#tribal leader appointment

[townpostin]

JMM Celebrates as Ramdas Soren Takes Ministerial Oath

Tribal leader’s appointment sparks jubilation; seen as win for indigenous communities Ramdas Soren’s swearing-in as minister ignites widespread celebrations among JMM supporters across Jharkhand. JAMSHEDPUR – JMM supporters rejoice as Ramdas Soren becomes minister, hailing it as a triumph for tribal representation. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party members erupted in celebration as Ramdas Soren…

[the-hittite]

I never actually sat down and talked to Benny before. My first run through the game he bamboozled me good and every run after that I'd just kill him. This time around I'm making an effort to engage with the lore and characters closer so I made sure to hear him out completely.

I'm actually really surprised at how, well, sane he makes it all sound. I always just assumed he was a power hungry despot and there's definitely some of that in there. But his main motivation for overthrowing House is that he genuinely believes he'd make a better leader. Not because he thinks he's smarter or anything but because he actually knows how to lead. House leads Vegas the same way he ran his corporation. Invest capital, broker favorable deals, appoint competent subordinates, and then sit back and collect the profits. Problem is that his "employees" were tribals less than a decade ago and weren't raised in a corporate hierarchy. To them, this hands off approach looks at best like carelessness and at worst like an intentional insult. I'm finally starting to understand why the Omertas call him "Not-At-Home."

And the irony of the situation is that thanks to all of his scheming, Benny himself is disappearing for days or even weeks at a time and it's weakening his peoples' confidence in him. To the point that any brain damaged yahoo with a Speech of 45 can convince them to sell him out. Benny and House are more alike than either wants to admit.

But what really gets me is that the little shit bamboozled me again. He actually had me going with all that talk about working with him to take down House. I've been playing this game and engaging with the fandom for at least a decade. I should have known for an absolute fact that there was absolutely no way to side with him but the smooth talking son of a bitch actually had me doubting myself right up until the moment the guards came in. Absolutely fucking incredible. Babygirl of all time. I might actually let him live.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Margery E. Beck at AP:

A new South Dakota policy to stop the use of gender pronouns by public university faculty and staff in official correspondence is also keeping Native American employees from listing their tribal affiliations in a state with a long and violent history of conflict with tribes.

Two University of South Dakota faculty members, Megan Red Shirt-Shaw and her husband, John Little, have long included their gender pronouns and tribal affiliations in their work email signature blocks. But both received written warnings from the university in March that doing so violated a policy adopted in December by the South Dakota Board of Regents. “I was told that I had 5 days to remove my tribal affiliation and pronouns,” Little said in an email to The Associated Press. “I believe the exact wording was that I had ‘5 days to correct the behavior.’ If my tribal affiliation and pronouns were not removed after the 5 days, then administrators would meet and make a decision whether I would be suspended (with or without pay) and/or immediately terminated.” The policy is billed by the board as a simple branding and communications policy. It came only months after Republican Gov. Kristi Noem sent a letter to the regents that railed against “liberal ideologies” on college campuses and called for the board to ban drag shows on campus and “remove all references to preferred pronouns in school materials,” among other things.

All nine voting members of the board were appointed by Noem, whose remarks in March accusing tribal leaders of benefitting from illegal drug cartels and not properly caring for children has prompted most South Dakota tribes to ban her from their land. South Dakota’s change comes in the midst of a conservative quest to limit diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives gaining momentum in state capitals and college governing boards around the country, with about one-third of the states taking some sort of action against it. Policies targeting gender pronoun use have focused mainly on K-12 students, although some small religious colleges have also restricted pronoun use. Houghton University in western New York fired two dorm directors last year after they refused to remove gender pronouns from their work email signatures.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) and her appointed state Board of Regents enacted a extreme prejudicial policy that is anti-freedom of speech by barring employees from using pronouns and tribal affiliations in email signatures.

This is a naked act of hate and erasure against indigenous peoples and the LGBTQ+ community in The Mount Rushmore State.

[fatehbaz]

“Is it green energy if it’s impacting cultural traditional sites?”

Yakama Nation Tribal Councilman Jeremy Takala sounded weary. For five years, tribal leaders and staff have been fighting a renewable energy development that could permanently destroy tribal cultural property. “This area, it’s irreplaceable.”

The privately owned land, outside Goldendale, Washington, is called Pushpum, or “mother of roots,” a first foods seed bank. The Yakama people have treaty-protected gathering rights there. One wind turbine-studded ridge, Juniper Point, is the proposed site of a pumped hydro storage facility. But to build it, Boston-based Rye Development would have to carve up Pushpum — and the Yakama Nation lacks a realistic way to stop it.

Back in October 2008, unbeknownst to Takala, Scott Tillman, CEO of Golden Northwest Aluminum Corporation, met with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a collection of governor-appointed representatives from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana [...]. Tillman, who owned a shuttered Lockheed Martin aluminum smelter near Goldendale, told the council about the contaminated site’s redevelopment potential, specifically for pumped hydro storage [...]. Shortly thereafter, Klickitat County’s public utility department tried to implement Tillman’s plan [...].

Meanwhile, Tillman cleaned up and sold another smelting site, just across the Columbia River in The Dalles, Oregon, a Superfund site where Lockheed Martin had poisoned the groundwater with cyanide. He sold it to Google’s parent company, Alphabet, which operates water-guzzling data centers in The Dalles and plans to build more. For nine years, the county and Rye plotted the fate of Pushpum — without ever notifying the Yakama Nation.

The tribal government only learned of the development in December 2017, when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a public notice of acceptance for Rye’s preliminary permit application. Tribal officials had just 60 days to catch up on nine years of development planning and issue their initial concerns and objections as public comments. [...]

When the tribe objected, FERC said it could file more public comments to the docket instead of consulting. [...]

When asked what Rye could offer the Yakama people as compensation for the irreversible destruction of their cultural property, Steimle suggested “employment associated with the project.” [...] Presented with the reality that Yakama people might not want Rye’s jobs, Steimle hesitated. “Yeah, I mean I, I can’t argue that — maybe it won’t be meaningful to them.” [...]

Klickitat County’s eagerness creates another barrier to the Yakama Nation. In Washington, a developer can take one of two permitting paths: through the state’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, or through county channels. Both lead to FERC. In this case, working with the county benefits Rye: Klickitat, a majority Republican county, has a contentious relationship with the Yakama Nation [...]. “Klickitat County refuses to work with us,” said Takala. [...]

Fighting Rye's proposal has required the efforts of tribal attorneys, archaeologists and government staffers from a number of departments. [...]

And Rye’s project is just one of dozens proposed within the Yakama Nation’s 10 million-acre treaty territory. Maps from the tribe and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife show that of the 51 wind and solar projects currently proposed statewide — not including geothermal or pumped hydro storage projects, which are also renewable energy developments — at least 34 are on or partially on the Yakama Nation’s ceded lands.

---

Headline, images, graphics, captions, and text by: B. Toastie Oaster (High Country News). “Green colonialism is flooding the Pacific Northwest.” As published at The Wenatchee World. 25 March 2023.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Steven Zeitchik

Those comments sparked a backlash at the time. But many liberal Jews in Hollywood, media and tech identified with her remarks.

To some non-Jews I talked to, today’s news was just a case of a tribal rooting interest not going our way. “Oh well, you’ll get the next one,” went their vibe. But when a Jewish leader this popular from a state so necessary gets passed over, it becomes more than just a matter of losing a round of identity-politics poker — it touches an existential nerve.

Some Jews have also noted that in choosing Walz, Harris was simply trying to stay away from raising Gaza as an issue. But outside of antisemitic projection, why would it do that? The idea that a candidate would automatically want to talk more about Israel simply because he’s Jewish raises ugly tropes of dual loyalty, or worse.

Wary of seeming killjoyish, some liberal Jewish Americans also sought to find a silver lining — at least now Jews wouldn’t be blamed for administration failures, they said. They cited The Atlantic’s Yair Rosenberg, one of the most eloquent expositors of the double standards applied to Shapiro, who in a recent piece expressed some reservations about what a Shapiro vice presidency would bring.

“Anti-Semitism conceives of Jews as clandestine puppeteers who control the world’s governments and economies, fueling political and social problems,” he wrote. “A Jewish vice president would provide the perfect canvas for these fevered fantasies — a largely ceremonial figure onto whom bigots could nonetheless project all of their conspiracies, casting him as the real power behind the Resolute Desk.”

Rosenberg has forgotten more about the history of antisemitism than most of us will ever know. But this train of thought has always struck me as self-defeating. The response to fears of prejudice can’t be, “Let’s hide the Jews to prevent us from finding out about it.” 

A Jewish vice president would have been important not only because it would have signaled the latest progress of one ethnic group in America as thrillingly as Harris’ candidacy does for Americans of Black and Indian heritage, but also because it would have drawn antisemites out from the crevices, shining Louis Brandeis’ disinfecting light brightly upon them.

(That Harris’ husband is Jewish, incidentally, should do little to quell the unease. Jewish affiliations are proof of nothing except the reminder of past justifications. It calls to mind those who several years ago said Taika Waititi’s Nazi comedy Jojo Rabbit couldn’t be antisemitic because Waititi was Jewish. It wasn’t antisemitic. But that wasn’t the reason.)

Walz is a solid candidate with a strong record of speaking out against antisemitism. Just this spring he told Twin Cities PBS that, “I think when Jewish students are telling us they feel unsafe in that, we need to believe them.”

But Walz’s pro-Jewish bona fides don’t mean the decision to put him on the ticket — or the reaction to his appointment — can’t also be shadowed with antisemitism. Both can be true.

And so here liberal Jews again find ourselves, hopelessly marooned between a belief that Democratic policies are fundamentally better for our interests and yet worried we are not welcome in our own home — feeling a gentle nudge that perhaps we might find ourselves more comfortable in another place but unsure, in the end, of where else to go.

[eolas-cruthachadh-and-aislingean]

Greece: culture (pt1)

culture in Greece, Part one. there's alot to unpack so I'm slitting this into 2, maybe even 3 or 4 parts Lmao.

Greek culture had alot of moving parts. “Greece '' itself was a loose collection of culturally and linguistically related cities and were only unified once, under the banner of alexander the great in 336 BC. Greece consisted of hundreds of city-states, unlike many other contemporary societies which ruled in Tribes or Kingdoms. Despite this, they were “one people”: that is, same religion, culture and language. The greeks were also aware of their tribal origins and it was very possible to categorize the city states to their origin tribes. Despite their unity without unification, that aspect of Greece didn't really play into Greece’s politics. Independence of the city-states were fiercely defended and unification was not contemplated, though smaller States were inevitably conquered or absorbed by larger neighbors. The Greeks were, well, Greek, and that was all that matters in terms of being a People.

Because of this, greece was rather fragmented(as previously mentioned). Focus was put on urban centers in otherwise tiny states, and even their colonies were considered independent. And rather than direct conquest, the greeks grouped themselves into groups/leagues, who’s members would constantly fluctuate. Later into greece’s history, these leagues would eventually become dominated primary by larger cities with Athens, Sparta, Thebes being the big ones.

Greek City-states initially were Petty(minor) kingdoms which quickly evolved into Aristocratic Oligarchies(a nation where a small group of people ran the state; a council). To put simply, through each stage, power moved away from one individual and to a group of people as a whole, in this case, the aristocracy. Athens, for example, the kingship had been reduced to a hereditary, lifelong chief magistracy by around 1050 BC and by 753 BC this had become a decennial, elected archonship, with it finally becoming an elected annual archonship in  683 BC. 

It was not uncommon for a Tyrant* to seize control of the government through dominant politics and other means, often through the help of a populist agenda(aka, the corrupt elite would take over). 

Athens fell to tyranny in the second half of the 6th century BC. after the tyranny ended, Athens formed the first democracy as a solution to preventing aristocrats from regaining power. A citizen’s assembly had been present for quite some time for the discussion of city policies, but the poor could not adress the assemly nor run for office. With the change to democracy, it became the Legally recognized or De jure form of government: all citizens had equal privileges to vote. The key word here is Citizens: non citizens or foreigners living in athens had 0 political power whatsoever.

After the rise of democracy in Athens, other City-states began adopting it as their form of De jure(remember, this means legally recognized) government. Except SPARTA wanted to be DIFFERENT. No, Sparta wasn't like the other girls. Through all of this, Sparta was led by a Diarchy: in other words, Sparta was led by not one but TWO monarchs. The two kings of sparta were believed to be twin sons of Aristodemus, a heraclid(descendants of hercules). The power of these two kings was kept in check by a council of elders, and magistrates appointed to watch over the kings. 

Owning land in Greece was decided by citizenship. If you were a free citizen(not a slave), you were entitled to the ful protection of the law in that City-states. Family prominence did nothing for you in greece(unlike in Rome).  In Athens, the population was divided into four social classes based on wealth and it was very possible to move up or down in rank if you made more money In Sparta, all male citizens were called homoioi, or “peers". However, Spartan kings, who served as the city-state's dual military and religious leaders, came primarily from two families.

Small section dedicated to Sparta now, since Athena's has been the topic of discussion up until now. Sparta was unique for its social system and constitution, which were supposedly introduced by the semi-mythical legislator Lycurgus. His laws configured the Spartan society to maximize military proficiency at all costs, focusing all social institutions on military training and physical development. As you can imagine, this Made Sparta’s land military immensely powerful and was in rivalry with the Naval power of Athens. Spartan men were all trained from birth, and women in Sparta enjoyed considerably more rights than anywhere else during this era. Specifically, female citizens were treated with much more power/status and respect than the rest of the classical world. For one, they were literate and enumerate(Gasp!). They were also rather notorious for speaking their mind in public. and while Athenian women were usually confined to their homes, fed differently, and married off at around the ages of 12-13, ladies in Sparta often exercised and participated in sports alongside their brothers, enjoyed the same food, and were forbidden to marry until their late teens or early 20’s. This was primarily done to ensure healthy children(as pregnancy during adolescence is. Not good for you. Unfortunately, Athenians did not suffer the same moral problems as us.) their clothing was also different: Athenian women usually wore concealing clothes, spartan women wore dresses with a slit up the side to allow free movement. (Spartans boys and girls potentially may have exercised in the Nude.) 

Marriage in Sparta was primarily meant to produce children. Because of this(and this is going to sound really weird), Spartans shared wives. No, don’t check again, you read that right. Older men would sometimes allow younger, more fit men to bear children with their wives. While this sounds strange, this practice was encouraged in order that women bear as many strong-bodied children as they could because Spartan men died a lot and were often absent from home, as well as the fact that many infants were killed during the intense inspection for Training. 

*absolute sovereign who came to power without constitutional right, not the modern definition. Tyrant in greece usually had a rather neutral connotation.

Pt2 here

Tags: @aesthetic-writer18

[notwarriorswiki]

Have you made any changes to the tribe? P.s. love your blog

They're still a work in process as I wanted to be sure I'm thorough in my research and understanding to fix the issues presented in the books regarding the portrayal of The Tribe of Rushing Water. Arguably they are just going to be a separate group entirely, however I am preserving their general """existence""" specifically in regards to Lark's story, Feathertail, and Brook.

Still playing with their name, but I'm considering calling them simply The Cats of the Twelve Pillars, in reference to the mountain points that surround their territory. I think no matter what, using Tribe in the name will illicit the thought of Native American culture, which I do not want. They should simply be another group of cats. I'll take suggestions but again, still brainstorming.

Stoneteller has nine lives now.

Jayfeather has no involvement in "deciding" their new leader, nor are any of the clan cats reincarnations of ancient tribe cats for that matter. But yes, the mountain cats are capable of handling their own political affairs without needing the clan cats.

The "silver cat savior" prophecy is reworked, and rather than the clan cats being presented as saviors for the tribe, Stoneteller simply receives a message foretelling their travels and to grant them safe passage. Feathertail dying fighting off Sharptooth is not a prophecy nor destiny, but truly a sacrifice that involved Feathertail being the kind and earnest person she was. She'd die protecting any body of cats, clan cat or not. The mountain cats honor her because she helped them in warding off this danger, but she is no deity, nor is Stormfur confused for one.

Brook and Stormfur are still a couple, but it's just two cats who fall in love. By removal of the savior prophecy, my hope too was to remove the feeling of Stormfur being presented as a "white savior" who falls in love with "tribal woman" Brook.

The group is equal to the Clans. Clan cats do specialize in battle culture and thus their fighting skills and tactics are better developed, but the Mountain Cats have better hunting and mediation skills. They're capable of taking down large birds of prey, something truly clan cats cannot do. The Mountain Cats are shocked at the idea an owl carried off a full grown clan cat.

Mountain cats aren't complete fucking assholes who can't ask for help ever and literally kick out people who merely suggest a differing opinion. Unless Stoneteller was corrupt, that shouldn't be the culture.

No, Jayfeather also didn't found the group, create democracy, create prophecies, none of that. No time travel or historical interference from him, nor anyone.

Mountain Cats matters are decided via voting. Stoneteller's duty as leader is more of an advisor and caretaker to the people. Unlike clan leaders who have a sense of final say in clan culture, Stoneteller is simply guidance, and the group's matters are decided via the casting of stones by all members of the group who are of age.

Additional Rank added - Advisors. There are three of them at a time - one being the Head Guard, one being the Head Prey-Hunter, and finally one being the Head Caregiver. They are appointed through voting by their respective groups and are more of the political leaders of the Tribe, communicating change and speaking for the people to the Stoneteller as they work together to make decisions.

Additional Rank added - Caregivers. Cats who decide to focus on caring for their clanmates and learn medicine, as well as tend to the young, mothers, and elderly.

Naming is changed - Kits go unnamed beyond fond nicknames and identifiers from their parents until they are old enough to begin their training. It is here they receive their first trial, and explore the mountain territories. Upon the completion of this escapade and absorbing all they learned their first day, the unnamed cat declares their own name. For example, Brook was affectionately called Grays for her distinct gray eyes. She chose her own name of Brook after witnessing the beautiful wear the water erosion made, marking their territory like claw marks of history.

Mother does not name kit after "the first thing she sees".

It's a work in progress, and while there are facets of the Warrior Cats series that are eyebrow raising, I do not intend to remove the use of Clan, or change the naming system for the main clans for instance. I will be changing Medicine Cat to either Medic or Mender - though that class will eventually be divided later into the Healer and Seer roles.

I'm happy to answer more questions, and most of all wish to be educated if I do miss certain things I did not discuss here. Thank you for your understanding :)

[lunarsilkscreen]

The Bible, The Lord, The God, The Women, and The Labor

There's a lot of debate as to what they're talking about in the Bible when it comes to "heterosexual unions" and Gendered people. But what does it really mean?

You should consider first; that much of the old testament is, by nature, a book of Laws. And the "Lords Assembly" may literally be defined as "Lord of the Lands." Or; is the people in charge.

Throughout the Bible; God is used interchangeable for several things. These include; "Human Soul", "Knowledge", "Ethics", "Morality", "Law", "Leadership", and "Kings".

It used to be _through_ God's power that Kings were appointed. And this is *why* all these terms are synonymous. Knowledge used to also be a secret; kept from the "common man". The idea being; that the common man would abuse all knowledge and should not be trusted with it.

For Christians; It was Christ that pointed out several things; The Land was a mess. The common man was not being represented; there was a very *big* difference between all those words. *AND* that the only "God" is "God". Nobody is being ethical. The laws are hurting people who aren't doing much; and people are being forced into situations where they can't possibly follow the rules.

*AND* On top of that; people, assuming the Laws were ethical and just, would do whatever was legal *despite* the immorality of it.

I'm saying the dangerous bits out loud. I will be accosted by Christians for this.

It is Christ who suggests; Man is not God. Man's laws are not God's law; and being of Man; they are fallible. And so are words, as they routinely change definition and usage. For example; we do not use even the same languages as 2000 years ago. Even the ones thought closest to dead languages; aren't the same form as they used to be. And the proof of that is in the story about the "Tower of Babel". Something noted in the Bible itself!

What does this have to do with Women and Worker's rights you might be asking?

Well early on, and you can tell in the Bible; when trying to describe new and previously unheard of concepts. We have this idea of "Labor."

And, as described in Genesis; Labor is a woman's pain. Labor is pain that produces new life. That creates something. Ergo; the synonym between "Labor" to produce children. And "Labor" to do work.

And when they're talking about, and writing laws all throughout the Bible; they're saying: Similarly to how women should be treated fairly for the labor that they perform for a man: so should people that do Labor for a man.

In these contexts we're talking about tribes and societies. A "Man" also seems to be synonymous with "Tribal Leader", "God" as in the head of a family, and society as a whole. Depicting Man as a group of people; and women as individuals.

We are part of the greater whole known as "Mankind" or "Man". Ergo: we individually are not men, but *We* are men.

However, many are stories in the Bible, where again; God and Person are used synonymously; same with *leader* confusing themselves for the greater *thing*, or God.

Moses himself feared being treated as God after his death. And had his closest people obfuscate his burial place for this reason.

And this is why contracts that we have are between varying people. From slaves, to women, to anybody that does something for *you*. And why *false promises* are considered "evil".

According to the works in the Bible; you would not kill a women for getting pregnant. You would pay her for life for bringing life into this world. So to; should the same be considered for the work individuals do.

Therefore; taking a work, or a creation from somebody who creates without compensation is akin to beating a woman. And destroying something that somebody creates is akin to abortion.

They never suggest that any of these is *better* than a woman's labor in giving birth. Only that; the labor produced by somebody is akin to that of a womans labor.

And therefore should be treated as such.

And therefore we have this Heirarchy; where the only men are the men at the Top..the "Ruler", "the law" or even, as some called themselves "a god". And hence the reason why the Jewish Bible condemns the creation of further God's besides the one.

And delineates the difference between them. A ruler or leader is not the Law. The Law is not morality. And Morality is not often seen to be carried by politicians. And therefore; none of those can be "God" if "God" is both Moral *and* Just.

And; further: Says that all those that do work for a kingdom. A Lord. A city. A society. Should have a place in it. Because if they don't; then you're unfairly raping people. Forcing them *into* labor; into bondage; slavery; even for money is rape. Slavery *is* rape.

This is because labor without acceptance; is rape. Because it places people above their fellow man.

The reason a Christian people hated a Jewish or Muslim people; is because they outright deny the teachings of Jesus as moral. Not that he isn't the son of God. Or God at all.

This disconnect is what creates a rift between religions. And while I know plenty of Jewish people that believe similar things to Christians; it's always seemed odd to me they never understood why it was an insult to deny another religion entirely. (Despite being very similar in structure.)

No religious hatred here; I'm just pointing out the things that people should know about the way the world works.

[ausetkmt]

LAist: Palm Springs Leaders Put Reparations Plan For Evicted Black And ...

A ‘city-engineered holocaust’

Putting the brakes on reparations

‘The city cannot afford a $2 billion payment’

‘This story is not going away’

Rejecting an accusation of bias

Plans for a reparations program to recompense Black and Latino families forcibly evicted from their Palm Springs homes decades ago have put on hold.

The Palm Springs city council last week voted 3-2 to not move forward with a one-year, $500,000 contract with Columbia University to conduct historical research on the mass evictions and help develop a reparations program for families who lost their homes in the neighborhood known as Section 14.

Citing concerns over cost and the researchers’ objectivity, the three councilmembers who killed the contract with Columbia decided to focus for now solely on historical research, not reparations.

The lawyer representing the evicted residents and their descendants called the council vote “offensive” and vowed to continue fighting for compensation.

Palm Springs Mayor Grace Elena Garner, who voted in favor of the Columbia contract, said she is “very concerned that this will continue to go on and on and never actually be resolved.”

A ‘city-engineered holocaust’

Section 14 is a one-square-mile area adjacent to downtown Palm Springs that was once home to about 1,000 people, mostly non-white residents who could not own property elsewhere. They built homes on plots of land leased short-term from the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, on whose reservation much of Palm Springs sits.

Between the 1950s and 1960s, Section 14 residents were forced out and their homes destroyed as the area became more attractive to developers, especially after a 1959 federal law made long-term leases on tribal land possible. The city worked with court-appointed conservators to carry out the evictions.

Residents were not paid for their losses. A 1968 report from the state Attorney General’s office characterized the operation as a “city-engineered holocaust.”

Last year, a group of former residents and descendants filed a claim against Palm Springs; their attorney cited damages possibly exceeding $2 billion.

The city formally apologized to Section 14 survivors in 2021. Late last year, Palm Springs put out a request for proposals for “reparations program services” and received two bids, one from Columbia University.

Putting the brakes on reparations

The proposal called for a consultant to examine and verify the historical context of what occurred; it also called for “developing a reparations program to enhance the quality of life for those affected by this displacement.”

That second part has now been put on hold. Amid questions from various councilmembers about the cost of reparations, the objectivity of the researchers, and whether the former residents of Section 14 could prevail in court, the council voted last Thursday to scrap the existing request for proposals and start over.

The city now plans to issue a new request for proposals seeking a contractor to focus exclusively on the historical research portion, then afterward decide how to proceed with reparations.

“With no disrespect to anybody, I don’t think the [request for proposals] was written correctly,” Mayor Pro Tem Jeffrey Bernstein, one of the contract’s three opponents, said at the meeting. “Because we should have set it up just to have objective historical context in the beginning, as one proposal.”

Councilmember Ron deHarte, who also voted against the contract, said he felt the existing request for proposals made it appear that “step two,” meaning a reparations program, was already a given.

“It gives an impression that we are doing step two before we are doing step one,” he said.

The three councilmembers who voted not to move forward with the contract said while they support the Section 14 families and the need for reparations, they want more information before they move on.

‘The city cannot afford a $2 billion payment’

Bernstein also expressed concern about the potential cost of reparations.

“Obviously, the city cannot afford a $2 billion payment because there wouldn’t be a city,” he said.

Councilmember Lisa Middleton asked City Attorney Jeffrey Ballinger what the former residents’ chances might be of prevailing in court if the case went to litigation.

Ballinger responded that based on the time that has elapsed, along with a 1960s state “test case” in which the court found the city “had not done anything wrong” — the odds would be in the city’s favor.

“I think that the claimants would have a difficult time obtaining a judgment against the city,” Ballinger said.

Middleton joined Bernstein and deHarte in voting against the Columbia contract.

‘This story is not going away’

Areva Martin, the attorney representing the former residents, told LAist the group plans to continue pursuing its legal claim.

“This story is not going away,” she said. “And the city is either going to pay these families something, they are going to recognize them and make them whole, or they're going to spend millions of dollars in taxpayers' dollars in protracted litigation.”

Martin stressed that the story of Section 14 is extensively documented. Besides the 1968 state Attorney General’s report, she noted that “the facts about what happened in Section 14 are … contained in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.”

She added: “There are no disputes about the facts. And now, to say, ‘We want to start over,’ not do reparations, just bring in a local historian to tell us what happened — it's so disingenuous. It’s so offensive to these families.”

Martin said she and the former Section 14 residents and descendants plan to meet later this month to discuss next steps.

“The ball is in their court,” Martin said, referring to the city. “And we are sick of the platitudes. We're sick of the false statements about wanting to do the right thing."

Rejecting an accusation of bias

Linda Mann, adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, would have led the team working on the research and reparations program had the contract been awarded.

She told LAist she was disappointed, especially since much of their work would have been what city officials said they want more of: research.

“Part of that would also be vetting the descendants and survivors of Section 14,” Mann said, adding, “there was a requirement for community engagement, so dialogue, bringing all stakeholders together to explore this history and to better understand [it] from different perspectives.”

Mann works with the African American Redress Network, a collaboration between Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and Howard University’s Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center.

She balked at the suggestion from some councilmembers that her team’s work could be tainted by bias. In the council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Bernstein called the organizations “effectively advocates for reparations, so I don’t find that they are going to go into this with complete objectivity.”

Mann said her group’s work is “grounded in the respect and defense of human rights. And I would say that that doesn't mean that we're biased, but that we're guided by those principles. And advocating for the protection of those rights is not a bias.”

What questions do you have about immigration and emerging communities in LA?

Your questions make our journalism stronger.

[dysrope]

Cities for the City God, Problems for the Problem Throne

[turn 14 continued: 12-2*3(found city)-1(command avatar(found city))=5]

Three more major cities emerged inn the underworld over this century: Saksnes, Siktun, and Vaknerat

Saksnes is another expansion in the east. Tanmak's position grows ever stronger, and it has started openly making independent policy decisions, for itself, and for other cities, and going against commands from the capital. Tanmak's ruler has even taken to calling herself Empress [translator's note, there is no historical baggage, or any formal hierarchy of titles here, but empress certainly sounds like a fancier title than queen, and does imply sovereignty. literal translation might be something like "supreme hereditary appointed ruler of multiple cities"]. But the tributes still flow, as Chivik's military might remains supreme and the crucial chokepoint of Retvik remains in loyalist hands.

Siktun is an overseas colony, budded off from Chital. Like Chital it is based on fishing and aquaculture, but unlike Chital it is far away from Chivik, and definitely an encroachment on traditional tribal lands. It is also worryingly close to the northern trade route with the Memnarks, and there has been repeated attacks here. It is difficult for Chivik's armies to get here fast, and while the local garrison is large enough to hold the city and some key outposts, it cannot permanently crush all the opposition.

Vaknerat is an independent city far to the west, guarding the passage between the area around the Hypogeum and the central Underworld. It is quite different from other Tiktik cities, as it began as a humble caravanserai on the vital occidental trade route. Recognizing the key position, there was often conflict between different local tribes, and several wars were faught over it. Eventually, five of the main tribes realized that all the fighting was bad for business, and agreed to share the area and build up fortifications around it. This soon grew into a thriving city, and its walls rival those of any eastern city. Its unique origin means it has an equally unique social and political structure; it is officially a tribal confederation, and the five tribes remain the main political actors. The city is ruled by a council of five tribal leaders, the Pentarchy, and many institutions (such as the military) exist fivefold. Within the tribes there is clan politics, and different tribes have different traditions, and methods of choosing leaders. Any outside clans that wish to settle here must either gain access to one of the tribes, or content themselves with being unrepresented second-class citizens.

[vwv7]

In the context of God's law, a "prince of the land" refers to a leader or ruler appointed by God to govern and care for His people. This term is used in the Bible to describe individuals who held positions of authority and responsibility.

Characteristics of a prince of the land according to God's law:

1. Appointed by God (Deuteronomy 1:13-15)

2. Leader of the community (Numbers 1:16)

3. Responsible for justice and governance (Deuteronomy 1:16-17)

4. Expected to follow God's commands (Deuteronomy 17:18-20)

5. Accountable to God (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

Examples of princes of the land in the Bible:

1. Tribal leaders (Numbers 1:16)

2. Kings (1 Samuel 13:13-14)

3. Governors (Nehemiah 5:14-19)

4. Elders (Deuteronomy 27:1)

Responsibilities:

1. Govern with wisdom and justice

2. Protect and care for the people

3. Uphold God's laws and commands

4. Lead worship and spiritual matters

5. Represent the people before God

In modern times, the concept of a "prince of the land" can be applied to:

1. Government leaders

2. Community leaders

3. Church leaders

4. Anyone in a position of authority and influence

When you read that 👆🏻 it jumps out at you how desperately we need Gods true people to stand up now because the ones we have in those places are failing us. Maybe not all but many.

Remember, true leadership according to God's law involves humility, obedience, and service to others. We are lacking this big time. That needs to change and I pray it does.

[minni6419]

Tahlequah, Oklahoma's Illustrious Figures: Their Contributions and Enduring Legacies.

Tahlequah, Oklahoma, nestled in the verdant foothills of the Ozarks, has been home to numerous remarkable individuals whose contributions have left an indelible mark on both local and global scales. From trailblazing activists to influential writers, Tahlequah, Oklahoma has nurtured talents that have shaped history. Let's explore the lives and legacies of some of these famous personalities.

Wilma Mankiller: Born in Tahlequah in 1945, Wilma Mankiller emerged as a prominent leader and activist for Native American rights. In 1985, she made history by becoming the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, a position she held for ten years. Mankiller's legacy includes her advocacy for tribal sovereignty, healthcare, and education, inspiring countless individuals to pursue social justice causes.

John Rollin Ridge: Known as the first Native American novelist, John Rollin Ridge was born in 1827 near present-day Tahlequah. His novel "The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta" is considered a pioneering work in American literature, blending elements of fiction with Ridge's own Cherokee heritage. Through his writing, Ridge challenged stereotypes and offered a nuanced portrayal of Native American experiences during a tumultuous period in American history.

Tom Starr: A prominent figure during the Cherokee Nation's tumultuous era in the 19th century, Tom Starr was born near Tahlequah in 1802. He played a significant role in Cherokee politics and was a vocal advocate for tribal sovereignty. Starr's efforts to resist forced relocation and preserve Cherokee culture exemplify his enduring legacy as a defender of indigenous rights.

Anna Lewis: Born in Tahlequah in 1870, Anna Lewis became a pioneering educator and advocate for women's suffrage. She played a crucial role in establishing the Cherokee Female Seminary, one of the first institutions of higher education for women west of the Mississippi River. Lewis's commitment to education and gender equality laid the foundation for future generations of women leaders.

Gary Chapman: Renowned relationship counselor and author Gary Chapman was born in Tahlequah in 1938. His groundbreaking book "The 5 Love Languages" has sold millions of copies worldwide and has become a staple in relationship counseling and self-help literature. Chapman's insights into interpersonal communication have helped countless individuals strengthen their relationships and deepen their emotional connections.

Joy Harjo: An award-winning poet, musician, and playwright, Joy Harjo was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, near Tahlequah, in 1951. As a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Harjo's work often explores themes of Native American identity, spirituality, and the natural world. In 2019, she made history by being appointed as the first Native American Poet Laureate of the United States, amplifying indigenous voices in the literary landscape.

Sequoyah: Revered as the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, Sequoyah was born near present-day Tuskegee, Tennessee, around 1767, but his legacy reverberates throughout Tahlequah and the Cherokee Nation. His creation of a written script for the Cherokee language facilitated literacy and cultural preservation among the Cherokee people, earning him a place of honor in history as a champion of indigenous language and identity.

These remarkable individuals from Tahlequah, Oklahoma, have left an enduring legacy through their diverse contributions to literature, activism, education, and culture. Their lives serve as a testament to the resilience, creativity, and spirit of innovation that continue to thrive in this vibrant community.

[salvationcall]

Deuteronomy Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Command to Leave Horeb, Deuteronomy 1:1-8 Tribal Leaders Appointed, Deuteronomy 1:9-18 Israel’s Refusal to Enter the Land, Deuteronomy 1:19-33 The Penalty for Israel’s Rebellion, Deuteronomy 1:34-46 Chapter 2 The Wilderness Years, Deuteronomy 2:1-25 The Defeat of King Sihon, Deuteronomy 2:26-37 Chapter 3 The Defeat of King Og, Deuteronomy 3:1-11 The Land East of the Jordan…

[lboogie1906]

Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane (May 4, 1918 - November 3, 1986) the first prime minister of Basutoland in the Drakensberg Mountains and a descendant of King Moshesh, the first son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, was born in Mount Moorosi, Basutoland.

He received his secondary education in the Roman Catholic missionary schools and had been a member of the Basutoland National Party.

He worked in South Africa as a medical assistant. He returned to Basutoland and became president of the Tribal Court and adviser to the Paramount Regent.

He served as prime minister of the country for two months. He received an abundance of traditional support because of his heritage and his skills as a leader.

In 1966, Basutoland became an independent country from the UK and was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho. He served as Minister for Home Affairs. He managed the migration of the people regarding their constitutional right of freedom of movement, ensuring that the indigenous community and their properties were adequately registered. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture under the new government’s rule.

He married Chieftainess Mathesele Maseribane. Their first-born son was Mpara Maseribane the legal successor to the Chieftainship of Mount Moorosi following provisions of the Chieftainship Act of 1968.

The High Court of Lesotho appointed his wife as an acting Chieftainess of Mount Moorosi until a new male chief could be appointed. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[pencilcelsus]

Telayas of Ankylosante

mar 25 [446] // mar 26-27 [447-448]

Ankylosante

The Ankylosanten Federation, also known as the Ankylan Federation or Ankylosante [pronounced on-ki-lo-zont] is the largest country on Kedavaara, encompassing the entire western region of the continent.

Historically a group of disparate tribes and fiefdoms, the Ankylan Kingdom began a series of aggressive territorial expansions eastwards from its coastal capital of Mescratenso. Between 366 AL and 401 AL, the Ankylan King Rudolf was able to lay claim to all Kedavaaran land west of the Styx and Farøn rivers. He was also able to avoid war with the Kingdom of Elmany by signing a treaty at Øfa in 402 to assure the Elman forces amassed at the river crossing that Ankylosante would not launch an invasion.

Over the next century, the kingdom underwent relatively peaceful development; but its large size and highly diverse biomes meant that its population was not evenly distributed. As a result, it became increasingly difficult to exert political control over the remote areas of the kingdom. This undermined confidence in the monarchy, and gave rise to a powerful class of merchants in the urban areas who felt that paying taxes and tributes to the king was not a useful way to spend money that could simply enrich themselves and fund private alternatives to royal administrative functions like security and banking.

The end result was the fracturing of the Ankylan Kingdom into several regions led by oligarchic city-states that reorganized their territory into functional quasi-republics dominated by various merchant guilds that retained varying degrees of feudalism outside of their urban centers, but replaced the tributary nature of food production with a market system that created vertical economic relations between the powerful cities and rural farmlands. This dynamic occurred throughout the Ankylan Kingdom, with the exception of the Evermarsh, a sparsely populated region largely made up of swamps and bogs that cannot be meaningfully developed into arable land. As a result, the nomadic and tribal peoples who live on this land were able to maintain a high level of autonomy while still benefiting from the material support of both the former Ankylan kingdom and the current merchant republics. This was because their large reserves of both rare herbs & spices and timber made economic relations between them and the other regions a necessity.

In 575 AL, the six merchant republics of Mescratenso, Håland, Löland, Östland, Vostok, the Riverlands, and the Evermarsh agreed to formally reincorporate as the new Ankylosanten Federation: a federal republic that would create a new capital region in Mescratenso and restructure the other regions as telayas (states) that are answerable to a new federal board seated in the capital city. However, the telayas would retain full regional autonomy over their economic & political activity so long as their responsibilities for protecting territorial integrity and fulfilling financial obligations to the federation (profit sharing on pre-established terms) were met.

Notably absent from this arrangement was any democratic organs of power. This was because both regional and federal authority figures were appointed by the leaders of the various merchant guilds that governed the region capitals in practice. While life had relatively more economic freedom and stability under the new federation than previously seen in the Ankylan Kingdom, the peasantry of Ankylosante still lived very hard lives and rarely had the same opportunities for housing, education or employment that were available to wealthy merchant families or the former nobility that still had good relations with them.

As decades passed, Ankylan society would experience similar levels of degeneration as could be observed in Elmany by hagioist thinkers like Hagios of the Soumi Valley, Theodore of Øfa and Yemisi Fayowa. In 678, Fayowa published her book Deadline and formally established a theoretical framework for the construction of a hagioist society as an alternative to monarchy. These ideas would spread east and west from Elmany, and eventually trigger violent revolutions in the Velsh Kingdom, and South Elmany.

But Ankylosante’s decentralized nature ended up being a remarkably effective bulwark against the spread of hagioism, because the political realities of each telaya were too distinct, and the local peasantry did not understand well enough their shared political interests to allow for a national mass line against the merchant guilds and federal authority as Fayowa envisioned. This was both due to poor levels of literacy among the peasants and a lack of organizational structures as a consequence of uneven development historically in Ankylosante, unlike in unitary kingdoms such as Elmany or the Velsh. A pattern that continues unabated to this day.

Vostok

However, hagioists in the Vostok region were a notable exception in many of these key metrics— including a large religious population of educated Lumenians that were well-versed in and amicable to orthodox hagioism— and they were soon able to create an effective fighting force under the leadership of Alain Toufant, after he led several illegal border crossings into South Elmany numerous times to secretly assist Voromiraka efforts to undermine the Elman Kingdom. In 656, once voromiraka control over the mountain regions (and an informal alliance with the Green) had been established, Toufant returned to Vostok with a force of over 1,000 apostles, and established the Ankylan Hagioist Party in the forests of the southern border region. They soon began their revolutionary work in the countryside following similar tactics as Yemisi’s voromiraka, slowly spreading the hagioist message in the rural settlements that made up the majority of Vostok, until they had surrounded its three major cities.

Toufant sent his congratulations when Transelmany successfully achieved formal recognition from the Elman Kingdom in the north, but he was unable to assist the voromiraka in the civil war that followed because the AHP were fighting losing battles against both Ankylosanten Federal Authority forces and Vostok merchant guild mercenaries in a protracted conflict. Once Transelmany and the Velsh Republic had won their respective civil wars, the tide began to turn for Toufant’s AHP. By 665, the entire territory of Vostok had come under AHP control, and the war had become too expensive for the other merchant guilds to continue. They sued for peace and formally recognized the new hagioist government of Vostok in place of the deposed merchant guild, and accepted their delegates to the federal board.

Despite this, Vostok did not initially abandon armed struggle and continued trying to spread hagioism in other telayas. While they made a sizable westward push into sparsely populated Evermarsh territory, their efforts upon reaching more developed areas met much stronger resistance than it had in Vostok, because peasantry of other regions still had too little trust in outsiders on top of the other limiting factors. As such, these incursions did not receive as much attention from the federal government. They also did not declare independence from Ankylosante because Fayowa made it clear to Toufant that any potential annexation of foreign territory that would amount to another war was out of the question for Transelmany.

Today, the Ankylan Hagioist Party continues to maintain a belligerent rhetorical stance against the Ankylosanten Federal Authority, but one that in practice manifests as mostly a frozen conflict, with the region of the Evermarsh that they managed to carve out existing as a buffer zone between the rest of the country and the hagioist stronghold of Vostok, which is now officially known as the Vostok Basilica Republic. This is because the people of Vostok are mostly content with being a federal subject of Ankylosante and view their unique circumstances as a blessing, not wishing to jeopardize it with more war. Vostok continues to lead Ankylosante in several important metrics such as literacy rate, homeownership rate and employment, but because of its relative lack of natural resources and landlocked nature it does not come close to the levels of prosperity seen in Transelmany and the Velsh Republic. It relies heavily on trade from the two hagioist countries, with its biggest export being the minerals and precious stones that can be found all over the region.

Riverlands

The Riverlands have a much more hostile relationship to Transelmany, having occupied and annexed some of its territory, and being the home to the Crown Restoration Movement that constitutes its biggest enemies outside of the Northern Kingdom it separated from.

Traditionally the wealthiest merchant guild, the city of Lakeview in its role as the capital of the Riverlands has continually sought to undermine the presence of hagioism on its borders. It is also home to Joseph Cross, one of Transelmany’s oldest enemies. An Anyklan farmer who joined their federal army during the Pnemic Wars fought in the country from 645–648, he became a staunch anti-hagioist after reading Deadline. When Transelmany and the Velsh Republic established hagioist states on Kedavaara in the decade that followed he decided to make uneasy bedfellows with South Elman emigrés to quell those revolutions. When that failed, he started supporting counterinsurgents in both countries.

Most recently, this has been done through the use of the the Crown Restoration Movement, or CRM; a militia native to the Riverlands, formed in the aftermath of the Transelman civil war and formally incorporated in 668 in the aftermath of the Transelman Civil War after the expulsion of royal sympathizers from the country a year before. They are still active today along the eastern sliver of the Riverlands that borders the Styx, and boast a large network of militants who seek to destabilize Transelmany.

As time passed, Cross grew disillusioned with Ankylosante’s inefficient federal government and its inability to act outside the whims of its wealthy patrons. He was dismissed from the federal army and became a full-time counterinsurgent against hagioism on Kedavaara. Today, despite his persona non grata status in Ankylosante after being imprisoned for subversion & escaping numerous times, his residence in Occupied Elman Riverlands prevents his country from taking decisive action against him, thanks to the lack of federal jurisdiction in those regions.

The rest of the Riverlands is fairly similar to other telayas, mostly indifferent to foreign politics, and lacking any strong personalities outside of the mercantilist orthodoxy.

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Deuteronomy 1: God Gives Moses The Command To Tell The Isralites To Go Inherit The Promise Land

1 These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the wilderness east of the Jordan—that is, in the Arabah—opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab. 

2 (It takes eleven days to go from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea by the Mount Seir road.)

3 In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them. 

4 This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.

5 East of the Jordan in the territory of Moab, Moses began to expound this law, saying:

6 The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 

7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 

8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

The Appointment of Leaders

9 At that time I said to you, “You are too heavy a burden for me to carry alone. 

10 The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky. 

11 May the Lord, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised! 

12 But how can I bear your problems and your burdens and your disputes all by myself? 

13 Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

14 You answered me, “What you propose to do is good.”

15 So I took the leading men of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them to have authority over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens and as tribal officials. 

16 And I charged your judges at that time, “Hear the disputes between your people and judge fairly, whether the case is between two Israelites or between an Israelite and a foreigner residing among you. 

17 Do not show partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of anyone, for judgment belongs to God. Bring me any case too hard for you, and I will hear it.” 

18 And at that time I told you everything you were to do.

Spies Sent Out

19 Then, as the Lord our God commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful wilderness that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. 

20 Then I said to you, “You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 

21 See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

22 Then all of you came to me and said, “Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to.”

23 The idea seemed good to me; so I selected twelve of you, one man from each tribe. 

24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshkol and explored it. 

25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us.”

Rebellion Against the Lord

26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. 

27 You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. 

28 Where can we go? Our brothers have made our hearts melt in fear. They say, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.’”

29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 

30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 

31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”

32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, 

33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

34 When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 

35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, 36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.”

37 Because of you the Lord became angry with me also and said, “You shall not enter it, either. 

38 But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it. 

39 And the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it. 

40 But as for you, turn around and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.”

41 Then you replied, “We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight, as the Lord our God commanded us.” So every one of you put on his weapons, thinking it easy to go up into the hill country.

42 But the Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘Do not go up and fight, because I will not be with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.’”

43 So I told you, but you would not listen. You rebelled against the Lord’s command and in your arrogance you marched up into the hill country. 

44 The Amorites who lived in those hills came out against you; they chased you like a swarm of bees and beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah. 

45 You came back and wept before the Lord, but he paid no attention to your weeping and turned a deaf ear to you. 

46 And so you stayed in Kadesh many days—all the time you spent there.