Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

February 13, 2016

AIM's Clyde Bellecourt: Tired of Bernie, Hillary and Trump Bullshit

Video screen photo by Censored News
By Brenda Norrell
Feb. 12, 2016
Dutch translation by Alice Holemans at NAIS
www.denaisgazet.be/nieuws/clyde-bellecourt-van-de-american-indian-movement-is-de-bullshit-van-bernie-hillary-en-trump-beu
MINNEAPOLIS -- The American Indian Movement’s Clyde Bellecourt refused to be silenced and demanded to know if Bernie Sanders would honor American Indian Treaties if elected President of the United States, during a Forum sponsored by Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and Black Lives Matter.
Bellcourt was adamant that he was "tried of the bullshit," by US presidential candidates Bernie, Hillary and Trump.
Refusing to be silenced during the Forum, Bellecourt asked Bernie Sanders, “I want to know if you are going to honor those Treaties? If you become President of the United States, are you going to honor the Treaties made with Native people?”
US Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders responded, “Native American people have gotten a terrible deal from the government. I will do everything that I can to redress that.”
Bellecourt countered: “You still have not answered the question.”
Clyde Bellecourt, ‘Thunder Before the Storm,’ founder of the American Indian Movement begins his comments at the Forum with words in his own language, Anishinabe.
Bellecourt said when he was born 79 years ago, he was forbidden to speak his language, pray, sing and dance, by the US government, in collusion with the churches.
“They have taken everything but our dignity, and our pride.”
“The Indian people were totally forgotten, like we didn’t exist anymore.”
“They thought John Wayne got all of us, George Armstrong Custer killed all of us. The United States government got rid all of us -- but we are still here.”
“I get angry when I hear you, and Hillary, Donald Trump and the rest of these right wingers, never saying a certain single word about what happened to the Native people of this land, this is why the Movement was formed.”
Bellecourt described the real intent of the nine and one-half month trial in St. Paul after the Occupation of Wounded Knee. The purpose was for the United States to extinguish all Native Tribes.
“We felt if we did not stand up, stand up for what is right for Indian people, we would surely perish as a people.”
It was clear. AIM knew that the US would not honor the Treaties because the US did not know anything about them.
During the Forum, the moderator attempted to silence Bellecourt. However, Bellecourt responded, “I’m tired of this bullshit.”
Bellecourt said AIM went to the United Nations for recognition because the elders asked them to, even though they were often labeled "militant," “radicals” and “terrorists.”
The Native elders knew that if they did not go to the United Nations, the US "would wipe us out."
The moderator again attempted to silence Bellecourt with the words,‘This is a Black Forum.” Bellecourt, demanding to speak, said, “This is not a Black Forum, it is for People of Color and I am one of those colors.”
Bellecourt described AIM's efforts in the Americas, Congo and South Africa, during the struggle for recognition at the United Nations, as the United States attempted extinction.
Bellecourt then posed his question to Bernie Sanders, “I want to know if you are going to honor those Treaties?”
“If you become President of the United States, are you going to honor the Treaties made with Indian people?”
Sanders responded, “Native American people have gotten a terrible deal from the federal government. I will do everything that I can to redress that. Absolutely.”
But Bellecourt countered that this was no answer.
“You still have not answered the question.”

Watch this video http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2016/02/video-aims-clyde-bellecourt-to-bernie.html

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3 comments:

Alice said...

Well done Clyde!
in solidarity!
Alice
NAIS

Lloyd Vivola said...

According to Senator Sanders. "Native American people have gotten a bad deal from the federal government." Bad deal? This not the first time I have heard or read that very phrase and rationale from a member of the settler community, supposedly made in the spirit of reconciliation and just compensation. Faced with Clyde Bellecourt's strong, articulate preamble to his question, Sander's response once again betrays that too many in the settler community and its governments still refuse to acknowledge the facts concerning the Native American experience since the arrival of Europeans.

Anonymous said...

Clyde Bellacourt had something important that I wanted to listen to. He was interrupted several times and that's rude.Thank you Censored News for posting the video. Treaties that were made and not kept are more than just a
"bad deal" !