Russell Means Visits Camp Casey II
Means Says He Understands Power Of Women
By Gene Ellis
ICONOCLAST REPORTER
CAMP CASEY II — Russell Means’ appearance on the stage at Camp Casey II in Crawford yesterday was a surprise to many. For background on this famous Indian (who eschews the government term “Native American”), see brief additional biographical information at the end of this story.
Means, a long-time activist, arrived in Central Texas to support the efforts of Cindy Sheehan and her Iraq war protestors. He well understands the power of women. He spoke, both on stage and in a later interview with the Iconoclast, of the matriarchal society of the American Indian.
Motherhood in America has an inkling of the meaning of this, Means mused, but the Indians live it.
He explained that in a family, the mother is the only member who cannot be replaced. Women live longer than men, can stand more pain, have more endurance, he said. At about this point, Means introduced his wife, Pearl, and received a hug from Joan Baez, who was sitting on the floor of the stage with Cindy Sheehan, listening to Means’ remarks.
Means said that America has a patriarchal society where men rule alone and in fear of the unknown because they are alone. Matriarchy, he pointed out, is not fear-based. In a matriarchal society, each sex is celebrated for its strengths, and there is local control, male/female balance.
During the later interview with the Iconoclast, Means made a point of saying that he is sincere about women taking control of their power, providing a balanced and positive culture. The Blue and Gold Star mothers have an innate understanding of matriarchy, according to Means, even though, as members of a patriarchal society, they have been brainwashed for many years.
In a matriarchal society, all must be responsible.
“If the government of this country imposes so many rules, we feel no responsibility for ourselves, and we become careless,” said Means. To illustrate his point, he used the example of the lack of traffic rules in Italy. Because there are no rules, each person must take it upon his or herself to be responsible, not to be careless, to ensure his or her own safety.
When asked to speak about military recruiters targeting low-income youths, including Indians, Means said that it follows the history of a patriarchal society that the poor kids are to be the common fodder. Even after the Civil War, when Americans wouldn’t join the military, European immigrants were pulled off boats and forced to do two years of subscripted service to obtain citizenship. The poor are always a target for military induction, Means concluded.
Means reiterated that if men rule alone in their citadels of power, they are fearful.
A libertarian, Means paraphrased George Washington, “Government is force, nothing more, nothing less.”
Means added to this his own thoughts, “This government is evil. How can patriots support a president over the Constitution? That is treason. The purpose of the first amendment is to encourage dissent. Without dissent, it is impossible to live free.”
His comments were reminiscent of Margaret Mead’s quote that has graced the back of many a tee shirt in Crawford over the last two weeks. It reads, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
The Los Angeles Times has described Russell Means as the most famous American Indian since Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
Means is a life-long indigenous rights/constitutional rights activist, actor, artist, and author. His best selling autobiography “Where White Men Fear to Tread” is currently on its eighth printing. He has a doctorate in Indian Studies, and is also a practicing attorney on the Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
For more than 30 years, Means has remained active with the American Indian Movement and has traveled and lectured extensively throughout the world while working for over 12 years with the United Nations.
Means became the first national director of The American Indian Movement (AIM). He is known for helping lead his people to stand against the United States government at the Siege of Wounded Knee in 1973.
His vision is for indigenous people to be free — free to be human, free to travel, free to shop, free to trade where they choose, free to choose their own teachers — free to follow the religion of their fathers, free to talk, think and act for themselves, and then, says Means, they will obey every law or submit to the penalty.
About The Siege at Wounded Knee, he wrote, “Our aim at Wounded Knee was to force the U.S. government to live up to its own laws. From that, one can draw the real lesson of our stand there: It is the duty of every responsible American to ensure that their government upholds the spirit and the laws of the United States Constitution. After all, what freedom really means is that you are free to be responsible.”
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