Only Indians can use eagle feathers...

[AmigoKumeyaay]

I'm going to bet "no."

Do the Feds really have the desire to check out who is actually 1/256 Indian?

The govt has all agencies watching for persons who kill eagles illegally, and/or illegally sell the feathers & parts to ANY other person.

The agents themselves are not tasked, nor ever could determine on their own, a person's heritage. The federal ID card should show that the person has alreeady gone through an enrollment process, and had their heritage documented.

Then again, since the eagle feathers have no serial numbers (i.e. barcodes) on them to trace ownership, this is a very difficult law to enforce.

Again, the emphasis is to stop the killing of eagles by those seeking profit.

[Zeke]

The agents themselves are not tasked, nor ever could determine on their own, a person's heritage.

No issue. Let me be a bit more literal.

Federal officers have significantly more important things to do than mosey about asking for CDIBs to levee a $50 fine.

It's sort of like catching someone with a joint or a kid with a beer: just have them ditch it and go away as opposed to spending the $$$ to prosecute. (Hell, most of the time, law enforcement thinks "Damn. Why couldn't someone else have stumbled upon this?")

The law might be tougher and more specific related to eagle feathers, but I'm reasonably certain all you're going to get is more selective enforcement.

Nobody wants to deal with this...

[RainWarrior]

Whats really sad is knowing several full blood federal natives that want nothing to do with their culture or heritage then having state natives like me where its your source of life who are not allowed to practice the religion or have spiritual items. Where does it end?

I must say that I don't want to see our sacred feathers treated disrespectful, but its hard for me to think that there arnt enough "feathers" to go around to the carded natives with the full eagle bustles I see at the pow wow's. Or when I see tiny tots running around wearing eagle feathers and small eagle feather bustles. What ever happened to the duck and goose training feathers in case the kid dropped em? Sure its cute and all but honestly I thought those had to be earned. But what do I know, I'm just a state native we don't have religious rights and according to most federal native members we shouldn't either. I don't know of any other religion you have to prove your heritage to follow, its sad when our country claims to be free but in fact Canada is more religiously free than we are. I honor our veterans but its so sad when they are fighting so hard and our first amendment right is NOT being protected.

How about everyone is allowed but one eagle feather to pray with. Do we really need a full eagle bustle to dance for cameras? I would say federal natives could apply for more but at least that way the rest of us could at least have a proper naming ceremony.

Just my thoughts...

[Joe's Dad]

Would it be more traditional to go to your individual tribe for a naming ceremony instead of depepnding on someone else's tribe to make you feel like a 'full' Native'?

I'm having a hard time understanding you, RainWarrior. I see a lot of anglo thought patterns in your posts. If you don't have a right to a Federally Recognized tribe, the you don't have a right to question how it conducts it's affairs.

So if you dance the Dance of the Warrior, do you have the right as a veteran? And will you wear an Eagle bustle of the male Traditional Dancer?

[RainWarrior]

Perhaps, however joe's dad I'm looking at this from a whole point of view. Its not the Federal natives that wrote this law its the GOVNT.

I'm sorry I"m not who you want me to be that the family that took me is ISNT cherokee but the Lakota nation has always been a good nation a strong nation and a caring respectful nation. Your insulting my native family and that I really wont stand for.

NO, I don't suggest ANYONE take authentic feathers to pow wows as I have stated several times. The way it was taught to me is you are exposing all your sacred items to complete strangers, video cameras, regular photo cameras and the works. They are sacred items yet now you see them hung from rear view mirrors, duck tapped to car antennas, they arnt trophies. only reason I was denied Federal status when I applied was the lack there of a DAWES enrollment number. No I dance with turkey and grouse feathers even if I was federal it was NOT how I was taught so I would still dance with Turkey and Grouse feathers to honor the teaching of my elders and family.

I never joined the military on the fact that when I went to join it was still under the don't ask don't tell policy. And regardless of if I was in or out of the closet I do not support things that dont support others like me and support discrimination of any sorts so I didn't enlist. Now that's not a matter as they just got rid of that however running a full business and working 2 side jobs does take priority of my life. Instead I am respectful to veterans and when I danced I was allowed to shake their hands and I made a gift for EACH veteran dancer at that pow wow in their honor. DO NOT act like you know me just because of a few posts.

Does everyone on here get upset when someone is half apache and lakota or half hopi or white? Just because I was taken in by a diff native family than my native blood its like the world is coming to an end. I would LOVE to move to Alabama and be with my people, but I could not run the business I do in that state due to wildlife laws. Then there would be an absence of a lot of funds that I send home to my people and that would hurt them as a whole. I fly to see them once a year because its what I can afford to do. I don't agree with teaching things over the phone or through printed books, some traditions deserve more respect than that. Remember the people who think because they read a book about sweat lodge it gives them the right to build it??? Thats when bad things happen to good people.

[Joe's Dad]

I'm not insulting your Lakota family. I'm talking directly to you.

If you knew my connection to Pine Ridge, then you would understand what I said.

Frankly, I'm tired of your whining about poor little you and you can't have this and it should be like this. Your sexual preference doesn't give you the right to change culture, heritage and tradition. Bottom line.

Go ahead and reply. This is the last time I'll respond to one of your pity posts.

[RainWarrior]

I'm sure if you knew MY connections to pine ridge you would understand where I am coming from as well. But my grandfather is not a shield, he has fought enough against people like you. If you don't respond where I post that's perfectly fine with me. I was talking about this post specifically you threw a completely separate thread into this at your own whim and then act like I brought it up? hmm...

[Grits & Beans]

i don't see anywhere in jd's post that he insulted your family.

to get back on topic- the law is the law. but i'll be sure to keep 50 dollars on me just in case i come across a fish and wildlife agent

[RainWarrior]

Its all right, it has to do with a separate thread that is all hes kickin a dead horse, long story short yes back to this thread.

I only caution people that sometimes the fine is not just $50 this guy got off lucky if you ask me. I have heard of people going to jail or even being fined $1,000's of $ but I have not actually seen or known someone to be busted.

If anything I'd say lol don't ask dont tell if you have feathers

LMAO

[Zeke]

Are folks really whipping out their Pine Ridge phalluses?

SERIOUSLY?

[Grits & Beans]

one more thing...

Joe's Dad is a stand up man and good people.

[RainWarrior]

Are folks really whipping out their Pine Ridge phalluses?

SERIOUSLY?

My point exactly.

[Grits & Beans]

Are folks really whipping out their Pine Ridge phalluses?

SERIOUSLY?

can you be anymore shocking? geez lol

[Joe's Dad]

Are folks really whipping out their Pine Ridge phalluses?

SERIOUSLY?

Joe's Dad is a stand up man and good people.

Let me apologize to the posters in this thread. I should not have let a post get to me.

Jim

[Toolbox]

i don't see anywhere in jd's post that he insulted your family.

to get back on topic- the law is the law. but i'll be sure to keep 50 dollars on me just in case i come across a fish and wildlife agent

You are SoOoOoOo busted! I knew you weren't ndn!!! HAHA! In reality you are a Russian spy bent on bringing Soviet style communism to the U.S.A.!