Political Quotes

“In closing, I suggest one thing. This bill came from the tribes, not from the Sierra Club and not from the friends of this and not from the friends of that. All 28 organizations had nothing to do with the tribes. I have said all along--and I am pretty well related to the Athabascan Tribe in Alaska--it is time they are given the opportunity to fulfill the self-determination act that we passed. Words do not do that. This administration has these great conferences, and we invite everybody down and winky, winky, and now have a good time. Nothing happens administratively. Now, I know there is some legislation and I am working very hard to get legislation, but I can't do it all. I have to do it one little step at a time. This bill is requested by American Indians to have more control over their land. I have to remind this Congress that I sit in that we are now ranked in the nations around the world 20th in the freedom category. We have gone from number 1 to 20th. Think about that. The American Indians, our first people, are 13th in freedom because of our so-called free government. Now, there is something wrong with that. We are doing an indirect thing, as trustees, by not allowing them to expand their God-given right, their ability, their intellectual capability, to expand their self-worth and keep their identity.…”