On Tuesday during the National Congress of American Indians 78th Annual Convention, the day Vice President Kamala Harris hammered the individuals who were responsible for founding America, blasting the start of America for its “shameful past.”
“Those explorers ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations — perpetrating violence, stealing land, and spreading disease,” she blasted.
“President Joe Biden and I believe that the bond between our nations is sacred,” said as she referred to her audience as victims.
“And we take seriously our responsibility to one another,” she continued. “It is an honor to be with you this week as we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as we speak truth about our nation’s history.”
Harris then blasted explorers like Columbus who founded America: “Since 1934, every October, the United States has recognized the voyage of the European explorers who first landed on the shores of the Americas. But that is not the whole story. That has never been the whole story. Those explorers ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations — perpetrating violence, stealing land, and spreading disease. We must not shy away from this shameful past.”
“And we must shed light on it and do everything we can to address the impact of the past on Native communities today. Today we know that Native women and girls are missing and murdered at alarming rates. This is an epidemic and it must end.”
“Today we also know that Native American voters are being systematically denied access to the ballot box which is why we must pass the Freedom to Vote act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act,” Harris went on to say.
She later added, “I believe that we are at the beginning of a new era and a moment of incredible transformation as we work to rebuild our economy. As we work to restore our democracy.”
WATCH:
Check out what the Daily Wire reported:
The Biden administration’s relationship with some Native American tribes has been rocky. On January 21, the day after President Biden’s inauguration, a Native American tribe issued a blistering letter to Biden’s Acting Secretary of the Interior, Scott de la Vega, blasting his Secretarial Order No. 3395.
As Energy In Depth reports, the order “temporarily suspends delegations of authority regarding leasing and permitting on federal lands, with a significantly reduced staff able to approve such items. This order does not halt leasing or existing development, and at its face is a temporary measure, but is certain to create bottlenecks that last well-beyond the 60-day limit on the order.”
The Department of the Interior defended Order No. 3395 by writing, “The Order does not impact existing ongoing operations under valid leases and does not preclude the issuance of leases, permits and other authorizations by those specified. In addition, any actions necessary in the event of an incident that might pose a threat to human health, welfare, or safety will continue.”
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