And now:LISN <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Subject: Fwd: Re: Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 06:57:18 -1000 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: "CATHERINE DAVIDS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >X-pmrqc: 1 >Priority: normal > > >For all of you who receive this message more than once please forgive >me but I need to get this out and don't have time to edit as carefully as I >should. > > > Catherine > >************************ > >A rally to gather support for the Michigan Commission on Indian >Affairs will be held on Thursday, September 2, 1999at 6:00 p.m. at: > >North American Indian Association >22720 Plymouth Road >Detroit, Michigian 48239 >1-313-535-2966 > >The center is located between Outer Drive & Telegraph Avenue. > >State Representative Lynn Martinez (Democrat) has given her >commitment to alerting Michigan's Latino/a community and many >Latino/a leaders will be at the rally on Thursday night. Martinez's >office is spending a lot of time calling labor leaders, politicans, etc., >in order to ensure that Michigan's American Indian community has >support. Engler's office states they are "speaking for Michigan's Indian >community who wants to be served by other state agencies." I can state >for certainty that Engler's office has not polled the American Indian >people of Michigan. State agencies are funded by taxpayers and >American Indians are taxpayers...therefore ALL state agencies are >required to give support to all people regardless of ethnic origin or >religious background or sexual preference. To do otherwise is an act of >discrimination and preference. The difference here is that the Michigan >Commission on Indian Affairs is by Indians for Indians. It is not a >welfare or service agency that provide emergency shelter, clothing, food, >etc. It is a communication office providing a valuable service that no >other agency provides. Engler's office would have us believe that this >office has not performed its duties in a proper or timely manner and yet >we know better...the MCIA has been a valuable tool and Donna >Budnick and her office have performed a remarkable service and its >quarterly magazine has become a lifeline in this state and in the Great >Lakes area. > >The Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs is the >equivalent office. Consider this: the thousands of migrant farm workers >that come here and work for slave wages and live in inhumane >conditions...and, the State of Michigan encourages this near enslavement >of our Mexican relations. Michigan's Latino/a community has a rich and >vibrant history in this state with many worthy accomplishments. It is >good to know this history: before Anglos began their insidious invasion >of these lands the Indian peoples of what is now called Mexico were >frequent travelers to this area and had "travel villages" as far north as >Saskatchewan, Canada. The Ojibway and Chippewa people were not >just sitting here waiting to be discovered...they had (as did all tribes) >traders and explorers who went "everywhere." The Indian tribes knew >each other. When the borders were set down at the Rio Grande River >many families became divided by two countries. Mexican people are >Maya, Apache, Kikapo, Cheyenne, Mechixa, etc. We are related and >this is why Lynn Martinez is my hero today and all week long. She >recognizes this historic relationship and has put her support behind her >relations. > >State Representative Laura Toy (Republican) from Livonia has received >a permit to hold a celebration to honor Christopher Columbus on the >steps of the State Capital Building on October 6th. Toy is already in >the process of requesting donations from corporations (advertisments in >a program). > >Martinez has committed her office to acting in concert with the >American Indian community and she will be receiving a permit and she >will sponsor a counter-rally of protest on October 6th on the steps of >the State Capital Building. We will need drums, veterans, people of all >ages, colors, religions, etc. > >I can only speak for myself about this but I am deeply appreciative that >Martinez is acting on these two matters because there are no American >Indian's in Michigan's House of Representatives or Senate. > >Everyone should take a few moments to send a letter of support to both >Donna Budnick and Lynn Martinez. Our letters will also be a vote of >support for the Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs. If >Engler is successful in closing the Michigan Commission on Indian >Affairs it will not be long before the Michigan Commission on Spanish >Speaking Affairs is threatened with closing. This is a historic moment >in Michigan history...when the American Indian and Latino/a >communitys join together for strength and protection. > >If you cannot send a letter then please send a fax. If you cannot do >either of those then please send me an e-mail message of support and I >will make copies to present to both Donna and Lynn. If you send e- >mail messages please include your snail-mail address for verification >purposes only. > > >Donna Budnick, Director >Michgian Commission on Indian Affairs >Victor Office Center, Suite 700 >201 N. Washington Square >Lansing, MI 48913 >phone: 1-517-373-0654 >fax: 1-517-334-8641 > >Representative Lynn Martinez (D) >House Office Building, Suite 1088 >P. O. Box 30014 >Lansing, MI 48909 > >Miigwech and Gracias, > >Catherine Davids >Flint, Michigan
