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Native Legislator Ponka-We Victors Turns Tables at Immigration Hearing in Kansas
A remark about immigration made by a Native State Representative at a hearing in the Kansas House of Representatives has attracted the attention of major media -- and yet to many Natives, it's merely the plainest of facts.
The hearing concerned the legality of offering children of illegal immigrants to pay the in-state tuition rate to attend universities and community colleges in Kansas. The Legislature was seeking to overturn a statute that has been on the books for nearly a decade -- a Topeka Capital-Journal story described the effort as an "annual attempt."
Ponka-We Victors (D-Wichita), a member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and the Tohono O'odham Nation, and the only American Indian in the Kansas State Legislature, offered her reading of the situation to Kris Kobach, Kansas' Secretary of State.
"I think it’s funny Mr. Kobach, because when you mention illegal immigrant, I think of all of you," Victors said, prompting cheers from the gallery, described by the Capital-Journal as "heavily pro-immigrant." Rep. Arlen Siegfreid (R-Olathe) the chairman of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, felt moved to tell the room, "Please don't do that."
The encounter takes on added significance when one considers the man Victors was addressing. Kris Kobach is known around the country as an anti-immigration hawk, and had a hand in such controversial measures as Arizona's SB 1070. As Mother Jones puts it, "if there's a controversial new anti-immigration law that's captured national attention, chances are that it has Kris Kobach's imprimatur."
The moment was encapsulated with the image below (note that it borrows the upraised hand and feather from Idle No More posters) which has been heavily shared on social media:
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True!
True!
True!
True!
That that's funny. That is
That that's funny. That is exactly how my mom feels, she is from Oneida Nation of the Thames our people are originaly from Standing Stone New York. She has lived,worked and payed taxes in the USA for 30+ years and now she is told she has to have a green card to renew her drivers lic., vote and rexcieve anymore of her pention. She has never had a problem before and now she is told she can live where ever she wants in the USA but she is not intitled to any of the liberties that US citizens are allowed. So now she is having to apply for landed immigrant status. What is wrong with this pick.
Couldn't have said it better.
Couldn't have said it better. Thank you
I think more natives have to
I think more natives have to voice their opinions. The days are gone when we natives had to watch what we thought and said.
I think the most interesting
I think the most interesting and telling aspect of this story, as reported in the Topeka Capital Journal newspaper, was all the white people writing in, asserting that they too were "natives" because they were born in the US. It reminded me of men who wanted to sign up for Womens' Studies courses in college on the grounds that they were lesbians because they slept with women.
Thank You !!!! Finally
Thank You !!!! Finally someone brings some real perspective to this cause !!!!
I am native Cherokee and I
I am native Cherokee and I applaud the statement made by Ms Victors.
When immigrants came to
When immigrants came to turtle island and saw the mexicans living the good life in california and area, they wanted what the first nation had so they ran them off to Mexico put a fence around it and called them illegal immigrants. Thats the fact so why do we keep going along with them. They do it wherever they go. Steal and kill to get what they want.
I understand the pro
I understand the pro immigrant idea and i alwys hear about how non natives are illegal well i know for a fact that reservations do not allow non native people to just come and live on the reservation and take their resources
I understand the pro
I understand the pro immigrant idea and i alwys hear about how non natives are illegal well i know for a fact that reservations do not allow non native people to just come and live on the reservation and take their resources
What law was broken by the
What law was broken by the Europeans that cause this woman to think this way?
There is NOT one.
Amen! Speak the truth!
Amen! Speak the truth!
More power to her. I stand
More power to her. I stand with her.
She is so right!!
She is so right!!
Well said, Ms. Victors! Tell
Well said, Ms. Victors! Tell me, Mr. Kobach - when your ancestors arrived, did they learn the native language? Did they assimilate into the culture? Were they respectful? I think we all know the answers.
OOO good Im not the ONLY 1 to
OOO good Im not the ONLY 1 to think that
Love it!
Love it!
Sorry, obviously Ms. Victors
Sorry, obviously Ms. Victors doesn't know or understand her history. When the United States of America was formed, the territory had been won by right of conquest, just as the various Amerind tribes had won their territory.
way to go!!!!! that is so
way to go!!!!! that is so true!!! i am behind you 100% PONKA-WE VICTORS
If we had more human-beings
If we had more human-beings like Ponka-We Victors this would be a country with a real soul. Our anti-immigrant anglo brothers don't really know what illegal means to our minority citizens of this great Nation. This great Country was built by Immigrants at the expense of our Native American population. Bless you Ms Victors
WHAT IS ILLEGAL?
its sad that all the native
its sad that all the native nations can't come together to become a Republic Nation with power to stop the destruction the US has caused to our people in only 250 years. we have been here for thousands of years we have to say enough is enough. IDLE NO MORE! love
Well said!
Well said!
what was his response? ? ?
what was his response? ? ? I'm seeing this story all over the internet but I can't find a single one that includes how the idiot Kobach responded to her statement.