Isn't This Ironic...

Some of the older readers may remember how the environmentalists used the image of an actor playing an Indian Chief who wept a tear when he saw what was happening to the environment. They've used the idea of the Nobel Savage deploring what is happening to the environment effectively. The Indian was Chief Iron Eyes Cody and the ad aired on Earth Day, 1971, sponsored by Keep America Beautiful. There's something about Chief Iron Eyes Cody that deserves a footnote (down at the bottom...).

Now, isn't this ironic?

Both the Hopi and Navajo tribes have made environmentalists persona non grata on their tribal lands.


Because...

Navajo President Joe Shirley Jr. and Hopi lawmakers say environmentalists' efforts could hurt the tribes' struggling economies by slowing or stopping coal mining.

Shirley said Wednesday that he will stand in solidarity with the Hopi Tribe, and joined Hopi lawmakers in encouraging other tribes to re-evaluate their relationships with environmentalists.

"Environmentalists are good at identifying problems but poor at identifying feasible solutions," Shirley said in a news release. "Most often they don't try to work with us but against us, giving aid and comfort to those opposed to the sovereign decision-making of tribes."

Ouch,


Isn't that ironic?

From the comments on the above link:

I am a red skinned girl, a traditional American Indian. I stand with my peoples on this issue. These actions taken by the Sierra Club and other environmental groups, I view as an attempt at economic genocide. These actions taken by environmentalists will cause egregious harm to my peoples, will cause abhorrent harm to Indian children, women, men and elderly. Environmentalists are displaying a cold, calculating and calloused attitude towards American Indians.

Environmentalists are warned to take this banishment from our lands quite seriously. This is an action rarely taken by my peoples and an action not taken lightly. To be banished from our lands requires actions which present a serious threat to our well being, safety and lives. Trespass on our lands after banishment will, most likely, elicit an aggressive response from my peoples.

Being banished from our lands brings high shame and high dishonor to environmentalists.

Our nations are sovereign, our lands, our lifestyles, our lives are solely ours. We American Indians have zero tolerance for those who violate our way of life and our national sovereignty. In essence, we view environmentalists as having declared war upon our peoples. This is a war environmentalists will lose, and a war which will bring great shame upon environmentalists.

We American Indians are a free peoples and we will remain just such.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation
Puma Politics

Oh, isn't it ironic...

...that Chief Iron Eyes Cody, according to this, wasn't a Native Indian at all, but rather an Italian actor who played Indians for pretty much his entire career...born as Espera Oscar de Corti in 1904, died in 1999. Parents were from Sicily. He claimed to be part Cree and part Cherokee, married a Native Indian, adopted two Native Indian children. According to the IMDB, he was in over 180 movies. Snopes confirms his ancestry...and the Native American Association honored him nonetheless, as they saw his deeds were what mattered: he lived as an Indian and was an advocate. 'nuff said.