September 25, 2007
Treaties trump Schmautz
In the United States there exists a very old piece of legal paper that governs how everyone in this country co-exists with one another, called the Constitution. Among Indian Tribes there are also very old pieces of paper that govern our relationships with the United States, called treaties.
In each of our treaties our forefathers had enough insight to set aside education for the generations behind them. They gave something very dear in exchange for that bill of rights for us, our land.
Universities all over America receive large amounts of money to do that very thing. The University of Montana receives a great deal of money that helps further the education of American Indians. My point is that it is not a gift. There was an exchange and an agreement. Our fathers negotiated well for us with prepaid education.
So my advice to this young and news editor of the Kaimin would be to do what this institution tries to prepare us to do. Use scientific method to do your research and report the true facts based on empirical evidence.
Some people say that Montana became a state after the Treaties, thereby negating the treaties. However, one of the conditions of statehood was that states would honor all the treaty obligations for the tribes within the State.
There is another option, however. We could do away with the treaties altogether and take back all the land just like we do when we repossess any other item that is not met in contractual agreements. Wouldn’t it be ironic that the Salish people would then own the very University that you are chastising for fulfilling their obligations.
Charlene Burns
senior, psychology
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