700 Square Miles of Occupied Land

I spotted this while watching a special CNN report recently:

The message to many here: Never tear up the land.

And someone

performed a religious ceremony in which he declared this land sacred.

And a woman said

They would tear up the land. And, to me, I think (the land is) more important than all the money. So, in the future, my kids would have a place to call home.

And the reporter quoted another person who said

That was a song our ancestors sang when they marched 

through the snow and back to this land.

And noted for the viewer that

They used it to mark the borders of the territory.

It claimed the land as sacred.

That song -- that story -- has been a guiding light for this community. 

It flows through their veins, gives them a sense of purpose, 

reminds them who they are and will become.

And ended his story, declaring in admiration:

If only the rest of us were so grounded.

But that story wasn't about the Jews and their ancient homeland.

No, it was about the nearly 700 square miles of land occupied by the Northern Cheyenne Indians in Lame Deer, Montana and the threat of coal development.

Something to think about.

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