Generations ago, when this country was first being settled by those of European heritage, America went through a great many changes. Before this invasion, there had always been war. But those wars were tribe against tribe. Those wars were fought with, at most with bows, arrows and spears. Those wars were, in today’s terms, nothing more than localized, territorial skirmishes. America, in those pre-European days, was a simpler place. After the invasion of the White Man, things began to change. The White invaders often enlisted other tribes to aid them in their wars – tribes that traditionally been at war with the attacked tribe. The Native tribes were unable to establish a clear alliance. Should they side with the British, French or Spanish? No matter which side they allied with, there were conflicts. Often, they were allied with more than one side, perhaps with the British to the North and the Spanish to the South. Also, war between the White Man and the Natives involved the use of fire arms. To be sure, there were no fire arms as we have today. In the beginning they just had single shot muskets. But, the White Man had a distinct advantage over the Natives. Then, the Natives began acquiring fire arms by trade, as trophies of war and by theft.

The invasion by the European invaders was not unlike the Hispanic invasion that we have today. The Hispanic invaders are, at this time, are peaceful. But, I the beginning the European invaders were peaceful. In fact, they were grateful for any help the natives gave them. Their chance for survival without the help of the Natives was slim. The European invaders just wanted a little land, something along the coast for small, family farms. That wasn’t much to ask. At this point, for the most part, the Hispanic invaders just want jobs. And they will accept any job – menial labor included. True, any job they take is a job that our own unemployed people could be working. However, in some degree, the Hispanic invasion is changing. They are taking more of the higher paying jobs than before. But worse than that, these illegal invaders are protesting that they do not have, under our constitution, the same rights as we have. This is true, as it should be. As illegal invaders, they should have no rights under our constitution. I have read where “We, the People of the United States of America” have been afforded some rights. But, nowhere have I read in our Constitution where those who come to this country illegally have any of the same rights. Remember, in the beginning of America, even those who were here first didn’t have the same rights as the invaders.

When the Europeans invaded, they didn’t just want jobs. They wanted everything. They took everything. They proclaimed superiority to the Natives, even to the point of denying their rights as humans as afforded by the Constitution. The Natives were forced to give up our language, religion, heritage, education, morals, and our entire sense of being. The Natives were expected to become as one of them. The Natives were expected to trust them to have our best interest in mind. However, we learned that we were in error. They did not have our best interest in mind. They wanted everything. They wanted part of our land. They brought to us a treaty that gave them some land. In exchange they would allow us to live on the remaining part of our land, for as long as the sun shines. We allowed this. We still had plenty of land. And, the treaty was for as long as the sun shines. The sun will always shine.

But, the sun did not always shine. They demanded more land. In another treaty, they took more land. We were allowed to live on a smaller portion of our land for all time. And, they would give us an old rifle and a blanket. We allowed this. For all time is a long time. And, a blanket (we did not know that perhaps this blanket was taken from a smallpox victim) is something good to have. And, we didn’t know about worn out rifles. We thought a gun was a gun. We still had some of our own land. We had nature. We had our way of life. This was all we had. This was all we needed.

Then, they wanted all our land in the Eastern part of America, in exchange for some land far to the West. They brought us another treaty that told what they would give for this. And, we let them. We sold all of our land in the East – the land of our forefathers, the graves of our Grandfathers. We sold our heritage. We felt we had no choice. The invading White Man had more and better arms. They had more organized armies. We were still living in the days where we were fighting with neighboring tribes. Had we joined with the other tribes, rather than still fight with them, perhaps we could have turned back that invasion and saved our country.

Before the White man, we had plenty. Our lives were filled with abundance. The Earth provided us with good food, clean water, warm clothes and comfortable homes. The Earth provided all our needs. Now, your vegetables are tainted with disease – because of greed. Your meat is tainted with hormones and antibiotics – because of greed. Your homes are built with poisonous chemicals – because of greed. Your clothes are made from unnatural fibers by slave labor far across the seas – because of greed. And, your water is filled with poisons – because of greed. Because of the advances brought to us by the White men, we have drunkenness, obesity, drug abuse, discontent, bad air, bad water and poisoned food. But, we allowed this to happen. We were told this would be the better path.

We were told of a great new religion. We were told that if we followed that religion we would be granted a life after this life. We were told that following the religion of the White man would bring us a life of peace and contentment. However, as I look around, I see little evidence of this religion. Sure, the buildings are there. And there are people in these building on Sunday. However, there is little evidence of the religion in day to day life. My people, before the Whites, were reverent of many things, and all the time. Today, it seems that few people follow any religion. The masses cheat and steal. Murder, home invasion, car jacking, bank robberies and rapes are becoming so common they are scarcely noticed. This is sad.

The truth is, we let those in charge of America to take, to take, to take. We have heard their lies. We lost our way of life, piece by piece. The Government offered us treaties for land, in exchange for money. The Government offered us freedom, in exchange for the rest of our land. And, each time, the Government broke each treaty. We lost the right to fight back. We lost the right to dig for gold on our own land. We lost the right to testify against White men who stole from us. We lost more than our land. We lost our self respect.

This is still going on. My forefathers would laugh, were they still here, as they watch the Government break treaties with their own people. You, who have the Government “of the people, by the people and for the people” are losing freedoms. You have no right to keep what you earn. The Government takes from you a portion to care for those who choose not to work. The Government takes a portion of what you earn to support countries that wish us harm. The Government takes a portion of what you earn to hire police to arrest you if you do not give the portion they think you should. You have no right to security. In many places it is against the law to take arm against those who attack and threaten your home and family. And more laws are planned to further restrict your right to self protection. The Government is taking the wealth from your land to divide among their few friends. The Government fills your heads with lies. You have lost control of the energy that rightfully belongs to all people. The Government is selling band width that belongs to all of us. And, what have we gained?

We have not gained. We have lost the ability to provide for our families. In the old days, this could not happen. In the old days, before the days of America, if one had food, all had food. If one family prospered, all prospered. This is just they way it was. People worked together as a unit for the betterment of the tribe. Everyone had worth. Everyone contributed. It was only when the Whites filled the heads of the Reds with lies that the world fell away. The Red way of sharing was not like the socialism of today. We shared becase we felt it was right to help feed our friends and neighbors who did not have enough this week. We knew they were trying. We knew that we had enough because we had a good hunt. And, we knew that if we did not have a good hunt next week, they may, and they would feed us. Socialism, the way America is headed, is not like this. We are forced to help feed those who will not feed themselves. This weakens the country.

And, it is happening again today. Again we are listening to the leaders in Washington tell us of a better path. Again, they are telling us we that the richness of the Earth belong to just a few. Again, they are denying us, even you who are of their kind, our heritages, telling us that we can not be proud of who we are. It is sad that my people long ago lost who they were. They were led to believe that if they would change to the standards of the newcomers, they could become members of America. They did change. But they never quite became a full class citizen of America.

Now, the descendents of those who forced my forefathers to conform to their way of life are having to changes. Americans are losing their language to invaders. In some places it is illegal to demand that English be spoken, just as we were denied our language generations ago. Advertising is being directed to non-English speaking people. Cartoons are educating our young to speak the language of the invaders. The American Flag, the banner that signifies the meaning and heritage of America is often now being flown beneath the flag of the new invaders. Americans are losing the right to educate their young because of new invaders. Americans are losing their heritage because of new invaders.

Part of me says that is as it should be. But, do I want America to decline? No. I want America to become great once again. My people sacrificed their country so that America could be great. I want that. I want to be a part of a great America.

There is going to be a change in this country. Let me repeat this with emphasis. There IS going to be a change in this country! For America to survive, and return to the greatness we once enjoyed, there must be a drastic change from the direction we are headed now. Whether this change comes easy or hard will be up to us, We the People to determine. I am going to go through some of the problems we are facing, as I see them. And I am going to give my views of some of the possible solutions. This is not intended to be a complete list of our problems, rather a list of some major problems that must be solved before we can begin on the next list. I know I am going to offend some of you, perhaps all of you. Offending you is not my intention. Opening your eyes to the problems facing America is one of my goals. Inspiring you to becoming part of the solution is another of my goals. But the reality is I am going to offend many people. For this, I apologize in advance. However, rather than being angry with me, I ask that you look at the words that offend and ask why you are offended. Then ask yourself if you should be offended, or perhaps you should do something to make a change in either your life or the system.