Tag: American Indian Movement

The Emergence of the American Indian Movement: Resisting the Government | November 10, 1977

“What the government did to Peltier is the way that an oppressor must work, because Leonard represents the sovereignty that Indians speak of, sovereignty in the sense that we don’t have to be oppressed anymore, by any man or government, sovereignty in the sense that we understand that we are a natural part of the creation and that no man or government have a right to change that natural order. Sovereignty in a sense that we understand that all struggles of liberation will not be successful until the people control the land.” ~

SOURCE: The Daily Princetonian

Tim McGovern interview of John Trudell | January 11, 1976

John Trudell is the national chairman of the American Indian Movement, the highest elected official in AIM. In this interview he talks about the Wounded Knee Uprising of 1971, its aftermath, and media coverage of that event and others. In addition, Trudell tells how he thinks institutions in America, like the Catholic Church, the educational system, and the FBI are used as repressive tools. Before the interview I asked Trudell how long he’d been with AIM. His response was, “all my life. We just weren’t organized yet.”

Continue reading “Tim McGovern interview of John Trudell | January 11, 1976”

AIM Doesn’t Apologize for Two Dead Agents | June 30, 1975

“The American Indian Movement does not apologize for the two dead Federal Bureau of Investigation agents.” 

“We’re tired of being the only ones killed.” 

“We’ve heard accusations, now let’s see the proof. The press should demand to see the evidence.” – On alleged AIM involvement in shooting of agents on Pine Ridge. 

“A fascist tactic. The state has no jurisdiction on the reservation.” – On Bill Janklow bringing state law officers onto the reservation. ~

SOURCE: Rapid City Journal

AIM Speaker Describes His Struggle | April 28, 1975

“Civil rights are rights men legislate against you after they take away your human rights.” 

“I do not consider AIM to be a militant organization compared to United States arms policy.” 

“They talk about broken laws, we talk abut 389 broken treaties. Either all these laws mean something or all laws must be invalid.” 

“Wars are being fought against a defenseless people every day. White people say these wars ended with their grandfathers.” ~

SOURCE: Student Life (newspaper), University of Utah. Logan. V.72, No. 73

AIM Maturing, Chairman Says, Despite Criticism. | April 21, 1975

John Trudell the 29-year old chairman of the American Indian Movement, describes his organization as “the extension of the old renegade Indian membership.” Trudell, a Sioux living on the Duck Valley Reservation near the Idaho-Nevada border, was interviewed last week by reporter Thomas J. Lewis of The Idaho Statesman.

“AIM is maturing a little bit,” Trundell said. “We’re coming to the point now where we have a fluid membership.”

“The real question and issue is what about the system that uses the illegal tactics when it comes to its not dealing with issues like alcoholism and other problems. Those are the tactics we’re concerned with.”

Continue reading “AIM Maturing, Chairman Says, Despite Criticism. | April 21, 1975”

We’ve got to have a commitment so strong | Early Summer, (July) 1974

Prior to the International Treaty Conference, the American Indian Movement held a meeting in Cumberland, Wisconsin to work out its directions, internal strengths, and to set priorities. There, John Trudell, national chairman of the American Indian Movement, spoke on changes which must take place within the movement and AIM if change was going to come about in the lives of native peoples. This is an excerpt from his speech.

When we talk about discipline for the American Indian Movement, commitment is just about the number one thing to think about. We’ve got to have commitment so strong that when we get mad at each other, we overlook it. We’ve got to have commitment so strong that we don’t take no for an answer. We’ve got to have commitment so strong that we will not accept their rhetoric and lies for an answer. We’ve got to have commitment so strong we will live and we will die for our people.

Continue reading “We’ve got to have a commitment so strong | Early Summer, (July) 1974”

Akwesasne Notes | Early Spring, 1974

“We have been condemned for being militant and violent, but in the American Indian Movement, we have not killed anyone, yet many of our people have died. We have not taken anyone and locked them up in prisons, but many of our people have been put in jails. We have not sold alcohol to people on reservations. We have not taken the young children away from their parents and put them in mission schools. We have not taken racist education and put it inside of our boarding schools. We have done none of these things, and yet we are the ones condemned for being militant and violent and radical. It was militancy and it was violence, and it was radicalization that forced these things upon us and it did not come from our communities.” ~

SOURCE: Akwesasne Notes Vol. 6 No. 1 p.11

The present state of the American Indian Movement: An interview with John Trudell by Red Sun | September 27, 1973

RED SUN: We’re talking to John Trudell here, co-Chairman of AIM. We’re gonna ask him a few questions about the incident at Rosebud with Carter and Clyde Bellecourt.

JOHN TRUDELL: Well, our official stand on the whole incident is, its a governmental conspiracy. And we’re talking about being a conspiracy from looking at past government actions and treatment toward Indian peoples. We’re talking about it being conspiracy in the sense that American Indian Movement has been talking about Indian peoples treaty rights, and more basic than that, we’ve been talking about Indian People’s human rights. Our human right to dignity, self respect, our right to respect from other people. Talking about our rights to raise our children, our own way.

Continue reading “The present state of the American Indian Movement: An interview with John Trudell by Red Sun | September 27, 1973”

Judge Delays Aim Leaders Hearing | September 5, 1973

“This conspiracy to destroy the Indian people is being conducted through the use of alcohol, drugs, the judicial system and federal bureaucracy. This conspiracy is targeted not only at AIM, we have only to look at the oppressive conditions of our Indian peoples throughout America to recognize the realness of this conspiracy.” ~

SOURCE: Idaho State Journal

AIM Leader Clyde Bellecourt Shot and Critically Wounded at Rosebud Res. | Early Autumn, 1973

AIM supporters were thoroughly confused by the shooting, split in loyalties, and unsure what to do next. Statements by AIM leadership reflected the uncertainty and by September 4, a statement by John Trudell, national co-chairman (with Carter Camp) could say only that “the central leadership committee of AIM, having thoroughly evaluated all aspects of the shooting, has determined that the shooting was conspiratorial in nature.” Trudell described the conspiracy as aimed at the destruction of Indian people “through the use of alcohol, drugs, the judicial system, and the federal bureaucracy.” Trudell said that AIM refused to aid this conspiracy, and that it was asking members to return to their home communities to carry on with the business of program development for the liberation of native peoples in their own home communities. ~

SOURCE: Akwesasne Notes. p. 8.