…A man who fostered LOVE for all Earth BEings…
“…I want to be LaKota.
…free to be responsible. “
Thank You Wanbli Ohitika, Brother Brave Eagle,
for your Service and Love for/to
Humanity, Equality, Peace, Freedom & Sovereignty for ALL.
“If You’ve Forgotten the Names of the Clouds,
You’ve Lost Your Way :
An Introduction to
American Indian Thought & Philosophy.”
~ Russell Means’ book title, to order scroll to links below ~
Russell Means tribute ~ Republic of Lakota
Russell Charles Means (November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012) was an actor {perhaps best known for his performance in “Last of the Mohicans”}, political & rights activist to come to aid for all, as he traveled across the planet
with LOVE in his Heart.
In Russell’s own words:
“Hello my relatives. What I have to say about myself. I have been to prison, I have been a thief. I’ve been a doper, a dope dealer. And I’ve also have been to college. I am an accountant and a computer programmer, as well as getting my Doctorate in Philosophy. I have been everywhere in the strata of white society. I’ve even hung around with multi-millionaires when there were no billionaires. I am an Indian, and American Indian. I prefer American Indian too. Anyone born in the Western Hemisphere is a Native American. I am an Ogallala Lakota from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation which is still designated in the Defense Department as ‘Prisoner of War Camp #44’. You see, Indian people have no rights, no constitutional rights on the Indian Reservations what so ever, no freedom of speech, no privacy.
WOW! You Americans are in the same boat.
…I also Belong to ‘The Republic of Lakota’ …”
~ Excerpt from Welcome to the Reservation, scroll to link below.
The following information comes directly from the
ONLY TRULY SOVEREIGN INDIGENOUS NATION
(Due to the efforts of Russell and others)
encapsuled by the USA within their borders formed of 3 rivers.
Republic of Lakota website: http://www.republicoflakotah.com/
and accompanied by some Youtube video clips.
The passing of Russell Means
was a lose for the world
http://www.republicoflakotah.com/2012/the-passing-of-russell-means-was-a-lose-for-the-world/
Part of the post below is directly copied from this link.
On October 22, 2012, Indian rights activist Russell Means passed on after a magnificent life of struggle to better the lives of American Indians. Means had a tremendous impact on Native American struggles of the latter part of the 20th century and he will be sorely missed, but his passing was a huge loss not just for Native America, not just for all of America, but for the world. He became the warrior conscience of the U.S. as a nation and exposed the oppression of American Indians to the globe.
Means reawakened Native people to the need for direct action in dealing with the “powers that be.” Contrary to popular belief, there had been a long unbroken string of Native activism throughout the 20th century, but the government-leaning mainstream news media had for the most part managed to keep information of Indian resistance hidden behind the “Buckskin Curtain.” What distinguished Means and the American Indian Movement (AIM) was that they were able to break through the “Curtain” with justifiably sensational tactics that the media could not ignore. The 1973 Wounded Knee occupation and other protests had to be covered, and that riveted the moral conscience of America and the entire world. All just-minded citizens, of all races, creeds and colors, morally supported the actions of AIM. Public opinion in the U.S. was on the side of Means and the warriors of AIM. One thing that was said about AIM in those days was that they would never lose a fight by default; when called upon AIM always showed up.
It has been said that American Indians are the “miners’ canary” which indicates that justice in this society can be measured by how Native people are treated. Given that criterion this country is still sadly lacking in that category.
As for Means, he started out working in an office as a computer operator. He was trained as an accountant, was a straight A student and was awarded a scholarship to Arizona State University. Indian youth, in particular, should find this inspirational at a time when less than half of Native young people graduate from high school.
Means became a steadfast fighter for Indian rights. Among his many accomplishments: He founded the first radio station on his reservation and the first independent health clinic. He was also was a founder of the International Treaty Council which was responsible for the United Nations Declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which impacted peoples worldwide.
In the mid-1970s, I had the priceless opportunity to meet Means, Vernon and Clyde Bellecourt, Jimmie Durham and others prominent in the American Indian Movement, at an AIM rally. I actually remember him as rather quiet. In fact, I don’t recall him even speaking on stage at the event.
Means was not only an activist, but also an avid painter, screenplay writer and actor. In these roles he always drew attention to Native issues both contemporarily and historically. He was also an author, writing a several-hundred-page autobiography entitled “Where White Men Fear to Tread.” The book, written in language that ranges from the sublime to the earthy, is filled with profound philosophical and political insights. It is a huge indictment of racism and an expose of the appalling conditions in Indian Country that gave rise to AIM. Although I don’t agree with all of Means’ political views in the volume (specifically on Nicaragua and socialism) it is otherwise a stellar work indicting the U.S. for its horrific treatment of Native people.
Uncompromising to the end, when Means was first diagnosed with esophageal cancer in the summer of 2011 he announced he was eschewing mainstream medical treatment in favor of traditional Native medicine. Through it all, he remained the iconic symbol of American Indian resistance to the ongoing centuries of the race war conducted against Native Americans by the U.S. government.
Means reinforced the iconic image of the intrepid, dauntless Indian warrior willing to risk all consequences in his endless quest for indigenous justice. Exposed in his odyssey was the federal government’s equally endless quest to silence him “by any means necessary.” He was shot, stabbed (all assassination attempts), imprisoned, harassed incessantly, but he never slowed down. Means was a source of boundless inspiration to all who were committed to “The Cause.” Means has walked on, but the movement lives on.
Photo: In a Jan. 31, 1989 file photo, Russell Means, who headed the American Indian Movement, (AIM) testifies before a special investigative committee of the Senate Select Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington. Marcy Nighswander /AP
~~~~~~~
Wisdom, philosophical and practical quotes of
Russell from some of the video links below:
“Mother Earth has been abused, the powers have been abused,
this cannot go on forever.
No theory can alter that simple fact.
Mother Earth will retaliate,
the whole environment will retaliate,
and the abusers will be eliminated.
Things come full circle, back to where they started.
That’s revolution.”
~ Russell Means
“It’s only gotten worse. We are a people, ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Only when we stand up for ourselves do people begin to listen.
“Now, I know the history of the white man. I know it from his very beginnings since he was put in Europe. Only when based on corporate greed., OK. I know how he built this country, his America. It’s an insidious evil country, based on death, all for corporate greed.
“The facts are American history. The United States of America is the only country in the world that’s been at war every year of it’s existence. …EVERY YEAR OF ITS EXISTENCE, 136 years, every year its been at war, sometimes multiple wars.”
“In the Republic of Lakota, the provisional government that I had, we are promising our people nothing. Our people have been promised every by Christian missionaries. They’ve been promised everything by government agents. They’ve been promised by everyone who wanted to make money off our backs. And then we get nothing,
So, when we withdrew with our {broken} treaties from the United States, we said that we were not going to promise our people anything, we are going to DO. We are going to be an example.”
“And also we want to convince white people who want to be free and might want to move here, and there’s white people here. We tell them You have to rule by consensus. You cannot protect individual rights with a majority cause there always is going to be a minority. You are going to have to rule by consensus. Now You can do it small, or You can do it large, but as long as its done by consensus.”
” Oh we face death, we have the lowest live expectancy
on Earth, ON EARTH MAN!
We are worse of than Haiti, healthwise and povertywise. Our men only live to 49.3 years. The Bureau of Indian Affairs of the United States government runs our lives …
We are not allowed to run our lives.
Only 22 families control our land, 100 hectares. The rest of us are poor. The 22 families are mostly white people..”
“What I want to do is save our language with the young. We are trying to establish LaKota only schools. No English allowed, because as You know, and that any that speaks another language knows, the English language is very primitive. You can not translate adequately translate any language into English because it’s so primitive.”
“What i have to say to people all over the world is (because I lived in the belly of the monster) You have to stay home. You have to improve your world. until it’s in balance. And don’t understand, I do not understand, any religion that condones violence. I just don’t understand that. I know the patriarchal world loves violence. The United States is the perfect example.”
Russell Means memorial 1m24s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuIGoAs0yl8
Russell Means ~The Final Interview the Sacred Feminine 9m4sec
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFt6XRyQhD8
Native American Message We Are All Related 4m32s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abqhn8EIvYc
Russell Means Sacred Knowledge: Female/Matriarchy 7m48s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W74W1Fyu-_0Matriarchy
Welcome to the Reservation 1h35m58s
Americans are the New Indians
A History Lesson for, of, and from the Constitution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LA-S64QY3o
Russell Means on Natural Law /Permaculture 7m41s
excerpt from Welcome to Reservation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBMeBEMHIb8
American Indian Activist Russell Means Powerful Speech, 1989 17m48s
before the Senate hearing committee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVYShOZkZGs
If I Were President of the USA 3m23s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0sIU0X6an4
Celebrate Russell Means R.I.P Spirit Warrior (1939 -2012) 4m15s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgDnyBbewQA
Russell Means Pt 1 Lakota declares its Sovereignty 14m02s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm0JIgVHypQ
Russell Means comments on Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize 5 min 38s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kKiRheypcs
Russell Means ~ What is True Freedom? 1of 5 10m54s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p8Tz2H2oIk
Also see: http://www.RussellMeans.com
~ Russell Means’ Book ~
“If You’ve Forgotten the Names of the Clouds,
You’ve Lost Your Way :
An Introduction to
American Indian Thought & Philosophy.”
You may find at
http://somosenescrito.blogspot.com/2013/04/we-are-all-related.html#!/2013/04/we-are-all-related.html
If you wish to purchase either the softcover or Kindle edition you can find it here http://www.amazon.com/Youve-Forgotten-Names-Clouds-Lost/dp/1482068109/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367258731&sr=1-1&keywords=russell+means
ALSO SEE: “Where White Men Fear to Tread~an autobiography of Russell Means.
~~~~~~~
Evidence of what Russell Means
sought to reveal & correct:
Native American Reservation System:
The great DECEPTION 1h00m36s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg3aFuNlhKQ
John Marshall ~ Chief Justice of the supreme court
of the united states described the status of Indians as:
“domestic dependent nations
whose relation to the United States
resembles that of a ward to his guardian”
Pine Ridge and Rosebud Indian Reservation 24m36s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3H2a7EwaCM
Genocidal Results of the
Failed American Indian Policies
of the United States Government:
Genocide on Pine Ridge 5m44s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc574vBg3Qo
MORTALITY:
- Lakotah men have a life expectancy of less than 44 years, lowest of any country in the World (excluding AIDS) including Haiti.
- Lakotah death rate is the highest in the United States.
- The Lakotah infant mortality rate is 300% more than the U.S. Average.
- One out of every four Lakotah children born are fostered or adopted out to non-Indian homes.
- Diseases such as tuberculosis, polio, etc. are present. Cancer is now at epidemic proportions!
- Teenage suicide rate is 150% higher than the U.S national average for this group.
DISEASE:
- The Tuberculosis rate on Lakotah reservations is approx. 800% higher than the U.S national average.
- Cervical cancer is 500% higher than the U.S national average.
- The rate of diabetes is 800% higher than the U.S national average.
- Federal Commodity Food Program provides high sugar foods that kill Native people through diabetes and heart disease.
POVERTY:
- Median income is approximately $2,600 to $3,500 per year.
- 97% of our Lakotah people live below the poverty line.
- Many families cannot afford heating oil, wood or propane and many residents use ovens to heat their homes.
UNEMPLOYMENT:
- Unemployment rates on our reservations are 80% or higher.
- Government funding for job creation is lost through cronyism and corruption.
HOUSING:
- Elderly die each winter from hypothermia (freezing).
- 1/3 of the homes lack basic clean water and sewage while 40% lack electricity.
- 60% of Reservation families have no telephone.
- 60% of housing is infected with potentially fatal black molds.
- There is an estimated average of 17 people living in each family home (many only have two to three rooms). Some homes, built for 6 to 8 people, have up to 30 people living in them.
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL:
- More than half the Reservation’s adults battle addiction and disease.
- Alcoholism affects 9 in 10 families.
- Two known meth-amphetamine labs allowed to continue operation. Why?
INCARCERATION:
- Indian children incarceration rate 40% higher than whites.
- In South Dakota, 21 percent of state prisoners are American Indians, yet they only make up 2% of the population.
- Indians have the second largest state prison incarceration rate in the nation.
- Most Indians live on federal reservations. Less than 2% of Indians live where the state has jurisdiction!
THREATENED CULTURE:
- Only 14% of the Lakotah population can speak the Lakotah language.
- The language is not being shared inter-generationally. Today, the average age of a fluent Lakotah speaker is 65 years.
- Our Lakotah language is an Endangered Language, on the verge of extinction.
- Our Lakotah language is not allowed to be taught in the U.S. Government schools.
Thank You Wanbli Ohitika, Brother Brave Eagle,
for your Service and Love for/to
Humanity, Equality, Peace, Freedom & Sovereignty for ALL.
~~~~~~~End of Post~~~~~~~
Land Resource Guide 