Today marks the end of a long journey. A journey that ten years ago seemed full of impossibilities when, on March 11, 2006 the government came in and confiscated 50 of our sacred eagle feathers. That evening many of us were full of fear and anger because the government was threatening us for simply practicing our culture and faith. We were left with a great sadness wondering how we could continue to fully worship God and enjoy our God given culture as Natives having been stripped of something so sacred to us – no less by a government that was meant to protect our right to worship.

I have spent countless hours in prayer seeking God the Creator's help through all this. When I started my journey of faith, I knew the odds were against us. No one had ever won a case like this and many had even suffered time in prison, which I was facing. But at the same time, sitting down and doing nothing was not the answer. So I, in the midst of my prayers and against the advice of many, decided I had to take our government to court and try to undo the bad they had done.

Tonight, we gather together to celebrate the return of our 50 eagle feathers. First and foremost, I thank my Lord and Savior for the wisdom He gave people like our lawyers to help us not just win our feathers back, but to restore our culture and faith. We thank the Becket Fund, Attorney Art Cisneros of the Cisneros Law Firm who first took a step of faith to defend us; and I would like to thank Milo Colton and Marisa Salazar of the Civil Rights Legal Defense and Educational Fund for staying and believing in us for these last ten years and doing what no one had ever done before, beat the government. These are our champions – without you this would not be possible. Along with our attorneys, I would like to thank my wife Iris, my family and friends who have supported our effort to make this world a little better for our Native People. But lastly, I would like to thank the thousands among thousands from all over the United States and the world, who have faithfully prayed for us and the victory we are celebrating today. Because it is your continued faith and prayers that has led us here today. As of this evening, we are free to dance, to worship, and to honor our God as Native people.

I thank you for coming tonight with such short notice and let us continue praying for better days ahead. God bless.

Robert Soto, Pastor and Vice Chairman of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas