And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Received: from [EMAIL PROTECTED]
by imo18.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v22.4.) id 2EXLa02406 (4419);
Thu, 19 Aug 1999 20:57:17 -0400 (EDT)
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 20:57:16 EDT
Dear Supporters,
The last two weeks I have spent making calls to the individual prison
facilities in Colorado to find out how to get a spiritual drum group approved
for a visit. Each facility's volunteer coordinator (that I was able to
reach), stated that the individuals just needed to give their name, address,
social security number and driver's license number for clearance. They also
stated to me that if they had any felony convictions in the last five years
they may not be admitted, but any before that would show up on the clearance,
but would NOT disallow them from being admitted.
Today I received a call from the Colorado Department of Corrections, Regional
Volunteer Coordinator, Lee Hendrix, telling me that the DOC will not allow
anyone from N.A.T.I.V.E.S. to go into any prison in the state of Colorado
until we get clearance from the Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs. I
asked him why the Native Americans had to have clearance from TWO state
entities, when the Christian groups only had to be cleared individually and
he just stated that "that's the way it is", that Colorado has a state statute
that makes it a law that all Native American activities and groups MUST be
cleared first by the CCIA and then again by the DOC. He then told me I could
either, "accept it, or reject it". When I stated that I felt that was
discrimination, he told me, "I don't care what you think". At the end of the
discussion, he stated that N.A.T.I.V.E.S. could not contact any facility in
the state of Colorado directly again, that I was to contact the Regional
office only and THEY would decide what we could and couldn't do and again,
only after the CCIA had checked our organization out to make sure we were
"legitimate"and given us their approval.
Mr. Hendrix also stated he could not understand why we refused to work
through the CCIA. I told him that I did not think a state entity with only
ONE Native American employee (who, by the way, is Karen Rogers and she does a
GREAT job, especially under the circumstances! ) should be designated the
final authority on Native American spirituality. There should be a
separation of church and state, even if Native Americans don't have a
legitimate "church", there needs to be someone other than the state
controlling spiritual decisions. I also told him we NEVER refused to work
through the CCIA and had never been told we NEEDED to be cleared by them in
all the four years we had been doing volunteer work in Colorado. As far as
being "legitimate", I personally sent Mr. Hendrix all our paperwork several
months ago, from the IRS and the state on our nonprofit standing, so I have
no idea what else needs to be proved. This is just another step by the DOC
to stop volunteers for the Native American inmates.
They have literally stonewalled every positive program that we have tried to
get introduced into the prisons, whether they were rehab, spiritual or
educational. Not ONE would have cost the DOC a penny, were sponsored by
outside supporters and needed no additional hours by personnel. Nothing that
was proposed would have caused additional work or money in any way.
Nevertheless they were blocked. We have always maintained a respectful
approach, have gone directly to the programs directors to find out the right
way to have herbs, rocks, etc..sent in and they have been held up for months
at a time. The DOC fought tooth and nail to stop the introduction of the
Medicine Wheel Program, that would have been donated to the facilities by our
organization, which is a well known and successful 12 step program based in
Native spirituality. We tried to get continuing education introduced,
sponsored by one of the local colleges, with courses either paid by
supporters or by the inmates and their families - again, no cost or effort
needed by the DOC, that too was blocked. Although the clearance checks are
to go back only 5 years for the spiritual advisors, when we asked Selo Black
Crow to come in, even though he passed clearance and was admitted (with very
successful outcome and ceremonies) the DOC went back 15 years to keep him
from being admitted a third time. The "criminal" charge they found was an
old DUI, committed the day he lost his brother to cancer. I can go on
forever, but the final word is "DISCRIMINATION".
I have contacted the CCIA, since Mr. Hendrix could not and/or would not give
me the number of the statute he stated he was following by blocking our group
from support work and although Karen was on the Western Slope at a meeting,
her office is trying to locate the statute that he was referring to. I will
send that information as we get it.
Let me state this: I have NO criminal record, I don't use drugs and never
have, I haven't had an alcoholic beverage in more years than I can count and
have never done anything that would give the DOC reason to block our access
to these prisons. We have played by their rules, even when they haven't and
now they want to eliminate our support and supporters altogether.
Monday I have a meeting with the Civil Rights Commission, since we have had
no luck with the ACLU at all and as soon as they show me the statute that Mr.
Hendrix wasn't able/willing to give me, we will probably file suit. If
anyone has any contacts with the Colorado ACLU or other organizations that
would be willing to help, we would like it if you could share that with us.
We have some other options, but are not able to discuss those at this time.
Dealing with the Department of Corrections directly at this time isn't an
option any longer. It is obvious from the last few episodes that the only
thing they want is my husband sent back to Minnesota and N.A.T.I.V.E.S. out
of their hair.
We will keep you posted as this progresses.
In The Struggle,
Renee Still Day
Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine
of international copyright law.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
UPDATES: CAMP JUSTICE
http://shell.webbernet.net/~ishgooda/oglala/
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
