"Lewis & Clark" mis-interpretation Boycott

"Lewis & Clark" mis-interpretation boycott petition

Whereas, many Lewis & Clark displays (LCDs) around the country preparing to profit off of wandering tourists, leave out accurate and truthful information about Indigenous Red Indian Nations and Peoples (misnomer Native American, American Indian), and

Whereas, some LCDs even go so far as to disrespect or denigrate the existence of the Red Race, and where such an example can be found at Sioux City, Iowas Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. At this center, a display perpetuates a stereotypical misconception that Indians eat dog meat as a regular meal and is as hurtful and ridiculous as assuming Catholics eat tiny bread circles every day for lunch and drink wine each night at home to quench a cannibalistic thirst for the blood and flesh of one of their dead heroes, and

Whereas, the fact is usually left out of LCDs that Clark/Lewis were on nothing less than a military reconnaissance mission to map out the locations of those Indigenous Nations and Peoples upon whom the worlds largest, quickest, and deadliest genocide would then soon continue to occur against by a greedy u.s. government, and

Whereas, another unstated fact not found at an LCD is that trillions of dollars worth of gold were illegally taken from Indigenous Red Nation territories, such as the gold removed from the Black Hills of South Dakota (1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie Territorial Homelands of the Nakota [Nakota, DaNakota, Dakota, Lakota Nation, misnomered Sioux]), and whereas, the theft of said gold resource is still kept as stolen property in locations such as Fort Knox; and that billions of dollars worth of coal are removed annually from Indigenous 1851 Treaty homelands in Wyoming to satisfy power needs of millions of midwestern Americans at huge profits to large corporations while most Nakota remain impoverished, and

Whereas, many American people are still of the mistaken belief that the Clark/Lewis expedition was to inform the Indians that the u.s. government now owned or controlled all the lands west of the Mississippi River (based upon the illegal and genocidal Louisiana Purchase), and

Whereas, innocent animals like Wolves were captured and/or slaughtered ruthlessly and daily by Clark/Lewis along the way through the Big Muddy Missouri River invasion of 1803/04, and

Whereas, many American people are unaware that Lewis was a slave owner and that Clark committed suicide shortly after his return home from the genocidal trip, and

Whereas, often at the LCDs, no mention of the true historical fact regarding the Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples living there for millions of years is offered to the travelers visiting these locations, although visitors are often willing and eager to learn and understand actual historical Indigenous fact, and

Whereas, the LCDs also often find it acceptable to continue to lump together by lack of description, all Indian nations as one, thereby continuing a horrendous act of ignorant & racist stereotyping, with no acknowledgement of each Nations unique language and culture, referring to separate, unique and distinct Nations as though they were one, that being Indian, and

Whereas, most people dont realize that many daily items cherished today by Americans and the world such as corn, tomatoes, potatoes, french fries, catsup, tomato sauce for spaghetti and chocolate, come from Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples as gifts to the world. A nice thank you at these centers would be much better to Indigenous Peoples than a slap in the face, and

Whereas, it is a shame that in this day and age in what is self-declared as being a great society and the most civilized nation in the world, these racist and false assertions are allowed. These sites certainly could serve as great teaching tools for all who come to them and could be used instead, as an opportunity to share the truth about Indigenous peoples and the events that took place as the military came through those areas. It is far easier to be positive than to continue to spread lies about such a beautiful, innocent race of people referred to as Indians, but who are Indigenous to these lands and have always been here.

Therefore be it resolved that the Indigenous People and non-Indians who support truth and honor hereby condemn these types of LCDs and urge friends, relatives, and visitors to refrain from attending.

Be it further resolved that an all out boycott of the Lewis and Clark Mis-interpretive Center in Sioux City is in effect until the leaders of the establishment inform visitors to this area true and accurate information regarding Indigenous Red Nations and Peoples.

Be it finally resolved that we encourage ourselves and our friends, relatives and acquaintances to urge all churches and organizations to boycott ignorant LCDs, in honor of truth and justice for all. How communities along the Missouri River can disrespect and neglect the varied and diverse character of Indigenous peoples in front of millions of visitors and travelers is a question whose time has come to be answered.