Spring Break
LaSells fills for speaker on activism and choice
Once a vice presidential hopeful running with Ralph Nader, LaDukespeaks on a variety of issues
Aleks Cherednichenko
Issue date: 3/8/07 Section: News
She brought up the example of the Winema National Forest in Oregon, land that belonged to the indigenous people in the region and is now federal property. "The only compensation for land is land," LaDuke said.
A lesson which isn't taught in American culture is to avoid greed, said LaDuke. "We never ask how people get rich. We don't care," she said.
LaDuke presented the audience with the hard reality of wealth disparity not just in America, but all around the world. Quoting statistics from a United Nations study, the 220 richest people in the world have the same combined income as the bottom 2.5 billion people.
"Ethics and morals of such greed should be addressed," LaDuke said. She noted that in indigenous communities like her own, the accumulation of wealth takes a backseat to distribution, which takes the form of an annual ceremony performed on the White Earth reservation.
"I tell my kids to clean up their mess before starting another one," LaDuke said. She pointed to the U.S. military and the nuclear industry as the largest polluters in the world. "The nuclear industry is an example of overuse of technology, and this is a general health problem for our society," LaDuke said.
"America does not know how to say sorry - not socially, politically or environmentally," LaDuke said.
Responsibility for one's mistakes was the final lesson of the lecture. "The reality is that it took awhile to get things screwed up and it will be awhile before it gets fixed," LaDuke said.
LaDuke also spoke to the audience about one of the causes she is committed to - keeping wild rice from being genetically engineered. Recently, the University of Minnesota has bid for the right to genetically engineer wild rice, a food sacred to the Ojibwe Indians. That is something that LaDuke does not intend to let happen.
"Change is made by the hands of individuals," LaDuke said. "If you want to live with dignity you have to make it for yourself."
A lesson which isn't taught in American culture is to avoid greed, said LaDuke. "We never ask how people get rich. We don't care," she said.
LaDuke presented the audience with the hard reality of wealth disparity not just in America, but all around the world. Quoting statistics from a United Nations study, the 220 richest people in the world have the same combined income as the bottom 2.5 billion people.
"Ethics and morals of such greed should be addressed," LaDuke said. She noted that in indigenous communities like her own, the accumulation of wealth takes a backseat to distribution, which takes the form of an annual ceremony performed on the White Earth reservation.
"I tell my kids to clean up their mess before starting another one," LaDuke said. She pointed to the U.S. military and the nuclear industry as the largest polluters in the world. "The nuclear industry is an example of overuse of technology, and this is a general health problem for our society," LaDuke said.
"America does not know how to say sorry - not socially, politically or environmentally," LaDuke said.
Responsibility for one's mistakes was the final lesson of the lecture. "The reality is that it took awhile to get things screwed up and it will be awhile before it gets fixed," LaDuke said.
LaDuke also spoke to the audience about one of the causes she is committed to - keeping wild rice from being genetically engineered. Recently, the University of Minnesota has bid for the right to genetically engineer wild rice, a food sacred to the Ojibwe Indians. That is something that LaDuke does not intend to let happen.
"Change is made by the hands of individuals," LaDuke said. "If you want to live with dignity you have to make it for yourself."
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