The Onondaga Nation was the Firekeeper for the Iroquois Nations. They were the heart of the Confederation that Benjamin Franklin studied, and probably used to model many aspects of the new nation. The Six Nations Constitution provided insight into a confederation which was for defense, welfare (promoting, not providing) and commerce. Harmony existed among the Five (later Six) Nations for centuries -- until the White Man arrived.
White Man's form of government (not the original one under the Constitution, but the administrative version we have today) has been imposed upon the Indians by subversive means. The traditional Indians choose to retain their values, while the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) Indians choose to wield the power that is afforded them by complying with the government.
A final thought, before we proceed with the story -- The Indians are protected by the same Constitution that we are -- or, are they? And, are we? We have many common concerns, and the Indians that I have met have learned that the White Man is not the evil, it is the White Man's government. OPF
The Onondaga Nation Territory
Nearly five years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks on the Onondaga Reservation, near Syracuse, New York. The occasion was the beginnings of a conflict that continues today.
It began when some of the Indian businessmen on the Reservation realized that the tax money that they were paying to the Tribe was not going to benefit the Tribe, but was lining the pockets of the Chiefs -- but, then, some of the Chiefs were not really Chiefs, as you will see in one of the articles.
These few businessmen, seeing the inequity of the situation, chose to bypass the Tribe and provide various enhancements to the Reservation on their own. Of course, to do so they had to reject the taxes that were imposed by the false Chiefs, and pool their resources. This resulted in the other members of the Tribe benefiting, but for reasons that were addressed in my articles, chose to stand behind the Chiefs -- and in the Welfare lines.
October 1, 1993 -- Relates my rather shocking introduction to the Reservation, and demonstrated what I believe the be the "bought" obedience of the local Sheriff.
October 2, 1993 -- Discusses the unwillingness of the non-traditional side to deal with matters according to Indian law.
October 3, 1993 -- Finally the phone lines are repaired, and my releases can go out across the country.
October 4, 1993 -- The beginnings of the ordeal - background.
October 5, 1993 -- Lyons, et al, the bad guys are not really Indian Chiefs.
October 6, 1993 -- The Indian Patriots as benefactors to their people.
October 7, 1993 -- Vandalism condoned by the Sheriff and Fire Department.
October 8, 1993 -- A contract of Submission.
October 9, 1993 -- Is fear a factor in the ability of the "Chiefs" to maintain control over the Reservation?
October 18, 1993 -- The true role of an Indian Chief from the 1640s.
June 15, 1994 -- Smoke Signals burned to ground by arsonists.
Return to Outpost of Freedom homepage
