Happy Blackfeet Independence Day! by Bob Juneau, Sr.

HAPPY BLACKFEET INDEPENDENCE DAY! TODAY IS THE DAY THE BLACKFEET 1896 AGREEMENT WAS RATIFIED BY CONGRESS AND BECAME THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND WHICH RESERVED ALL OF THE LAND BASE OF THE BLACKFEET INDIAN RESERVATION FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE AND OCCUPANCY OF THE BLACKFEET INDIANS AND RECOGNIZED THE SUCCESS OF THE BLACKFEET CATTLE INDUSTRY AND BLACKFEET CATTLE RANCHERS SELF-RELIANCE BASED UPON THE GRAZING LANDS AND WATER RIGHTS GURANTEED IN ARTICLE FIVE OF THE TREATY. DO WE WANT TO TRADE OUR TREATY RIGHTS FOR A COUPLE OF GLACIER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS? ROBERT HAMILTON, OUR GREAT TRIBAL LAWYER AND INTERPRETER FOR THE BLACKFEET CHIEFS SAID EVEN THE WORST CRIMINAL HAS SOMEBODY TO DEFEND THEM, BUT WHO IS DEFENDING THE BLACKFEET VICTIMS OF JOE SHERBURNE, CRIME BOSS, AND GLACIER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND COUNTY ATTORNEY'S ROBBERY OF HUNDREDS OF BLACKFEET LANDOWNERS? WHERE ARE OUR TRIBAL LEADERS? IN HELENA? GIVING AWAY THE TRIBAL WATER RIGHTS FOR MONEY FOR THE TRIBAL COUNCIL. DO NOT VOTE FOR THE STATE-TRIBAL WATER COMPACT, IT NULLUFIES THE 1896 AGREEMENT AND MAKES WHITES OUT OF TREATY-INDIANS. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE JUSTICE WILL BE DONE IN STATE COURT OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE? LET US GO TO THE SENATE INDIAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND GET OUR LAND BACK. THAT IS THE TRAIL OF BLACKFEET CHIEFS TO RESTORE OUR STOLEN LANDS.