Sioux tribe rejects South Dakota governor request to remove Covid-19 checkpoints

I’d love to air drop them some supplies.

Anybody from that area know if they need anything ?

let it drive in.

Welcome to DU.

so they say. Some historians dispute this, of course. It is known that beginning in about 1520, a plague killed a very large number of natives throughout North and South America, possibly 90%. It currently stands at #2 in worst plagues ever. The Black Death of 1347 - 1351 still holds the record. Our current plague has risen to 15th place already.

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/history-of-pandemics-deadliest/?share=email

found that story a bit hard to believe. No one understood about germs in those days. The disease would have come with the explorers, but not purposely give to them in blankets.

I have heard Columbus did it on purpose, but since they didn't have the germ theory of disease yet, how could he know the effect those blankets would have? Maybe those blankets just happened to be available since the former owners had died of smallpox. Some historians dispute the entire blanket story. Some say the story comes from anti-Spanish propaganda.

It seems pretty well established that smallpox didn't exist in the Americas before Columbus and that a plague of smallpox ravaged the continents beginning in about 1520. There weren't many European visitors to the Americas except Columbus prior to that time.

one of them is Myths of the Cherokee / by James Mooney ...............also one must also think of the West Coast when Cook and the other gangs were roaming around the pacific, then there is this work.............Smallpox epidemic ravages Native Americans on the northwest coast of North America in the 1770s / By Greg Lange and then there is what happened to the Indigenous in South America and what is now called Mexico...........https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/06/how-europeans-brought-sickness-new-world

Biological warfare involving smallpox[edit]
One of the most infamous and well documented issues during Pontiac's War was the use of biological warfare against the Native Americans. The suggestion was posed by Amherst himself in letters to Colonel Henry Bouquet.[24] Amherst, having learned that smallpox had broken out among the garrison at Fort Pitt, and after learning of the loss of his forts at Venango, Le Boeuf and Presqu'Isle, wrote to Colonel Bouquet:[25]

"Could it not be contrived to send the small pox among the disaffected tribes of Indians? We must on this occasion use every stratagem in our power to reduce them."
Bouquet, who was already marching to relieve Fort Pitt, agreed with this suggestion in a postscript when he responded to Amherst just days later on 13 July 1763:[1]

"P.S. I will try to inocculate [sic] the Indians by means of Blankets that may fall in their hands, taking care however not to get the disease myself. As it is pity to oppose good men against them, I wish we could make use of the Spaniard's Method, and hunt them with English Dogs. Supported by Rangers, and some Light Horse, who would I think effectively extirpate or remove that Vermine."
In response, also in a postscript, Amherst replied:[1]

"P.S. You will Do well to try to Innoculate [sic] the Indians by means of Blankets, as well as to try Every other method that can serve to Extirpate this Execrable Race. I should be very glad your Scheme for Hunting them Down by Dogs could take Effect, but England is at too great a Distance to think of that at present."
Historians Elizabeth Fenn and Benedict Kiernan have shown, "Fort Pitt had anticipated these orders. Reporting on parleys with Delaware chiefs on June 24, a trader [William Trent] wrote: '[We] gave them two Blankets and an Handkerchief out of the Small Pox Hospital. I hope it will have the desired effect.' The military hospital records confirm that two blankets and handkerchiefs were 'taken from people in the Hospital to Convey the Smallpox to the Indians.' The fort commander paid for these items, which he certified 'were had for the uses above mentioned.' Historian Elizabeth Fenn has documented 'the eruption of epidemic smallpox' among Delaware and Shawnee Indians nearby, about the time the blankets were distributed."[25][26]

showvte
Seven Years' War in North America: The French and Indian War, St. Lawrence and Mohawk theater
Amherst was summoned home, ostensibly so that he could be consulted on future military plans in North America, and was replaced pro tem as Commander-in-Chief, North America by Thomas Gage. Amherst expected to be praised for his conquest of Canada, however, once in London, he was instead asked to account for the recent Native American rebellion.[27] He was forced to defend his conduct, and faced complaints made by William Johnson and George Croghan, who lobbied the Board of Trade for his removal and permanent replacement by Gage. He was also severely criticised by military subordinates on both sides of the Atlantic.[28] Nevertheless, Amherst was promoted to lieutenant-general on 26 March 1765,[29] and became colonel of the 3rd Regiment of Foot in November 1768.[30]


On 26 March 1767 Jeffrey Amherst married Elizabeth, daughter of General George Cary (portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1767).

Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, by Sir Joshua Reynolds.
On 22 October 1772, Amherst was appointed Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance,[31] and he soon gained the confidence of George III, who had initially hoped the position would go to a member of the Royal Family.[32] On 6 November 1772, he became a member of the Privy Council.[33]

While his crew might have introduced the disease, the Carib tribe had absolutely no use for blankets.

The tactic was discussed in the Siege of Fort Pitt in 1763 but it is unknown if they tried to carry it out. For one thing, smallpox is an incredibly fragile virus that has to be maintained at a constant temperature and preferably encased in scab material to survive at all away from human tissue. Transporting blankets at that time would not have provided ideal temperature and humidity to deliver any live virus. The idea was a dreadful one and it most likely would never have worked.

Smallpox was used as a bio weapon in mediaeval times, bodies of the recently dead lobbed over city and castle walls via trebuchet, and that did work as long as the bodies were fresh.

So that blanket story is historical fiction, along with blaming the American tribes for introducing syphilis to Europe. Archaeology has discovered congenital syphilis in children entombed in Aplontis near Pompeii and in a monastery burial ground in England, far predating New World exploration. It's an old disease in Europe, they were just looking for it in the wrong places. It was centered in port cities and most people didn't live long enough for the tertiary disease to show up on their bones. Examining the teeth of children is where to find it, along with monastery burials when the order specialized in hospice care.

Which was the North American theatre of the Seven Years War.

https://www.history.com/news/colonists-native-americans-smallpox-blankets

An eighteenth century letter from the military governor of Nova Scotia to British authorities speaks about distributing infected blankets.

According to various historical accounts.

There's more myth and "wanna believe" thinking over this.

No cases have been shown to be proven. In one instance, it was mentioned in a diary. No evidence that the tribes concerned had a breakout as a result or anything was sent.

In another the proof quotes are selective. It's like quoting the previous paragraph as "In one instance, it was mentioned in a diary ... the tribes concerned had a breakout as a result...".

Compare the two presentations:
1. A diary mentions actually collecting blankets from a post in the US Midwest and sending them upriver to the tribesfolk there. There'd been hostilities between the tribe and the post. So this was done, blankets sent. And the tribesfolk suffered from an outbreak of smallpox.

2. The tribesfolk were already suffering from an outbreak of smallpox, the people at the post collected blankets, then sent them up river to the tribesfolk as a gesture of good will and help. It wasn't done mostly out of altruism, but in order to obtain good will and perhaps secure some measure of peace.

The same basic set of facts, but one includes a bit more information that sort of explodes the "I wanna believe the worst" narrative. There's a lot horrible in US history. No need to be inventive.

At least two cases have been verified.

How was that possible? Germ theory about diseases did not take hold until the end of the 1800s

The Siege of Caffa by the Mongols involved plague victims being catapulted over castle walls.

Which germ theory replaced in the late 1800s. Miasma was the theory bad gases from rotting organic material -- such as plague victims -- spread diseases.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miasma_theory

even without germ theory.
Why do you suppose they burnt the belongings of plague victims?

Link in my post above. As far as the smallpox blanket allegations historians disagree that it was ever used by Americans. They can find only one example in history where it was ever used by the British and there is no evidence it spread any disease. In the one example Natives already had the disease and had given it to the British. And the blanket was old and would not have spread it anyway.

https://www.history.com/news/colonists-native-americans-smallpox-blankets

“Blankets” was my first thought too.

rhetoric encourage individuals already under stress from this situation to carry out irrational actions," he said.

"We invite you to join us in protecting the lives of our people and those that live on this reservation. I regretfully decline your request."

The purpose of the tribe's actions, Frazier said, is to "save lives rather than save face."

First, she's a moron and how is that testing working out with Sanford Medical? Yeah I thought so.

Her arrogance in the letter is so blatant and probably should refrain from using the word interference. That same mindset is what the Whitey Whitersons took from the Natives. Hey Kristi, go fuck yourself, it's Tribal Land.

Kristi, there is a reason you don't have an income tax and still NO ONE WANTS TO MOVE THERE!

They have less business harassing citizens than a Sovereign Nation when outsiders travel through.

THIS "you continuing to interfere in our efforts to do what science and facts dictate seriously undermine our ability to protect everyone on the reservation."

"As U.S. citizens, American Indians and Alaska Natives are generally subject to federal, state, and local laws. On federal Indian reservations, however, only federal and tribal laws apply to members of the tribe, unless Congress provides otherwise."

Are Indian reservations subject to the Governor and state law? Are the Oglala Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux on Federal reservations?

Last month, when the checkpoints began, the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs issued a memorandum saying tribes must consult and come to an agreement with the state of South Dakota before closing or restricting travel on state or US Highways.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/09/us/south-dakota-sioux-tribes/index.html

By the way, dearie, what, exactly, are you going to do if the Nations ignore your bullying, arrogant, insolent, contradictory demand? "Stronger together, but do exactly what I order"

One's head aches from the whiplash.

We have a Governor who is there only to do the bidding of her benefactors and fuck the people of Iowa.

interstate passes through either reservation.

Service, agriculture and tourism are the main economic sectors, and how these reservations interfere with any of that makes no sense.

Checkpoints are COVID-19 masks for the reservation, and this Republican governor is being arbitrarily authoritarian and confrontational about this.

I'll bet she'd love to show how tough she is and send in the National Guard.

... "Checkpoints are at both ends of U.S. Highway 212, which runs across the reservation".

They should not be stopping folks on a public road and demanding them to provide their medical history.


https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/update-tribes-respond-to-noems-demands-to-remove-highway-checkpoints/article_7ad8c4d3-994d-57c6-bf76-71a35a7e9689.html

access/egress easements, true. But still, those roads do run through Indian reservation land. Notice that they're just two-land highways. Not even major state roads; thus, the 3-numbered names for them.

Indians have a legal interest in those who travel through their lands when a reservation-free interstate is also an available option.

Too bad truckers don't want the inconvenience. Corporate interests don't trump human pandemic survival interests, no matter what the governor says.

.... their stop and frisk check point on a state highway of through traffic is none of their business.

Furthermore, according to the news reports, they are prohibiting residents of the reservation from leaving without explanation of where they are going and why, and requiring them to provide medical information both coming and going.

If my local authorities behaved like this, I would be right royally pissed and would look to the state to set them right.

their people. Money compared to life is nothing. Money isn't lifeblood or key to handling this deadly virus.

Residents know the wisdom of the tribe. That "according to news reports" is hype.
And all that hype?
The reality on the ground that goes like,
"yo, you feeling okay?"
"Yeh I'm good, gotta pick up diapers and meds, dude."
"Sure. Stay safe, bruh."


There's no benefit to "privacy of medical information" in a highly mobile country where people can't carry around their own records or medical team like the .001% can. So most people want their medical info to be accessible by medical professionals.

We see the world differently.

They are a sovereign nation and they have the right to protect their people. Nobody likes having to do this but it's about saving lives.

as to what the actual law is.

Aside from that, as a liberal I find checkpoints in general an anathema.

Here is the Bureau of Indian Affairs memorandum that explains the latitude allowed for closing state owned roads on tribal lands.

https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/39/f3916ae9-2096-57b4-a372-23350cd2245f/5eb61803b538e.pdf.pdf

Reading about this issue for a few hours, here is my take - the Federal Government / Bureau of Indian Affairs deals with the tribes, not the state government in which the reservation resides. However, the Bureau says "go talk to the governor" putting the state in control of the situation.

... I have to agree. If my local government tried to do this, I would be right royally pissed off.

Besides the checkpoints the nature of the questions could be intrusive
Where are you going? Where have you been? Plus the health quiz

As I said upthread, we have zero cases here so even as a Liberal I am OK with the checkpoints

I reckon some folks are knee-jerking here because that Governor is a real Trumpstick

As far as Tribal police in SD well read In The Spirit of Crazy Horse by Mattheisen

losing just like that one guy did when he bought up all the land near a public beach and tried to bar anyone from crossing his land to access the beach.

it because that was purely property control. This is about pandemic life and death threat.

... they can and can't do.

https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/rapidcityjournal.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/39/f3916ae9-2096-57b4-a372-23350cd2245f/5eb61803b538e.pdf.pdf

so to the state owned ones and does the states ownership and desire to keep open the state roads supered the tribe in its desire to close said state roads?

... from reading on the subject, the tribes are "governed" by federal law (Bureau of Indian Affairs), and are independent of state law. So the state can't directly tell the tribe what it can and can't do. But the feds can, and they say go talk to the governor.

Or I misunderstand you. They are not “closing roads.”
They stop and check you with questions related to Covid

As far as I know on our Agency only one car was turned away- early in the pandemic a non native couple from town wanted to come on The Rez and “pray with the Tribe” thats not legit Tribal business and they were sent packing. The Tribal officer told me they were cool about it

is objecting to it being done on the state roads that go through the reservation.
That raises the question of if the tribe has the legal right to do so on state roads or can the state compel them to cease interfering with traffic on the state roads.

... The memorandum uses the phrase "temporarily close or restrict access to tribal lands over roads...". I didn't quote the full phrase. They are not closing roads. Restricting access would be a better characterization.

That is all the tribe wants.

K/R

I am not saying they should, but we have reneged on so many agreements with the ONLY TRUE "Americans", one can certainly understand their reticence to obediently bow to the power of the "white man".

The "white man" has done nothing but screw them over, and over, and over. This conflict is SOLELY about pushing the turd's narrative. It has NOTHING to do with the turd's concern for the safety of the native peoples of that area.

If anything, the GOP would (secretly) take delight in the dying of the REAL Americans.

List the people it is primarily killing. THOSE are the people the turd doesn't give a shit about. (Except for obese white people of the nazi persuasion who LOVES them some gun arsenals...)

edit in bold italics

their state in the early days. The RI police would also look for cars with NY plates, and instruct them to quarantine themselves.

Probably a wise move, but it seemed clear it would not stand up in court.

......Kristi Noem.......would you please go some place and get laid, for crying out loud??!!.......after what Rachel Maddow has been reporting of your stupidity and now this from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe......well, it is obvious, you really, really, REALLY....NEED...TO....GET....LAID !!!!

==========

Gov. Kristi Noem is a fool. She just wants to show her power. She doesn't care if all of us die. I totally support Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Stick to your guns. I live in Northern Minnesota and am surrounded by 3 reservations. They are an entity unto themselves. She has no right to demand this.

Good for them!

The hell with HER!

by recording info about there reason for the travel in or out they are also collecting vital information for tracing their contacts and thus track the spread.

The tribes are sovreign nations and have the right to protect their borders and their residents.

When an Amerindian Nation does it the authorities protest. Others may very well
become interested in this and make for interesting scenarios in the coming decades.