As the Holidays Near, a Plan for Peace

By Pius Real Bird
CrowNews.Net

I love this country and the people in my heart and spirit. I am an 83-year-old full-blooded Crow Indian and I have seen much in my life and thought deeply about this land. I never want to see it bombed and burned or turned to ashes.

In thinking about this, an idea came to me to try for peace on this earth. Native Americans are closely connected to nature and love Mother Earth and because of this we are respected throughout the whole world.

I believe a committee of seven traditional Native Americans, representing different tribes, who are involved in the sun dance, sweat lodge, Native American Church and other spiritual ceremonies should be selected to deliver this message to the U. S. government: You have tried your ways and have not been successful.

This committee of seven, which would also be knowledgeable in the ways of the world, would meet the nations of the world seeking peace. We would ask that the United States be bound by any agreements because their purpose would be to protect America and its people while respecting those of other lands.   

Peace is hard to achieve, but Native Americans have the respect of all nations. They know that we have been mistreated by the United States but somehow have managed to keep our culture, language, values and dignity, all of which are important to us.

The committee could be trusted to hold the humanity of others in high regard. The hardest part would be to make the U.S. agree and hold to its promise of respecting what this committee would work out with these people.

We need to try something to make headway against the threats to our beautiful country. The war and diplomacy of the past has not and will never work. If anyone wants to work on this, you can write to me at my home. Thank you for the opportunity to put forth this idea.

Editor's note: Pius Real Bird has been a rancher on the Crow Reservation for more than 60 years and represented the Wyola (Mighty Few) District as a tribal legislature in recent years. You can write to Pius at P.O. Box 14, Wyola, Mont., 59089.

Comments

[Jay Harris]

Though he presided over a federal government that supported tribal termination and his record on civil rights was lukewarm at best, President Eisenhower knew very well the economic and human costs of war and often spoke authoritatively on the subject. Along with his famous “Cross of Iron” speech and farewell address, Eisenhower once gave a direction to America that resonates powerfully to this day. Ike said, "A soldier learns, as a nation must learn, that integrity, backed by strength, is the only sure way of lasting peace. Our country's destiny, to my mind, is to serve mankind through leadership in the arts of peace. If we believe in our own system, if we allow no taint of false doctrine to confuse it, if we practice what we preach, if we provide upright leadership, we can help to show the world the folly of war."

I believe Eisenhower's optimistic idea about our nation's destiny has only seldom been given full application in American foreign policy and, as a result, we have rarely provided meaningful leadership to the world in the arts of peace and if ever we've shown anyone the folly of war it has been through our lack of upright leadership by fighting unnecessary wars.

Native Americans today can offer much to America in so many areas, including statesmanship and diplomacy. We need more Indians representing the United States internationally in the State Department and we need more Indian citizens speaking out about their values to members of Congress and sharing their ideals to the world at large.

President Eisenhower may have been wrong in some areas, but he was entirely correct in understanding the importance of America’s integrity and leadership in the world. Perhaps he might not have been a strong advocate of assimilating Indians into mainstream society had he known the importance our traditions had in furthering his great ideal for a new and better America in a world looking for our leadership.

[cheap jordan 11]

Thanks for sharing. This website is to I too have to help. Very good.I like the way you write.