Fighting Back

October 18, 2020

Dear Subscriber:

Each week we examine a theme from a variety of points of view. The theme for this week, in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, is Native American history.

I welcome comments on my poems at https://nicholasgordon.blogspot.com.

A poem for Indigenous Peoples’ Day adapted from the Constitution of the Indian Federation covering Native American tribes in Southern California in 1922:

FIGHTING BACK

Adapted from the Constitution of the Indian Federation (Tribes of Southern California), ca. 1922.

The name of this Indian organization shall be
THE MISSION INDIAN FEDERATION.

Its objects are to secure by legislation or otherwise
All the rights and benefits belonging to each Indian
Both singly and collectively;
To protect them against unjust laws, rules and regulations;
To guard the interests of each member
Against unjust and illegal treatment.

"HUMAN RIGHTS AND HOME RULE"
Shall be the slogan adopted
By the Mission Indian Federation.

The Mission Indian Federation
Shall be non-political and non-sectarian,
The discussion of which
Is most stringently forbidden
In the Councils and Conventions.

© by Nicholas Gordon

To see this poem on my site, go to https://www.poemsforfree.com/fighti.html. For more poems about indigenous peoples, go to https://www.poemsforfree.com/indigenouspeoplesdaypoems.html .

This week’s theme: Native American History
October 12: Treaties Are Made to Be Broken
October 13: To Shelter the American Character from Lasting Dishonor
October 14: A Graphic Illustration
October 15: Indian Babarities
October 16: Cultural Genocide
October 17: From the Great White Father to His Children
October 18: Fighting Back