We have lost a great citizen

One of my favorite authors is remarkably difficult to read. His language tends to obfuscate the point, his terminology is frequently derived from the cant of the law profession, his ideology is contrary, often argumentative, and controversial, and I disagree with a lot he had to say. But he is also intelligent, insightful, and thought provoking.
He wrote many seminal books during the height of the Civil Rights movement, including Custer Died for our Sins, a book that came to be considered "an Indian manifesto". The impact of Vine Deloria Jr. has been felt for decades and will continue to be felt for decades more.
His activism for Native American rights took a lot of forms. He campainged actively in groups that, unlike AIM, tried to work with the system (The National Congress of American Indians) yet supported AIM and similar groups where he could. He acted as lawyer in important cases for the Civil Rights "warriors" such as fishing rights personnel and others.
His writings, activism, teaching, and life touched many others. My studies of his work have fundamentally altered some of my beliefs and understandings of right and wrong, government and society, intentional and and unintentional racism, and what needs to be done to make the world a better place.
This writing is not smooth, it is not well written, and it does not come close to truly explaining how I feel.
After all, how do you truly eulogize someone who changed your life without ever meeting you? How do you memorialize someone who impacted a generation yet is so unheard of that his death did not even make the front page of MSN.com whereas a showpiece (Princess Diana), and entertainer (Eddie Guerrero), and a family foolish enough to establish a curfew for their daughter all did?
I think perhaps this following tribute will sum it up best. My long-time loyal readers will recall I specifically use the phrase United States when speaking of the citizens of our country. I argue that Americans are all the peoples who occupy North and South America. Vine Deloria Jr. was a great American.