Russel Means

[Zeke]

Meaning, you don't have an actual retort?

[Atehequa]

No. SC-CV-61-98

SUPREME COURT OF THE NAVAJO NATION

________________________________________

Russell Means, Petitioner,

v.

The District Court of the Chinle Judicial District, Respondent



SYLLABUS BY THE COURT



Original petition for a writ of prohibition. HELD: The Chinle District Court has criminal jurisdiction over Russell Means, the petitioner, a member of the Oglala Sioux Nation, for criminal offenses allegedly committed within the Navajo Nation.

Russell Means allegedly threatened and battered Leon Grant, Means' father in-law and a member of the Omaha Tribe, and allegedly battered Jeremiah Bitsui, a Navajo. The petitioner was charged on December 28, 1997. He moved to dismiss the criminal charges on the ground that the Navajo Nation has no jurisdiction over nonmember Indians. Judge Ray Gilmore denied the petitioner's motion to dismiss the three criminal charges on July 20, 1998. The petitioner brought a petition for a writ to prohibit the Chinle District Court from proceeding.

HELD:

1. The Navajo Nation has criminal jurisdiction over all Indians who enter the Navajo Nation under Article II of the United States-Navajo Nation Treaty of 1868 under the "set apart for the use and occupation" language of that article. In addition, the Navajo Nation has criminal jurisdiction over nonmember Indians under the "bad men" clause of Article I of the Treaty.

2. Individuals who "assume tribal relations" with Navajos by intermarriage, residence, and other activities, are subject to the criminal jurisdiction of the Navajo Nation. That includes any individual, regardless of racial or ethnic membership, who assumes the status of hadane or in-law.

3. The assertion of criminal jurisdiction over nonmember Indians violates neither the "Indian preference legislation" nor "racial classification" doctrines of equal protection of the law.

The petition was dismissed and the case was remanded to the Chinle District Court for prompt trial.

Opinion delivered by the Honorable Robert Yazzie, Chief Justice of the Navajo Nation, with Associate Justice Raymond D. Austin and Associate Justice (by designation) Irene Toledo.

Decided May 11, 1999

[1]No. SC-CV-61-98

SUPREME COURT OF THE NAVAJO NATION

_________________________________________

Russell Means, Petitioner,

v.

The District Court of the Chinle Judicial District, Respondent.(1)

So he had a squabble with an in-law and someone else. Happens all the time.

[Atehequa]

I am sorry when it's that how it turned into - a sidetrack of his path that weren't good. People sometimes follow misleads.

Good stretches of path and not so good stretches of path, but still one's path all the same.

[Zeke]

So he had a squabble with an in-law and someone else. Happens all the time.

You're missing the point: he beat an old man then hypocritically changed his sovereignty tune when it suited him.

Sum? He didn't believe his own bull**** but kept selling it...

[Atehequa]

I remember getting home from high school and watching the news coverage of the Wounded Knee stand off and as a teenager thought - 'This is rather remarkable, absolutely outstanding, NDNs who were standing up for their rights. Militant, long hair, guns, expressing themselves, talking truth, making demands. Man they didn't look anything like my ex-military father or his buzzed-cut brother, or how my brother, cousin or I looked at the time. After that a lot of the NDN 'military brats' grew our hair long not only emulating the look of those militant AIM members, but inspired us to learn more about our own heritage as well. Something many of our assimilated into white society parents strove to keep from us.

In an era before the internet, I tried to keep up with what Russell Means was doing, but that proved difficult, but in the late 70s got an address where he could be mailed, so I sent him a letter and in time he sent me one back.

Yeah I was rather sad to hear of his illness and passing. As a younger man and still now I looked up to him.



Kids kind of look up to such personalities and I suppose those personalities very much influence their adult lives

[Blackbear]

Well yeah, during wounded knee he was at his best and its what got him the recognition and respect that he had. But the last couple decades of his life seemed more like he was talking to hear his own voice, creating disturbances for the limelight and dodging bullets with double standards. Just proves he's human.... But in his passing he will still be remembered more for the good he did ... It just rubs some the wrong way when some elevate him to level of respect that seems somewhat more like worship.

[Atehequa]

Well what ever RussellMeans became in later years he never looked or presented himself like some close cropped, gold chain wearing Tijuana pimp. He didn't tap dance in his moccasins for a few tourist bucks either.

[Zeke]

He didn't tap dance in his moccasins for a few tourist bucks either.

What do you call Last of the Mohicans, after spending his adult life claiming ours is an oral tradition?

[Atehequa]

What do you call Last of the Mohicans, after spending his adult life claiming ours is an oral tradition?

A man has to work, especially if he wants to wear gold chains and take regular trips to the barber.

But you should know that.

[Zeke]

A man has to work, especially if he wants to wear gold chains and take regular trips to the barber.

But you should know that.

And where does "work" immediately imply selling out?

Current answer? Russel Means.

Try again...

[Atehequa]

And where does "work" immediately imply selling out?

Current answer? Russel Means.

Try again...

Vince, it seems you have a problem. Perhaps you're out of that greasy gunk one uses to keep a spiffy flattop standing straight up into a perfect point in the front. But don't worry Vince, that flattop and gold chain display bespeaks naught of selling out. If anything it denotes assimilation, or hanging around the fort a bit too long.

[Spiritflight]

- Dispute? Work Hand in Hand for the betterment.

[Atehequa]

- Dispute? Work Hand in Hand for the betterment.

Dispute? No. Therefore no need for a mediator, Spiritflight, but I appreciate your concern.

[Spiritflight]

Dispute? No. Therefore no need for a mediator, Spiritflight, but I appreciate your concern.

Thank you very much for acknowledging my concern.

[Zeke]

Vince, it seems you have a problem.

I do find your lack of depth, analysis, thought, social observation and self-awareness mundane but -- perhaps -- there's just nothing worthwhile there to speak of.

Perhaps you're out of that greasy gunk one uses to keep a spiffy flattop standing straight up into a perfect point in the front.

Oh, I'm sure your pillow contains whatever grease and oil needed to keep a fryer shift going at McDonald's. I do enjoy the Sampson-esque metaphor though. It shows how you define Nativeness and why thought scares you.

But don't worry Vince, that flattop and gold chain display bespeaks naught of selling out.

As visual evidence supports the existence of neither, what is bespoken of is your ignorance and lack of observational skills. That and/or education failed you?

If anything it denotes assimilation, or hanging around the fort a bit too long.

Ah, but you do know the buzzwords and racist slurs. As it turns out, you may have an education: it's just the sort which maintains you as an ongoing ward of the state.

Let me guess? Anything that has ever gone wrong in your life is the fault of the White Man and generational trauma is honored in your home like a cloak of righteousness.

Yes, that's the problem, both yours and Russell's.