Fast Horse: Amend Indian Civil Rights Act, Abolish BIA

Todd Curtis Fast Horse, member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, writes in The Independent Local that his tribal government needs a whoopin':

On the Rosebud Indian Reservation there is only the illusion of a tribal government that represents the people, is honestly elected and abides by the Constitution under which it was created.

In reality, nothing could be the further from the truth. When tribal governments are allowed to control all funds public and private, as well as tribal revenues and donated resources with no accountability, mismanagement, embezzlement and theft are only the beginning.

I believe Kleptocracy best describes the type of government created by the self-appointed long-term tribal government politicians. The term literally means, “Rule by thieves.” From the inside looking out, bribery, nepotism, cronyism, theft, embezzlement and electoral fraud are a big part of the status quo [Todd Curtis Fast Horse, "When Silence Is Betrayal," The Independent Local, 2010.10.03].

Fast Horse continues, saying the Bureau of Indian Affairs lacks the will and the authority to enforce the Indian Civil Rights Act and facilitates tribal corruption. Fast Horse calls for amending the ICRA and abolishing the BIA.

Fast Horse is a former Rosebud Community Chairman. He was kicked out of office and censured by the tribal council at the end of 2008. He tells more about the political corruption on the Rosebud in this letter to the Resource Party.

Sounds like Fast Horse and his neighbors should dress up like Gordon Howie and Barb Lindberg and toss their elected officials in the Little White River. I'm still waiting for our Tea Party activists to reach out to the reservations and make some serious efforts to fight political corruption right here in South Dakota.