Indigenous Activists Respond to CNN Settlement with Nick Sandmann Over Last Year's Lincoln Memorial Viral Video

Other than the Native press, no media outlets sought comment from organizers of the Indigenous Peoples March when CNN settled a libel suit this week brought by Kentucky high school student Nick Sandmann after his confrontation with Native American activist Nathan Phillips last year.

As the March was created to amplify Indigenous voices on matters that concern Indigenous people, here’s a joint statement from organizers of the Indigenous Peoples March and the Lakota People’s Law Project:

As no details concerning CNN’s decision to settle Nick Sandmann’s defamation lawsuit against them have been released, it’s difficult to assess the implications of the network’s decision not to fight in court.

It is important to note that a Kentucky federal judge decided last summer to dismiss Sandmann’s suit against The Washington Post, citing First Amendment concerns. Though the suit has since been reopened, it should be noted that Sandmann has only been granted the ability to seek discovery surrounding three of an original 33 alleged libelous charges.

Regardless of any legal outcomes, the smirk seen around the world remains a poignant symbol of the well-documented bigotry of President Donald Trump and many of his followers.

The United States is losing moral capital the world over right now at an alarming rate. That trend must be reversed immediately if we hope to remain a force for good in the world, and that begins with robust media coverage of public acts of racism.

We encourage interested parties to review our detailed rebuttal of the lawsuit filed by Nick Sandmann against The Washington Post. The arguments made there also apply to the specious suit settled by CNN.