American Indian Movement

[Fawkes]

Does anyone know if they AIM has partaken in any actions recently? I know that after they had their split, their actions died down considerably, but I am curious as to whether they even really exist anymore.

[rouchambeau]

You might want to look up "six nations" on google. IIRC they're a group of tribes that were resisting the takeover of some of their land. I doubt they're AIM, but at least they're doing something.

[RNK]

Six Nations are located in (the geographical designation known politically as) Canada, mainly Quebec and Ontario...

After checking, I'm wrong. Six Nations are located in New York, Ontario, and Quebec.

[YSR]

I have a friend who worked with Six Nations land reclamation recently and can certainly attest that they're working.

There's also a lot of work being done in the southwest U.S. Land reclamation, occupation, etc. I also heard recently about a group who is fighting to get their fishing rights recognized, which is difficult with commercial over-fishing in the area. I think that was in the northwest.

AIM itself broke into two feuding factions in the 90's. As far as I can tell there is very little leadership at a national level and the conflict against the State has moved back onto reservations. What is promising is the fact that activists off reservations, both indigenous and not, have really started to plug into reservation and tribal struggles and have provided solidarity like never before.

[Pilar]

The new American Indian radical political leadership is placing its future in the United Nations committee working on indigenous rights.

This is an agreement that has a built in flaw, from the point of view of most “first world” nations: that each group (let’s say the Hopi) would be able to classify its individuals, and claim them as part of their group.

The problem comes in exactly what that status brings to them.

Does it bring to them a status separate and apart from the mainstream, exempt from the laws of the mainstream, and bound to the laws of the sub-group.


Taken to its logical/illogical conclusion, the fear by first world governments is that many citizens of indigenous heritage will argue that in their “group”, they are allowed to do X, while in the mainstream they are not.

[Guerrilla22]

AIM takes part in actions all the time. I know the Denver branch is very active, I used to take part in their actions because I had a prof who is involved. Every year they protest the Columbus Day parade in downtown denver. They also are still trying to free Leonard Peltier and with the Western Shoshone Defense Project. As mentioned, some of the leaders were involved in trying to get an indigenous bill of rights passed through the uN, but thus far it has been blocked by the US and numerous other states.

[Janus]

Does anyone know if they AIM has partaken in any actions recently?
Yes, they still engage in rallies, protests, and various other actions to raise awareness for the plight of the Native American people. Just because they've stopped their aggressive militant actions, doesn't mean that they've ceased to function anymore.

As far as I can tell, they still have many chapters out there particularly in the West and other areas where there is at least some Native American presence.

http://www.americanindianmovement.org/index.htm

[Pilar]

I miss their antics from the early 70's.

[rouchambeau]

Yeah, Pilar. It was pretty classic when they took over Alcatraz (or however you spell it) and claimed it "by right of discovery".

[Janus]

It was pretty classic when they took over Alcatraz (or however you spell it) and claimed it "by right of discovery".
The Alcatraz Occupation was actually conducted by a Native American group that called itself the Indians of All Tribes rather than by the nascent AIM.

[dannie]

My mother's pretty knowledgeable about native American affairs, I'll see if I can get her to check in some time.

[freakazoid]

Originally posted by [email protected] 29, 2007 04:22 pm

It was pretty classic when they took over Alcatraz (or however you spell it) and claimed it "by right of discovery".
The Alcatraz Occupation was actually conducted by a Native American group that called itself the Indians of All Tribes rather than by the nascent AIM.
A group had done that, :lol: . That is awesome. What ended up happening?

[Janus]

What ended up happening?
A group of Native Americans from various different tribes landed on Alcatrac on November 20,1969 (this was the third occupation) and demanded the return of Alcatraz to the Native American people and sufficient funding to build, maintain and operate an Indian cultural complex and a university. Though the government agreed to negotiate, they rejected all of the demands the occupiers proposed. This resulted in a 19 month standoff/occupation which ended in June due to the loss of support as well as the poor living conditions that the occupiers were forced to deal with.

More info. (http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/nativeland.html)