For Native Americans, this is a painful moment in our history. We believe it is also a terrible stain on the Medal of Honor, which we respect as a true symbol of heroism. We share the patriotism that normally attaches to this high honor, every day, and especially on Memorial Day weekend.
You see, Native Americans have a history of service in our nation's military that is disproportionally much larger than our percentage of the overall population. We care about our ancestors at Wounded Knee and we care about the stain the Wounded Knee Medals of Honor place on the rightful presentations of our country's highest honor.
We'll be taking that message to Congress. We've already asked the military's highest chain of command to rescind the Wounded Knee Medals of Honor. Now, we'll seek action in Congress. This hasn't happened before because Native Americans have lacked the political clout to open doors on Capitol Hill. As we've increased the participation of voters in Indian Country, we're turning the corner on the moral imperative to do right by history and our ancestors.
Four Directions is raising funds to help pay the travel expenses for descendants of Wounded Knee victims and survivors to travel to Washington, DC, to bring this cause to Members of Congress during the week of June 25th. Participants must drive 300 miles to an airport in Rapid City in order to board a plane to DC. Four Directions is accepting donations to assist in travel expenses here.
Four Directions, Inc. (a 501(c)(4) organization) has conducted extraordinarily successful Native voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, voter protection programs, and improved Native voter access through litigation and persuasion with local and state government officials in Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Montana, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota over the past 17 years. They have been able to leverage partnerships with tribes, universities, top law firms, and civil rights groups such as ACLU, the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights Under Law, and the Native American Rights Fund.
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