Opinion

Gyasi Ross: Oglala Sioux Tribe makes hard decision on liquor





Gyasi Ross on a recent vote by members of Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota to legalize alcohol sales on the reservation:
I’ve been watching, with great interest and mixed feelings, the big decision that the Oglala Sioux Tribe is facing: whether or not to legalize liquor sales on the Pine Ridge Reservation. It’s a tough question—on one hand, we know that Native communities have very, very serious issues with liquor. Why would we give more poison to a sick person? On the other hand, we have the dirty, filthy rednecks in Whiteclay, Nebraska who have been exploiting the Natives on Pine Ridge for a very long time, selling them poison and getting very rich in the process. Why would we want to make these evil exploiters any richer?

They decided to legalize alcohol sales. They effectively cut the legs out from under the bloodsuckers in Whiteclay.

That was the easy part—they don’t want to make the Whiteclay gang any richer. Those vampires hate Indians and have done their little part to contribute to the extermination of Native people. The Oglala Sioux Tribe successfully took a lot of money out of these pieces of feces’ pockets by legalizing liquor sales.

Good job.

Get the Story:
Gyasi Ross: White People, White Lies & Whiteclay: Pine Ridge Finally Fights Back (Indian Country Today 9/9)

Related Stories:
Letter: Oglala Sioux Tribe takes control with legal alcohol sales (9/9)
Lawsuit seeks to stop Oglala Sioux Tribe from legalizing liquor (9/6)
Brandon Ecoffey: Assumptions in newspapers can cut both ways (09/04)
Chelsey Luger: Oglala Sioux Tribe makes right call on alcohol (08/22)
Editorial: Oglala Sioux Tribe takes control with sales of alcohol (8/19)
Official results confirm Oglala Sioux Tribe vote for liquor sales (8/15)
Oglala Sioux Tribe reports big turnout for referendum on liquor (8/14)

Join the Conversation