Geronimo's kin sue Skull and Bones over remains

Geronimo an Chiricahua Apache Chief and Medicine man.

18 February 2009
By STEPHANIE REITZ

HARTFORD, Conn. – Geronimo's descendants have sued Skull and Bones (Alleged tie’s to Satanism) — the secret society at Yale University linked to presidents and other powerful figures — claiming that its members stole the remains of the legendary Apache leader decades ago and have kept them ever since.

The federal lawsuit filed in Washington on Tuesday — the 100th anniversary of Geronimo's death — also names the university and the federal government.

Geronimo's great-grandson Harlyn Geronimo said his family believes Skull and Bones members took some of the remains in 1918 from a burial plot in Fort Sill, Okla., to keep in its New Haven clubhouse, a crypt. The alleged graverobbing is a longstanding legend that gained some validity in recent years with the discovery of a letter from a club member that described the theft.

"I believe strongly from my heart that his spirit was never released," Harlyn Geronimo said.

Both Presidents Bush, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and many others in powerful government and industry positions are members of the society, which is not affiliated with the university.

After years of famously fighting the U.S. and Mexican armies, Geronimo and 35 warriors surrendered to Gen. Nelson A. Miles near the Arizona-New Mexico border in 1886. Geronimo was eventually sent to Fort Sill and died at the Army outpost of pneumonia in 1909.

According to lore, members of Skull and Bones — including former President George W. Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush — dug up his grave when a group of Army volunteers from Yale were stationed at the fort during World War I, taking his skull and some of his bones.

Harlyn Geronimo, 61, wants those remains and any held by the federal government turned over to the family so they can be reburied near the Indian leader's birthplace in southern New Mexico's Gila Wilderness.

Their lawsuit also names President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Army Secretary Pete Geren as defendants.

"I want them to understand we mean business," said Harlyn Geronimo, who lives in New Mexico. "We're very serious. We're tired of waiting and we're coming after them."

Neither members of Skull and Bones, who closely guard their secrecy, nor the Russell Trust Association, the organization's business arm for tax purposes, could not be reached for comment.

Justice Department spokesman Andrew Ames said the government will "review the complaint and respond in court at the appropriate time."

Fort Sill spokeswoman Nancy Elliot declined to discuss the lawsuit, but said officials have always maintained there is no evidence supporting the descendants' claims.

Yale officials declined to comment Wednesday, saying they had not yet seen the lawsuit. Spokesman Tom Conroy noted the Skull and Bones crypt is not on Yale property.

Membership into Skull and Bones marks the elite of the elite at the Ivy League school. Only 15 Yale seniors are asked to join each year.

Members swear an oath of secrecy about the group and its strange rituals, which include devotion to the number "322" and initiation rites such as confessing sexual secrets and kissing a skull. The atmosphere makes Skull and Bones favorite fodder for conspiracy theorists.

Its most enduring story is the one concerning Geronimo's remains, and in 2005, Yale historian Marc Wortman discovered a letter written in 1918 from one Skull and Bones member to another that seemed to lend validity to the tale.

The letter, sent to F. Trubee Davison by Winter Mead, said Geronimo's skull and other remains were taken from the leader's burial site, along with several pieces of tack for a horse.

"The skull of the worthy Geronimo the Terrible, exhumed from its tomb at Fort Sill by your club and Knight Haffuer, is now safe inside the T — together with is well worn femurs, bit and saddle horn," Mead wrote.

Wortman, however, has said he is skeptical the bones are actually Geronimo's.

Geronimo's descendants say in their lawsuit that they want to uncover any information that people know, but have been keeping to themselves.

"To assure that all existing remains of Geronimo and funerary objects are recovered by Geronimo's linear descendants, the Order of Skull and Bones and Yale University must account for any such articles that are or have been in their possession, or on their property, and persons with knowledge must provide any facts known to them concerning the claims," the descendants' lawsuit says.

If the bones at Yale aren't those of Geronimo, Harlyn Geronimo believes they belonged to one of the Apache prisoners who died at Fort Sill. He said they should still be returned.

Harlyn Geronimo wrote to President George W. Bush in 2006, seeking his help in recovering the bones. He thought that since the president's grandfather was allegedly one of those who helped steal the bones, the president would want to help return them.

Historical Commentary:

To Dance Among the Wolves and the Sky

by HRM Deborah

Geronimo and Sitting Bull, Honorable Men of Faith and Fortitude

Geronimo, was considered a very honorable and remarkable man in Native American history.

Geronimo lived during a time known as the ‘Great Indian War’s' by some, where white American’s where savaging the country in a huge land stealing, genocide operation against the Native American’s with the intention of full extermination; with also later in the war an imposed reservation system that was more to the description of improvised concentration camp’s which many still exists, today; with extreme racism towards the Native American‘s.

As for Geronimo, in the time he lived; was doing everything within his abilities to protect and preserve the lives of the Apache people; which did include fighting the white American’s to protect his people. Which did bring great honor among his people, as well as being considered a very religious man.

Sitting Bull in Pierre, South Dakota on his way to Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota, from Fort Randall, South Dakota; in custody as an Indian war prisoner.

But it was recorded at the time Geronimo lived his finale day’s at Fort Sill Indian Reservation, that he was mistreated numerous time’s not just by the US military guard’s’; but the US government and was considered a prisoner of war the rest of his life, as were many other Native American leaders. For example, Sitting Bull, who was Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux, who was later murdered by reservation police at Standing Rock Indian Reservation; when he was an elderly man.

The Sand Creek Massacre

The Sand Creek Massacre that occurred on November 29, 1864, when Colorado Territory militia attacked and destroyed a village of Cheyenne and Arapaho encamped in southeastern Colorado Territory. Based on the oral history of Southern Cheyenne Chief Laird Cometsevah, around 400 Cheyenne and Arapaho men, women, and children were murdered at Sand Creek. More than 700 American soldiers were involved, when after the massacre occurred; the soldier’s dragged babies behind their horse’s until they where dead, some after they had been removed from their pregnant mother’s; after having murdered their mother‘s. The soldier’s also wore parts of the dead Native American’s upon their horses and as hat band’s; for example part’s of women’s breast’s and male castration for removal.

The camp where this massacre took place had been assured by the US government they where safe and where under a white flag of truce, when they where attacked and slaughtered.

The Trail of Tears

Another notable during the Native American war’s was the Trail of Tears, when Cherokee’s where forced or slaughtered off their land’s to suffer on the trail from exposure, disease, and starvation while en route to their destination; mainly in the then known Oklahoma Territory.

The Tribe’s involved in this force travel where the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole; which at that time where known as the Five Civilized Tribe’s and had numerous advancement’s for their time period.

This incident in 1831 was under an imposed US law called, Indian Removal Act of 1830; by former US President Andrew Jackson who had betrayed the Native American’s by being two-faced. Some very notable’s in Native American history had to endure the excruciating trip of the Trail of Tear’s.

Southern Civil War Prisoners

It should also be known from an oral account passed down in a family, that many prisoners of war during the US Civil War between the North and the South; instead of being put into filthy condition’s which numerous men died from disease and starvation in Northern Prison’s such as Andersonville Prison; ran supply wagon’s out in the Western part of the country to supply those in the US Military who where fighting in the Native American war, until the Civil War ended.

When news came the Civil War was over, many abandoned the wagon’s and simply went back to farm’s and family; in most case‘s; even though they where to later be labeled as wanted men because they would not signed allegiance to the Northern states or US government. As alleged wanted men, it was considered legal by the US government to shoot this majority of Southerner’s and kill them on sight. Another measure that was considered more hidden from view was by ambushing the alleged wanted man or the tool of choice; was throwing dynamite into a family home.

It should also be known that many of these alleged wanted men later, not only married Native American women; but joined in the fight against the US government; in behalf of the Native American’s; as well as other measure’s against the US government.

Jesse and Frank James, 1872

(There is an oral account, that Jesse James was not killed by Robert (Bob) Ford in Missouri, on April 3, 1882; as claimed, in written American history. But died of old age in California, after leaving a home in Texas.)

On example of these other measure’s, where bank and train robberies by numerous men; some famous and some not so famous, one notable was Frank and Jesse James with the Younger brother’s. This type of profession was acquired during the Civil War, when the South in need of financing for their side of the war effort; would rob Union or Northern trains. This situation went all the way until about 1901, with what was considered the last case of train robbery and in this instance was done by a woman.

As to the James brother’s with the Younger Brother’s, they where considered a type of Robin Hood among many of the populace; for their method of ideal’s of fighting against the US government and in some cases, actually helping many Southerner’s who ended up in poverty because of the Civil War. For this was a time, of very unusual contradictions of what would be considered the sphere of normality; especially with the US government encouraging a type of “riff-raff,” known as carpetbagger’s to plague upon the Southern States after the war and overwhelmingly what was considered by many Southerner’s as illegal taxing; especially on Plantation property which was thought to be just plain theft.

During this time of the influx of the carpetbagger’s plague upon the Southerner’s, many Southern men got together to form what became known as the Ku Klux Klan, with the attempt by force to drive out the carpetbagger’s with their numerous not just questionable; but criminal activities and the evolution of Ku Klux Klan into a racist organization was not the original intention, as seen today. As to how this organization evolved into a racist organization, is still up for debate; with the clouding of what happened past the crippling pain’s of Civil War Reconstruction.

Even into modern time’s there is a divide between the Northern States and the Southern States, by what can be originally termed from Civil War terminology; as the ‘Mason-Dixon Line.’

The Civil War a Deed of Economics

As to what created the Civil War, was due to economic reasons for a type of economic depression was occurring prior to and after the war, especially towards the Northern States and not for Slave Freedom or to abolish slavery; the act to free the slave’s was secondary, it is very sad to say. The North and South had going an economic power struggle, more in tune to jealously and outright greed on the part of the Northern States towards the South. This problem became so bad, that the North States and Southern States separated and where no longer united at all.

One state in particular, went a little further and declared themselves and independent country which was Texas and it is said even into modern time’s that no actual or official declaration was made after the Civil War to reunite with the United States.

Due to the secondary of the creation of the Slave Freedom Act, by Abraham Lincoln does draw to somewhat of a conclusion of why Black American’s are still ill-treated today and why they have had to fight just for basic right‘s; such as what occurred in the 1950‘s and 1960‘s and brought to the forefront of such people as Rosa Park‘s and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Slavery was not just a trade or issue in the Southern states, the Northern states had a booming market towards this trade in human bondage too; what is further appalling about the slave trade, was African’s where considered a form of “goods” not people; like one was purchasing or had ownership of livestock and treated as such or considerably worse in too numerous of cases.
Even in our modern times in the United States, some families of former slave ownership try to defend this unacceptable practice of human misery. While this form of slavery is considered illegal in the United States, other form’s of slavery is still occurring.

The bloodiest battle during the Civil War was at Shiloh, Tennessee (fought on April 6 and April 7, 1862); where their was written and shown in old photograph’s to have had so many dead men, that the grass and the river actually turned red with their blood and the bodies where said to be piled like huge stacks of stove wood.

Both armies, but more to the Northern states kept needing fresh recruit’s and so many young men and their families did not wish their son’s to die in the war or had already loss sons because of the war and did not wish to lose another, so they would hide them or dress them sometime’s in their sister’s clothing as a disguise for the militaries would come in wagon’s that where more like prisoner wagon’s to actually steal or drag them from their home’s into forced service. In some cases, if the family could afford it; they would sent there sons more westward out of the clutches of the mars of the war.

The US Military and the 'Scalp Hunters'

As to the US military during this time period, they have been documented in historical accounts to have been labeled as uneducated; for many could not read or even write their name, too filthy, drunken, homicidal barbarians.

Which many men especially from the more Northern states joined the US military especially after the Civil War, because they could not afford a horse or a gun (which was supplied in the military); due in part to the poor economic conditions during Civil War reconstruction after the war or they where to lazy to get legitimate labor, along with their educational illiteracy and being in the majority of cases "drunken reprobate’s"; which was considered a common term of the time period, due to their immoral behavior, such as with excessive drinking and association with Prostitutes in numerous cases.

During raid’s or attack’s on Native American’s especially in there camp’s, the US military also had an extreme problem related from historical document’s and by oral communication of raping women and children and or murdering them afterward, along with Sodomy and numerous cases of Necrophilia. There are also numerous cases while Native American’s where in jails or being held as captives of war of unrelenting torture and murder; which there were several cases of sexual perversion‘s, as was what occured in the camp's.

The US military also had another problem, as well as the majority of the “white” populace during this particular time period and that was due to the taking of a bath. A person living in a city or town would usually wear the same clothing all week, to take a bath on Saturday evening and put on clean clothing for “Sunday Church.”

Furthermore, during this episode of time; "white town’s" had a problem with epidemics that would sweep through and since vaccines where not readily available or invented yet, whole town’s have been known to be wiped out by these diseases.

If one was an average person on the trail, they may take a bath once a month or six month’s was usually the time length.

But the US military had a bigger problem, as did often time’s the fur trapper’s; which was usually the taking of a bath once a year and this was often said when they changed their long underwear, usually in the Spring. What caused this to be an unusual problem with this was, that their were some instances that the Native American’s could actually “smell” them coming long before they got close to attack them and where able to fend off some of these attacks. This had to do, with what direction the wind was blowing that day or particular time.

The average income for a US solider was about twenty dollars-a-month and 'found,' which meant they could legally commit theft of any type; to selling Native American scalp’s; which at time’s some scalps where found to be white, especially women’s long hair scalps. Which did not matter to the person taking the scalp, if the person was still alive or dead; when they ‘lost their hair,’ and for a time scalping was a very profitable business. Those who first started scalping, where said to be French fur trader’s; during the Colonial era.

Scalping was so profitable for a time, that it created very unsavory murderous men known as “Scalp Hunters,” who have been credited with the wiping out of whole Native American villages, taken white people’s hair; to going down into Mexico and committing murder there for profit, to be sold in the United States. Which many of these men usually ended their lives’ by being killed themselves, mainly because they where very despised or someone took their hair.

These "Scalp Hunters" had so much blood on there hand’s, that their is historical writing’s that said, ‘one could smell the odor of death on them and it can not be washed off.’

As it should also be known their was many West Point graduate’s in officer position’s during this time, such as General George Armstrong Custer, who by some historical accounts was thought to be not just racist against Native Americans, but Homicidal crazy; who died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn or as the Native’s American’s called it “The Battle of Greasy Grass,” due to the fact of the enormous amount of people that died that day, (the majority being Custer’s men) which made the grass to have a greasy sheen, on June 25, 1876.

Great Spirit’s Sorrow over the Buffalo

At one time along the grassland’s of the great Plain’s their was, an it was estimated to be 30 to 40 million Buffalo that roamed in herd’s and it was said that when they ran it could be heard to almost sound so loud it appeared as thunder.

For the Native American’s, the Buffalo was considered a blessing from the Great Spirit (Allah, Hashem, G-d); because the Buffalo supplied not just food, but other necessities needed for survival and it was also said the appearance of a rare white Buffalo was solely sent by the Great Spirit.

As for the US government, they came up with an idea that if they started wiping-out the Buffalo, this would be another way of exterminating the Native American’s by starvation.

Charles Rath, a famous buffalo hunter, seated on a “rick” of 40,000 Buffalo hides in Robert Wright's Dodge City (Kansas) hide yard in 1878, with M.W. (Doc) Anchutz (in white shirt, back).

Which in turn, it created a prosperous business for ‘Buffalo Hunters,’ who usually only took the tongue as a delicacy and the hides, which could be sold, it not only did cause a shortage for the Native American’s; but even into modern time’s the Buffalo is endangered, for at the time this occurred, they where almost completely destroyed of the face of the earth.

While some American’s came up with the idea more from Eastern romantic folk-lore or dime novels that the ‘Buffalo Hunters,’ had to be remarkable men; in reality they where another shadowed dissent into the sorrow’s of history, despised as the “Scalp Hunter‘s” where.

The Wild West Town's

Allen Street in Tombstone, 1882

As one may wonder what happened to some of the land stolen from the Native American’s, while their where a few farm’s, mining camps and stage coach station’s; one has to look towards the more infamous dangerous side of the springing up of town’s towards the Western part of the country, with such places as Dodge City, Kansas, Deadwood, South Dakota and Tombstone, Arizona.

These two particular places for example, where very notorious for murder, especially after a Saturday night of every kind of debauchery imaginable and it seems some had to be made up as they went along; for what ever horrific amusement that seemed to be apparently required for the moment.

It was recorded in the Tombstone Epitaph newspaper and in documented pictures, where on any given early Sunday morning after a night of debauchery, that men would try to get the dead men; killed the night before off the sidewalk before the women in their Sunday dress would be on there way to “Sunday Church,” but some morning’s they did not quite get the bodies removed and the women had to step over or around them.

Furthermore, one would find deep knife scares across a woman’s face; where she had survived an attacker, who had attempted to comprise her decency.

As well as once in awhile, a person could be killed indoor’s by a stray bullet that went through the thin wooden walls; such as a visiting “drummer” (traveling salesperson) at a hotel sitting in a chair; in their hotel room minding their own business.

While there where numerous saloon’s, the alcohol content of drinking beverages in this time period which was much higher then can be purchased in modern time’s, in the United States. While this type of activity was a very busy one, especially among the US military. But because of the high ferocity of alcohol content, drinking was not what is seen usually in Western movies and towards the overwhelming amount of Alcoholism, as in modern times.

Faro game at the Oriental Saloon in Bisbee, Arizona

As to the saloon’s, their was gambling usually such games of chance such as card games, like poker; then one had games such as roulette and faro. While there were some places that did have honest games, the majority did have the option to ‘rig’ a game. The odd’s either way where always for the house or saloon. Even towards modern places such as Casino’s and Lottery, which is in the United State today, the odd’s are still for the house or against the participant of these sorts of activities. If one may wonder if people actually got shot for allegedly cheating, the answer is yes they most certainly did.

Modern United States has laws in regards to drug addition, but this was not the case until the early part of the twentieth century; when there were problems in parts of American society with rampant drug addition, especially with Opium and Morphine. In place’s like Tombstone, one could find numerous Opium dens and the Opium trade during this era was on the boom.

Some of the Morphine problem’s originally occurred from Civil War veteran’s especially from the North; when they had been convalescing in military hospital’s do to war wounds and Morphine was usually used to aid in pain, when it was available because of the amounts of wounded their where shortages when it came to any medicines. But after the Civil War a Morphine user could usually find it by unscrupulous street type dealer's or steal it, usually from a doctor’s medicine cabinet.

John Heath was hanged by vigilantes in Tombstone, Arizona; 1884.

The greatest problem was crime, such as murder, vigilantism and with the added addition of an extreme amount's of prostitution, to name a few. In this time period,” Boot Hill,” never had a non-occupancy problem and the undertaker was a busy man; especially when the corpse was able to pay.

Then one would have rival power struggles in the name of so-call justice such as what occurred at the OK Corral on October 26, 1881, between the Earp brother’s and Clanton gang; in Tombstone, Arizona.

As to the two men standing in the street and shooting at each other, this was not a major occurrence; more unheard of, as portrayed in numerous Western movies.

While Native American’s where usually barred from the town’s, those that had moral decency had made a point to very seldom visit these town’s; unless they where in dire need of supplies because of debauchery and rampant crime.

As to the little more moral women on the farm or town, especially that were looking for fashionable clothing, “Goody's Lady’s Book” was a prized procession; while there may have been other fashion book’s, “Goody's” was usually the book of choice; also, women that could afford it which was considered the cream of fashion; looked more towards the latest fashions from Paris.

While the dress bust line was a bit lower and more revealing prior to the Civil War, modesty became more the norm into the twentieth century; except for women of questionable morals. Some historians have made more of a point that the change in dress lines to the more modest look; had to do more with environment or economy then anything else.

As to ownership of clothing, the average woman owned few, some women only owned three dresses at a time; if they where lucky. That which was not purchased, which to often time’s was hard to do because of economy; either had to make them by hand or squeeze out a little money for a dressmaker.

Then one has littered across the Western landscape forgotten with time, with the "white" American’s birth pangs like a flame that would be in a short space of time quenched-out, within what was called, 'The American Western Expansion;' are places known as "Ghost towns," while some have been melted back into the earth; other’s are a grim reminder with the flapping of a forgotten shutter from the window that only echo’s towards the shadowed ghost’s that may either peer out of dirty or broken window’s with solemn faces, to the street’s filled with long forgotten tear and old blood stained dust.

Death by Blanket

Another method of extermination for Native Americans, during this time period were diseased blanket’s usually military blankets; that may carry Small Pox or other epidemic disease’s because the Native American’s had no immunity and whole villages where wiped out by this method of early Disease Warfare of murder.

The Great Spirit and the First Alphabet

Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee Alphabet

Regardless, of the many languages the Native American’s spoke; the Great Spirit was the belief in one true God and that their was nothing with Him; which can be categorized as Monotheism in a form; which was not widely known because of the betrayal’s made by white’s abhorrence of them.

But it should be known, that while they did not have what is considered written writing’s for thousand’s of years; for their belief system was oral and passed from generation to generation.

Due to the absence of normal writing skill’s as of the use of paper, that did not occur until Sequoyah; a Tuskegee Cherokee invented the ability of writing in his own language and the invention of the first Native American Newspaper which was introduced in 1819, for example.

Comanche Chief Quanah Parker and Honorable Man

Quanah Parker was another notable and honored Comanche chief during the time of the Indian wars and changed considerably after being put on a reservation which some said was due to a broken heart; not just because of the war, but the horrible mistreatment at the hands of not just the US Military, but the US government of his mother and sister (who was white and half-white, by some accounts died by there mistreatment at the hands of the US military for having a Comanche husband and what was considered half-breed children, which was considered at that time unacceptable in white society; due to racist belief's); as Quanah’s father was full-blooded Comanche. Also, I personally by chance, have met years ago and spoken to some of the Parker family is where much of the oral account above comes from and I also, am much respected among members of this family; as they had told me and I will say they where very kind people.

Wounded Knee Massacre

Chief Big Foot of the Sioux, Dead at Wounded Knee

On December 29, 1890, 500 troops of the U.S. 7th Cavalry opened fire on unarmed Sioux, not because they where causing any problem’s, but because they did what the US Military felt was unpardonable and in modern terminology would be termed; religious persecution.

The Sioux, under Chief Big Foot; being held as prisoner’s of war decided to have what is called, “A Ghost Dance;” in prayer to the Great Spirit to save them from harm and their despicable inhuman conditions, from their captors after so many Native American‘s had died by such hand‘s.

An while it is often written in history, that a deaf Sioux sparked the incident by not disarming; was a falsified cover for a already heated unstable situation, that created the massacre at Wounded Knee.

As many Sioux and other Native American’s have said, “Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee;” which was one of the darkest pages in Native American history.

Below is a view of this massacre and its aftermath:

Even into the 21st Century, Native American’s and especially the Wounded Knee Sioux are still being victimized, harassed and slaughtered due to racism, severe oppression and religious persecution; among other horrifying crime‘s against humanity.

The Boarding Schools

These boarding schools where many Native American children where taken from their families usually by extreme force, where not just abused, but where forced to wear “Whiteman’s” clothing and cut there hair, not allowed to speak their native language (English Only), to changing their names to what was considered more acceptable for example; Running hawk, may become John Brown.

To being forced by even method’s of torture, to become Christian; whether they wished to or not, in numerous cases.

Their is cases, that the condition’s at these schools where so bad, that children did try to runaway; which could result in them being murdered if they where caught, to suicide.

Along with what was considered the educational ideal’s of what would be acceptable, to teach “Brown Children.” Which has often been criticized for being substandard to the ‘White’ school system. With much art and craft’s, with less Reading, Writing and Arithmetic.

It has been said, that the art and craft’s made by the children where being sold; which created what would be known today, as child labor practices or more like sweatshops.

Even today, one can tell the difference of something made by a Native American because of the style and quality; for they have some of the most beautiful artist’s and sometime’s a person will see such vibrant display’s of color’s, to designs.

"No Indians or Dogs Allowed"

As with any type of racism, there is always sign’s and the Native American’s did not escape from this sign dilemma either. In the area’s that had high concentration’s of Native American’s, especially around the reservations (Res) or what use to be called, "The Agency;" These type of sign’s would appear, "No Dogs or Indians Allowed;" as well as Native American’s to keep off the grass; for example.

In did not matter if it was a food market, clothing store, hardware store or an evening outing with the family to get ice cream; you may very well have met one of these sign’s or the clerk telling a Native American, that they "do not serve your kind in here, to get" or "They should eat out on the sidewalk," to meeting an occasional gun fired in the Native American’s direction with the hope they where a poor shot and yes, the overwhelming amount of profanity.

As with Black American’s, having such sign’s as ‘white’s only’ during segregation, on a drinking fountain and for the time being, the sign’s may not be quite so visible as it seemed even about forty years ago; but nevertheless, the sentiment, the spoken venom of hostility and now with the somewhat invisible sign’s of racist’s mistreatment still looms greater then ever.

Even with the added bonus of racism and religious persecutions of Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism on the list, with the constant wars and attacks upon these people; for well over a hundred years.

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also called the US Department of the Interior

Bureau of Indian Affairs (formed on 11 March 1824) has been a corrupt US government system from the day of its inception, even in the in the early years; when agents would steal food off the reservation to sell on the outside and other humanitarian supplies destined for the Native American’s, to out right theft of monies or land and have appeared more as an overlord and master with a whip; then an agency that has cared about the welfare of the indigenous people of America, known as the Native Americans.

Native American land theft Sale, by Bureau of Indian Affairs Agents, in 1911.

There is even legitimate Native American Tribe’s that are no longer recognized by the BIA even today, so they can cast them out into the street; so to speak and abuse their civil rights.

The Inhuman Life on a Reservation

A child at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

What can be said about life for a Native American within a reservation or called a "Res" for short, that inhuman conditions and poverty pales; towards any fourth world country and that any given state that has these reservations within a given county, always fall so far below the poverty level to be actually substandard or in the basement.

Starvation is so rampant, that children have been known to cry and beg; while there parents do not even know where the next meal will come from, either.

As to unemployment, it is higher then any other place in the United States; even though a Native American is so willing to work, but in the area’s around a reservation to numerous times because of racism; know one will hire them. If a Native American wishes to go some place else for work, they are usually not allowed to return to the reservation or to ever see family and friend’s on the reservation ever again.

There is a constant battle against inhumane civil rights abuses and murder of a Native American which often goes unnoticed, because they are being attacked by either people associated with the US government or white’s on a rampage or arresting a Native American with trump-up charges for them to live out their lives or many years thrown into prisoner with little chance of release and be innocent of any crime.

Then one may find a sudden road block, for a ‘shake down,’ with the excuse of any accusation which creates, the content’s of vehicles being scattered into the road; to sometime’s be scattered by a wind, such as clothing.

The inhuman conditions are so rampant that it has literally destroyed some Native American’s spirit to the point, that it has created ever increasing alcoholism and suicide problem; for example.

As to the use of alcohol it was first introduced to the Native American’s by the US military and the BIA, for they thought they could control or make the Native American’s weak and was originally done as a manner of a trick. They only tribe it was found that giving them the use of alcohol back fired on the US military was the Apache, because it made them wish to fight back at their captors.

On some reservation’s, it has became just a fight to live from one day to the next with the most inhuman atrocities that any human can inflict upon another; in this case, courteously of the US government and the BIA . Even with further understandings, of the continuous graft or theft from the BIA.

One of the most infamous for poverty and brutality is the Pine Ridge Reservation, which was where the Wounded Knee Massacre occurred.

As for religious persecution, it is still the norm of abuse by the US government and the BIA.

It should be further known, that every treaty made with the Native American’s was not only broken, but was written in a manner that looked good at the beginning; but towards the end the beginning was null and void.

In the early day’s of the treaties, the US government also used the deceptive tactic’s that since a chief may not understand English, they would have an interpreter lie to the chief what the treaty actually said or just read the beginning; in some cases, to just get them to sign or made a mark like an "X."

As to what is called the Native American rolls or such as the Dawes Roll, for example; that was considered a forced signing issue by the US Government for posterity; of all Native American families and their descendant’s of the initiation of the rolls to keep track of people and in some case‘s even though a family may be on the roll that the US government and the BIA could say it was not so if a family needed humanitarian aid, which was promised though treaties and not kept as seen with the conditions on reservations. While some families refused to sign because it was found at that time by signing, future massacre’s where more likely to occur; because families would be always easier to find.

As to the early days of the reservation system, some Native American’s did try to escape; while some did succeed, far too many others where shot by their captors which where the US Military.

As to those that did succeed, land areas for a time that were more dubbed as “No Man’s Land;” where created for security reasons and just pure survival, which no white person could enter and live; for the Native American's where afraid of being attacked.

Histories Disgrace

Their is many other horrendous account’s during this time, but what ever the historical account may be, one thing is for sure; that the Native American’s where doing their best to fight for there very survival from extinction, by those who would not just rob their land, but their very hearts. As time has never soaked the tears or blood into the land, of what occurred during those years and into the 21st Century.

Furthermore, what makes the plight of the Native American’s so horrendous is they are a very kind and hospitable people; with such great respect for the world around them that the Great Spirit (Allah, Hashem, G-d) made.

As not all Native American’s in history lived in Tepee’s as is usually equated with the more Western tribes, but those in the Eastern part of the country lived in houses; which when the first white people from Europe landed on their soil, they did help them to sew crops for food and build home’s that was more secure for the area and weather; after the first whites suffered from starvation and cold there first winter in the “New World.” As to that first winter, the Native American’s did not understand at first; why the ‘white’ people where having trouble’s surviving or able to adapt to the 'land;' not realizing they had came from a different 'world,' that lacked the survival skills for the ‘New World’ and thought their mannerism where strange to what they understood or where accustomed too. There were instances, that the Native American’s wondered if they where a bit crazy.

Originally, after the first crops came in for the ‘white’ people; is where the idea of the first Thanksgiving actually came from, that while the original idea has been marred over time of what actually created the holiday; it is still celebrated in the United States, today. While not based on accurate fact’s to my knowledge, that the Native American’s and white’s shared the first Thanksgiving together; in friendship.

But very shortly after this time, the greed for land expansion and an increase in white immigration to the "New World" colonies; caused the sorrow that became the horrendous plight of the Native American’s, that can still be seen today. Even with the eventual now 'colonist' fighting the war with the English and the French, which would eventually create the thirteen states; of the original idea of the United States and the first US President George Washington. As it should also be known, that the original government system was not democracy; but more based on what the 'colonist' knew from Europe, such as with a party known as the "Whig's," which where not democratic in origin.

As to the Cherokee, in older writing’s relayed from oral communication and first ‘white’ observation; it was said they had before the mass of the white man came, close to a Utopian society; with a life of much happiness and prosperity.

The main concern is when is racism and religious persecution in the United States and United States mistreatment’s around the globe going to be discontinued and people can actually live with peace and freedom, not only among their fellowman; but not have to worry when the next attack of maltreatment is going to land on one’s doorstep.

As to history, while some such as the "white" American's may try to rewrite it; to hide a crime, out of shame or for political purposes’; what ever the case may be, but two thing’s that can not be hidden; for one thing the Great Spirit (Allah, Hashem, G-d) knows all and as the saying goes, “The truth is always out there.” As to truth, while one can savor truth in the mouth, a lie; will eventually lay in the dust to be carried away by a passing wind.

May it never be, the last trail; for a Great people!