are going to reduce gas prices by buying a product that is strip mined from the tar sands in Canada, partially processed up there, piped to down to ND, further processed here, then shipped it out to wherever. What is efficient about this? Inefficiecy = higher prices Regarding pollution, talk to the state health deparment about what has leaked out of that refinery in Mandan. As you might have noticed, it is darn close to the river. We get our water from this river. Look in the obituaries at the deaths from cancer. Can you 100% assure me that there is no relationship? "

" In building a refinery comes accountability. With accountability you get prosperity. The tribe has a chance to employ tribal people to work at the refinery then people can build more houses and that intern puts more money in people’s pockets. Yes everyone should be concerned about pollution and the environment but it’s time to act. If people want to be self-sufficient and prosper they need to look at the options that are out there. The city of Bismarck lives around the BP refinery and we are ok what’s the big hold up? Get going on it! Everyone crying about higher gas prices but no one want to act on a solution. "

" Let me give you a round of applause to be the first to give prejudice comments, I bet your parents are really proud of you... "

" I must agree with War on Poverty...That pretty sums up everything we have been living these past ten yewars on the reservation. "

" Not all of us are afraid of jobs. "

" The problem that no one wants to talk about is mismanagement. Most of you will never see the president of the US or even ND Senators. We live right with our elected leadership and any free speech is trouble, loss of job or services. Tribal government should keep out of business ventures because it always involves corruption. There is no plans for the profits, we see dollar signs and get selfish thoughts. If they would have a plan like build houses for tribal members on a rent to own basis that is something people can agree with because it is an investment. Something to show for the money. Get the money into the hands of the real needy and poor, the ones who can't help themselves. Forget the glory and do the right thing. "

" Is it the air quality or the jobs that scare them? If it were a casino being built there would be no complaints. "