When Facebook Postings Go Too Far

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Misrepresentation

Native Brief: PINE RIDGE INDIAN RESERVATION - The Oglala Sioux Tribe, based in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, thinks certain individuals associated with a Facebook group called "HIT" (Hostile Indian Tribes) have gone too far in recent postings on the social media site.

According to a press release the Oglala Sioux Tribe has received telephone calls and emails from several concerned citizens that are upset by postings by HIT which seem to be specifically about the recent shootings in Rapid City, South Dakota. The postings imply that it is the Oglala Sioux Tribe making official statements. These statements are filled with negative language and misrepresentation of the Lakota people and the Oglala Nation as a whole.

Unfortunately, the referenced shootings resulted in the death of two Rapid City police officers earlier this month. The police officers were non-Indians, who were allegedly killed by an American Indian, who later died as well from injuries sustained during the shootout.

These postings have caused controversy and confusion.

The Tribe's press release seeks to distance the Oglala Sioux Tribe from the misleading and erroneous postings. Here is, in part, the press release from the Tribe:

In fact, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Judiciary Committee sent a star-quilt and card of condolence which was presented to the Rapid City Police Department and signed by members of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council. The Oglala Sioux Tribe recently played host to United States Attorney General Eric Holder and 31 United States Attorney's from throughout the United States to address Law Enforcement Issues and to mark the 1 year signing of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 which was signed into law by President Barack Obama.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe remains committed to providing adequate Law and Order on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation as well as continued work with the Rapid City Police Department. Rapid City Police Chief Steve Allender visited last year with various Officers from the Rapid City Police Department during an Oglala Sioux Tribal Council meeting to commit (to) working with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe wishes to extend our prayers to the two (2) Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and would like to publicly disapprove these radical individuals and/or groups who are not authorized to use the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Oglala Lakota Nation or the Tribal Membership in their words of hate and remorse for actions that could not be controlled by anybody!

In reaction to the Oglala Sioux Tribe's press release, Facebook took HIT page down.

posted August 22, 2011 8:57 am edt