Sharice Davids Quotes

[Tribal] Sovereignty is just a means to an end. The end is healthy, happy and safe communities.

Tribal sovereignty means that. It's sovereign. You're a... you're a... you've been given sovereignty and you're viewed as a sovereign entity.

When once an Indian sees that his food is secure, he does not care what the chief or any one else says.

The Indians have a right to the occupation of their lands, independent of the States within whose chartered lines they happen to be

I disapprove... of the proposal to subject the Indians to our laws without their consent,... It is so little in concord with our principles of government.

We do not want to be anybody's pawns. We are an ancient people. We want our autonomy. We want sarbasti—freedom. I do not know who will take my place one day. But they cannot crush us.

The rule of liberty that all government derives its authority from the consent of the governed, applies only to those who are capable of self government. We govern the Indians without their consent, we govern our territories without their consent, we govern our children without their consent.

The time has come to allow tribal governments to stand free—independent, responsible and accountable.

I have asked some of the great white chiefs where they get their authority to say to the Indian that he shall stay in one place, while he sees white men going where they please. They can not tell me.

Neither our present-day natives nor their ancestors ever surrendered their sovereignty…. Frankly, I don't recall ever surrendering my sovereignty either. I was never asked whether I accepted the rule of federal, provincial or municipal governments over me. I was simply born here, like a Mohawk or an Inuit, and successive groups of people calling themselves the government have taken it upon themselves to claim that they rule me.

While Indians were in a state of at least semi-independence, there did not seem to be any great necessity for interference.

Honestly, Russia should want it, to give our territory, our land back to us.

I support the administrative rules promulgated by the Department of the Interior which permit a Native Hawaiian government to establish a relationship with the U.S. government. If Native Hawaiians form a government consistent with those rules and seek federal recognition, I would likely support the request.

If you believe you're a nation, then I accept you as a nation.

There are tribes, I should say nations, which prior to the AIM movement had only ten or fifteen employees, and now have upwards of 2000. There are educational programs that didn't exist before, there are housing programs, health programs, senior citizen programs, cultural programs and the list goes on. It's all because some people stood up and said sovereignty is our right by treaty and the constitution says treaty law is the supreme law of the land.

I am the maker of my own fortune, and Oh! that I could make that of my Red People, and of my country, as great as the conceptions of my mind, when I think of the spirit that rules the universe. I would not then come to Governor Harrison to ask him to tear up the treaty, and to obliterate the landmark, but I would say to him, "Sir, you have the liberty to return to your own country."

Our continent must be allowed to do its own things, charting its course and destiny.

Sovereignty is a question of principle. We must tell the Iraqis: you are a sovereign people. And you are in charge of your own future.

To be free. Such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world.

I thank God that I have lived to see my country independent and free. She may long enjoy her independence and freedom if she will. It depends on her virtue.

I am in favour of leaving people alone, however imperfect their polity may seem. It appears to me that you must not tell other nations how to set their house in order; nor must you compel them to be happy.

From a political point of view, there is but one principle, the sovereignty of man over himself. This sovereignty of myself over myself is called Liberty

I do not wish to be either governor nor governed!

There’s a limit to how much living can be done in a life without freedom.

Once you've tasted freedom, it stays in your heart and no one can take it. Then, you can be more powerful than a whole country.