Using "Ceremonial Grounds" For Weapons Course

[educatedindian]

In the category of How Strange Can They Get.

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http://threeoaks.dakotablogs.com/2008/03/08/wannabes-commercialize-their-%e2%80%9cceremonial-grounds%e2%80%9d/
Wannabes Commercialize Their "Ceremonial Grounds???
Filed under: Uncategorized — threeoaks @ 7:47 am

"Lost Cherokee Headman??? Doug Cotter is conducting Arkansas Concealed Carry (handgun) Permit training for $40 per person at the organization's "ceremonial grounds??? in Dover, Arkansas. This is one of the factions that has split from the original "Lost Cherokee??? in the past couple of years, after a disagreement between Cliff Bishop and Doug Maxwell. If you recall from previous comments, the original "Lost Cherokee??? was the group that was involved in spurious Office of Indian Education grants and numerous Arkansas School Districts. The Office of Indian Education continues to give grants nationwide to schools without Indian students, a massive misuse of Indian directed funds.

While the validity of any "ceremonial ground??? established by a wannabe "tribe??? should be brought into question, the "Lost Cherokee's??? claim of a ceremonial ground and subsequent use of the site for such an activity is a degradation of real ceremonial grounds. This goes to show how far these wannabe "tribes??? can go in maligning Indian traditions. Ceremonial grounds are for religious purposes, and the "Lost Cherokee's??? use of their so-called "ceremonial grounds??? makes a laughing stock of real ceremonial grounds everywhere.

Concealed Carry Permit training on such grounds are not in keeping with the purpose of those grounds any more than holding bingo games would be.
.As with other non-religious activities, it does not belong there. I find it unimaginable that Cotter could not have located another place in Dover to conduct his activities. Even if the "Lost Cherokee??? grounds are a pale wannabe imitation of a ceremonial ground - which I suggest it is - conducting this non-religious activity on the grounds is an insult to legitimate American Indians who value their traditions. At the same time that many Tribes are trying to protect their traditional ceremonial grounds, the "Lost Cherokee??? conveys a false impression to the public that ceremonial grounds are unimportant pieces of real estate that have no special meaning and can be commercialized at will.

Lastly, although I support the right of individuals to carry a weapon for protection, I question why a wannabe group would host such training. I suppose that now we will have fully armed wannabe "Cherokees??? running around the streets and hills of Arkansas.

[debbieredbear]

That is just bizarre. I am all for guns, own a few myself, but using them on  "ceremonial grounds"??

[educatedindian]

Its weirder than the idea of carrying guns into a church. (Which Texas felt it had to specifically outlaw a couple years ago.) For those in places where guns are not so common, "concealed carry" means you have the legal right to carry a hidden gun after completing a short 1-2 day course. So imagine the place a church uses for retreats for its priests being turned into a place for gun courses.

It's that lack of understanding of just what sacred means, plus the money. The Lost Cherokee name seems even more appropriate now.

[frederica]

I wouldn't doubt that this group is copying Carl "Two Feathers" and trying to start a militia group to "protect the Borders".  That group is not only weird, they are corrupt and wouldn't know any ceremonial protocol if it bit them.

[Tsisqua]

Dang....do these people have no shame? How disrespectful to do such a thing on ceremonial grounds...Im speechless (And that does not happen too often let me tell you  ::)).

[NanticokePiney]

I wouldn't doubt that this group is copying Carl "Two Feathers" and trying to start a militia group to "protect the Borders".  That group is not only weird, they are corrupt and wouldn't know any ceremonial protocol if it bit them.

"Indian" White Supremesists. The "Hatred" has many in their ranks now. Their bad news for everybody.

[PaxMan]

....reminds me of the golf course in Newark Ohio - on top of an Ancient mound. I hear an old Cherokee grandmother was arrested for exercising her right to assemble on sacred Native grounds for prayer,  on hole 9. Guess the boys with the bags couldn't play through....