--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though the American Indian Movement…" description: "\"Even though the American Indian Movement on a national-international scale has proven to be extremely dysfunctional, the American Indian Movement I was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/russell-means-12584_american-indian_even-though-the-american-indian-movement_1563720.jpg" --- # Even though the American Indian Movement on a… ![“Even though the American Indian Movement on a national-international scale has proven to be extremely dysfunctional, the American Indian Movement I was associated with I'm very proud of. We were a revolutionary, militant organization whose purpose was spirituality first, and that's how I want to…” quote by Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/russell-means-12584_american-indian_even-though-the-american-indian-movement_1563720.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/russell-means-12584_american-indian_even-though-the-american-indian-movement_1563720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/russell-means-12584_american-indian_even-though-the-american-indian-movement_1563720.jpg) > “Even though the American Indian Movement on a national-international scale has proven to be extremely dysfunctional, the American Indian Movement I was associated with I'm very proud of. We were a revolutionary, militant organization whose purpose was spirituality first, and that's how I want to be remembered.” [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges flaws in the broader movement while expressing pride in a local, spiritually focused faction that prioritized revolutionary ideals. **In simple terms:** He values a spiritual, revolutionary group despite broader dysfunction. Key Takeaway Support causes that align with your core values. Themes activism spirituality pride revolution identity Mood determined proud critical Type political personal historical When to use this quote - community organizing - spiritual practice - public speaking Key Concepts indigenous rights militant organization personal legacy Questions to Reflect On - How can spiritual values guide activism? - What lessons arise from a movement’s internal contradictions? A Different Perspective The movement’s broader dysfunction may limit its impact; personal pride may overlook systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-indian/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [In the past, when we were initially organizing to bring about changes, our elders had little or no political experience. However, today, most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/in-the-past-when-we-were-initially-organizing-to-bring-about-changes/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [I see, or at least it appears to me, that there is some concerted effort to discredit them, and categorize the American Indian Movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-peltier/i-see-or-at-least-it-appears-to-me-that-there-is-some-concerted/) [Leonard Peltier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-peltier/) > [I've always considered myself a man of integrity as a leader of the American Indian Movement and of Indian people. I will stand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-man-of-integrity-as-a-leader-of-the/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [What the American Indian Movement says is that the American Indians are the Palestinians of the United States, and the Palestinians are the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/what-the-american-indian-movement-says-is-that-the-american-indians/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [“When I say my wound became political in the years that followed, I don't mean that my involvement in the anti-war movement was somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/when-i-say-my-wound-became-political-in-the-years-that-followed-i-don/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [Being is a spiritual proposition. Gaining is a material act. 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I'm not politically correct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/the-one-thing-i-ve-always-maintained-is-that-i-m-an-american-indian-i/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [It takes a strong effort on the part of each American Indian not to become Europeanized. The strength for this effort can only come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/it-takes-a-strong-effort-on-the-part-of-each-american-indian-not-to/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [Before AIM, Indians were dispirited, defeated, and culturally dissolving. People were ashamed to be Indian. You didn't see the young people wearing braids or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/before-aim-indians-were-dispirited-defeated-and-culturally-dissolving/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [I don't want to be remembered as an activist; I want to be remembered as an American Indian patriot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-don-t-want-to-be-remembered-as-an-activist-i-want-to-be-remembered/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/everything-an-indian-does-is-in-a-circle-and-that-is-because-the/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Language is decanted and shared. If only one person is left alive speaking a language - the case with some American Indian languages -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/language-is-decanted-and-shared-if-only-one-person-is-left-alive/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [I told my friend - we were working on a movie together - and he gave me a script and asked me to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/i-told-my-friend-we-were-working-on-a-movie-together-and-he-gave-me-a/) [Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/) ## More by Russell Means > [Freedom is for everyone, whatever lifestyle they choose, as long as it's peaceful and honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/freedom-is-for-everyone-whatever-lifestyle-they-choose-as-long-as-it/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [America always put forth this phony melting pot theory, but it's a reality now. They couldn't accomplish the melting pot economically; they couldn't accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/america-always-put-forth-this-phony-melting-pot-theory-but-it-s-a/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [I've always considered myself a man of integrity as a leader of the American Indian Movement and of Indian people. I will stand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-man-of-integrity-as-a-leader-of-the/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [When a woman grabs my braids and says "How cute!" I crab her breast and say "How cute!" She never touches me again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/when-a-woman-grabs-my-braids-and-says-how-cute-i-crab-her-breast-and/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [Golden eagles don't mate with bald eagles, deer don't mate with antelope, gray wolves don't mate with red wolves. 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You didn't see the young people wearing braids or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/before-aim-indians-were-dispirited-defeated-and-culturally-dissolving/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [Children in poverty aren't trying to get out of poverty; they're just trying to rip off a pair of Nikes. So we Indian people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/children-in-poverty-aren-t-trying-to-get-out-of-poverty-they-re-just/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [The United States is a fake country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/the-united-states-is-a-fake-country/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [We Indians do not teach that there is only one god. We know that everything has power, including the most inanimate, inconsequential things. Stones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/we-indians-do-not-teach-that-there-is-only-one-god-we-know-that/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [What the American Indian Movement says is that the American Indians are the Palestinians of the United States, and the Palestinians are the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/what-the-american-indian-movement-says-is-that-the-american-indians/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [I'd like to talk about free markets. Information in the computer age is the last genuine free market left on earth except those free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-d-like-to-talk-about-free-markets-information-in-the-computer-age/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [True to your own ancestors, therefore true to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/true-to-your-own-ancestors-therefore-true-to-yourself/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [Imagine going to the holy land in Israel, whether you're a Christian or a Jew or a Muslim, and start carving up the mountain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/imagine-going-to-the-holy-land-in-israel-whether-you-re-a-christian/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) [Explore all 54 Russell Means quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) ## More American indian quotes > [I told my friend - we were working on a movie together - and he gave me a script and asked me to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/i-told-my-friend-we-were-working-on-a-movie-together-and-he-gave-me-a/) [Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/) > [Language is decanted and shared. If only one person is left alive speaking a language - the case with some American Indian languages -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/language-is-decanted-and-shared-if-only-one-person-is-left-alive/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/everything-an-indian-does-is-in-a-circle-and-that-is-because-the/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Humor is widely used by Indians to deal with life. Indian gatherings are marked by laughter and jokes, many directed at the horrors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/humor-is-widely-used-by-indians-to-deal-with-life-indian-gatherings/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [I am tired of talk that comes to nothing It makes my heart sick when I remember all the good words and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/i-am-tired-of-talk-that-comes-to-nothing-it-makes-my-heart-sick-when/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [There are more American Indians alive today than there were when Columbus arrived or at any other time in history. Does this sound like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-are-more-american-indians-alive-today-than-there-were-when/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Next time!' In what calendar are kept the records of those next times which never come?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/next-time-in-what-calendar-are-kept-the-records-of-those-next-times/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) > [I think awards in this country at this time are inappropriate to be received or given until the condition of the American Indian is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-brando/i-think-awards-in-this-country-at-this-time-are-inappropriate-to-be/) [Marlon Brando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-brando/) > [So, one of the things I was doing with the aliens in The Quiet Invasion was creating that advanced society which had ideas about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/so-one-of-the-things-i-was-doing-with-the-aliens-in-the-quiet/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [I've always considered myself a man of integrity as a leader of the American Indian Movement and of Indian people. I will stand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/i-ve-always-considered-myself-a-man-of-integrity-as-a-leader-of-the/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [“The white man will never be alone. Let him be just, and deal kindly with my people. For the dead are not powerless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/the-white-man-will-never-be-alone-let-him-be-just-and-deal-kindly/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [Would movie moguls release a film portraying Adolph Hitler as a great benefactor of the Jews? Hardly. 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I'll tell you what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/now-christianity-sounded-good-at-first-to-the-naive-convert-love/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 174 American indian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-indian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even though the American Indian Movement on a national-international scale has proven to be extremely dysfunctional, the American Indian Movement I was associated with I'm very proud of. 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