Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 18:05:08 -0400 From: Pablo Lonesome Wolf <[P--b--o] at [abenaki.tribal.org]> From: Wanbli Sapa <[i--a--u] at [ix.netcom.com]> Subject: Re: Permits to Pray At 08:30 AM 5/25/96 -0700, [c--ro--e] at [wolfenet.com] wrote: I am home to send out this message to the world...I ask that you put it on all your Listsservers....You E this to everyone in the World...I want the world to hear my words... *Comes before the sacred fire of my Grandfathers and knees down as she offers tobacco to our Sacred Ones and asks them to hear the words of a Tsalagi woman* Grandfathers.... Last night I saw Evil...I saw what this World has come to...I cry now as I speak these words to you...I have saw a holy city captured...held Hostage...I have seen our Spirituality now in the hands of men who spit upon us...and who have guns pointed at us.... I went to our Holy City of New Echota, Grandfathers...in obedience to your words...I went....and as I walked up ..... There were 15 Park Rangers standing in a group, with semi automatic weapons...9 mm ones Fred told me...in the Parking lot...refusing to allow us there....Armed...like at a standoff...and it reminded me of Wounded Knee when they would not allow us there. I talked at the locked gate with the Supt....I said..We are NOT here for trouble..we only wish to pray...He refused to allow this...He was so angry...so angry...and men with the guns stood there with arms folded..and I thought..they're going to shoot us if we go on. I asked him...Is there not a place here designated to pray in...He said.. "Yes, the First Amendment Area." (You'll be happy to know our First Amendment has an designated area.) I said.."Can we pray there?" He said.. "Do you have a Permit?" A PERMIT?! "Yes, you have to get one in our Atlanta Office of the National Resource Agency." I looked at him silently...and he said.."You have to get them during normal working hours and they're closed now for the holiday weekend." I asked him..."Does everyone have to have a permit to pray there?" He said.."Well, we take it on a case-by-case basis." I asked.."What is the criteria then for this?" He said.."Its up to us."... "So, YOU decide who can and cannot pray then in the First Amendment Area?" "Yes" I smiled up at him and said.."I'll bet you wouldn't allow me then to be one who could." He didn't answer...just looked at me...I felt at that moment more pity for a man corrupted by his system than I ever have...I knew that if I walked onto that area...we'd be shot...I knew it as surely as anything I've ever known... They were so angry...so angry... I stood there as they began taking pictures of us...writing down tag numbers..and I smiled at them as they took pictures...and hoped the sadness is reflected in that smile when they develop it...I looked past them standing there... blocking our way into that holy land...and it occured to me..We worry about fighting for the religious freedoms in Bosnia and other places...and right here, literally in our own back yard..we have none....we have none...and my heart wept. The Sheriff's office came...told us you can't stand in the roadway...and of course I knew the harassment was beginning and the charges would read "obstructing traffic" or something like that which they usually do...I've lived this before...I asked Danawa to leave...she kept staying...I got her and put her in the car... We held council with the Ketoni...We had to go over to a campground already prepared..and as they counciled, I sat quietly listening..and when it came my turn to speak I stood up...and I told them...We cannot light this sacred fire...we cannot.....The Ketoni agreed...and so we did not. Grandfathers...I want the World to know this thing...I want them to know that our People cannot pray without Permits anymore...I want them to know our sacred fires cannot be lit...That the Spirits on our Holy City cannot be reached there...I also want you to know I'm on my way back out there...Danawa is out there now....but I had to come back...to tell the world...THERE IS NO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN THIS COUNTRY...THERE IS NONE...and I want the words to be heard.... *backs away 7 steps in the betrayal of our Nations, from the cold ground where sacred fire could not be done...and realizes...the breast of Mother is cold today...and Creator 's voice was silenced...and WEEPS for the sadness of it all* I want the world to know that as of 11:30 AM Saturday.. they are still there armed..and refusing to allow it...and I have taken pictures of it..and I want the world to see...how we have to have Permits to Pray or be shot.... Wanbli Sapa (Black Eagle) (Lakota Ikche Wichasha) One Earth, One Life Endeavors [i--a--u] at [ix.netcom.com]