On SDPB yesterday, USD Professor Emeritus Frank Pommersheim gave an excellent rundown of Governor Kristi Noem’s misguided effort to assert her (white) supremacy over South Dakota’s tribal governments and shut down their sensible coronavirus checkpoints. Dr. Pommersheim puzzled, as ought we all, over our Governor’s choice to challenge the tribes and ignore Legislative calls for consultation instead of praising the tribes for showing such strong initiative in fighting the pandemic.
Pommersheim’s explanation of tribal sovereignty, case law, and public health sounded more cogent and formidable than anything Noem has trotted out to disguise her contempt Indian sovereignty. Noem still hasn’t come up with a legal justification for her attempt to stop Lakota people from protecting their communities from another deadly pandemic, and the feds don’t seem to be hurrying to help her. The tribes’ claim that their land is their land seems to stand.
The tribes aren’t just checking visitors on the highways; they’re sacrificing their own cultural events :
In the so-called Great Plains states of North and South Dakota, community leaders have put off this year’s planned Sun Dances, days-long gatherings when people come together for collective healing. Elsewhere, Pow wows, or traditional gatherings, have gone online for those with access to the internet.
Indigenous leaders say the cancellation of the events, enacted to enforce social distancing, further impacts the well-being of the community, many members of which struggle from mental health challenges. Events such as traditional “sweats”, are no longer possible [Andrew Buncombe, “Native Americans Cancel Sun Dances and Other Cultural Ceremonies to Halt Spread of Coronavirus,” UK Independent, 2020.05.29].
The Cheyenne River Health Center is conducting covid-19 tests until 5 p.m. Mountain today.
The tribes actions are especially vital since scientists are now learning that COVID19 may be a blood vessel disease, that, in fatal cases, corrupts the body’s immune system similar to the process with HIV.
Wish they could have convinced the fed to do something….
Deaths:
110,130
New milestone millstone for drumpf’s orange neck.
I’m very proud of the way tribal governments have responded. Very good podcast from Dr. Pommersheim. Lewandowski told NOem to fight the Natives and that is what this is all about. Nothing is said about the stops on the Pine Ridge Reservation, nor the Rosebud. Only the Cheyenne River is being singled out by NOem. The reason for this all is to keep people from demanding NOem test test test without a $75.00 charge for those tests. People are broke and they have no insurance or jobs and there is a Seventy Five Dollar charge for a damn test. $1.25 BILLION in federal funds for those tests and yet clinics price gouge for Seventy Five bucks.
trump and the fascists want desperately to take the 110,000 killed in action from the covid19, out of the news cycle. Just like Vietnam, they are just numbers until it hits home. Drafting and killing middle class kids was the opener for asking the question, why? Of course no one wants to politicize Covid deaths, but why not? Lay the blame where it belongs, the fascists in the White House and in Pierre.
Dumbfounding interview with Professor Pommersheim, an intellect of our state typically subordinated to duller minds, most of which run the state. Uncommon common sense noting that a letter of compromise by the Gnome (and I do mean Gnome) begins with an ultimatum bespeaking only her weakness trying to overcompensate as a strong position, typical of a wannabe groomed by Lewandowski clones. And she needs lots of grooming. Gnome is part of a long tradition of intellectual inertia in this state, and will profit from her minor position , leveraging it to her advantage as did Rounds, etc, ad infinitum. When will it stop?
dr.pommersheim has always had my respect for his knowledge of native issues for many years.,especially his knowledge of the constitution & native treaties. i apologize that i can’t stop trump & airforce 1. from flying over the native land i occupy in the romp up to mt.rushmore accompanied by our shill of a govenor at the cost of millions of dollars .
Meanwhile Mayor Allender is shedding his brief coat of empathy and warning protests cost $$ which means programs will be cut. Body cams?
Always money for civic militarization, public relations media centers, presidential security, reelection campaigns for Republican incumbents, though. Supremely funded RC police force. Top of the line.
Rutgers prof just affirmed everything i just said :) NPR today, discussing deep history of policing from slave and union busting to Mnnpls in every big city. Allender will hopefully continue to remove RC from this vicious history as mayor.