Seneca Nation Responds to Mayor Bloomberg's Comments

CATTARAUGUS TERRITORY, N.Y., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- "It's obvious Mayor Bloomberg is supportive of religious freedoms and not sovereign rights. It's precisely this kind of cavalier attitude that has led to the past breaking of treaties by various federal and state governments. Maybe Mayor Bloomberg could use a refresher course on the US Constitution and the need to honor Indian treaties.

"As an elected leader sworn to uphold all laws of the land, does he feel he has the right to pick and choose which parts of the Constitution he favors because of his clearly biased beliefs? Regrettably Mayor Bloomberg has made some reckless and insensitive statements to the people of the Seneca Nation, all Native Americans living in New York State and throughout the country."

Excerpts from Mayor Bloomberg's Radio Address – 08/13/10

Bloomberg: "And you know, the Indians said, 'We're going to shut down the roads if you don't let us continue to sell cigarettes without taxes.' Now, why every governor -- I've said this to David Paterson, I said, you know, 'Get yourself a cowboy hat and a shotgun. If there's ever a great video, it's you standing in the middle of the New York State Thurway saying, you know, 'Read my lips -- the law of the land is this, and we're going to enforce the law.' But the, just think about it."

SOURCE The Seneca Nation of Indians