Feds: Former sex offender sold tribal membership to illegals as citizenship

My father was the first to see through the schemes of the white man.
- Chief Joseph

I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.
- Chief Joseph

An Indian respects a brave man, but he despises a coward.
- Chief Joseph

MB4 on August 5, 2008 at 2:59 PM

What is required to be classified as an American Indian, that you raise your right hand and say “how”?

NoDonkey on August 5, 2008 at 2:34 PM

It depends on the tribe. It is usually a quarter ancestry or more.

MB4 on August 5, 2008 at 3:03 PM

Chief Joseph, as we all know, had a claim to the Wallowa Valley in Oregon, dating from the Stevens treaty in 1855, and conceded again to him and his tribe of about 500 Indians in 1873 by General Grant, while the latter was President. Two years later the concession of June 16, 1873, was revoked, and the Wallowa Valley was thrown into the public domain along with all of Oregon west of the Snake River.

In 1877 it was determined to remove the Nez Perces from Oregon to the reservation in Idaho, and General Howard reported that they had agreed to go, not willingly, but under constraint. Some whites were killed, and Chief White Bird sent word that he would not remove, whereupon an unequal war began between retreating bands of Nez Perces and companies of United States cavalry, aided by volunteers. The Indians crossed the Yellowstone Park and River, endeavoring to escape into British territory, but were followed closely by Howard, and headed off by General, then Colonel Miles. In the battle that ensued near the mouth of Eagle Creek 6 chiefs and 25 warriors were killed, and 38 men wounded. Two officers and 21 men were killed and 4 officers and 38 men wounded on the side of the pursuers. The whole camp of about 450 men, women, and children fell into Colonel Miles’s hands. General Howard reached the battle-field just in time to be present at the surrender.

Chief Joseph conducted this retreat with very extraordinary skill. He beat Colonel Gibbon with 15 officers, 146 troopers, and 34 volunteers, though with much loss of men. He stampeded General Howard’s horses and pack-train, fought Colonel Sturgis on the Yellowstone River, losing many horses, and came very near making good his retreat to British America. Of this campaign General William Tecumseh Sherman has said: “The Indians [Nez Perce] throughout displayed a courage and skill that elicited universal praise; they abstained from scalping; let captive women go free; did not commit indiscriminate murder of peaceful families, which is usual; and fought with almost scientific skill, using advance and rear guards, skirmish lines, and field fortifications.”

These facts only make harder the fate that awaited them, for it shows that no forbearance, no bravery and generalship, are able to win for Indians justice. The right of the Nez Perces to the Wallowa Valley was perfect, and the killing of four white men possibly but not certainly by Indians was made the pretext of hunting them down and letting them die of disease at Fort Leavenworth. By neglecting to provide means to prevent tyranny and land-grabbing on the part of its white citizens our government is constantly forced to violate the most solemn treaties, and confess itself unworthy of trust.

The weakness and injustice of our dealing with Indians was never shown in a more picturesque and striking example than in our conduct toward this little section of the Nez Perces. It is only fair to say, however, that we have had recent examples in which the government realized that the nation has a duty to perform in protecting Indians against encroachments by white settlers, and the troops were used in a more honorable exploit than hunting down men with whom the nation had broken a solemn compact.
- Harper’s Weekly, August 16, 1890

MB4 on August 5, 2008 at 5:59 PM

By the way, the “look Indian’ comment is just stupid. There has been so much intermarriage in 5 generation that it’s not uncommon to have blonde Indians and we have black Indians in our family too.

originalpechanga on August 5, 2008 at 6:33 PM

Being an eighth Indian does not make one an Indian, and I see no reason to think that Malcom Webber is even that, any more than my being an eighth Swedish makes me a Swede.

MB4 on August 6, 2008 at 1:44 AM