Native American Land and Treaties

Thanks Mike. Do you disagree with any of the current platform or would you like to make an addition? I'm not sure the platform should say "pipelines must not cross into ..." because that is a top-down injunction rather than respecting the democratic processes of any given pipeline project in Native American territory.

Adrienne- I don't truthfully understand what you mean by "a top-down injunction..." I don't disagree with the platform, such as it is. I think it is rather short though. I know it talks about self government and recognition of Native American sovereignty. My first sentence just restates what is already part of the plank, but as a lead in to my statement about pipelines.
I know we support self determination of Native Americans, but with DAPL and the current Federal Government, I feel our part of the platform needs to stress that intrusion into Native American territory to complete pipelines initiated outside their territory can not be allowed.

I just meant that if we support sovereignty, which we do, we shouldn't then prescribe any particular rules. That should be the end of it. Because there might be a time when a sovereign Native American community wants the pipeline, so our platform shouldn't prohibit it out of hand. I don't think that's likely, I'm just talking about the language.

So would you like to add something to the plank as it currently stands, and if so, what?

We need to respect Native American sovereignty, something that has never been done to this day. I feel the plank needs to be clear and unequivocal.
The issue of pipelines and fracking while a separate issue, impacts the sovereignty as we have seen in DAPL. Keystone is coming back apparently and does it impact sovereignty or is it a straight environmental issue that belongs on that plank alone.
Here in NY they are now talking about a pipeline across the Lenape reservation. It runs through NY and NJ.
As the Green Party, this has to be a key part of our platform.

This is the plank as it is now:
Introduction: The Greens support New Yorkʼs recognition of Native American nations as sovereign with the right to self-determination and self-government. Treaties with sovereign nations should be respected and honored in fact and appearance. The Greens recognize the sovereignty of New Yorkʼs native nations.
The Green Party supports the following policies:

• Negotiated solutions with New Yorkʼs indigenous nations as preferable to court-imposed solutions
• Stopping New York Stateʼs imposition of sales taxes on sovereign nations’ land
• The right of indigenous people to participate in and celebrate their own culture

It seems clear an unequivocal to me, which is why I asked what you'd like to add or change in the current platform.

Thanks!

I still believe as part of the plank that a statement about respecting Native American rights to clean water and to approve pipelines that may cross into its sovereign lands.
That their decisions are absolute and can not be overruled by any Federal agency or government officials.

How about this bullet point:
* Sovereignty includes rights to clean water and to approve pipelines that may cross into its sovereign lands. Their decisions are absolute and cannot be overruled by any US agency or official, or any corporation.

Minor grammatical: I made "rights" singular in first bullet and changed "Their" to "Sovereign" in second sentence: "Sovereignty includes the right to clean water and the right to approve or deny pipelines that may cross into sovereign lands. Sovereign decisions are absolute and cannot be overruled by any U.S. agency or official, or any corporation."

Adrienne:
I think your bullet point is excellent.

Great! I put it in the platform!