Illustrating the intrinsically racist and greedy nature of capitalism, a federal judge ruled in Cobell v. Kempthorne on Aug. 7 that the U.S. government owes members of the Blackfeet Nation in Montana a mere $455 million in unpaid royalties for gas and oil drilling (Indiantrust.com, Aug. 14)
Starting with the Dawes Act of 1887, the U.S. government has served as the trustee for vast Native American lands. When the U.S. government divided up reservation land in the 1880s, it also took control over the legal titles for each allotment.
Through a calculated failure to keep accurate records for the Individual Indian Trust aided by document destruction during the trial, the U.S. government has had a field day with profits generated from drilling, mining and other profitable ventures undertaken in hundreds of thousands of people’s backyards. Revenues have been put toward reducing the national debt, largely accrued through war and the pursuit of other capitalist interests, at the expense of housing, medical care, education and other basic rights for half a million Native Americans.
Though an appeal of the verdict is in the works, the tragic reality is that the final ruling will be too little, too late regardless of the sum awarded. Already, plaintiffs have died over the 12 years during which this struggle has been fought. Hundreds of years of abuse, neglect and oppression cannot be rectified by the very same system that has committed these crimes. The Blackfeet Nation and all Native Americans deserve solidarity and support in their struggle for restitution from the U.S. government.
