Wild-west fantasies die hard among the ignorant.
Residents of Kay County, Oklahoma, called police September 5th in alarm over Native Americans “running down the road with weapons and tomahawks.” Police arrived, drew firearms, and handcuffed a citizen of the Mohawk Nation who was running with a sacred eagle staff as part of a Peace and Dignity Journey marathon run, held for Native and non-Native participants alike.
Apparently residents had phoned police because they were concerned about a recent rash of break-ins—because of course we all know that whenever American Indians decide to break into a house and steal things, they first run through the center of town in a large group, in full ceremonial regalia, carrying sacred eagle staffs. A local Indian newspaper called the incident “typical of the type of ‘law enforcement’ our indigenous citizens endure in Oklahoma.”
[Also, for those who are wondering, yes, this blog is tied in with a forthcoming book, a sort of encyclopedic atlas to be published by Auslander and Fox under the title Let’s Split! A Complete Guide to Separatist Movements, Independence Struggles, Breakaway Republics, Rebel Provinces, Pseudostates, Puppet States, Tribal Fiefdoms, Micronations, and Do-It-Yourself Countries, from Chiapas to Chechnya and Tibet to Texas. Look for it in spring 2013. I will be keeping readers posted of further publication news.]
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