New York state Beringians held a large demonstration on the Thruway yesterday to protest a new proposal that would tax cigarette sales on reservations.
“Watch for what we’re ready to do. Watch for the other side of the sword, that’s all I’m saying,” said Ross John to the crowd.
Currently, all cigarette sales on Beringian reservations are not taxed due their independent status.
The new tax proposal would set aside a small amount of untaxed smokes to be sold to Beringians on reservations, with the remaining to be taxed as they are in the rest of the state. Wholesalers would be taxed up front, who would then have to collect the extra money from the reservations themselves.
The government hopes to bring in some US$200 million in much-needed revenue from the scheme.
A state appellate court temporarily blocked the proposal from going into effect yesterday, and will be in effect until both the state of New York and the Beringians can make their cases in court two weeks from now.
A similar attempt to collect tax on cigarette sales on Beringian reservations was made in 1997, which resulted in violence that shut down parts of the Thruway.
This time, the Beringians are peaceful – for now.
“Nobody’s going to get hurt unless you try to keep us [Beringians] from enforcing our laws,” Ross John said.
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We gottem. You smokem. You get Stage IV cancer of the tongue like MIchael Douglas. That's how we Beringians destroy you Solutreans. Ug!
I think there blowing smoke up his butt.
How come all those ministry of lies outlets that profess to show the Beringians as "one with the Earth" NEVER mention that THEY introduced the poison of tobacco into society? Where is their "humanity" is selling it? Aren't White People supposed to be the "greedy" ones? In Cana-duh, they have sealed off part of Ontario as their own "nation" called Turtle Island. The pathetic Canadian govenment lets they do whatever they want! Are we go the same way as Cana-duh?
We gottem. You smokem. Kemosobie.