Opinions
January 27, 2011
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Someone commented to me recently that she thought the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was fundamentally a document that allowed “nation-states” to identify and control indigenous peoples.
Here’s how I responded:
You are... Steven Newcomb
January 26, 2011
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In a column on Indianz.com last week ("Freedom of the Press Not Really Alive in Indian Country"), the publisher of the Native Sun News charged the Indian Country Today newspaper (soon to be in glossy mag format) with censorship and control of news,... Charles Trimble
January 26, 2011
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Mark Trahant
Can't Touch This: Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Are Protected from Current Budget Threats
Journalists like me have played the role of Chicken Little for many years. We have written dozens of stories about the consequences of an election, predicting what will happen after Republicans win and fulfill their promises to drastically cut... January 18, 2011
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What does the year 2011 hold for the Indian tribes? There are some signals—portents, if you will, that should be considered in assessing the immediate future in federal policy and programs.
First of all, did the takeover of the House by the... Charles Trimble
January 18, 2011
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We abhor violence and mass murder. Much as we dislike the decision of Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California to undermine tribal interests, she does not belong in anyone’s crosshairs.
But we also dare to note a plain fact of American history: Scratch... ICTMN Opinion
January 11, 2011
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Are we a nation doomed to be violent? How do we know when our political rhetoric has gone too far? How do we find or encourage a more civil discourse?
I was struck by the words of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. She objected to an advertisement last March... Mark Trahant
December 31, 2010
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On Dec. 16, the leaders of hundreds of American Indian nations were in attendance when President Obama expressed United States “support” for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The U.S. Department of State issued a 15... Steven Newcomb
December 30, 2010
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Today, the United States government at last officially endorsed the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and joined the international community in recognizing that American Indians and other indigenous peoples have a permanent right... Robert Tim Coulter
December 29, 2010
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My passion for public service burned deep long before I assumed elected office – placed there by my parents who raised me and my siblings to fight for those who have no voice.
Though I am not returning to the Washington State Senate in 2011, I am... Claudia Kauffman
December 28, 2010
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What’s my take away from the White House Tribal Nations Conference? Easy. This is an administration that actually believes the United States government must represent all of the people, including American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Make no mistake... Mark Trahant
December 16, 2010
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As Congress winds down its session, we should acknowledge the historic accomplishments it has helped us achieve over the past two years. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act, the Tribal Law & Order Act, the settlement of the Cobell litigation... Larry Echo Hawk
December 16, 2010
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In Navajo culture, there is a teaching that “your words are like a prayer.” Words have the power to manifest our reality, to literally bring things into being.
Growing up, our elders admonished us to be careful with our words, especially harsh words... Valerie Taliman
December 16, 2010
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On Nov. 30, 2010, the United States Congress passed the Claims Settlement Act of 2010, a package of bills settling claims against the United States related to the hard-fought Cobell Indian trust lawsuit, the Pigford lawsuit by African-American... Cedric Black Eagle
December 15, 2010
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The final part of this series provides a model for how tribes can and should wield the federal Indian consultation right to defend tribal sovereignty, and discusses the very real negative effect of any federal failure to consult with tribal... Gabriel S. Galanda