Top Russell Means Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

Russell Means Biography

Russell Charles Means (November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012) was an Oglala Lakota activist for the rights of American Indian people, libertarian political activist, actor, writer, and musician. He became a prominent member of the American Indian Movement (AIM) after joining the organization in 1968, and helped organize notable events that attracted national and international media coverage.

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Russell Means Quotes

Being an Indian means living with the land. And the only way we'll be able to do that is to gain our freedom.

Freedom, Gain, Indian, Land, Living, Mean

I say to the Christians and to every missionary on the reservations, you're welcome to have a church here if you can support yourself. But if these churches can't support themselves, then take the hint and quit using our poverty for your direct mail solicitations.

Christian, Church, Direct, Support, Using

You see the one thing I've always maintained is that I'm an American Indian. I'm not a Native American. I'm not politically correct. Everyone who's born in the Western Hemisphere is a Native American. We are all Native Americans. And if you notice, I put American before my ethnicity. I'm not a hyphenated African-American or Irish-American or Jewish-American or Mexican-American.

Ethnicity, Hemisphere, Mexican, Native American, Notice, Thing

It’s just unconscionable that America has become so stupid.

America, Become, Stupid, Unconscionable

Children in poverty aren't trying to get out of poverty; they're just trying to rip off a pair of Nikes. So we Indian people are a microcosm of what's happening in America. We are now consumers, and our culture has gone.

Children, Gone, Microcosm, Nike, Poverty, Rip

An oral society develops both sides of your brain, and the utilization of your brain is more complete than in a linear education module. The written word limits your brain capability by immediately focusing on one area. You don't have any peripheral vision. It immediately divorces you from the environment.

Brain, Divorce, Environment, Peripheral, Vision

Young people and Indian people need to know that we existed in the 20th Century. We need to know who our heroes are and to know what we have done and accomplished in this century other than what Olympic athletes Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills have done.

Accomplished, Athlete, Athletes, Hero, Indian, People

Let me go to Clinton's new proposal: to have uniforms in public schools. And people are doing that. How come they're doing that? Dress codes! I find that abhorrent.

Abhorrent, Let, People, School, Uniforms

America always put forth this phony melting pot theory, but it's a reality now. They couldn't accomplish the melting pot economically; they couldn't accomplish it politically, or through education and science. But America has become a consumer society, and I see young people in the cities - of all colors and races - hanging out together over consumerism.

America, Colors, Hanging, Race, Reality, Theory

I've always thought it was arrogant to write about yourself, particularly when you're still alive.

Alive, Arrogant, Thought, Write, Writing

I've always considered myself a man of integrity as a leader of the American Indian Movement and of Indian people. I will stand that test against anyone at anytime, anywhere.

Anytime, Anywhere, Integrity, Men, People

We Indians do not teach that there is only one god. We know that everything has power, including the most inanimate, inconsequential things. Stones have power. A blade of grass has power. Trees and clouds and all our relatives in the insect and animal world have power. We believe we must respect that power by acknowledging it's presence. By honoring the power of the spirits in that way, it becomes our power as well. It protects us.

Animal, Believe, Blade, Power, Presence, Way

I don't want to be remembered as an activist; I want to be remembered as an American Indian patriot.

Want, Patriot, American Indian, Activist, Remembered

Indian people are relics; we do not exist in the present.

Indian, People, Present, Relics

Before AIM, Indians were dispirited, defeated, and culturally dissolving. People were ashamed to be Indian. You didn't see the young people wearing braids or chokers or ribbon shirts in those days. Hell, I didn't wear 'em. People didn't Sun Dance, they didn't Sweat, they were losing their languages. Then there was that spark at Alcatraz, and we took off. Man, we took a ride across this country. We put Indians and Indian rights smack dab in the middle of the public consciousness for the first time since the so-called Indian wars.

Country, Men, People, See, War

What the American Indian Movement says is that the American Indians are the Palestinians of the United States, and the Palestinians are the American Indians of Europe.

American, Europe, Indians, Movement, Says, United States

They don't understand that a slice of the pie isn't the whole pie - but they wonder why they are always hungry

Knowledge, Pie, Slice, Understand, Whole, Wonder

The United States is a fake country

Country, Fake, States, United, United States

I'd like to talk about free markets. Information in the computer age is the last genuine free market left on earth except those free markets where indigenous people are still surviving. And that's basically becoming limited.

Age, Earth, Genuine, Limited, People

I tell the truth, and I expose myself as a weak, misguided, misdirected, dysfunctional human being I used to be.

Expose, Human, Telling The Truth, Truth, Used, Weak

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