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istalri96 t1_j5vwfcx wrote

For some reason I read this as if she was the first Navajo to become leader. I was confused like then who has been in charge?

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sableJR t1_j5vy9fy wrote

for real my first interpretation was that a white guy was running the navajo til now

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7FukYalls t1_j5w2f1n wrote

They kinda have been considering that Native reservations exist... And you know, the USA.

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Cannibeans t1_j5warf8 wrote

Huh? Native Reservations are the exact reason it wouldn't make sense for a white dude to be running it. They're sovereign nations

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DontBeHumanTrash t1_j5wbzl1 wrote

Only when its convenient to our government.

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beardicusmaximus8 t1_j5wz23i wrote

Its a sovereign nation! Unless we find gold, oil or uranium.

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HarlesD t1_j5x9vjy wrote

Let's be real they'd take land away if they needed a place to shit.

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Road_Whorrior t1_j5yrqrg wrote

They stole the land near where I grew up to use for a Japanese internment camp despite the tribe the land belonged to specifically telling them they would have no part in genociding another group the way they were genocided. The government originally "asked" to use the land, and when that was refused, they did it anyway.

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Terpomo11 t1_j5xw1cj wrote

The Onondaga seem to have negotiated a certain amount of independence for themselves. For example, I live close to Onondaga land and I've heard that apparently in like the 70s some guy who was wanted by the government fled into Onondaga territory and the Onondaga refused to turn him over to the US government.

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Silent_Ensemble t1_j5z2adp wrote

A lot has changed in 50 years, I’m willing to bet it’d go down very differently today

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wostil-poced1649 t1_j5whswy wrote

In what way?

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BrockManstrong t1_j5wsva5 wrote

Here's a list of cases where the tribal authorities had to sue the US government, beginning in 1940: https://www.justice.gov/enrd/significant-indian-cases

Failure of the The Government to protect Indians on tribal lands: https://indianlaw.org/safewomen/violation-human-rights

The Government asserts it's sole right to prosecute crimes committed against Indians by non-Indians on reservations: https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/opa/online-press-release/solicitor-says-us-has-criminal-jurisdiction-reservations-where-tribes

State crimes are automatically Federal crimes on reservations: https://www.bia.gov/faqs/do-laws-apply-non-indians-also-apply-indians

A summation of American history with regards to removing the indigenous population: https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/native-american/removing-native-americans-from-their-land/

A US Government Accountability Office report on how the US is currently failing the people it sequestered on reservations: https://www.gao.gov/tribal-and-native-american-issues

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tegs_terry t1_j5yvsd4 wrote

And any council leaders corrupt enough to get into bed with them.

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BlackjackCF t1_j5wzhwx wrote

It’s really telling of the US’s track record with First Nationa people that that’s the first conclusion a lot of us leapt to.

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joebewaan t1_j5xcass wrote

Yeah when I read this in the feed I assumed it was a /r/NotTheOnion post

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LuxNocte t1_j5xdpda wrote

Kinda says a lot about you as well.

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BlackjackCF t1_j5xr81c wrote

That I want America to do better? Yes.

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LuxNocte t1_j5ylccs wrote

shrug You can't blame society as a whole for your own mental state. If your first thought was that the Navajo nation was run by a white guy, maybe that is a good time for some introspection.

We all have implicit biases. It shouldn't be so difficult to admit that we all can improve. Externalizing mistakes means that you will repeat them.

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BunchaCreeps t1_j60dvvy wrote

My guy, it’s because historically white america has taken upon itself to speak for non-white America. Learn the history

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LuxNocte t1_j60xmhx wrote

There are excellent reasons that you may expect to see white faces in positions of power. That doesn't mean that it is not problematic to expect to see white faces in positions of power.

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BunchaCreeps t1_j614jws wrote

Ok, no one is saying it’s not problematic. The reason people are taking issue with you is because you think it’s problematic on the people who’ve noticed the pattern rather than the people who created and have consistently maintained that pattern

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GrabMyCactus t1_j5wkrh8 wrote

I read it as the First Navajo woman, (no Navajo women existed before?) became speaker.

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bobbery5 t1_j5wn3d8 wrote

Once every millenia, there is a woman.

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ThatSmallFighter t1_j5xlg3g wrote

Like some demigod with eternal life that has outlived all other Navajo women.

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princesoceronte t1_j5wesir wrote

I read it as if she were the first Navajo woman. For a second I thought: "How did it take this long?"

I'm a freaking idiot.

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totally_not_a_thing t1_j5w93hf wrote

My read was a version of that. I wondered what other women were in charge before her...

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Standardly t1_j5wg8o5 wrote

I thought perhaps she was the first Navajo woman? I didn't recall it being a men-only tribe prior

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scarfox1 t1_j5wlnqh wrote

Oh I read it as first time a Navajo led the Navajos. I was like it was white people before? I guess that's why it's uplifting

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3percentinvisible t1_j5xsxy3 wrote

I read it as she was the first navajo woman, which really led to other questions

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