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JULY 10, 2000

A resolution was passed June 17 by the Washington state Republican Party calling for the abolition of tribal governments nationwide.

The resolution surprised and shocked the few tribal governments that claim Republican affiliations and outraged Democratic tribal nations.

This is a larger nation deciding to incorporate another government -- be damned if they want that or not. It is a "let's make Ireland a part of the United Kingdom today" kind of act.

John Fleming, the Skagit County delegate who was a main author of the resolution, said, "We do not recognize them as sovereign nations, as governments."

He went on to say, "We think it can be done peacefully," but if tribes were to fight the effort, "then the U.S. Army and the Air Force and the Marines and the National Guard are going to have to battle back."

I wonder: How many of the Native people and other supportive minorities in the military would agree to invading an unarmed reservation?

As I have told those who listen to talks about the history of indigenous people, it is important when evaluating historic documents to study the person who writes this history.

That is true in this case.

Fleming lives on the Swinomish reservation in Washington state. Reports say his relationship with the tribe has not been good. He has written many essays attacking tribal sovereignty and he is active in regional and national organizations that oppose treaty rights.

He claims one of his main concerns is that he cannot vote in tribal elections. Fleming says that makes them (tribal elections) illegal under the U.S. and state constitutions.

He's right about not being able to vote in tribal elections.

To vote in tribal elections, you must be an enrolled citizen of that nation. Take Spirit Lake, for example: If it holds an election to choose leaders to decide on the future of the Spirit Lake people, these leaders will make decisions in the best interest of the membership. Sometimes, decisions may not be in the best interest of the nonmember or non-Native.

If a tribal citizen lives at Spirit Lake and is married to a woman from Turtle Mountain, for instance, she, like Fleming, cannot vote in that election either. Her area to vote would be at Turtle Mountain. If they had children, the children would vote only where they were enrolled.

An international comparison might be if you live and work in Canada. Canada doesn't extend to you the right to vote and make decisions on its future just because you live there. Fleming is, indeed, in another country. And he is a poor guest at that.

Most tribal people can understand Fleming's "words" of disempowerment. Throughout our history we have faced the federal government's demands on our lives and resources. Most of the time, we have taken that in stride. But that isn't true in Fleming's case. His reason seems to be that the tribal government does not meet his needs.

He also lives in a state that has national representatives Sen. Slade Gorton and Rep. Jack Metcalf, who are known for their hard-core anti-Indian stands. When I lived in Oregon, the tribes were in constant battles with Gorton over fishing rights. In fact, Gorton was adamantly opposed to Native American legislation, period.

John, Slade and Jack, we know that this isn't a battle over treaty rights, sovereignty, the right to have representation or even discrimination. It is about money. Tribal nations interfere with the right of people like Fleming to be rich. Native people interfere with Gorton's and Metcalf's political aspirations.

People who advocate the overthrow of a peaceful government have a different name. They are called terrorists, and that is a sad comment on the state of Washington and the 250 delegates who passed the resolution.

Dorreen Yellow Bird is a reporter and contributor to the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota. Her e-mail address is dyellowbird@gfherald.com or she can be reached at (701) 780-1228.

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