Sunday, July 21, 2019
Orthodox Jews And Indian Eagle Feathers
On March 11, 2006, American Jews were preparing for Purim, which was just two days away. They planned parties, gift baskets, and megillah readings secure in the knowledge that in the land of the free, they could practice their faith without fear of government interference. Meanwhile, in McAllen, Texas, another religious community seeking to peacefully practice its faith was in for a rude surprise.
That day, members of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas gathered at a pow-pow, a religious ceremony involving drums, dances, and eagle feathers. The tribe welcomed outsiders to observe the ritual, so a stranger politely observing and asking questions did not raise any suspicions. This man, however, was an undercover agent for the federal government’s Fish and Wildlife Service. His mission? To investigate the tribe’s possession of contraband eagle feathers.
Once he discovered the origin of the feathers, the agent confiscated them and threatened the pastor conducting the ceremony with fines and jail time should he continue to use eagle feathers in accordance with his faith. This demand was untenable to the pastor, Robert Soto, because sacred feathers are an important part of his tribe’s dances and traditional rites.
This story might seem surprising to the uninitiated, but tension between Native Americans and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been ongoing for more than a decade and should concern anyone who values religious liberty.
Contrary to popular opinion, most religious liberty cases do not involve same-gender marriage, abortion, or anti-discrimination laws. They involve religious believers like Pastor Robert Soto who simply want the government to leave them alone so they can observe their faith in peace.
Most of the feathers the agent confiscated came from eagles and other birds covered by the Migratory Birds Treaty Act. This law prohibits possessing feathers that come from a long list of birds. Because many Native Americans use eagle feathers in religious and cultural ceremonies, the Department of the Interior created an exception that allows Native Americans to possess them.
https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/orthodox-jews-and-indian-eagle-feathers/2019/06/21/
That day, members of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas gathered at a pow-pow, a religious ceremony involving drums, dances, and eagle feathers. The tribe welcomed outsiders to observe the ritual, so a stranger politely observing and asking questions did not raise any suspicions. This man, however, was an undercover agent for the federal government’s Fish and Wildlife Service. His mission? To investigate the tribe’s possession of contraband eagle feathers.
Once he discovered the origin of the feathers, the agent confiscated them and threatened the pastor conducting the ceremony with fines and jail time should he continue to use eagle feathers in accordance with his faith. This demand was untenable to the pastor, Robert Soto, because sacred feathers are an important part of his tribe’s dances and traditional rites.
This story might seem surprising to the uninitiated, but tension between Native Americans and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been ongoing for more than a decade and should concern anyone who values religious liberty.
Contrary to popular opinion, most religious liberty cases do not involve same-gender marriage, abortion, or anti-discrimination laws. They involve religious believers like Pastor Robert Soto who simply want the government to leave them alone so they can observe their faith in peace.
Most of the feathers the agent confiscated came from eagles and other birds covered by the Migratory Birds Treaty Act. This law prohibits possessing feathers that come from a long list of birds. Because many Native Americans use eagle feathers in religious and cultural ceremonies, the Department of the Interior created an exception that allows Native Americans to possess them.
https://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/orthodox-jews-and-indian-eagle-feathers/2019/06/21/
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