Why Won’t You Just Die?

Guest column by Deron Marquez

These words seem to be on the minds of many folk. As Tribal Nations establish their rightful positions, many seek to quash their endeavors. I often write and speak about the infamous “them”. This “them” is a variable that is often illusive, but nonetheless a variable that is extremely present ­ hyper-present if you will. These troupes often use logic that is concave in nature and thus a fabricated fantasia. What is paramount here, the mass public, via mass media, is misinformed and any attempts to correct are rebuffed. Newspapers hide behind the analogy that the medium never said it was true and it was only reporting what was said, thus not confirming nor denying and remaining an informant of the situation or issues. With such a pattern in place, the reader is lead down a path that is full of half-news and the half report becomes the full truth. Those who cover Tribal Nations seek not but report all ­ very confusing and misleading.

“They” create situations with the aspirations of manifesting their figments into their reality, into their conscience, into their media, into their world. These coordinated attacks on Tribal Nations are one of many fronts and by many individuals. In one moment, the remark is made of local governance needing more control but Tribal governance should have no say regarding adjacent development ­ this argument is pharisaical and is soaked in hedonism, which is the major driving force. Some people receive an inherent pleasure of attacking and seeking to destroy another culture, another political body and another populace. These attacks, as ethically sanctimonious as they are, seek to end people and bring closure to the assimilation policy, a course of action that commenced many years pre-today.

Such the tide, which brought the end of affirmative action, that same non-crimson rush seeks to extinguish and abolish any traces of our people. Unlike the Hyperborean people, Tribal Nations are not mythical and we have walked this land longer than any other, but it is the other that refuses to understand us, thus using their ignorance against us. This blissful mindset allows these “others” to create their surreal world. In their dream, they see none of us. In their dream, they only see themselves and those likely to be them. Sure, they say color has no bearing, but, as we all know, color is only a precursor to what does matter ­ and it is not the tangible elements of life ­ but it is their mindset, their paradigm of a world which has to meet at least 95% of their set mind. It is their belief, their hyper-belief, that is correct and must be met and for those who don’t prescribe to such philosophy, they want two things: (1) assimilate, or; (2) perish.

They must mutter it. They must think it. They must share it with their like. It is clear in their literature. It is what they will never say, but it is what they think. So, I believe it is my place to bring their thought to light and acknowledge to them that I understand what they are truly stating as they hide behind “issues” reflecting on Tribal Nations. “Why won’t you just die?” is the subliminal creed and it is not a new phenotype and nor are the phenocopy groups. States for years have been seeking to end Tribal Nations. State right groups have destined for the same and local grass root groups have emerged too. From politicians to heads of states to the housewife, all are found in these various groups and all ask the same question: “Why won’t they just die?”

Deron Marquez is Chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.