- Details
- By Levi Rickert
Mark Charles thinks it is time for America to have a national dialogue about race, gender and class.
Published May 30, 2019
WASHINGTON — With a release of a YouTube video, Mark Charles, a tribal citizen of the Navajo Nation, announced he is running for president of the United States in 2020.
Charles, who is one of the country's leading experts on the Doctrine of Discovery, challenges Americans to get past the current politics of whether America needs to be great again or the opposing viewpoint that America is already great and enter into a national dialogue that involves race, gender and class.
He calls his campaign an 18-month journey.
In his announcement video that runs almost nine minutes, Charles argues "We the People" in the U.S. Constitution was not inclusive of women or Native Americans and only considered African American slaves as only being 3/5 of a person. Charles says even with the attempt to remedy the injustice of slavery of African Americans, the United States now has the highest rate of incarceration in the world with a disproportionate of people of color.
Charles says "We the people have never meant all the people." He feels it is time for inclusion. He says it is time for "We the people to truly means all the people."
Neither a Democrat or a Republican, Charles, who lives in Washington D.C., is running as an independent.
DISCLOSURE: Charles is a longtime contributor to Native News Online
Read his latest Commentary that appeared Monday, on Memorial Day, in Native News Online: A Native Perspective on Memorial Day
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Navajo Nation Agriculture Dept. Warns Farmers and Ranchers to Disregard Communications from CKP Insurance
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Forwards Patrice Kunesh's Nomination to Chair The National Indian Gaming Commission to Senate for a Vote
Tribal Leaders Press Lawmakers for Solutions to Solve MMIW Crisis
Support Independent Indigenous Journalism That Holds Power to Account
With the election now decided, Native News Online is recommitting to our core mission: rigorous oversight of federal Indian policy and its impact on tribal communities.
The previous Trump administration’s record on Indian Country — from the reduction of sacred sites to aggressive energy development on tribal lands — demands heightened vigilance as we enter this new term. Our Indigenous-centered newsroom will provide unflinching coverage of policies affecting tribal sovereignty, sacred site protection, MMIR issues, water rights, Indian health, and economic sovereignty.
This critical watchdog journalism requires resources. Your support, in any amount, helps maintain our independent, Native-serving news coverage. Every contribution helps keep our news free for all of our relatives. Please donate today to ensure Native News Online can thrive and deliver impactful, independent journalism.
