My quest has been to strive and fight for the First People and in this battle of laws, fake treaties, lies, speaking in fork tongues the First People of the United States have suffered immeasurably. The Founding Fathers of the United States had much to learn from the Six Nations and the Iroquois Tribe. It may come as a surprise that principles of Democracy and the use of democratic standards were practiced for thousands of years in American. For sure thousands of years before the Magna Carta was in place and when most European was not civilized. In my travels and reading I have found the First People of the United States keen to speak with the heart. An ability that encompasses a fine tuned moral compass and the ability to take anyone to a better place. Respect for Mother Earth and for all the basic elements that we must learn to respect. This Nation has not been kind to the First People, less to the great, First People, Warrior Chiefs, many of whom put our Nation's ruling Presidents to shame. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Interior were the conduits used by our Government to rob the First People of their dignity. Steal billions of dollars in Trust Funds and what is more force many tribes not to be Federally Recognized and suffer in their own land. For sure we have been witness to the worst Economic Crisis in recent history. In understanding this sad state of affair, ripe with immoral turpitude, greed, and utter neglect for principles - we have come to know about despicable entities and individuals, the likes of Bernie Madoff and Goldman Sachs. The vile practices of these monsters have adversely impacted - millions and these pathetic losers, not respected by decent citizens - think nothing of their White Crimes and the hardships inflicted on all - more the Seniors and the poor of our Nation. The year 2010 is at hand and I have the habit of writing an Op Ed much before the New Year in rung in. Our President, a Black President whose father hails from the Nation where I was born has received a Nobel Prize. His speech on receiving the Nobel Prize, I think was a good one - perhaps the best he has made so far. America is a Super Power and one that can rein in peace, foster non-violence, and create a better rather then a hostile situation all over the world. I served in the Department of the Defense and in many capacities learned about War and more about Peace. I actively participated in Desert Storm and Desert Shield. We sent healthy men and women to war and within a month the war was over. It took this Nation over ten years to recognize and admit that our soldiers were put in harms way and contacted the Gulf Syndrome disease that was addressed too late. Today, many suffer and I know of them - personally. We try to sanitize any war and today no one really is paying keen attention to our soldiers who are suffering. Many have lost their eye sight, others have lost limbs, and still other have lost their mind. Is it our moral obligation to help the husbands and wives of these noble, warrior soldiers? Why has this Nation not created Support Systems to help those that this Nation sends into harms way? Contemporary war machinations and ploys can cause havoc. We can send drones and control them remotely from some secret place in California and with one command send a couple of missiles and kill supposedly, the enemy. If we make a mistake we kill - hundreds of innocent civilians. And same with missiles from our Carriers or from land-based operations some known to certain civilians and a lot kept secret. Many of us are hurting and we could have been better of - if we did not go to war and for no purpose at all but to flex our power. We have failed and the man who first initiated this madness in one George W. Bush - a lousy President who left a bitter taste in most mouths and a sordid past and history that will come to haunt him - for a long, long time. A man could not speak with his heart. Our Nation's debt is in the trillions and everyday we beg China for billions and turn around and pay Saudi Arabia. The Middle-East is in turmoil and we have witnessed Dubai - sink to the bottom of the CESSPOOL it created. Building a tower the world's tallest but reminiscent of the Tower of Babel. The above takes us to places but does not bring peace to the mind and heart. There was a time when the First People and other indigenous people spoke with the heart. History is tall with war and warriors, heroes of a kind that killed and some lived to tell the tale and others died. War is not pretty and PEACE is not easy to achieve. In our daily lives we have an affinity to get angry, cause destruction, and make a mockery of our God given ability to be sensible, cool, recollected, and sane. I live in San Francisco and recently two important events took place linked to the First People. At the San Francisco State University the last permanent mural was unveiled on the south wall of Cesar Chavez Student building. The mural depicts the First People. Imagine, the many and long years the authorities took to make this decision. Consider it was legal to shoot and kill any Native American up until 1924. That was NOT too long ago. On Alcatraz thousands met to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the take over of Alcatraz Island by some First People tribes - none, of them Ohlone from the San Francisco and extended Bay Area. The American Indian Movement made many changes - and many a person of color has benefitted from these changes. In America the land of the First People there are many tribes that are not Federally Recognized and that is a shame. In California over sixty percent of the California Tribes are not recognized. If you are not Federally Recognized you are a second class citizen in America and we all know the First People were here before the strangers - set their foot on America or as the First People call it - Turtle Island. My visits to the shamans the holy men mostly that I have met from the various First People tribes have given me some deep insight. I have especially an affinity to the prophecies of the HOPI and I see some good coming our way. The year 2010 will lead to 2011 but there will be a huge surprise for all of us in the year 2012. Can we all learn to set aside our differences and speak the TRUTH but more speak with the HEART.

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