And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: "T. Hall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://members.aol.com/viewcamp/day141.html A letter from Jill Walker with some pressing questions that need to be answered. December 28th, 1998 Dear Friends, I want to wish all of you the warmest regards for the holidays, but I'd like to ask that you take a few moments to read the following, and take whatever action you can before we're too deep into the new year. A single phone call or letter helps a lot. Also passing the word on to others who will call or write helps even more. This is important to ALL Minnesotans. It has been 8 days since Governor Arne Carlson unleashed 600 police officers on peaceful protesters of the re-route of Highway 55 in Minneapolis. The 7 remaining homes in the path of the re-route on Riverview Road were destroyed, the encampment demolished, the debris removed, and the space "filled in" in 7 short hours. Most of the trees remain, and the area, with time, could be restored to a beautiful natural state -- more park land! New rumors suggest that the Minnesota Department of Transportation is going to remove those trees any day now. A lawsuit challenging the legality of the highway is still under appeal, other lawsuits are being filed, and to my understanding, trees were not to be removed before February 1999. Let's hope MnDOT exercises some patience to let legal avenues take their course. Earth First! is now occupying the site of the Four Trees - 200+-year-old bur oaks arranged in the four directions and sacred to the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota People - which are also in the path of the re-route, just south of Riverview Rd. In light of recent events and present rumors, I wanted to pose a few questions as well as suggest actions you can take to help out: - Why didn't Arne Carlson ever take a public position or meet with project opponents before taking military-style action against a nonviolent encampment? - If the raid took place because of safety concerns regarding an illegal gas hook up, why did the police burn fires all over the place (these bonfires are recorded in photographs)? - Why did the police smear pepper spray into the eyes of nonviolent, unarmed protesters, and why did they force some of these protesters to lay face down in the snow in subzero temperatures for 30 minutes or more? - Why were the police allowed to operate with blatant disregard for sacred Native American objects and artifcats? - Were constitutional and international human rights violated? - Why didn't the Minnesota Department of Transportation meet with the federal mediator from the Justice Department before taking this action? - Why would the Minnesota Department of Transportation choose such extreme action when the Park & River Alliance lawsuit challenging the legality of this highway is still under appeal? - If the re-route of Highway 55 cannot be re-examined because of the cost to do so (the only reason given), how can the State of Minnesota justify spending hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to arrest 30-some protesters? - How is it that MnDOT can use taxpayer dollars to send nearly 60,000 copies of pro re-route propaganda to south Minneapolis residents, and claim there is not enough money to re-examine this small portion of the highway? - Why did MnDOT refuse to do a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement when clearly the original EIS contains glaring omissions? Why won't MnDOT acknowledge the existence of substantial new information since the original EIS? - Why is the Minnesota Department of Transportation telling the public the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council approves construction near Coldwater Spring when MnDOT is well aware the Council voted unanimously in November 1998 to support legislation to protect the flow of the Spring because the Spring is in peril? And why wasn't the Spring given any mention in the 1985 Environmental Impact Statement for this project? - Why are our elected officials choosing to align with MnDOT, ignoring thousands of Minnesotans they are supposed to represent? - Is there really only ONE WAY to build this corridor? MUST the Light Rail Transitway depend on the re-route? Do we really lack the capacity to deal with a few blocks and a parking lot? Do you accept this? Friends, whether or not you agree with occupation as a mode of protest, please remember: Tens of thousands of people oppose the re-route; our right to a thorough Environmental Impact Statement is being violated; Native American concerns have not been fairly addressed; the highway is illegal; and MnDOT and our elected officials refuse to listen. MnDOT is like a runaway truck and our government is behind the wheel. What is to become of environmental activism if forceful action and disregard for public opinion replace meaningful dialogue and fair consideration of options? Will people empowered for the first time to act become disillusioned, never to act again? We as American citizens have the right to protest and to petition our government for change. When this type of forced removal of peaceful protesters takes place, regardless of circumstances, it sends a message to the American people that it is NOT o.k. to stand up to protect our environment. To the hundreds of you who have been actively engaged in this campaign, I say "Thank you" and "Please, do not give up." To the rest of you, I thank you in advance for helping however you can. Here are some recommended actions: - Write letters to the Star Tribune, the Pioneer Press, and other newspapers reporting the raid and the protest. Star Tribune, Editorial Department, 425 Portland Ave. So., Minneapolis, MN 55488, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Pioneer Press, Letters to the Editor, 345 Cedar St., St. Paul, MN 55101, fax: 651-228-5564, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Remember to include your full name, address and phone number for electronic and print letters to the editor] - Write or call Governor Jesse Ventura and ask him to re-evaluate his position on the matter. The Star Tribune reported an aid saying Ventura will follow Carlson's position on the re-route. I am not convinced yet that the Governor Elect cannot be persuaded. Ask him to tell MnDOT not to cut any trees until lawsuits have been heard and ruled on by the courts. Politely let him know that if given fair consideration, you CAN stop the re-route and have Light Rail Transit, too. Governor Jesse Ventura, State Capitol, 75 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, MN 55155, ph: 651-297-9500, fax: 651-297-9531, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Write or call Perry Lang, Indian Affairs, at Senator Paul Wellstone's Office. Please ask him to do whatever he can to examine any violations of Native American rights and obligations. Politely remind him that federal funds are being used for this project, thus MnDOT is required to abide by all federal laws. U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone, Attn: Perry Lang, Indian Affairs, 136 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, Ph: 202-224-5641, fax: 202-224-8438, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Support efforts to Stop the Re-Route. The Park & River Alliance lawsuit is still under appeal, and other lawsuits are being filed. Our next meeting is tonight (Monday, Dec. 28th), at 6:30 p.m. at the Gathering Grounds Coffee House, 50th St. and 34th Ave. So. in Minneapolis. - Check out the Stop the Re-Route web site at any time for updated information. The address is >>> freenet.msp.mn.us/org/stop55 <<< Be sure to go from there to Tom Taylor's site to see photos of the occupation, and to the Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota web site to learn more about their culture and history. - Attached as a text file are additional important contact names and addresses, for those of you ambitious enough to write more and/or pass the information along to others who will write. THANK YOU for taking this time. Peace to you all, and best wishes for a happy, healthy 1999. Jill Walker ================================================================ The following are addresses and phone numbers of Government officials and agencies that are accountable to, or responsible for, the enforcement of laws that protect our sacred sites and the environment. Please direct resolutions and letters of support to their attention. Thank you for your support. U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone Attn: Perry Lang, Indian Affairs 136 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5641 202-224-8438 fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] Bob Stanton, Director National Park Service Department of Interior 1849 C Street NW Mail Stop 3316 Washington DC 20240 202-208-4621 202-208-7889 fax Tim McKeown National Park Service NAGPRA Enforcement Division 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 Francis P. McManamon Consulting Archaeologist National Park Service, Archaeology Division Room 2275 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240 202-343-4101 202-343-5260 fax Mr. Alan R. Steger Division Administrator, FHWA ( & Cheryl Martin) Galtier Plaza, Suite 500 175E 5th Street St. Pual, MN 55101 651-291-6100 Bruce Eberly, Historical Preservation Officer FHWA C!O HEP - 4() Room 3240 Washington, DC 20590 202-366-2()60 Don Klima, Director Advisory Council, FHWA Old Post Office Building 1100 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 809 Washington DC 20004 202-606-8505 B. Todd Jones U.S. Attorney 600 U.S. Courthouse 300 S. 4th Street Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-664-5660 National Register of Historic Preservation, Dept. of Interior Box 37127 Washington DC 20013-7127 202-343-9500 Jesse Taylor, Regional Director U.S. Department of Justice Department of Community Relations 55 West Monroe, Suite 420 Chicago, IL 60603 312-353-4356 312-353-4391 312-353-4390 fax Robert Doyle Bureau of Land Management Department of the Interior TCRC Closure Team Room 5617 1849 C Street NW Washington DC 20240 Bruce Babbit, Secretary of the Interior, Dept. of the Interior 1849 C Street NW Washington DC 20240 202-208-7351 Frederico Pena U.S. Department of Transportation 4007th Street SW Washington DC 20205 202-366-4000 Jamie Clark, Director U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling Minneapolis, MN 55406 612-725-3502 Col. Kenneth Kasparisan Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District 190 East 5th Street St. Paul, MN 55101 651-290-5200 Kevin Garner, Undersecretarv of the Interior Indian Affairs 1849 C Street NW Washington. DC 20240 Representative Martin Olav Sabo 2336 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-4755 202-225-4886 fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] Vice President Al Gore The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave Washington DC 20500 202-456- 1414 Janet Reno, U.S Attornev General Justice Department 600 E. Street NW Washington, DC 20090 202-737-5214 Governor Arne Carlson (Until Jan. 4, 1999) 130 State Capitol 75 Constitution Ave. St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-3391 Governor Jesse Ventura State Capitol Building 75 Constitution Ave. St. Paul, MN 55155 651-297-9500 James Denn, Commissioner Minnesota Department of Transportation 395 John Ireland Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-3000 651-296-3587 fax Britta Bloomberg, Deputy State of MN Historic Preservation Officer 345 Kellogg Blvd. West St. Paul MN 55102 651-296-5434 Mark Dudzik Minnesota State Archaeologist Fort Snelling History Center St.Paul, MN 55111 612-725-2411 612-725-2427 fax 612-966-0834 pgr Joe Hudak Mn/DOT Cultural Resource Unit Transportation Bldg MS 676 St. Paul, MN 55155-1899 651-296-6116 651-296-3000 fax Jim Jones MN Indian Affairs Council Cultural Resource Specialist 1450 Energy Park Drive St. Paul, MN 55108 651-643-3032 Rod Sando, Commissioner Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources 500 Lafayette Rd. St. Paul, MN 55155-4001 651-296-2594 Peder Larson, Commissioner Minnesota Pollution Control Agency 520 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-6300 Michael Sullivan Minnesota Environmental Quality Board 300 Centenniel Building 658 Cedar Street St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-2603 Chair Minnesota House Committee Transportation and Transit 437 State Office Building St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-4200 Chair Minnesota Senate Committee Transportation 120 Capitol Building St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-5099 Chair Minnesota House Committee Environment and Natural Resources 479 State Office Building St. Paul, MN 55155 651 -296-4282 Chair Minnesota Senate Committee Environment and Natural Resources 111 Capitol St. Paul, MN 55155 651-296-1113 Phyllis Hanson, Met Council Mears Park Center 230 B. 5th Street St. Paul, MN 55101 612-602-1000 Nigel Phinney Metropolitan Airports Commission 6040 28th Ave S Minneapolis 55450 651-726-8187 Jeff Spartz Hennepin County Commission 300 S. 6th Street Minneapolis, MN 55407 612-348-3000 Art Leahv, General Manager Metro Transit 560 6th Ave. N. Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-373-3333 Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton 350 S. 5th Street Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-673-2100 Council Member Sandra Colvin Roy 350 S. 5th Street Minneapolis, MN 55415 612-673-2213 David Fisher, Superintendent Minneapolis Park Board 200 Grain Exchange 400 South 4th Street Minneapolis, MN 55418 612-661-4800 Coral Houd, Mavor City of Bloomington 2215 West Old Shakopee Road Bloomington, MN 55431 612-948-8700 <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
