South Dakota governor threatens
Native American tribes with
legal action if they do not
remove coronavirus checkpoints
Independent (UK),
by
Danielle Zoellner
Original Article
Posted By: Pluperfect,
5/10/2020 5:26:34 AM
The governor of South Dakota has issued ultimatums to two Sioux Native American tribes to remove travel checkpoints on state and US highways aimed at protecting themselves from the coronavirus.
Governor Kristi Noem sent letters to the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe on Friday requesting that they remove the checkpoints surrounding their reservations within 48 hours or “the state will take necessary legal action”.
“We are strongest when we work together; this includes our battle against Covid-19,” the governor said. “I request that the tribes immediately cease interfering with or regulating traffic on US and State Highways and remove all travel checkpoints.”
Reply 1 - Posted by:
MissGrits 5/10/2020 6:13:59 AM (No. 406691)
Apparently NM’s virus outbreaks are largely among native Americans. Who knows why that is ... could be several reasons.
6 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
WhamDBambam 5/10/2020 6:24:15 AM (No. 406696)
Maybe running BS "checkpoints" so that they come in contact with every infected traveler. Sounds like someone is getting too big for their moccasins.
11 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Highlander 5/10/2020 6:41:04 AM (No. 406708)
On the other hand, you would understand, knowing their history with European diseases. Now they got this Chinese disease to deal with.
18 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Strike3 5/10/2020 7:31:06 AM (No. 406755)
Only blue state governors are allowed to be dictators. Go back to your teepees.
14 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
alaskaal 5/10/2020 8:24:27 AM (No. 406811)
I think that they have every right to protect their nation. Whatever they agree to do.
17 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
philsner 5/10/2020 8:33:26 AM (No. 406823)
If you are violating the US Constitution, stop.
11 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
JackBurton 5/10/2020 8:46:31 AM (No. 406834)
If you want to blockade your communities, go ahead.
Blocking roads, highways, and stopping all traffic, travel and commerce? NO.
23 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
JackBurton 5/10/2020 8:47:49 AM (No. 406838)
Side thought. These are the Sioux and Oglala tribes?
Maybe in addition to being prohibited to stop traffic, they should be renamed... the Karens.
11 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
Crusty_Rusty 5/10/2020 9:21:03 AM (No. 406873)
Hold On Folk.
Anyone on Tribal Land is subject to Tribal Law. Period. End if Story.
I bet you a Dime to a Dollar that these Tribes have better Lawyers than that Governor. I think she got bad advice from her staff and to threaten Legal Action was a real dumb move.
12 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
TXknitter 5/10/2020 9:58:35 AM (No. 406911)
Let’s remember that tribal politics can be just as dirty as white man politics. The Governor is correct - and THIS type of situation the nation needs to cooperate with what her decisions. I wonder who could be encouraging both tribal leaders to be obstructive? hmmm...
11 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Chuzzles 5/10/2020 10:32:56 AM (No. 406954)
Normally the Tribes do have sovereignty over their property. Interfering with public transportation and other things, not so much. I would support the governor here. Given the conditions that most of these tribes live in, by their own choices, I have no problem with the idea that they are going to have the lion's share of the cases. They don't care for White Man's medicine, preferring their own.
8 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
jacksin5 5/10/2020 10:50:35 AM (No. 406969)
Are Indian Reservations soverign lands of the tribes, or really just "Camps of Concentration" (their original designation) controlled in fact by the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service? The Sioux have every right to question the edicts passed down by a Governor for whom they didn't even vote.
Native Americans have every right to fear contagion by disease from abroad. The early European settlers decimated the existing Natives with diseases they had no protection from.
7 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
earlybird 5/10/2020 11:02:25 AM (No. 406976)
I’m not sure but that they would be allowed to check those coming into what is considered to be their sovereign territory. Interesting question.
4 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
RuckusTom 5/10/2020 11:38:41 AM (No. 407007)
This is going to be a great lesson in Constitutional law and what "Indian Tribes" really means.
Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 states that "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States ... excluding Indians not taxed.
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states that "Congress shall have the power to regulate Commerce with foreign nations and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes",[3] determining that Indian tribes were separate from the federal government, the states, and foreign nations
4 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
BarryNo 5/10/2020 12:32:29 PM (No. 407075)
Check point entry to the Reservation Lands. Leave the main roads alone. I think they are using COVID as an excuse.
6 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
cor-vet 5/10/2020 12:43:18 PM (No. 407091)
I guarantee that'd you'd hear some squealing if the Governor made the Indians stop at checkpoints whenever they leave the reservation onto state land. It would be racist and every other word they could come up with. The ACLU, useless as they are, would be there before the ink was dry on the edict!
4 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
DVC 5/10/2020 12:47:38 PM (No. 407096)
T I believe that the Indian tribes are sovereign nations inside this country. I think that the governor has zero say in what they do.
1 person likes this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
lakerman1 5/10/2020 1:51:35 PM (No. 407181)
perhaps if the Governor offered the tribal members some blankets...
2 people like this.
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