Over the weekend, we came four votes away from the United States Senate giving our Constitutional rights over to the United Nations. In a 53-46 vote, the senate narrowly passed a measure that will stop the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. Read below the 46 senators who voted with Barack Obama and the United Nations to take this right away from us. The Statement of Purpose from the bill read: To uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. The U.N. Small Arms Treaty, which has been championed by the Obama Administration, would have effectively placed a global ban on the import and export of small firearms. The ban would have affected all private gun owners in the U.S., and had language that would have implemented an international gun registry on all private guns and ammo. Astonishingly, 46 of our 100 United States Senators were willing to give away our Constitutional rights to a foreign power. This vote could have REPEALED the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution without "We, the People" having any vote on the matter! Here are the 46 senators that voted with Obama to give your 2nd Amendment rights to the U.N. Baldwin (D-WI) Baucus (D-MT) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Cantwell (D-WA) Cardin (D-MD) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Coons (D-DE) Cowan (D-MA) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY) Harkin (D-IA) Hirono (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kaine (D-VA) King (I-ME) Klobuchar (D-MN) Landrieu (D-LA) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) McCaskill (D-MO) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR) Mikulski (D-MD) Murphy (D-CT) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sanders (I-VT) Schatz (D-HI) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Stabenow (D-MI) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Warner (D-VA) Warren (D-MA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wyden (D-OR)
ESSENTIALLY THESE ARE THE 46 IN CONGRESS THAT MUST GO NOW!!!!
Joe Newby
On Saturday, Terry M. Hestilow, a retired United States Army Captain from Fort Worth, Texas, posted a letter on Facebook that he wrote to Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, warning that the Department of Homeland Security is preparing to go to war with the citizens of the United States.
"It is with gravest concern that I write to you today concerning the recent appropriation of weapons by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that can only be understood as a bold threat of war by that agency, and the Obama administration, against the citizens of the United States of America," his letter began.
The retired officer expressed deep concerns over "recent purchases of almost 3,000 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) armored personnel carriers, 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition (with associated weapons), and other weapons systems."
Capt. Hestilow added a statement that Barack Obama made during his 2008 campaign.
“We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve gotta (sic) have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well funded [as the United States military],” he said.
He also accused the administration of "deliberately defunding, overextending, and hollowing the Department of Defense," which he said is the "only legitimate agency" with the mission of conducting combat operations.
In his letter, Capt. Hestilow called on Congress to demand that the DHS surrender their weapons systems to the Defense Department. He also accused the DHS of enforcing the "tyrannical acts of this president" and said lawmakers should dissolve the agency "as soon as possible."
"One needs only to look to the rise of Adolf Hitler, and his associated DHS organizations, the SA and the SS, of 1932-1934, to see the outcome of allowing an agency of government this kind of control over the free citizens of a nation," he added.
Capt. Hestilow said that Americans cannot "be so naïve" as to think that what happened in Germany cannot happen here.
Earlier in the week, Capt. Hestilow asked his Facebook followers who the DHS intends to kill with the weapons and ammunition that it has recently purchased.
"Short answer," he wrote. "You and me! Anyone they think is standing in their way to impose a new Marxist government! Anyone who stands for the U.S. Constitution!"
"If I live and still have a page to speak out on later this week, I will discuss a proper Constitutional response in a couple of days. Standby. Out," he wrote on Thursday.
Capt. Hestilow ended his strongly-worded letter with a simple declaration: "We refuse to surrender our Constitution or our nation!"
I Support gun rights! I support the 2nd Amendment as well as the entire Constitution! I will never sell out the rights of the American people like ELLEN B of Care2. Ellen B, take my name off of your mailing list-I don't support you or your loser of a president. You would see us defenseless against a corrupt government and a tyrannical ass in office and you will be amongst the first of those begging for our help soon-again-but this time it will be because we will still have our guns and be able to defend ourselves and others when Obama attempts to destroy us with his army.
A copy of a letter I just wrote and sent to NY Gov. Cuomo:
I am writing in regards to you passing bills without listening to your people, which you clearly never do or you would actually do as we ask! We did not ask for your b.s. gun control-yet behind our backs you illegally passed that bill. You keep trying to sneak a bill in allowing NY to be fracked even though you know we in NY are 100% against it. You prove daily that your arrogant, refuse to listen to us and cater only to big government and to the richest! Your making mistakes that will cost you your job and trust me-you will never be president of these states pulling the crap your pulling behind our backs! You either start working for NEW YORKERS-not just a select few who line your pockets-or you will find yourself removed from your current position as govenor and be wearing a nice orange jump suit for your crimes against NY!
IMPEACH OBAMA NOW!
This war on guns-the same war Care2.com and many other groups that claim to be for us, as in on our sides with our rights, including this government is not about ending violence. Make no mistake-it is about control over the American people and nothing more! Only a fool would think otherwise. So to you Obama-Center for biological diversity, color of change and all you other lying assholes hiding behind the words "I care for you and will fight for your rights"-I say the following words! Because your fools working with this government to leave us completely defenseless and at their mercy 100% with your stance on gun control, I am now fighting you on your agenda's! I am for idiot control, crazy control and for control over my own life! You nor your damned government have any right to impose your beliefs on anyone, yet you continue to do so and without giving credible facts against your stupid grab for American citizens guns! What's next-our knives? Do you fools not think people with bombs kill more than people with guns? Only a fool would believe your attempt to take our guns will create less violence. People will continue to kill with other sources and you people know this to be fact. Another fact you choose to keep out of your politically driven agenda is how a man who was busy shooting people at a movie theater was confronted by another armed man intent on ending the violence which caused the assailent to then shoot himself. I dont wonder why you leave that story out-you do it because it's pro for guns and you choose to make it all look ugly for gun owners. You would have us in a country where hundreds of thousands of police are abusive to the citizens, where only military, government employees and police have guns, which can and will be used on us in great numbers if we have nothing left to defend ourselves with? How the hell are you working for positive change?
American People please please think long and hard with an open mind and open eyes before voting for President. Obama is trying to destroy America and many Americans are allowing it to happen. He is pro Islamic-proof is in where he spent 20.3 million dollars to bring the Radical Islamic terrorist organization with sworn allegiances to the Muslim Brotherhood-The Hamas refugees to America for asylum(HB1388), just more proof he is pro Islamic; all while cutting funding for our own militay's Healthcare by 13 billion dollars and spreading them thin all over. He is destroying our Military while building his own Islamic military to use against the American people. He snuck a bill in cutting Medicare but withdrew timing of realease and affect of this bill untill after a couple of weeks after his assumed re-election because if he had kept with original plans of effective date he would have lost all Senior votes. He has repeatedly attacked Libiya without consent of Congress, flat out stated he will not enforce laws in effect or made newly effective if he does not agree with them, caused people to turn against people-openly showed racism when he gave "special funding" to African American farmers -them being the only race to recieve monetary compensation by Obama for their part in slavery. He has attacked Arizona and Texas for enforcing current laws regarding illegal immigration and destroyed current laws requiring illegal immigrants to go through proper channels to become legal citizens(again adding to his personal army to be used against the American citizens who do not comply with his tyrany). He threatens Judges into submitting to his will and his will alone. He uses drones to kill innocent people all in the name of fighting terrism but the other side to his two faced dealings with us is he is building an army of terrorists to use against us. He is taking away our civil liberties and destroying our military so that congress cannot fight his army. He proves everyday that he does not like American values by destroying them daily. He declared martial law for no reason and just passed a law behind our backs giving himself the power to declare martial law whenever he wished to for whatever reason without question. He acts like he is King and in reality he is a Tyrant bent on the destruction of America as we once knew her-Proud, immovable and self reliant! If you vote for him you will force ugly change on us all and that includes you and you will force many of us into a civil war because many of us will no longer stand for this, so I urge you to take a true look at Obama and his evil band of bastards before going to the poll offices. Look at the taxes he has imposed on us without our consent. He has forced our American Companies to seek refuge in other countries by cutting off trade with all parts of the world(see the dicrepancies between imports and exports-the imbalance between China alone is 87 billion dollars). Why are we,at Obamas hand, building a $750,000 soccar field in Guantanamo Bay(the very same place he promised to close forever if elected-he was elected yet the lights are still fucking on there)? And dont forget Khalid Sheik Mohammed has yet to stand trial for masterminding 9/11. If you vote for him you will regret it! Please dont make others say we told you so-we really do not want to be in a position to say that.
DO YOU SEE HOW THE US GOVERNMENT IS TRYING EVERY MEANS AVAILABLE TO BREAK OUR BANK ACCOUNTS AND MAKE US POORER AND KEEP THEM THAT WAY. GARAGE SALES-EBAY-SELLING USED BELONGINGS MADE OVERSEAS, IT'S ALL IN COURT NOW. WE CANNOT-IF THE LAW GOES THROUGH-SELL THEM IF THEY ARE MADE OVERSEAS. If this government wasn't actually taking foreign companies sides they would have stood up to them already but instead they are going to court over it? Court? For what? Do not trust these leaders-they are leading us to the grave and do not care. If you dont go along and give total compliance they murder and or imprison us(put us in prison and secretly kill us. That is Obama's way as it has been for Bush!Stand up to these leaders and take them out of office or lose everything you have ever worked for.
Expose our "leaders". Make them show us they are either with or against us on how and why they vote on every issue! If they are not with us then they must be removed from office as they are not for preservation of life - Joseph Johnson
To me, paying to eat dinner with Jim Henson held much more value than paying to have dinner with Obama; at least with Henson you met the puppet master instead of the puppet.
You might be surprised at what kinds of things puts our names on U.S.A's terrorist watch list and you might also be shocked to learn about the many of hundreds of thousands of coffin liners are stock piled by the US government and then you will figure it all out when you learn the the USA has spent over one billion dollars buying hollow point ammunition! Likely you will be sick to your stomach to learn that they plan to kill millions of us off. Here are just a few examples of what gets your name on the terrorist watch list: Anyone growing their own food-Oh yes this gets your name on the list because your self sufficiant and dont depend on your government(the one thing they are pushing for today), those of us who grow herbs for medicinal use and those who know how to cure disease and treat others and being a bus driver automatically puts your name on this list! Scarey right? It's true tho. Just as true as it is that not enough of us are standing up to this. When you lose enough loved ones will you still give your silent obedient consent to your government?
Why dont Presidents fight the war Why do they always send the poor?
Dont waste your time on coffins today! I want you To be Left behind those empty walls Taunt you To see From behind those empty walls (Empty Walls-Serj Tankian)
"I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that."
- Thomas Edison
PEOPLE SHOULD NOT FEAR THEIR GOVERNMENT;THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD FEAR THEIR PEOPLE!........."V"
FACT: People who want a better world for everyone, people who want positive change, people who care-are usually mad(angry-not crazy). We are passionate-unrelenting, loving, but we are usually mad. In a world full of injustice-I am seriously mad!
Fact-if I die suddenly and unexpectedly-it was'nt an accident. I read, I see, I figure things out. I know that everyone who cares enough about the people of this country/world to fight loudly and broadly for them and for their rights and is'nt afraid to take on the dictators running the government or the or the low-life scum working police departments-cia-fbi,ect-end up dead! It is no accident if I die soon! After all I have been through and done to myself-it will have to be purposeful when I die,because I-like John Lennon and John F.K.-believe in POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!! Blame this government and then fight back. Trust me when I say that nobody kicks my ass as well as I have and do! I have been in many accidents that would have killed most anyone else, yet I am still here. I am still here to fight for justice-everyones rights and I am fighting the 1% with all of my passion. I love this /land/country/world and the people in it. I fight more for you than for myself. I was beaten for most of the first 15 years of my life by people who were much stronger and larger than I was-my parents, older brothers, uncles, grandparents...I grew up on welfare. I was poor then and have been since. I never tried to strike it rich and I wouldnt want that now anyways. I dont care about money. I care about life! I care about freedom! I care about equality(like the murdered Martin King Jr)! I care more about you than myself and that makes me dangerous to those who would try to control you! I fight them! I fight oppression, I fight injustice and I fight Governmental control over the people who hired them in the first place! I am here on this earth simply to love and to fight! My whole life was in preparation for this fight we are in today. I was born and bred for this. I harbor no ill will for those who beat me, who oppressed me, who locked me in my bedroom and tied me to my bed as a child because my energy level was "too high" and "just could not control me otherwise", to those who put me on the dangerous drug Ritalin, to those who ripped me off! You filled me with rage-rage to use in this fight-but controlled rage and that is dangerous. You made me stronger-you prepared me for this,thank you. Yes-I still fight for you! BEST of all-I am not alone. There are others just like me and they cannot kill us all!
On a special note: I am Cherokee and if there is a list in my heart of who I fight for first it is whom are called "Native American" or American Indian or injun or redskin. Whatever you call us-we are those who were here first and it is time we are back in government and my intention is to see this done! I am what is called a disenfranchised cherokee-meaning I have to prove the blood that runs through my veins is as my ancestors have always told me-we are the only clan that has to do this(and yes-you council members should feel shame for this - as you deny your own people our heritage-making you no better than them!). Tho disenfranchised I may be-I am still Cherokee and I still fight for the rest of you-and for the Creek, Sioux, Apache(the other tribe's blood that courses through my veins), for the Chippewa, ect... For all the nations held down-I stand for you. Accept me or not-I am here! I fight and I say time for true positive change-not the b.s. spewing from puppet president elect! Time for change is NOW! Time to fight for our way of life is NOW!
I am back. I have been busy with work,family and every day living but my time-what was left of it-was spent starting an animal rescue/rehabilitation shelter. Today I have taken in 6 dogs, 10 cats, 3 rabbits, 3 chinchillas, 2 cockateils, 1 gerbal and two sheep. I have successfully fostered out one dog and one cat. We have lost a couple due to previous illnesses. Almost all of these animals were abused and left to die, or were literally dying from hunger and cold on the streets all alone. This is a totally self supported shelter, tho donations would be highly appreciated. It's sad what some of these beautiful animals have gone thru when not a single one was'nt looking for love and compassion. We have taken some in with eating disorders, bad skin issues, allergies nearly beyond control but all are back to health. I use herbal treatment on most and seek vet assistance whenever needed but the truth is if we watch our pets close enough we can usually tell what they need, and I must be right because we have brought some animals back from one foot outside the grave and everyone is happy. Other than select areas due to our cattle(non rescue cattle), they are free to roam 228 acres of beautiful countryside-with me,of course,lol. This is why I have been absent from care2 for so long. I figured what I was doing outside of care2 was much more effective and immediate than what I was doing on care2 so this is where I have been and what I have done and am still doing.
"Try to put aside what you may have read about 'savage' Red Indians and any impressions you may have formed from old Hollywood movies about barbaric natives who worshipped the Sun and communicated with evil spirits. Contrary to such misrepresentations, there is ample evidence that American Indians were, in general, a loving and gentle people of great character and strength of purpose, possessors of considerable courage and endurance for life in all it's forms. Though there were hundreds of tribes, many languages, and different levels of development, they shared a common sense of honour and morality and a close affinity with nature and the environment. They had a common attitude to life that was essentially both spiritual and practical. " Kenneth Meadows
"American Indians are the most heroic, the most physically perfect and the most spiritual civilisation the world has ever known!"Ernest Thompson Seton Prayer Song
Sequoya I hear your cries and though I did not know you in the flesh-I know your spirit well we share the same desires to forever unite our people Oh Sequoya though I did not know you(in the flesh) I still love you so my blood is the same as yours tsalagi is who we are this they cannot take away but I fear the loss of our own people as i watch them give up who we are they have lost the way:cannot see the path we need your spirit to bring them back Sequoya,please come in spirit as your body is now found fulfill your prophecy-gather your children round take us to the white path lead us along the way help us find our heritage help us to stay that way. Joseph Morgan
The Earth does not belong to us; We belong to the Earth! To Her we all return!
A persons value is not measured by how much money or material wealth they have obtained; nor is it measured by how much love he/she has from other people;It is measured by how much love we give out.
"Whole Indian nations have melted away like snowballs in the sun before the white man's advance. They leave scarcely a name of our people except those wrongly recorded by their destroyers. Where are the Delawares? They have been reduced to a mere shadow of their former greatness. We had hoped that the white men would not be willing to travel beyond the mountains. Now that hope is gone. They have passed the mountains, and have settled upon Cherokee land. They wish to have that action sanctioned by treaty. When that is gained, the same encroaching spirit will lead them upon other land of the Cherokees. New cessions will be asked. Finally the whole country, which the Cherokees and their fathers have so long occupied, will be demanded, and the remnant of Ani-Yunwiya, THE REAL PEOPLE, once so great and formidable, will be compelled to seek refuge in some distant wilderness. There they will be permitted to stay only a short while, until they again behold the advancing banners of the same greedy host. Not being able to point out any further retreat for the miserable Cherokees, the extinction of the whole race will be proclaimed. Should we not therefore run all risks, and incur all consequences, rather than submit to further loss of our country? Such treaties may be alright for men who are too old to hunt or fight. As for me, I have my young warriors about me. We will have our lands. A-WANINSKI, I have spoken."-Dragging Canoe-Greatest of the Cherokee War Chiefs.
I dare everyone who reads my page to take up this challenge; Do one totally unselfish act of helping another and insist the only repayment of this favor is that they Pass it On....
I am not brave, I simply react. I act correctly for whatever must be done in what ever situation I am needed in. If I must stand and fight for a child I am not acting out of bravery, I am reacting out of need - A child's need.
Two Wolves
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed." Author Unknown
When I Look Into Your Eyes:
When I look into your eyes, what do I see? I see a little longing to be free I see pain, fear and sadness too and I see guilt that dont belong to you. I see the loneliness that you keep, and I see tears of sadness running deep. No it's not my refection that I see, this poem is about you, not me. Looking deeper into your eyes I see a woman not trying to hide. She is beautiful, fair, sweet and kind and she has a fantastic mind. She is a wild spirit when her wings are'nt clipped yet tame enough to be awesome on any kind of trip. She is romantic, passionate, gentle and strong enough to make it through all that's held to her like glue. I see you on a cliff, your standing there your eyes not covered by hat nor hair Your pleading eyes are full of tears and your screams have reached my ears. Your mouth moves begging for escape I'm here to walk you through the gate. You cannot jump-not today I grab you up into my arms, and I whisk you away from all his evil charms. No longer in need, I toss your shell into the sea, because now you've truly been set free. In my arms I hold you tight, your finally released from your fight.
Do I see through to the real you? Oh yes, and that's why I love you. Joseph Johnson
She Walks In His Soul:
She is always in his thoughts, though he knows not why. His thoughts are of her while he sleeps and when he first wakes. He watches her closely and does little things to catch her eye still not knowing why. His urges are to hold her, to kiss her lips, to feel her heartbeat with his. She walks in his soul. The sky is clear and full of stars on a cold wintery night but the lovers are warmed by the heat of their passion. Late into the night he sees one star burning brighter than all the others. Now he understands why: That star is theirs.... She walks in his soul. Joseph Johnson
Waiting For Two:
33 years going by good enough having the time of my life it took just one look for me to want to be there about little else did I care I just wanted to know all that, knowing what would come in the end if there were to be one though I have doubted all that would ever stay my hand looks like I was right after all the stagnant times little games played so sweetly take me back to when this all began racing there just to be the one I'd be first at being ready for the moments I have lived for after 8 hours of building appetite join the two and put up the fight 2 moons later still the same let go but wanted most ever never forgotten cant be forsaken never was it mine for the taking but offered so sweetly in little brown eyes resistance was futile I went with it lucky me but I tried to choke it it was stronger perhaps stronger than I in the end it won and so did I so did you we formed a new tribe. Joseph Johnson
Free
Shallow mindedness perpetual sadness extracted all the happiness borderline madness it's what they seem to want from me narrow minded weak and dumb do what I'm told and like it part of their automated system
Chorus: Oh but not me I'm living to be free when they come for me that's when I take them down
Stolen romances torture of the soul passing to insanity fight this, fight this steal back my crown it fights me long it fights me hard but with a flick of the wrist they all go down not your average pawn
Chorus
Standing tall standing firm you want me your way but this life is mine I dont run I refuse to hide wont steal away in the night I'm facing you in this fight to take back my life
Chorus
To Be Let Go:
To be let go I fell in love with you it did'nt mean a damn thing I opened up to you just to be let go You said your in love with me you'll never let me go You said that our love means everything to you but it rarely ever shows you said our friendship is strong we'll have to keep it going You said I'll always be special let's keep our love alive You said in your heart it will never be over then you let me go
Chorus: I did'nt want to hurt you why did you squeeze it I did'nt mean to hurt you you did'nt have to squeeze it I really want to love you why did you let me go....
All this , it makes sense to me I'm a part of the sickness your tearing at the very core of me too weak to resist this bloods rushing to my head you got me that angry breaking me apart at the seams your trying to destroy me I'm not a part of what they did to you so why did you crush me my heart was in your hands you did'nt have to squeeze it
Chorus
I trusted you for it to die like a rose that's it, take a few more of those it'll help to kill my mind all good things die in time who hurt me more than I hurt you impossible it seems, but I speak the truth
Chorus
Will you be my friend
Will you be my friend? Will you be here when I'm sad and comfort me when I cry? When I'm lonely and really need a friend to talk to, will you be that person? Will you laugh with me or meet me in the valley to watch the sun rise up over the mountain top? Will you be there to fix me when I'm broken? Will you be my toughest critic when I need that most, or put me gently in my place when I'm out of line? Will your compliments be real and not a fabricated fantasy made to falsely please me? Will you also let me be there for you when you have these needs of me? Will it be a committed friendship or one where we dont speak? I've met alot of people, I've seen alot of souls. I have searched both far and wide, but never met someone like you. To live life now without you seems like a hollow emptiness, so I'm asking you in a most heartfelt way will you be my best friend every day? Joseph Johnson
A Kiss That Last's A Lifetime
You stood there in my home with your back against the wall watching me do this and that, nervously waiting for the next anticipated moments, both excitedly nervous for what is about to happen, wanting it, craving every moment of it, longing it always, thinking so much about it Then you asked me, "are you gonna come over here and kiss me or what?" "Yes" I say as I turn to you, and walk the short space between us. Taking each other in our arms we start with a tightly drawn embrace. I look deep in your eyes, your looking back just as deep. Slowly our faces come together our lips pressed to one another's. Wave after wave of emotion pours through our lips. All the feelings we have both held in for so long can no longer be kept there locked away in the rooms reserved, they come bursting through the walls we thought secure. A passion we never gave before we give to each other, we take from each other. As our tounge's touch together another rush of excitement coming through. There is nothing now, no walls between us anymore, as we stand embracing, kissing, giving everything we have in a kiss that will last a lifetime. Joseph Johnson
Andrew Jackson is the Hitler of my people. What makes him doubly hated by the Cherokee is that our people helped him win the battle against the Creeks that raised him to national prominence. He was quick to forget us; for our pains, he rewarded us with the Trail of Tears.
As long as I can fill these lungs with air, Big Brother shall NEVER forget what was done to my people! Joseph Morgan-Ani Yunwiya
Samuel Cloud turned 9 years old on the Trail of Tears. Samuel's Memory is told by his great-great grandson, Michael Rutledge, in his paper Forgiveness in the Age of Forgetfulness. Michael, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is a law student at Arizona State University. It is Spring. The leaves are on the trees. I am playing with my friends when white men in uniforms ride up to our home. My mother calls me. I can tell by her voice that something is wrong. Some of the men ride off. My mother tells me to gather my things, but the men don't allow us time to get anything. They enter our home and begin knocking over pottery and looking into everything. My mother and I are taken by several men to where their horses are and are held there at gun point. The men who rode off return with my father, Elijah. They have taken his rifle and he is walking toward us.I can feel his anger and frustration. There is nothing he can do. From my mother I feel fear. I am filled with fear, too. What is going on? I was just playing, but now my family and my friends' families are gathered together and told to walk at the point of a bayonet.We walk a long ways. My mother does not let me get far from her. My father is walking by the other men, talking in low, angry tones. The soldiers look weary, as though they'd rather be anywhere else but here.They lead us to a stockade. They herd us into this pen like we are cattle. No one was given time to gather any possessions. The nights are still cold in the mountains and we do not have enough blankets to go around. My mother holds me at night to keep me warm. That is the only time I feel safe. I feel her pull me to her tightly. I feel her warm breath in my hair. I feel her softness as I fall asleep at night.As the days pass, more and more of our people are herded into the stockade. I see other members of my clan. We children try to play, but the elders around us are anxious and we do not know what to think. I often sit and watch the others around me. I observe the guards. I try not to think about my hunger. I am cold.Several months have passed and still we are in the stockades. My father looks tired. He talks with the other men, but no one seems to know what to do or what is going to happen. We hear that white men have moved into our homes and are farming our fields. What will happen to us? We are to march west to join the Western Cherokees. I don't want to leave these mountains.My mother, my aunts and uncles take me aside one day. "Your father died last night," they tell me. My mother and my father's clan members are crying, but I do not understand what this means. I saw him yesterday. He was sick, but still alive. It doesn't seem real. Nothing seems real. I don't know what any of this means. It seems like yesterday, I was playing with my friends.It is now Fall. It seems like forever since I was clean. The stockade is nothing but mud. In the morning it is stiff with frost. By mid-afternoon, it is soft and we are all covered in it. The soldiers suddenly tell us we are to follow them. We are led out of the stockade. The guards all have guns and are watching us closely. We walk. My mother keeps me close to her. I am allowed to walk with my uncle or an aunt, occasionally.We walk across the frozen earth. Nothing seems right anymore. The cold seeps through my clothes. I wish I had my blanket. I remember last winter I had a blanket, when I was warm. I don't feel like I'll ever be warm again. I remember my father's smile. It seems like so long ago.We walked for many days. I don't know how long it has been since we left our home, but the mountains are behind us. Each day, we start walking a little later. They bury the dead in shallow graves, because the ground is frozen. As we walk past white towns, the whites come out to watch us pass. No words are spoken to them. No words are said to us. Still, I wish they would stop staring. I wish it were them walking in this misery and I were watching them. It is because of them that we are walking. I don't understand why, but I know that much. They made us leave our homes. They made us walk to this new place we are heading in the middle of winter. I do not like these people. Still, they stare at me as I walk past.We come to a big river, bigger than I have ever seen before. It is flowing with ice. The soldiers are not happy. We set up camp and wait. We are all cold and the snow and ice seem to hound us, claiming our people one by one. North is the color of blue, defeat and trouble. From there a chill wind blows for us as we wait by a frozen river. We wait to die.My mother is coughing now. She looks worn. Her hands and face are burning hot. My aunts and uncles try to take care of me, so she can get better. I don't want to leave her alone. I just want to sit with her. I want her to stroke my hair, like she used to do. My aunts try to get me to sleep by them, but at night, I creep to her side. She coughs and it wracks her whole body. When she feels me by her side, she opens her blanket and lets me in. I nestle against her feverish body. I can make it another day, I know, because she is here. When I went to sleep last night, my mother was hot and coughing worse than usual. When I woke up, she was cold. I tried to wake her up, but she lay there. The soft warmth she once was, she is no more. I kept touching her, as hot tears stream down my face. She couldn't leave me. She wouldn't leave me. I hear myself call her name, softly, then louder. She does not answer. My aunt and uncle come over to me to see what is wrong. My aunt looks at my mother. My uncle pulls me from her. My aunt begins to wail. I will never forget that wail. I did not understand when my father died. My mother's death I do not understand, but I suddenly know that I am alone. My clan will take care of me, but I will be forever denied her warmth, the soft fingers in my hair, her gentle breath as we slept. I am alone. I want to cry. I want to scream in rage. I can do nothing. We bury her in a shallow grave by the road. I will never forget that lonesome hill of stone that is her final bed, as it fades from my sight. I tread softly by my uncle, my hand in his. I walk with my head turned, watching that small hill as it fades from my sight. The soldiers make us continue walking. My uncle talks to me, trying to comfort me. I walk in loneliness. I know what it is to hate. I hate those white soldiers who took us from our home. I hate the soldiers who make us keep walking through the snow and ice toward this new home that none of us ever wanted. I hate the people who killed my father and mother. I hate the white people who lined the roads in their woolen clothes that kept them warm, watching us pass. None of those white people are here to say they are sorry that I am alone. None of them care about me or my people. All they ever saw was the color of our skin. All I see is the color of theirs and I hate them.
This next story is from a man who was friends with the Ani yunwiya, and was also a soldier during the forced death march.
John Burnett's Story of the Trail of Tears Birthday Story of Private John G. Burnett, Captain Abraham McClellan’s Company, 2nd Regiment, 2nd Brigade, Mounted Infantry, Cherokee Indian Removal, 1838-39. Children: This is my birthday, December 11, 1890, I am eighty years old today. I was born at Kings Iron Works in Sulllivan County, Tennessee, December the 11th, 1810. I grew into manhood fishing in Beaver Creek and roaming through the forest hunting the deer and the wild boar and the timber wolf. Often spending weeks at a time in the solitary wilderness with no companions but my rifle, hunting knife, and a small hatchet that I carried in my belt in all of my wilderness wanderings. On these long hunting trips I met and became acquainted with many of the Cherokee Indians, hunting with them by day and sleeping around their camp fires by night. I learned to speak their language, and they taught me the arts of trailing and building traps and snares. On one of my long hunts in the fall of 1829, I found a young Cherokee who had been shot by a roving band of hunters and who had eluded his pursuers and concealed himself under a shelving rock. Weak from loss of blood, the poor creature was unable to walk and almost famished for water. I carried him to a spring, bathed and bandaged the bullet wound, and built a shelter out of bark peeled from a dead chestnut tree. I nursed and protected him feeding him on chestnuts and toasted deer meat. When he was able to travel I accompanied him to the home of his people and remained so long that I was given up for lost. By this time I had become an expert rifleman and fairly good archer and a good trapper and spent most of my time in the forest in quest of game. The removal of Cherokee Indians from their life long homes in the year of 1838 found me a young man in the prime of life and a Private soldier in the American Army. Being acquainted with many of the Indians and able to fluently speak their language, I was sent as interpreter into the Smoky Mountain Country in May, 1838, and witnessed the execution of the most brutal order in the History of American Warfare. I saw the helpless Cherokees arrested and dragged from their homes, and driven at the bayonet point into the stockades. And in the chill of a drizzling rain on an October morning I saw them loaded like cattle or sheep into six hundred and forty-five wagons and started toward the west. One can never forget the sadness and solemnity of that morning. Chief John Ross led in prayer and when the bugle sounded and the wagons started rolling many of the children rose to their feet and waved their little hands good-by to their mountain homes, knowing they were leaving them forever. Many of these helpless people did not have blankets and many of them had been driven from home barefooted. On the morning of November the 17th we encountered a terrific sleet and snow storm with freezing temperatures and from that day until we reached the end of the fateful journey on March the 26th, 1839, the sufferings of the Cherokees were awful. The trail of the exiles was a trail of death. They had to sleep in the wagons and on the ground without fire. And I have known as many as twenty-two of them to die in one night of pneumonia due to ill treatment, cold, and exposure. Among this number was the beautiful Christian wife of Chief John Ross. This noble hearted woman died a martyr to childhood, giving her only blanket for the protection of a sick child. She rode thinly clad through a blinding sleet and snow storm, developed pneumonia and died in the still hours of a bleak winter night, with her head resting on Lieutenant Greggs saddle blanket. I made the long journey to the west with the Cherokees and did all that a Private soldier could do to alleviate their sufferings. When on guard duty at night I have many times walked my beat in my blouse in order that some sick child might have the warmth of my overcoat. I was on guard duty the night Mrs. Ross died. When relieved at midnight I did not retire, but remained around the wagon out of sympathy for Chief Ross, and at daylight was detailed by Captain McClellan to assist in the burial like the other unfortunates who died on the way. Her unconfined body was buried in a shallow grave by the roadside far from her native home, and the sorrowing Cavalcade moved on. Being a young man, I mingled freely with the young women and s. I have spent many pleasant hours with them when I was supposed to be under my blanket, and they have many times sung their mountain songs for me, this being all that they could do to repay my kindness. And with all my association with Indian s from October 1829 to March 26th 1839, I did not meet one who was a moral . They are kind and tender hearted and many of them are beautiful. The only trouble that I had with anybody on the entire journey to the west was a brutal teamster by the name of Ben McDonal, who was using his whip on an old feeble Cherokee to hasten him into the wagon. The sight of that old and nearly blind creature quivering under the lashes of a bull whip was too much for me. I attempted to stop McDonal and it ended in a personal encounter. He lashed me across the face, the wire tip on his whip cutting a bad gash in my cheek. The little hatchet that I had carried in my hunting days was in my belt and McDonal was carried unconscious from the scene. I was placed under guard but Ensign Henry Bullock and Private Elkanah Millard had both witnessed the encounter. They gave Captain McClellan the facts and I was never brought to trial. Years later I met 2nd Lieutenant Riley and Ensign Bullock at Bristol at John Roberson’s show, and Bullock jokingly reminded me that there was a case still pending against me before a court martial and wanted to know how much longer I was going to have the trial put off? McDonal finally recovered, and in the year 1851, was running a boat out of Memphis, Tennessee. The long painful journey to the west ended March 26th, 1839, with four-thousand silent graves reaching from the foothills of the Smoky Mountains to what is known as Indian territory in the West. And covetousness on the part of the white race was the cause of all that the Cherokees had to suffer. Ever since Ferdinand DeSoto made his journey through the Indian country in the year 1540, there had been a tradition of a rich gold mine somewhere in the Smoky Mountain Country, and I think the tradition was true. At a festival at Echota on Christmas night 1829, I danced and played with Indian s who were wearing ornaments around their neck that looked like gold. In the year 1828, a little Indian boy living on Ward creek had sold a gold nugget to a white trader, and that nugget sealed the doom of the Cherokees. In a short time the country was overrun with armed brigands claiming to be government agents, who paid no attention to the rights of the Indians who were the legal possessors of the country. Crimes were committed that were a disgrace to civilization. Men were shot in cold blood, lands were confiscated. Homes were burned and the inhabitants driven out by the gold-hungry brigands. Chief Junaluska was personally acquainted with President Andrew Jackson. Junaluska had taken 500 of the flower of his Cherokee scouts and helped Jackson to win the battle of the Horse Shoe, leaving 33 of them dead on the field. And in that battle Junaluska had drove his tomahawk through the skull of a Creek warrior, when the Creek had Jackson at his mercy. Chief John Ross sent Junaluska as an envoy to plead with President Jackson for protection for his people, but Jackson’s manner was cold and indifferent toward the rugged son of the forest who had saved his life. He met Junaluska, heard his plea but curtly said, "Sir, your audience is ended. There is nothing I can do for you." The doom of the Cherokee was sealed. Washington, D.C., had decreed that they must be driven West and their lands given to the white man, and in May 1838, an army of 4000 regulars, and 3000 volunteer soldiers under command of General Winfield Scott, marched into the Indian country and wrote the blackest chapter on the pages of American history. Men working in the fields were arrested and driven to the stockades. Women were dragged from their homes by soldiers whose language they could not understand. Children were often separated from their parents and driven into the stockades with the sky for a blanket and the earth for a pillow. And often the old and infirm were prodded with bayonets to hasten them to the stockades. In one home death had come during the night. A little sad-faced child had died and was lying on a bear skin couch and some women were preparing the little body for burial. All were arrested and driven out leaving the child in the cabin. I don’t know who buried the body. In another home was a frail mother, apparently a widow and three small children, one just a baby. When told that she must go, the mother gathered the children at her feet, prayed a humble prayer in her native tongue, patted the old family dog on the head, told the faithful creature good-by, with a baby strapped on her back and leading a child with each hand started on her exile. But the task was too great for that frail mother. A stroke of heart failure relieved her sufferings. She sunk and died with her baby on her back, and her other two children clinging to her hands. Chief Junaluska who had saved President Jackson’s life at the battle of Horse Shoe witnessed this scene, the tears gushing down his cheeks and lifting his cap he turned his face toward the heavens and said, "Oh my God, if I had known at the battle of the Horse Shoe what I know now, American history would have been differently written." At this time, 1890, we are too near the removal of the Cherokees for our young people to fully understand the enormity of the crime that was committed against a helpless race. Truth is, the facts are being concealed from the young people of today. School children of today do not know that we are living on lands that were taken from a helpless race at the bayonet point to satisfy the white man’s greed. Future generations will read and condemn the act and I do hope posterity will remember that private soldiers like myself, and like the four Cherokees who were forced by General Scott to shoot an Indian Chief and his children, had to execute the orders of our superiors. We had no choice in the matter. Twenty-five years after the removal it was my privilege to meet a large company of the Cherokees in uniform of the Confederate Army under command of Colonel Thomas. They were encamped at Zollicoffer and I went to see them. Most of them were just boys at the time of the removal but they instantly recognized me as "the soldier that was good to us". Being able to talk to them in their native language I had an enjoyable day with them. From them I learned that Chief John Ross was still ruler in the nation in 1863. And I wonder if he is still living? He was a noble-hearted fellow and suffered a lot for his race. At one time, he was arrested and thrown into a dirty jail in an effort to break his spirit, but he remained true to his people and led them in prayer when they started on their exile. And his Christian wife sacrificed her life for a little who had pneumonia. The Anglo-Saxon race would build a towering monument to perpetuate her noble act in giving her only blanket for comfort of a sick child. Incidentally the child recovered, but Mrs. Ross is sleeping in a unmarked grave far from her native Smoky Mountain home. When Scott invaded the Indian country some of the Cherokees fled to caves and dens in the mountains and were never captured and they are there today. I have long intended going there and trying to find them but I have put off going from year to year and now I am too feeble to ride that far. The fleeing years have come and gone and old age has overtaken me. I can truthfully say that neither my rifle nor my knife were stained with Cherokee blood. I can truthfully say that I did my best for them when they certainly did need a friend. Twenty-five years after the removal I still lived in their memory as "the soldier that was good to us". However, murder is murder whether committed by the villain skulking in the dark or by uniformed men stepping to the strains of martial music. Murder is murder, and somebody must answer. Somebody must explain the streams of blood that flowed in the Indian country in the summer of 1838. Somebody must explain the 4000 silent graves that mark the trail of the Cherokees to their exile. I wish I could forget it all, but the picture of 645 wagons lumbering over the frozen ground with their cargo of suffering humanity still s in my memory. Let the historian of a future day tell the sad story with its sighs, its tears and dying groans. Let the great Judge of all the earth weigh our actions and reward us according to our work. Children - Thus ends my promised birthday story. This December the 11th 1890.
Broken Promises:
They made us many promises, too many to remember, but they kept but one: They promised to take our land, and they did. (Chief RedCloud)
July 4th Idependence day? For who is it Independence day? For the Creek? For the Apache?, How about the Seminole, the Sioux, or Cherokee, or Chippewa, Mohawk, Crow, Cree, Dakota, Cayuga, Onadaga, Onieda? Where is our Independence? Where is our freedom to live as we once did? When Is Our Independence Day? Joseph Morgan
Why must we the Cherokee, see Jackson's face on hand bills, as if we have not enough reminder of how evil the US GOVERNMENT is, you put the face of your evil right into ours when you put it on the twenty dollar bill and made us use them. His face on the twenty dollar bill is a symbol of STOLEN LIFE from my people. Big Brother, never forget ge-tsi-ka-hv-da-a-ne-gv-i (The Trail Where They Cried), because we NEVER will!
Why is it that in America people glorify the rich? Why do do people look up to the rich as if they are important people? They are'nt important if they sit on their money. The Donald Trumps, Vince McMahons and Rockefellars as well as all the other filthy rich people sit on their money and never share it with those in need. They are greedy scum of the earth. They could do so much to end world hunger, put clothing on bare bodies, house the homeless, yet they sit on their money like they can take it when they leave this life. You rich people who have literally billions of dollars in your bank accounts are the bigger part of the ugliness in this world. I hope every rich person who fails to care for his/her fellow man find yourselves broke. I'd like to see the day when money loses ALL value and your forced into poverty like so many others. You would kill yourselves for the escape. Cowards! Mind you, I know there are some rich people who actually help others, unlike the richer ones who donate a small fraction just for appearences and to get a bigger tax break. You people are'nt trying to help, your trying to save face! You should be ashamed! You are the enemy!
My original join date was Feb 25, 2000. My #1 interest is the preservation of all life.
A Plea to the American People
(Nov 2)
American People please please think long and hard with an open mind and open eyes before voting for President.
Obama is trying to d...
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THANK YOU DEAR JOSEPH FOR THE GREEN STAR! I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU ABOUT!!! I HOPE ALL IS GOING WELL WITH YOU, YOUR MUSIC AND LIFE! LOVE & HUGS ALWAYS, ELAINE
Sweet Joseph, Just wondering how you have been?? Hope everything is going well with you.. Love to hear from you.. Take Care.. Love and hugs PipperLeaxx
HELLO MY FRIEND... I MISS HEARING FROM YOU, WANT TO KNOW IF YOU ARE STILL PLAYING THAT FUNKY BEAT..YOUR MUSIC AND HOW IS IT GOING! I THINK YOU ARE AWESOME..SPENT A LITTLE TIME IN YOUR POETRY AND WAS TOUCHED, QUITE A BEAUTIFUL DISPLAY OF PASSION, WELL DONE!!! LOVE & HUGS, ELAINE
The two songs I chose to celebrate the new year of 2013 are Niki Nana meaning We Are One or as Lakota say Mitakuye Oyasin. The other song hails from the sixties but we need this as much today as then. Peace, we must speak up for Peace more often! Let 2012 be the end of the old ways 2013 the beginning of better ways. HAPPY NEW YEAR
Sweet Joseph, It's Always a Blessing to know you.. I hope this finds you Healthy and your heart at peace~ May the Light of Love and Contentment surround you!! Stay Happy.. Love and Hugs PipperLea xxx
AS ONE. THANKING YOU FOR THE GREEN STAR. Born in 1993, Evren is of Anglo, Osage and Turkish descent. Evren has released three independent, instrumental albums. Highlights of his music career include a featured solo performance at the Native American Music Awards when he was eight, being named a Davidson Fellow in Music at eleven, performing throughout US, England, Belgium and, in Germany, in affiliation with Doctors Without Borders. He continues to perform Native American flute while majoring in pilot aviation.