And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 01:22:51 EST
Subject: Fwd: Mendota - Coldwater Spring Update
In a message dated 4/1/1999 4:50:07 PM Central Standard Time, JJBoogren
writes:
<<
Dear Friends,
Regarding the pie that was thrown at Sen. Carol Flynn: Please rest assured
Stop the Re-Route in no way condones this act. In fact, I cannot even begin
to express our dismay. On March 31st, members of Stop the Re-Route, Mendota
Mdewakanton Dakota Community, American Indian Movement, Sierra Club and other
movement supporters publicly denounced the act as inexcusable. As Susu
Jeffrey of Stop the Re-Route stated: "This hurts us all."
To those of you who received an e-mail called "BBB strikes in Minnesota!,"
which makes light of the situation, please understand this is no laughing
matter. That the senior senator slipped and fell and that a Native American
elder was knocked down the stairs shows that. That this was done in the
immediate presence of so many people who have put countless hours into the
effort, and who were at the precise moment strategizing on how to move
forward - despite - the senator's decision, was thoughtless to say the least.
We all felt as if it were a pie in our faces.
Still, I am heartened by the outpouring of support from each and every one
of you who has called to offer your sincere regrets. It reaffirms for me the
goodness in the people who have committed so much of their time and energy to
this important cause. Of course many of us were disappointed to hear Sen.
Flynn would not hear the resolution. But none of us had given up. I do know
people plan to return to the Capitol on Tuesday to continue lobbying the rest
of the Senate.
Your support is needed as much as ever. One of the best ways you can help
right now is to write letters to the editor of the Star Tribune and Pioneer
Press (and other news outlets) and let them know how important it is to
protect Coldwater Spring as Traditional Cultural Property. Please call your
state representatives, as well as Senators we haven't reached yet (we have
contacted members of the Government Ops and Transportation Committees - this
leaves about 70 Senators who need to hear from us!). Please call the public
information office @ 1-800-657-3550 or (651) 296-2146 for contact info. We
can only hope legislators and everyone else will see this incident for what
it was - an act by a single individual that is in no way a reflection of the
movement.
Please read on for Linda Brown and Diane Kerr's updates.
Peace,
Jill Walker
FROM LINDA BROWN:
Dear Friends, I'm sorry I haven't sent an update for awhile, it's a very
long and sad story but I will try to fill you in as much as possible.
Tuesday morning we heard that Senator Carol Flynn the Chair of the Senate
Transportation Committee would not hear our resolution and that she
considers it inflammatory and contains inaccurate information, and so
instead of discussing this with us and our Senate sponsors she called a
press conference and announced that she would not hear the bill. We all
rushed down there at that time and started to lobby with our senate allies
as to what could be done to change her mind or approach this from a
different direction. At no time had we given up and were assured that this
could still happen. We stood outside the Senate chamber with all our
testimony and evidence in case we could do something that day. Shortly
after the senate adjourned Senator Carol Flynn walked out of the chamber
and was hit in the face with a pie. Unfortunately within all large
coalitions there is always someone who will act alone and perform these
kinds of extreme acts. All of us who had been working on this legislation
for almost two months were incoherent with shock, concern for the Senator
and one of our own Elders who got knocked down some stairs, and grief as we
saw everything we had worked so hard at destroyed before our eyes. In spite
of this tragedy we will continue with our plans to pursue a vote or hearing
of some kind in the legislature. I can't tell you how strong the people who
have spent so much time on working on this legislation are and they have
become the heroes of mine, and my people, they are the true Warriors,
[Mary, Diane, Anne, Jill, Bruce, John and others], Many of them were there
that day and they would not give up, and stayed at the capitol all that day
and the next, and would not let anyone shame them over this incident
because we were all innocent, and we did not know this attack was planned.
We held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon denouncing this action by
one individual and will do everything we can to redeem ourselves. This
just moved us back and will make our work harder. We continue to work on
many different fronts and solutions and will continue to fight the building
of this road through our sacred lands. I want to thank all of you for your
support and patience, and can only ask again for your support in writing
letters and emails, and phone calls to all the Senators of Minnesota, and
encourage them to let this unfortunate incident pass, and to hear our
voices about the true issues involved in this resolution and to not let the
sensationalism of this turn them away from us. Although Senator Flynn
doesn't agree with us she does have a right to her own opinion, and none of
us would ever agree to physically harming her. We are committed to working
within the system on this as long as it takes. We have sent Senator Flynn
letters and Flowers assuring her that the coalition does not approve of
this act, and hope that all of you will pray for her to help her change her
mind about her present decision. The legislature is in recess until Tuesday
afternoon for the coming holiday, we have a few days to recover and rest
and hope that all of you will be with us again next week and will help in
anyway that you can. I will once again try to maintain daily updates
starting again soon. We still have to work on the Minneapolis Park Board
which has not transferred the land yet to MNDOT to build the road through
the Minnehaha Park and I will post more info about upcoming meetings for
this month and will ask for your help at that time. Again, Pidamiya for
all the support, and prayers, all of you have made it possible for our
people to keep up the strength and hope alive in our hearts, that we may
win this fight yet. Love Linda
P.S. Please thank Representative Karen Clark, Senators Ellen Anderson, and
Gary Laidig for standing beside us and helping all of us with their support
right after this happened. It was so important because the rest of us were
in such shock and were almost speechless, they helped us talk to reporters
and made statements of support themselves. They too have proved themselves
to be true Warriors in our cause.
>>
Return-path: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Full-name: JJBoogren
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 1999 17:50:07 EST
Subject: Mendota - Coldwater Spring Update
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED],
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Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Friends,
Regarding the pie that was thrown at Sen. Carol Flynn: Please rest assured
Stop the Re-Route in no way condones this act. In fact, I cannot even begin
to express our dismay. On March 31st, members of Stop the Re-Route, Mendota
Mdewakanton Dakota Community, American Indian Movement, Sierra Club and other
movement supporters publicly denounced the act as inexcusable. As Susu
Jeffrey of Stop the Re-Route stated: "This hurts us all."
To those of you who received an e-mail called "BBB strikes in Minnesota!,"
which makes light of the situation, please understand this is no laughing
matter. That the senior senator slipped and fell and that a Native American
elder was knocked down the stairs shows that. That this was done in the
immediate presence of so many people who have put countless hours into the
effort, and who were at the precise moment strategizing on how to move
forward - despite - the senator's decision, was thoughtless to say the least.
We all felt as if it were a pie in our faces.
Still, I am heartened by the outpouring of support from each and every one of
you who has called to offer your sincere regrets. It reaffirms for me the
goodness in the people who have committed so much of their time and energy to
this important cause. Of course many of us were disappointed to hear Sen.
Flynn would not hear the resolution. But none of us had given up. I do know
people plan to return to the Capitol on Tuesday to continue lobbying the rest
of the Senate.
Your support is needed as much as ever. One of the best ways you can help
right now is to write letters to the editor of the Star Tribune and Pioneer
Press (and other news outlets) and let them know how important it is to
protect Coldwater Spring as Traditional Cultural Property. Please call your
state representatives, as well as Senators we haven't reached yet (we have
contacted members of the Government Ops and Transportation Committees - this
leaves about 70 Senators who need to hear from us!). Please call the public
information office @ 1-800-657-3550 or (651) 296-2146 for contact info. We
can only hope legislators and everyone else will see this incident for what
it was - an act by a single individual that is in no way a reflection of the
movement.
Please read on for Linda Brown and Diane Kerr's updates.
Peace,
Jill Walker
FROM LINDA BROWN:
Dear Friends, I'm sorry I haven't sent an update for awhile, it's a very
long and sad story but I will try to fill you in as much as possible.
Tuesday morning we heard that Senator Carol Flynn the Chair of the Senate
Transportation Committee would not hear our resolution and that she
considers it inflammatory and contains inaccurate information, and so
instead of discussing this with us and our Senate sponsors she called a
press conference and announced that she would not hear the bill. We all
rushed down there at that time and started to lobby with our senate allies
as to what could be done to change her mind or approach this from a
different direction. At no time had we given up and were assured that this
could still happen. We stood outside the Senate chamber with all our
testimony and evidence in case we could do something that day. Shortly
after the senate adjourned Senator Carol Flynn walked out of the chamber
and was hit in the face with a pie. Unfortunately within all large
coalitions there is always someone who will act alone and perform these
kinds of extreme acts. All of us who had been working on this legislation
for almost two months were incoherent with shock, concern for the Senator
and one of our own Elders who got knocked down some stairs, and grief as we
saw everything we had worked so hard at destroyed before our eyes. In spite
of this tragedy we will continue with our plans to pursue a vote or hearing
of some kind in the legislature. I can't tell you how strong the people who
have spent so much time on working on this legislation are and they have
become the heroes of mine, and my people, they are the true Warriors,
[Mary, Diane, Anne, Jill, Bruce, John and others], Many of them were there
that day and they would not give up, and stayed at the capitol all that day
and the next, and would not let anyone shame them over this incident
because we were all innocent, and we did not know this attack was planned.
We held a press conference on Wednesday afternoon denouncing this action by
one individual and will do everything we can to redeem ourselves. This
just moved us back and will make our work harder. We continue to work on
many different fronts and solutions and will continue to fight the building
of this road through our sacred lands. I want to thank all of you for your
support and patience, and can only ask again for your support in writing
letters and emails, and phone calls to all the Senators of Minnesota, and
encourage them to let this unfortunate incident pass, and to hear our
voices about the true issues involved in this resolution and to not let the
sensationalism of this turn them away from us. Although Senator Flynn
doesn't agree with us she does have a right to her own opinion, and none of
us would ever agree to physically harming her. We are committed to working
within the system on this as long as it takes. We have sent Senator Flynn
letters and Flowers assuring her that the coalition does not approve of
this act, and hope that all of you will pray for her to help her change her
mind about her present decision. The legislature is in recess until Tuesday
afternoon for the coming holiday, we have a few days to recover and rest
and hope that all of you will be with us again next week and will help in
anyway that you can. I will once again try to maintain daily updates
starting again soon. We still have to work on the Minneapolis Park Board
which has not transferred the land yet to MNDOT to build the road through
the Minnehaha Park and I will post more info about upcoming meetings for
this month and will ask for your help at that time. Again, Pidamiya for
all the support, and prayers, all of you have made it possible for our
people to keep up the strength and hope alive in our hearts, that we may
win this fight yet. Love Linda
P.S. Please thank Representative Karen Clark, Senators Ellen Anderson, and
Gary Laidig for standing beside us and helping all of us with their support
right after this happened. It was so important because the rest of us were
in such shock and were almost speechless, they helped us talk to reporters
and made statements of support themselves. They too have proved themselves
to be true Warriors in our cause.
FROM DIANE KERR:
Dear Friends,
The last couple of days have been very difficult! No one ever said it would
be easy but it is extra hard when someone who is supposed to be on your side
makes a silly mistake. Let me bring you up to date.
As you know, the resolution to upgrade the protection for sacred sites to the
Federal level, was passed unanimously in two committees. The last committee
passed it but referred it to the Senate Transportation Committee. Senator
Carol Flynn let us know on Tuesday, that she was refusing to even allow it to
be heard. We were crest fallen! So many hours of work, the concerns of so
many citizens both here and all over the US. Dismissed! To not even get a
hearing where the facts can be presented is a miscarriage of justice, a
misuse of power and just one more example of the complete disregard for the
rights of Native people!
As Senator Flynn was leaving the building, an individual threw a cream pie in
her face and was promptly arrested. Can you imagine the horror we all felt at
that moment? Shock is not the word! One of the elders, a very small, delicate
little woman, was toppled down the stairs and was admitted to hospital for
scrapes and bruises. She is ok but she is a testament to what a violent act
this was! Everyone in the coalition to stop this highway,and protect these
sites, spoke out against this action. Today we had a press conference where
representatives of the Mendota Mdewakanton, Aim, and others groups in the
coalition expressed heart felt apologies to Senator Flynn. There were many
good things said and the bottom line is we do not condone violence of any
kind! We are hoping that Senator Flynn will accept our apologies and
reconsider her actions. To throw away this opportunity to engage in
meaningful consultation and efforts to discover truth together because of one
individual's actions doesn't serve anyone's interests. " Two wrongs do not
make a right" as was emphasised today. This choice of hers, is not befitting
for someone of her political station.
Friends, Everytime we have run across a rough patch, good has come out of it.
I believe we are becoming experts at making lemonade out of lemons. LOL. This
is no exception. We must move on and put this bad strech behind us. Right now
those who are leading this battle in the political forum, are preparing what
the next steps will be. I want you to understand some fundemental things
here. We are not giving up. I know we have had a chance to experience a sense
of discouragment and you are probably experiencing that feeling right now.
This is simply one more bump in the road and we will never give up! We are
picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off and preparing to move on. Hang in
there. Don't let this incapacitate your ability to respond. If it is the
Creator's will, we will all one day, celebrate together by thanking the
Creator down at that Spring and at those sacred Trees.
Your prayers and your support are so important. Today at the Press
Conference,it was amazing to see a table full of big binders full of your
wonderful email messages of support.
Soon, Sister Linda, will send us the next battle plan. Let us welcome it and
with love in our hearts, lightening in our wings and courage in our guts.
Then let us move on to VICTORY!
Peace,
Diane Kerr
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit)
Unenh onhwa' Awayaton
http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
