NATIVE_NEWS: Trent Lott wants broad investigation of the FBI
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: "LPDC" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Trent Lott wants broad investigation of the FBI Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 22:43:03 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Dear Peltier supporters, Please address the following to your Senators and Congressional Reps along with a short, personal note from yourself. Please send it and fax it to them right away. Please cc copies to Janet Reno, the media and all other relevant government officials and agencies. You might want to down load the "statement of FAQ" from our website to send along with it. Let's jump on this while it's hot!!! Thank you! LPDC Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott said that renewed congressional inquiries into Waco should expand to other instances in which Justice Department officials may have withheld information about government conduct. I think its going to have to be broader than just Waco itself, said Lott, a Mississippi Republican. There are a number of investigations that they are basically either not doing or they have stiffed us on. So we need to find out whats going on. ---AP press RESPOND!!! Dear members of congress, We are very encouraged that Senator Trent Lott recognizes the need for congressional inquiries to expand beyond FBI misconduct in regard to Waco and we agree that there have been numerous incidences and patterns of FBI misconduct that have remained unanswered, uninvestigated, and unaccounted for. Meanwhile, victims of such continue to await justice and we, the American public, are asking you to take immediate action. We wish to bring to your attention to a particularly urgent and disturbing example, that being the ongoing incarceration of Native American activist, Leonard Peltier who has been in prison for some twenty-three years. Mr. Peltier, convicted for the shooting deaths of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation, has been declared a political prisoner by Amnesty International who is demanding his immediate and unconditional release. The pattern of FBI misconduct involved with the investigation, extradition from Canada, and trial of Leonard Peltier is well documented. Senior court judges, members of congress, and human rights watch groups alike have repeatedly admonished the FBI for their handling of the Peltier case. However, no action by the justice department or congress has ever been taken to remedy or hold the FBI accountable for their shocking abuse of power and secrecy which has cost several Native Americans their lives , and has left the life of Leonard Peltier in the balance. From the beginning, the FBI has withheld information that both documents their misconduct and establishes Mr. Peltiers innocence. Today the FBI continues this pattern by withholding 6000 documents relating to the Peltier case for reasons of National Security. .Mr. Leonard Peltier was extradited from Canada on the basis of an affidavit signed by a Myrtle Poor Bear, a local Native American woman known to have serious mental problems. She claimed to have been Mr. Peltiers girl friend at the time, and to have been present during the shoot out, and to have witnessed the murders. In fact she did not know Mr. Peltier, nor was she present at the time of the shooting. She later confessed she had given the false statement after being pressured and terrorized by FBI agents. A third Poor Bear affidavit which had clearly contradicted the two used to extradite Leonard Peltier had been withheld by the FBI. Upon hearing this issue on appeal, the 8th circuit court stated, the use of the affidavits of Myrtle Poor Bear in the extradition proceedings was, to say the least, a clear abuse of the investigative process by the F.B.I. No action has ever been taken to hold the FBI accountable for this illegal conduct. Freedom of Information Act documents which were released, revealed that the main evidence used to convict Mr. Peltier had in fact been manufactured and exculpatory evidence relating to it, withheld. On appeal, the 8th circuit stated there is a possibility that the jury would have acquitted Leonard Peltier had the records and data improperly withheld from the defense been available to him in order to better exploit and reinforce the inconsistencies casting strong doubts upon the government's case. Yet, the appeal was denied and Mr. Peltier remains in prison. (When faced with the above, U.S. prosecutor, Lynn Crooks admitted and later established that they could not prove who killed the agents.) Prior to the shoot-out which led up to Mr. Peltiers conviction, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence had set forth an investigation into FBI activities and misconduct on the Pine Ridge Reservation where the shoot out took place. But, after the two agents were killed this investigation was brought to a halt and never reconvened. Today we are asking that the U.S. congress include th
NATIVE_NEWS: FSU and racist mascot
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: posted via the NativeAmericanLaw list by Mark Little <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Copyright 1998 Stuart News Company The Jupiter Courier (Jupiter, FL) September 9, 1998, Wednesday SECTION: Community; Pg. A8 HEADLINE: FSU SHOULD DROP RACIST SYMBOLISM BYLINE: Watterson Hyland & Klett The Law Our office has several conference rooms, and each has been named by our reception staff, so we'll know in what room a client or visitor is waiting. My favorite has been the Osceola room, in which hung a large portrait of the famed Seminole leader. Sometimes I think of Osceola when the firm takes on representations where the opposition has vast resources to fight our claims and overwhelm our defenses, and we have only a modest notion of justice but the courage to demand it. But, more often than not, visitors who saw the impressive portrait would ask, "Did you guys go to Florida State?" Perhaps this shouldn't surprise me so, as there seems to be so few people around today who were raised in Florida, and less that care about its history lessons. I used to take the time to tell a little of the Osceola story, but we recently moved him to another spot in the office, away from the conference room area. There now hangs a large watercolor of alligators basking in the sunshine. Maybe there's a chance that Floridians could come to know the story of the Seminole tribe and its leader, if only this state's second public university would cease the shameless exploitation of Native Americans by the use of mascots, tokens, logos and chants. The "Seminoles" of Florida State University are war-like savages, prone to violence, and frozen in the romanticized historical period that ended over a century ago. The Florida American Indian Movement (AIM) has scheduled several protests against Florida State. The organization claims that the Osceola mascot and his portrayal of native people in stereotypical ways, mocks their sacred things and dehumanizes them in front of roaring crowds. The band's baton twirlers, dressed in their short and cute Indian girl dresses, the groaning war chant and tomahawk chop, the whooping Indian logo, are little more than racist stereotypic imagery that dehumanizes Native Americans. Florida State picked "Seminoles" as its nickname in 1947. Because of the pervasiveness and longevity involved with use of that nickname, it has become institutionalized, and it has become very difficult for university leaders to recognize discriminatory and racist practices for what they are. AIM points out that few would fail to understand the problem if some FSU fans painted their faces black, supposedly honoring the contributions of African Americans to our culture and to their football team. Native Americans argue that the sports team parodies of their of their culture, history, and spirituality are just as racist and outdated as Little Black Sambo. The Florida State University non-discrimination policy demands that all students, faculty, and all other employees, are treated with dignity and respect, and that racist assumptions, attitudes, acts or policies are incompatible with the concept of responsible freedom. The university prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, religion or national origin. The policy prohibits actions that interfere with the opportunity of a student to obtain an education, or which create an intimidating or hostile work or educational environment. FSU has incorporated this policy into its Student Code of Conduct, filed with the Florida Department of Education. The Florida AIM claims that FSU has yet to graduate a single Seminole Indian student. Not one. It claims that real Seminole students who have enrolled in the past have left the school because of the alienation they felt on campus, caused, in part, by the racist stereotypes promoted by the university. The university administration, when contacted by a research aide at our office, claimed one Seminole graduate, and promised to provide the information later. The university was unable to provide any further information specific to Seminole enrollment. Dartmouth, Marquette, Syracuse, Stanford, Oklahoma, St. John's, Illinois and Bradley universities have all dropped Native American depictions from their sports teams, or changed their school nicknames. Why not Florida State? Stanford University, which changed its name from the Indians to the Cardinals, and changed its logos, mascots, and game-day culture, also developed an awareness of special needs of Native American students, and saw its enrollment figures more than double in ten years and the undergraduate retention rate increase to 90 percent while national figures remain at around 50 percent. Florida State University is going to change its nickname one day. Then, there won't be a dancing, prancing Osceola on the field, or on his mythical horse, whooping and chopping. As a public institution of higher education, that school in Tal
NATIVE_NEWS: Native Mother Demands Inquest
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 17:26:37 -0700 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Tehaliwaskenhas-Bob Kennedy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Native Mother Demands Inquest Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" "The soul wrenching pain is so hard, that at times you cannot even move."...Nancy Dawson, September 15,1999 Son's Mysterious Death Family Wants Further Investigation Demands Immediate Independent Inquest by Tehaliwaskenhas - Bob Kennedy Nancy Dawson of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Nation held a news conference at the Mungo Martin Big House in Victoria, BC and demanded the Attorney General order an immediate, independent coroner's inquest into the mysterious death of her 29 year old son Anthany. He died while in police custody. Police say he died of an apparent heart attack. Eyewitness reports say police beat him and choked him. For the details visit the following site... http://www.turtleisland.org/news/news-anthany.htm - Turtle Island Native Network Your Aboriginal News and Information Network on the Internet http://www.turtleisland.org Winner - 1999 Aboriginal Media Arts Award. "Let's do it before we don't do it!" Tehaliwaskenhas - G.R.(Bob) Kennedy INFOCOM Management 1 - 1986 Glenidle Road, Sooke, BC V0S 1N0 Phone: (250) 642-0277 Fax: (250) 642-0278 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.turtleisland.org
NATIVE_NEWS: ALERT:Massive Lewis+Clark logging project
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: "Wild Rockies Alerts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ACTION ALERT: ON EVE OF LEWIS AND CLARK BICENTENNIAL, CLEARWATER NATIONAL FOREST PLANS TO LOG OVER 8,000 ACRES NEAR ONLY REMAINING ROADLESS PORTION OF LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL September, 1999: Idaho's Clearwater National Forest (CNF) just released a plan to log 75 million board-feet on 8,280 acres, within and adjacent to the North Lochsa Slope Roadless Area. This area contains the only remaining roadless portion of the historic Lewis and Clark trail as well as the proposed Lewis and Clark Wilderness Area. Lewis and Clark journeyed across the country in 1805, so the logging would be just in time for the Lewis and Clark bicentennial celebrations happening around the region. Comments are accepted on the North Lochsa Face Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) until October 8, 1999. Let the CNF know that such a massive logging project is inappropriate anytime on the fragile soils of the Clearwater National Forest, but especially during the bicentennial. The North Lochsa Face FEIS describes plans to: *Commercially log 8,280 acres of land, an estimated 75 million board-feet. The methods used will be approximately 50% skyline hauling, 25% tractor hauling, and 25% helicopter logging. *Precommercially thin an additional 1,290 acres. *Log an additional 2,250 acres under the guise of "off-site species conversion," which is clearcutting of ponderosa pine planted in the 1930's which was originally obtained from an off-site location. *Unspecified amounts of noxious weed control including manual pulling, herbicide spraying, and the release of biocontrol agents (predatory insects). *600 acres of streamside tree plantings along Pete King and Fish Creeks. *Allows motorized use in all current areas. Send comments to: Cynthia Lane, District Ranger, Lochsa Ranger District, Rt. 1, Box 398, Kooskia ID 83539, by October 8, 1999. Suggested comment points include: *This sale is massive in size. It is nearly as large as all Cove/Mallard sales combined, which was until recently the largest timber sale in the history of Region 1.It proposes to log nearly 8,000 acres of forest. The Forest Service is supposed to be in a more enlightened era when the health of watersheds comes first. If this is so, why are they proposing this abomination along the Lochsa Wild and Scenic River and scenic Highway 12 corridor, near Lewis and Clark's trail, during the Lewis and Clark bicentennial years? *The forest the sale would destroy is one of the final refuges in the entire country for wilderness-dependent carnivores such as wolverine, fisher, and possibly lynx. There have been 4 sightings of wolverine in the project area! If the Forest Service values these rare species, it will not obliterate their habitat. *Numerous other threatened, endangered, and sensitive species reside in the project area, and the extensive logging will destroy thousands of acres of their prime habitat. The species include bald eagle, black-backed woodpecker, Coeur d'Alene salamander, fisher, flammulated owl, northern goshawk, and more. *The proposed logging is on the same type of steep slopes that failed so dramatically in the landslides of 1995-1996. Of course, these slopes will carry similar landslide potential. *Fish Creek is known as one of the most important steelhead spawning grounds in the entire state of Idaho. Most of the Fish Creek watershed is proposed Wilderness, except for a small portion of its headwaters. The Forest Service plans to log 460 acres in this portion! The logging (mostly clearcuts) will cause sedimentation in Fish Creek which will damage the spawning grounds. *The Fish Creek roadless area is also famed for its elk herds. Hunters come from hours away to hunt the elk there. Elk rely on a delicate balance between forage ground and forest, and this sale will disrupt that. *Releasing nonnative insects for biocontrol is very risky. Many times this has occurred, the insects switch host plants and end up eating native vegetation, disrupting natural predator/prey relationships. This plan to release unnamed biocontrol insects in or adjacent to proposed wilderness is dangerous and is contrary to the Wilderness Act. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Friends of the Clearwater PO Box 9241 Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 882-9755 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] OR Idaho Conservation League, North Idaho Office PO Box 9783 Moscow, ID 83843 (208) 882-1010 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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/ &&
NATIVE_NEWS: Anna Mae's Family & Canadian Government
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 16:39:02 -0700 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Tehaliwaskenhas-Bob Kennedy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Anna Mae's Family & Canadian Government Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The family of a Mi'kmaq woman murdered in the United States more than two decades ago is asking the Canadian government for help. CBC Newsworld http://newsworld.cbc.ca/cgi-bin/go.pl?1999/09/16/aquash990916 Turtle Island Native Network Your Aboriginal News and Information Network on the Internet http://www.turtleisland.org Winner - 1999 Aboriginal Media Arts Award. "Let's do it before we don't do it!" Tehaliwaskenhas - G.R.(Bob) Kennedy INFOCOM Management 1 - 1986 Glenidle Road, Sooke, BC V0S 1N0 Phone: (250) 642-0277 Fax: (250) 642-0278 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.turtleisland.org Thank you for the link, below is an EXCERPT: Family of murdered native activist wants Ottawa's help WebPosted Thu Sep 16 16:44:16 1999 OTTAWA - The family of a Mi'kmaq woman murdered in the United States more than two decades ago is asking the Canadian government for help. INDEPTH:Aboriginal Canadians http://newsworld.cbc.ca/news/indepth/aboriginals/ Anna Mae Aquash, a native of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, had become a well-known Indian activist when she was killed execution-style in 1975. Her family says the man who pulled the trigger is living in Whitehorse, but no one has ever been charged. Aquash was only 30 when she was shot in the back of the head in the American Midwest. Thursday, in Ottawa, her daughter Denise made a tearful plea for Canadian pressure to finally resolve the case. Aquash had helped AIM, the American Indian Movement, in the standoff at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, in 1973. Two years later, she was at the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation when two FBI agents were killed in a fight with members of AIM. Aquash was arrested on weapons charges, but later released by a judge. Several months later her body was found in the Dakota Badlands. Some people said the FBI wanted her dead, but her family says she was actually kidnapped, raped and killed by members of the Indian movement, because she knew too much about who killed the FBI agents.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/ &&
NATIVE_NEWS: Eddie Hatcher
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: I apologize if this is a repost..Ish Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 18:15:33 -0400 (EDT) From: ME Shaiman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Eddie Hatcher Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Ish, I am sending you the following article again. If you have already posted it, please ignore ( I first sent about 1 1/2 weeks ago). It didn't come back to me so I was not sure if you could open it as an attachment. Thanks, Marsha EDDIE HATCHER: Execution Date??? District Attorney Johnson Britt and the media of Robeson County, North Carolina have already convicted Tuscarora Indian activist Eddie Hatcher and called for his execution! Will you allow the white establishment to put Eddie Hatcher to death? ONLY YOU CAN STOP THIS... On June 1, 1999, Indian activist Eddie Hatcher was surrounded at a busy intersection by dozens of state and local agents and thrown to the pavement, hand-cuffed and arrested. He was charged with First Degree Murder and other weapons charges. Eddie was immediately taken to North Carolina's highest security prison, Central Prison, and placed in maximum lockup next to death row. Eddie says, "I had forgotten how much this state, this government hates me. They are moving beyond all speed in this case. They are trying me for my life. They are trying to put me on death row. And something about this case really scares me." Robeson County District Attorney Johnson Britt says Eddie Hatcher should be put to death. The state seeks the death penalty because of Eddie's past convictions - the takeover of The Robesonian newspaper offices. EDDIE HATCHER: Former Political Prisoner Eddie Hatcher is known worldwide for his action of February 1, 1988 when he occupied the offices of The Robesonian newspaper in Lumberton, North Carolina, in a desperate attempt to focus attention on corruption in Robeson County. Eddie demanded that the government investigate local and state officials' involvement in major drug trafficking; investigations into more than two dozen unsolved murders, mostly Natives and Blacks; investigations into the local judicial system; and investigations into the death of a young African American, who died under suspicious circumstances in the Robeson County jail The takeover ended peacefully. One of the hostages, Bob Horne, former editor of The Robesonian, walked out of the building with Eddie. "Somebody called in and said they were going to gun them down... I went out with them to make sure that didn't happen. That wouldn't have been right," says Horne. Eddie became the first person prosecuted by the Federal Government under Ronald Reagan's 1984 Anti-Terrorist Act. Between his arrest and his trial, seven witnesses scheduled to offer testimony to support Eddie's allegations of government drug trafficking were murdered or died under suspicious circumstances. After a three week trial in federal court, where Eddie was ordered, by Judge T. Boyle, to represent himself, the jury found Eddie not guilty on all counts. They said he was justified in his actions. Six weeks later, in December 1988, Eddie was re-indicted by the State of North Carolina for the same charges he had been cleared of in federal court. Eddie's attorneys, including William Kunstler, were removed from the courtroom by Judge R. Farmer and again Eddie was forced to represent himself. On February 14, 1990, Eddie was sentenced to 18 years, with a projected parole date of 1992. Still imprisoned in 1993, the National Council of Churches declared Eddie Hatcher a political prisoner. They, along with Amnesty International and many prominent people including Senators, Congressmen, and movie stars, demanded Eddie's release from prison. Eddie was forced to serve 7 years and was not released until May 1995, after he was denied medical treatment by the prison for AIDS related pneumonia and almost died. He was then held on house arrest and intensive parole for an additional two years until 1997. The documentary, "Takeover: The Trials of Eddie Hatcher," which was released in 1998, details Eddie Hatcher's life and his long battle with a corrupt, racist government. It has won countless awards across the country and has been shown on PBS stations nationwide. AFTER PAROLE In 1998, after completing all paroles, Eddie returned to Robeson County and again became very vocal in local politics, even contemplating running for public office. Now the District Attorney and the State of North Carolina say that Eddie Hatcher drove down a dark country road, in a 5-speed truck, on a curve, and shot through a house that sits more than 200 feet down a slope, and shot a man right between the eyes with a high powered rifle. Eddie's right arm is permanently disabled. He could have not done this. Yet, if the corrupt courts of North Carolina continue as they have, Eddie will receive the death penalty. Now Eddie sits in maximum lockup in Central Prison. He has re
NATIVE_NEWS: Editorial - 2nd request for Media Print - Upside down Flag Issue
From: "Sandra Matchen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> September 16, 1999 Round 2 with getting media support for print Ref: Editorial - or Guest Comment Editorial - Support for Lakota expressing Civil Rights marching behind upside down American flag during - Round two with the Media entities 591 words, 24 sentences, 2,972 characters - the opinion of the seven people who helped to compose it, as well as many, many others. Dear Editor, Here in Colorado and elsewhere we have been following comments denouncing, and trying to discredit AIM (American Indian Movement) as un-patriotic and disrespectful to veterans for marching behind a upside down US flag, during the recent "March for Justice" to Mobridge, South Dakota and the many to White Clay, Nebraska. How many veterans who experienced battle, people who have killed to protect others, or those who say they stand strong for Human and Civil rights have responded to the Internally Recognized Distress Call, the SOS Call of the upside down flag? My husband served 6-1/2 years in the Viet Nam war and was a Navy Seal Captain. He and other Veterans, including Alfred Boneshirt, the Lakota Veteran who carried the flag that day, are now asking whether people think that they fought and died for freedom so those who returned could reprimand citizens for expressing their Constitutional Right to demonstrate? They say Absolutely Not! Patriotic people can see that the Lakota supporters are saying Mobridge is in denial of their acts of racism against our people. This demonstration and the outrage happened in Mobridge because of the dual standard of justice in regards to Lakota not being treated justly and fairly in the South Dakota judicial system. The white teens accused of participating in Robert "Boo" Many Horses' death, are walking free on the streets of Mobridge, SD. while Lakota teens in Martin, SD, are being denied bail and are locked away in the federal system, away from their family and community, although no one died. Both tragedies were caused by too much alcohol. Lakota are saying people in Mobridge and in America are not protecting us, as promised by the people of the United States of America in treaties for legal payment of our land. If we were being protected as promised, then the many Human and Civil injustices going on would not be occurring against our people. Lakota people are located in and around the poorest counties in the U.S. and our people are kept poor to force us off our land so others, including government, churches, corporations and leasers, can continue to exploit and abuse our people and take what little land and resources we have left. Native networks received reports that many Mobridge people shouted racial slurs and threw things at supporters, under the watchful eyes of their officials and spiritual leaders. People there are saying that Mobridge people make the people of White Clay, NE seem somewhat human in comparison. Scary! Families and friends of the Lakota have responded and offered support, so have our true Lakota Spiritual Leaders and Native American communities. Although there are hundreds of churches within accessible driving distance to Mobridge, surprisingly, Reverend Jessie Jackson is the only Christian Leader who took a stand and offered support to us in print , by signing the "End Lakota Ethnic Cleansing" banner during the presidential visit to Pine Ridge this Summer, President Clinton also signed that banner but we figure he will say he "didn t know what he was doing" as he has been very "hush, hush" about the subject since. History tells our children that the late American ancestor, Betsy Ross made the U.S. flag to represent a pledge of Allegiance for Truth, Freedom, Justice and, Honor for all. Would she be marching with us? Native Americans have become more tolerant of the many injustices occurring against us. Not many years ago, some were burning the US flag to get WORLD attention in the continuing attempt to plan and create genocide for our people. In the Spirit of Justice, Respectfully, Sandra Matchen, Native American Advocate, Sicangu Lakota, Rosebud Sioux Tribal Member P.O. Box 1150, Clifton, CO 81520-1150 970-241-4711 [EMAIL PROTECTED] FYI: Veteran: Ray Matchen Jr., same address as above. Veteran Flag Carrier: Alfred Boneshirt, P.O. Box 283, Mission, SD 57555, 605-747-2591 cc: American Indian Movement, Camp Justice Leadership and supporters, Lakota Student Alliance, Native American Prisoners Support Group, Native American Rights Fund, American Indian Cultural Support, Friends for Native American Communities, Reverend Jessie Jackson, Presidential candidate John McCain, Walking Eagle Network members, Human, Civil and Treaty rights groups & supporters, President Clinton, Bureau of Indian Affairs. Please call the Editor of your local papers giving your support to have this Editorial printed. Please distribute to Media and your networks. Please call the Editor of your local papers giving your support to have thi
NATIVE_NEWS: Re: Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: "CATHERINE DAVIDS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Organization: The University of Michigan - Flint To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 17:17:48 EDT MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Subject: Re: Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs Please print this petition and remove all e-mail references. Sign your name and send the completed petition to: North American Indian Association 22720 Plymouth Road Detroit, Michigan 48239 I am a resident of the State of Michigan and I disagree with Governor John Engler's decisions to abolish the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs. MCIA should continue to operate and serve the American Indian community. The MCIA was established by former Governor George Romney in order to respond to abuses and neglect of American Indian people within the State of Michigan. Today MCIA fields hundreds of calls, makes referrals, publishes an important state-wide magazine, and informs the public about state and federal legislation. The MCIA also addresses critical cultural issues and advocates for both urban and reservation Indians. The Governor proposes that the Michigan Department of Civil Rights handles a few of the programs but neglects to address even the majority of the 50 programs that the MCIA currently runs. American Indian people will suffer because their needs will not be met under Engler's proposed change. Furthermore, to date, only one American Indian has ever been appointed to the Department of Civil Rights and she served in 1991. LEAVE THE COMMISSION ALONE. Signed MICHIGAN INDIAN RALLY Lansing Capital Steps October 12, 1999 9:30 a.m. until Noon The injustices of the past are history, the injustices of today are our responsibility...to stand up and shine light on the shadows: let our voices be heard. Protest Engler's Blatant Attack on Michigan Indians Tell everyone you know to come and support Michigan Indians. For more information attend planning meetings every Wednesday evening before rally date from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the North American Indian Association of Detroit or contact Anita @ 248-852-8387 or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
NATIVE_NEWS: re Dudley George ARMED & DANGEROUS: SWAT teams in Ontario Saturday Night Magazine (April 1998) David Pugliese (Part One)
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 16:39:11 -0400 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],[EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Lynne Moss-Sharman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: re Dudley George ARMED & DANGEROUS: SWAT teams in Ontario Saturday Night Magazine (April 1998) David Pugliese (Part One) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Saturday Night Magazine April 1998 David Pugliese pp. 40-49, 81-82 COVER: Armed and Dangerous Bernard Bastien was killed in his front yard by a SWAT team with the wrong address. They were looking for his suicidal neighbour. They shot him too. Tactical squads are doing routine police work now, and the victims are piling up. FIRST PAGE: <> p. 40 It was hot and humid on the night of August 14, 1988 when Debbie Bastien rolled over in bed and got up to answer the phone. She wondered who could be calling at 5am. It was her mother-in-law, Evelyn, whose house was next door to the Bastien's brick bungalow in a rural community near Windsor, Ontario. She told Debbie she had seen prowlers outside. Evelyn was scared; in the last few years, a man dubbed the Colchester rapist by the media, had been preying on elderly women, and he was still on the loose; there had also been a couple of break-ins lately in the neighbourhood. Debbie woke up her husband, Bernard, who had fallen asleep on the couch watching television. A 34 year old autoworker, Bernard had been his mother's right hand since the recent death of his father. He decided to go outside and see what was happening. "Bern, better grab your fun," Debbie said, almost as an afterthought. "You don't know the kind of idiots that are out there. The Colchester rapist hasn't been caught." Bastien took a shotgun from a case in the family room, loaded it with one shell, and both he and his wife went out onto the front porch. Bernard saw shadowy figures moving in the night, and stepped down onto the front lawn. "Hold on or I'll blow you away," someone barked from the darkness. "Bob, it's the police," yelled another voice. "Put down your weapon. You don't want to hurt anybody and neither do wel." The men in the shadows were members of an Ontario Provincial SWAT team - known as the Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU). They had been called in from London, some 170 km. away, and were now hunkered down in the ditch, or hiding behind a police van parked on the road, with their machine guns trained on Bastien. But they had the wrong man. They thought they were aiming at BOB JARIETT, a 19 year old who had threatened to kill himself and whom they'd been searching for in the area. Wearing camouflage, their faces blackened, the officers wore no visible police identification. Bastien strained to see who was out there. "Get out of here," he yelled. His mother's beagle, Buster, who was tied up in the yard, started barking at the intruders. Meanwhile Debbie Bastien had run back inside and called the police. She pleaded withthe local dispatcher to send help. She said her husband had gone outside with a shotgun and there were strange men on their property. "The guy is hollering, 'Put the gun down,' that they're going to shoot him, that they're cops," Debbie told the dispatcher. "But I couldn't see a cop doing that." The dispatcher relayed the message to an OPP constable involved in the Jariett search, but just as he was about to pass it on to the tactical squad, the unit switched its radios over to a channel only they had access to. Debbie went back to the front porch and eylled at her husband. "Bern, I've called the police. They're on the way. Get back in the house." p. 42 <> Her husband turned and looked at her but didn't move. She would say later that he appear frozen with fear. A tactical officer fired two flares into the sky. As they floated back down down on parachutes, they cast a pale light over the Bastien property. Some of the officers, who had seen photos of Jariett before heading out, would later say they couldn't make out any details of the man standing before them. Others, who had been told that Jariett was wearing a long green coat, would admit they could see the fitgure on the lawn was clad only white shorts. As the flares descended, the officers continued to yell out to "Bobby." A few tactical-squad members, including Constable Robert Fleming, circled around to cut off any potential escape routes. As Fleming moved into position a light went on in Evelyn's. Bastien turned and started walking toward his mother's place, his pace quickening somewhat. At that point an officer turned on a floodlight and police could see Bastien trotting towards Fleming. Again, it didn't register with the officers that the six foot tall autoworker looked nothing like the photos they had seen of the scrawny, five foot seven inch Jariett. At about the same time Evelyn's dog tried to snap at one of the squad members who moving up behind Fleming. The officer aimed his assault rifle at
NATIVE_NEWS: [DOEWatch] Additional Fluorine Effects
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] = http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/definit.htm">http://www.cadvision.com/ fluoride/definit.htm DENTAL FLUOROSIS is a diffuse symmetric hypomineralization (irregular calcification) disorder of ameloblasts (enamel-forming cells). Fuorosis is irreversible and only occurs with exposure to fluoride when enamel is developing: the secondary incisor teeth start forming as a baby (3-6 months old); molars are developed at six to eight years of age; and, wisdom teeth are formed by 12 years of age. Instead of being a normal creamy-white translucent color, fluorosed enamel is porous (objectionable secondary staining often occurs) and opaque; teeth can resemble a ghastly-white chalk color (light refractivity is greatly reduced because the enamels prism structure is defective). Cloudy striated (lines of demarcation) enamel, white specks or blotches, "snow-capping", yellowish-brown spots, or brown pits on teeth are all characteristic of fluorosis. In its more severe form, fluorosed enamel is structurally weak (brittle) and prone to erosion and breakage, especially when drilled and filled. Even in the milder forms, there is increased enamel attrition. Fluorotic lesions are not just confined to enamel, but can be seen by microscope in dentin as well (dentin is the calcareous tissue beneath enamel). Because fluoride is a powerful bone and tooth seeking element, it also deposits bone or bone-like material externally on the roots of teeth, and internally in the tooths pulp chamber; the calcified material narrows the pulp chamber, and thereby interferes with tooth nutrition. The reigning paradigm in public health and dental circles has been to dismiss the significance of dental fluorosis by labelling it a cosmetic effect. However, fluorosis is a toxic manifestation of chronic (low-dose, long-term) fluoride intake. In other words, fluorosis means fluoride poisoning (see Webster's dictionary). Just as a blue-black line appearing on gums signifies chronic lead poisoning, fluorosis is the first visible sign that the whole body has been poisoned by too much fluoride. To prevent fluorosis from occurring in the ten or so most prominent and/or most susceptible teeth, the most critical time to avoid fluoride exposure is the first 3 to 6 years of a childs life. See flteeth.htm for peer-reviewed abstracts. === http://www.cadvision.com/fluoride/definit.htm#SKELETAL+FLUOROSIS">http:/ /www.cadvision.com/fluoride/definit.htm#SKELETAL+FLUOROSIS SKELETAL FLUOROSIS is an abnormal increase in bone density. "Endemic skeletal fluorosis is a chronic metabolic bone and joint disease caused by ingesting large amounts of fluoride either through water or rarely from foods of endemic areas. Fluoride is a cumulative toxin which can alter accretion and resorption of bone tissue. It also affects the homeostasis of bone mineral metabolism. The total quantity of ingested fluoride is the single most important factor which determines the clinical course of the disease which is characterized by immobilization of joints of the axial skeleton and of the major joints of the extremities. A combination of osteosclerosis, osteomalacia and osteoporosis of varying degrees as well as exostosis formation characterizes the bone lesions. In a proportion of cases secondary hyperparathyroidism is observed with associated characteristic bone changes. Contrary to earlier thinking, severe crippling forms of skeletal fluorosis are seen in paediatric age group too. Increased metabolic turnover of the bone, impaired bone collagen synthesis and increased avidity for calcium are features in fluoride toxicity. Osteosclerotic picture is evident when small doses of fluoride are ingested over a long period of time during which calcium intakes are apparently normal while osteoporotic forms are common in paediatric age group and with higher body load of the element. Alterations in hormones concerned with bone mineral metabolism are seen in fluorosis. Kidney is the primary organ of excretion for fluorides. Age, sex, calcium intake in the diet, dose and duration of fluoride intake and renal efficiency in fluoride handling are the factors which influence the outcome. Serum parameters rarely help in the diagnosis. Elevated urinary fluoride and increased bone fluoride content are indicators of fluoride toxicity. Fluorosis is a preventable crippling disease. No effective therapeutic agent is available which can cure fluorosis. Industrial fluorosis is on the increase on a global basis. Bone density measurement is a tool for early diagnosis." Source: Krishnamachari KA, Skeletal fluorosis in humans: a review of recent progress in the understanding of the disease, Prog Food Nutr Sci, 1986, 10 (3-4): 279-314 Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.ed
NATIVE_NEWS: First Nations Summit supports Westbank
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: "chris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> via Sovernet-L Vancouver Sun September 16 1999 Native defiance in the woods pressures B.C. to take action The Westbank chief storms out of a meeting with the forests minister as another band threatens to cut trees in a provincial park. Kim Pemberton and Gordon Hamilton Vancouver Sun Two native Indian groups plan to begin logging immediately, one on Crown land and the other in a provincial park, in acts of open defiance expected to force the provincial government to take action on two fronts. Logging by the Westbank Tribal Nation will begin in the Okanagan today after Chief Ron Derrickson stormed out of a meeting with the forests minister Wednesday, saying the provincial government is trying to provoke a confrontation with aboriginals. "Our crews are back logging," said Derrickson. "It's our land and we're taking possession. We have no choice. We're going to occupy it, use it and enjoy it." And the Ulkatcho Indians of Anahim Lake say they intend to log mountain pine beetle-infested timber in Tweedsmuir Park, claiming the government and the forest industry are taking the wrong approach in an effort to battle the beetle threat to forests in west-central B.C. Environment Minister Joan Sawicki has ruled out logging in the park. Environment ministry representative Alex Dabrowsky said it is hard to respond to the native concerns until the ministry has heard something concrete from them. But in the meantime, he said, parks staff are to contact affected Indian bands on the issue. Logging by the Westbank Tribal Nation in Hidden Creek had been temporarily halted Wednesday in anticipation of the meeting between Derrickson, Forests Minister Dave Zirnhelt and National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations Phil Fontaine to try and reach a resolution in a dispute over harvesting rights that has been simmering for months. The Westbank Tribal Nation began logging Sept. 7 without provincial approvals on land they claim is on their traditional territory. The ministry of forests had issued a stop-work order last Friday and is currently in the process of preparing to go to court for an injunction. Zirnhelt said the provincial government is not trying to provoke a confrontation and is in fact trying to "keep cool" about the situation. He wouldn't say what options the ministry will take next to deal with Westbank's decision to continue logging, but he noted action will be taken. "We don't want to see confrontation. I intend to treat this with respect, but we do have laws of this province we have to uphold," he said. The issue was pushed to the forefront Wednesday when more than 100 native leaders, in North Vancouver for the B.C. First Nations Summit this week, attended the meeting with the minister to provide support to the Westbank Tribal Nation. Earlier in the day, a resolution passed unanimously at the summit stating the 51 B.C. First Nations of the summit fully support the Westbank Nation in exercising what they say are their aboriginal and common-law rights to harvest the forests within their traditional territories. They also resolved to support all First Nations who exercise what they say are their aboriginal rights and title in B.C. Okanagan Chief Dan Wilson, who also walked out of the meeting with Zirnhelt, said he expects logging on their traditional territory will begin shortly once the Okanagan Nation provides his band with a cutting permit. "We have always bent over backwards to get along in the country and our patience is becoming thin," said Wilson. Both he and Derrickson said they left the meeting because they were insulted by the tone of discussions. "They're giving us the usual bulls- - - rhetoric. There's nothing new. He [Zirnhelt] gave us a speech about the laws and then he started to make insulting comments about Westbank bidding for timber. Why would we bid for our own timber?" said Derrickson. Asked about an earlier offer by the Penticton band to provide 50 people to provide security to Westbank to ensure logging can take place, Derrickson said he hoped he wouldn't have to request that help. "I don't have much stomach for the rough stuff. But if you don't know how to play the game, you better not get into it," he said. Penticton Chief Stewart Phillip, who is also the president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs -- which opposes the current B.C. treaty process -- said he is prepared to stand by the earlier offer to provide security whenever Derrickson requests that help. "In the event we're called out, God knows what will happen," said Phillip. "I expect this situation will escalate very quickly." Zirnhelt said he felt it was unrealistic for some at Wednesday's meeting to expect that he would transfer timber resources to aboriginal groups with a stroke of the pen. He noted there is a treaty process in place in B.C. and there government is prepared to negotiate resource issues at that table. Ulkatcho represent
NATIVE_NEWS: FW: A Tale of a Community College
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > -Original Message- > From:Craven, Jim > Sent:Wednesday, September 15, 1999 6:06 PM > To: Campus Master List > Cc: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' > Subject: A Tale of a Community College > > Here is a true tale about an Indian community college; it shall remain > nameless as it doesn't matter and sadly it is not atypical from that found > on many Indian reservations in America and reserves in Canada. > > This community college was visited by an accreditation team and passed. > The accreditation team visited, surveyed and made some suggestions but > essentially gave it a clear pass. They were shown around the school and > reservation, but there was a whole other reality--sub rosa--they were > never shown and didn't do much to look for. > > For example, the accreditation team missed the fact that the President and > her husband, a faculty member, plus other family members also on staff or > faculty, were running up travel bills amounting to $73,000 per year for > one person and close to that amount for others individually. They were > going to "conferences" in Stockholm, Paris, Hawaii. Recently, the > bookkeeper of that College quit out of disgust and out of fear of a > federal investigation. The key computer person of that college, with > access to all the records, and herself trained in law and who had tried to > leak some sensitive information out of the college, was recently found > dead in a highly suspicious car wreck that several insiders are calling > murder. > > The accreditation team missed the fact that for over three years, planning > and funding had been in place to put in a T-1 line and to hook up the > college to internet (especially critical since the library at the college > is abysmal) but that college still remains not hooked up due to the > squandering of designated funds and a now former dean who was a chronic > and lazy alcoholic and coke-head. > > The accreditation team missed the fact that on the Board of Trustees, all > but one were trusted insiders put and kept on the Board through insider > processes by other trusted insiders of a corrupt Tribal Council and > several prominent and corrupt families; those Board members acted as a > rubber stamp for anything the College administration wanted to do. > > The accreditation team missed the fact that several of the faculty members > had been hired through insider and family connections, had no teaching > experience, had embellished or falsified credentials, or no credentials, > and were nonetheless in critical positions and caused critical damages > vis-a-vis critical and foundational subjects not being properly taught by > those with proper qualifications. > > The accreditation team missed the fact that large amounts of funds > designated for capital expenditures had been diverted into travel and to > cover deficits in non-capital accounts such that critical capital > construction was put off and when a pending audit was coming down, faculty > and staff were pressured to surrender 10% of their monthly salaries in an > attempt to cover the illicitly diverted funds. > > The accreditation team missed the fact that "honors graduates" of this > college were being admitted to surrounding colleges and universities and > were being found horribly deficient in the most basic skills and knowledge > necessary for any beginning freshman or sophomore to have any chance of > success; the non-honors graduates were even in worse shape, and the > graduates of the college, percentage-wise, were small in relation to total > enrollees and potential graduates. > > They missed diversions of Pell Grant and Workforce/Worker Retraining > funds--to cover shortages in other accounts-- desperately needed by poor > students on limited time and money allotments of training.( Some students > getting checks for $4.95 after normally getting checks around $80 to $160) > And when these and other matters are investigated, as they will be some > time, there will be even more damages as the college is turned upside down > with possibly excellent faculty and staff lost--along with hopefully the > corrupt ones. > > In all of this and in much much more missed by the accreditation team, > this college and its students were given no favor by being given a pass. > No doubt, some of the acccreditation team members with genuine sympathies > for the plight of Indians and the pressures/constraints of an Indian > community college, were motivated out of a desire not to be too harsh and > to give the college a chance to improve. But out of this accreditation > visit, and all that was hidden or missed, many opportunity costs ( lost > potential returns of lost or foregone opportunities) occurred and are > mounting. This college, and its precious young--and older--students, the > only hope for a Tribe on the verge of extinction--in te
NATIVE_NEWS: vfhextra
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: X-Originating-IP: [63.11.236.101] From: "Jake Davies" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> SADLY, ANOTHER STOP PRESS September 9th. The View From the Cornfield. It is with a heavy, heavy heart, and with a growing sense of outrage that I must report to you that Paulines cornfield has been raided yet again. As soon as the news reached us, I jumped in the SNN (Sheepherder News Network) Mobile Unit ( a fully loaded 99 Suburban Deluxe with a totally cool camouflage paint job)( and if you believed that, then you'd believe an HTC press release) and headed straight to the scene of the crime. By the time I got there the thugs had already left. Let me recap, and place all this in context. Paulines cornfield is way out in the middle of nowhere, miles from witnesses or help. 2 large men (and I use the word men very loosely), employees of the U.S. Government, with firearms in their truck if not on their person, invaded the camp of Paulines female helpers, and systematically began harassing the women and children, taking dozens of photos. The first time they came (august 18) they desecrated a very sacred female ceremony, the collecting of the corn pollen. This was rightly felt by Pauline to be a case of sexual harassment. As she says, when men repeatedly invade a female camp, bad things must follow. That they come again and repeat their obnoxious behaviour makes it obvious that they have absolutely no respect for women, or for U.S sexual harassment law, or for even basic human rights. When one enters a Hopi village one sees huge signs demanding that visitors do not take pictures or in any other way interfere with the inhabitants. Yet they feel it perfectly OK to harass elderly women and children way out in the middle of nowhere. Oh how proud their mommas must be of them. And what is the logic of their behaviour? It seems that a single tent, with an outhouse and a cooking fire somehow constitutes a "permanent structure". When I hear the words "permanent structure" I think of the Pyramids, or the World Trade Centre, or some such structure. I feel somewhat honored, as it was I who helped build the outhouse in question, and let me tell you, a carpenter I ain't. That they would consider my humble attempt to provide shelter from the weather for one of lifes necessary activities a "permanent structure" is flattering. To the long list of crimes being perpetrated here at Big Mountain, must now be added " possession of an outhouse". And of course, in the middle of one of the wettest summers on record, a cooking fire is also illegal. There is an elegance to their logic though. If an outhouse is illegal, and to take a shit in the open is illegal, then the only way to prevent such crimes is to make it illegal to eat, therefore cookfires must also be illeg! ! al. Surely, somewhere out there is a Radical Feminist Lawyer, with experience of leading-edge sexual harassment lawsuits that would be very interested in what is happening here? Surely it would be a very simple procedure to slap an injunction on the Hopi BIA so that if they felt it absolutely necessary to continue to harass these old women and children that they at least keep the thugs in their cage and send female cops? There is little harassment of men here, when there are men around the armed hooligans run away. What is going on is the worst kind of sexual harassment. To repeat the last sentence of VFH6, "where are the men?". They seem few and far between boys there are aplenty. sitting around in groups talking about how "cool" it would be to make yet another video, how "radical" it would be to put together yet another newsletter. In the meantime the grandmothers ask for help to protect the cornfield, to chop wood to stay warm through the impending winter, and no-one is to be seen. I am angry right now, so please excuse if these words seem critical, but I simply do not understand. Each one of these women and children are my relatives and friends, and I am feeling very much alone. US GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ARE SYSTEMATICALLY HARASSING AND TERRORIZING DEFENSELESS WOMEN AND CHILDREN WITH IMPUNITY. Who cares? If y'all are going to wait till the Feb 1st deadline to come and help, don't be surprised if its all over. With sadness and anger For all my relations BoPeep reachable via [EMAIL PROTECTED] P.S. September 10th Today a Hopi Ranger (The Men in Black) delivered an "official" notice for the camp to be abandoned. For those of you that are only recently becoming familiar with the situation here, let me give you a little history. For over 30 years Pauline, and the other resistors have been forbidden from repairing their homes, or building new ones. As their children have grown and started families of their own there is therefore nowhere for them to live, therefore they have to mov
NATIVE_NEWS: viewfromthehogan
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: X-Originating-IP: [63.11.236.101] From: "Jake Davies" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> View From The Hogan 6 September 1999 136 days till the final solution Notes from Big Mountain Ya'a'tee It seems I am suffering from a bout of verbal diarreah this month, and View From The Hogan is a little longer than usual. Might I respectfully suggest (if you don't already do it) that you print it out and read it later, away from this infernal screen? As well as the "raid" on Paulines cornfield, we hear that my Grandma, Rena, is being threatened and intimidated. We hear also that the cows of one non-signing family have been snatched. Summer recess is over, Warmakers minions are back in the saddle with the daily grind of low-intensity warfare and siege tactics. The attack on Rena is grossly disturbing. I know the land she herds her sheep on, I have walked it every day for many, many, moons. The Hopi Tribal Council do not graze any of their animals there. The land has not been grazed by any animals for many years. This is not good for the health of the land as any Range-Management expert will tell you. By taking her animals across the fence to another "grazing district" her animals are doing the lands "owners" a favor. To continue to claim that the harassment of these grandmas is to protect the land is blatantly, and verifyably untrue. By the way, the fence Rena and her animals crossed was not between HPL & NPL, but between ! ! "gra zing districts" of the HPL. As more details came in about the raid on Paulines cornfield, I was aghast ( a word I've longed to use) at the depth of the disrespect perpetrated. Bahe has , as usual, done an excellent job of translating Paulines statement about the incident. If you haven't read it, and I would highly reccomend you do, let me know and I'll pass it on. A recent visitor to the land made the following comment: " I think what's going on here is criminal." Those eight words contain volumes of truth. Let's begin with International Law, because there is such a thing, though currently the biggest "outlaw" on the world stage is the U.S. of A. What follows is by no means a complete list of laws that are, or have been, broken here at Big Mountain, but I would urge you to find copies of them yourselves and draw your own conclusions. Article II (c) & (e). Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Articles 21 (2) and 22 (5) of the American Convention on Human Rights. Principles I, II, III, &V of the Helsinki Final Act. Paragraph 6 of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries & Peoples. Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 12 of the American Convention on Human Rights. Principle 7 of the Helsinki Final Act. Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Article I of the International Covenant on Economic, Socail, & Cultural Rights. Article I of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights Principle I of the Helsinki Final Act Paragraph I of the General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XXII) Concerning Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources. Paragraph 2 of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries & Peoples. And then of course, there are the Treaties. Is there anyone out there who does not know that of the many hundreds of treaties made between the U.S. and the inhabitants of this continent, not a single one has been honored? Co-signors of such treaties as GATT and NAFTA would be naive in the extreme to believe that the US will honor them if they become inconvenient. Then there is Domestic, Federal, and Constitutional law. Check out: U.S. Constitution, Amendments I, IV,VI,XIV, and XV. Native American Religious Freedom Act Native American Graves Protection Act. I'm not even going to touch the many Environmental Laws that are broken here with impunity. If any of you are familiar with U.S. Contract Law, check out the Accommodation Agreement. I'm not a lawyer, but I recognize a good joke when I see one. But, to be fair, I must also report on the other side of the coin. With my very own eyes I have seen "illegal" and "undocumented" sheep grazing. With my very own eyes I have seen roofs, hogans, & corrals be built and repaired, "without permission". With my very own eyes I have seen firewood collected "without permission". With my very own eyes I have seen elderly women "trespassing" on land composed of their ancestors bones. There are those that live in some of the large cities that take a perverse pleasure in claiming to be the "Crime Capital" of the country. Hah! There is more crime here "per capita" than anywhere I know.
NATIVE_NEWS: Food War Claims Its Casualties - High-Tech Crop Fight Victimizes Farmers
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: It is truly ironic that in order to have a say in one's own country, it is necessary to go overseas to have an effect. US based transnational corporations are deaf. Ish Activist Mailing List - http://get.to/activist From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-09/12/184l- 091299-idx.html Food War Claims Its Casualties High-Tech Crop Fight Victimizes Farmers By Rick Weiss Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, September 12, 1999; Page A01 As the crucial fall harvest season approaches, many U.S. farmers and other agricultural workers are in a near panic because of escalating uncertainty over genetically engineered crops. Farmers planted millions of acres of the high-tech crops this year. But foreign buyers are rejecting them in droves, despite aggressive U.S. marketing efforts and assurances of their safety. In the past month alone, Japan's two biggest breweries and a major Mexican corn tortilla maker said they would no longer use U.S. gene- altered corn in their products, adding to troubles caused by the European Union's previous large-scale rejection of such crops. Even Iams Co., the Ohio-based pet food maker, recently told its grain suppliers it would no longer accept genetically engineered corn for use in its premium dog and cat chows unless the corn varieties were among the few approved by the European Union. Twelve days ago those developments hit home for many farmers, when Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), the big Illinois-based buyer and exporter of farm commodities, made the ominous recommendation that U.S. farmers segregate their gene-altered and non-altered crops at harvest because of heightened demand for conventional varieties both domestically and abroad. The announcement left many farmers feeling angry and betrayed. "American farmers planted [gene-altered crops] in good faith, with the belief that the product is safe and that they would be rewarded for their efforts," the American Corn Growers Association said in a statement last week. "Instead they find themselves misled by multinational seed and chemical companies and other commodity associations who only encouraged them to plant increased acres of [these crops] without any warning to farmers of the dangers associated with planting a crop that didn't have consumer acceptance." More than 40 genetically modified crops have been given the green light by U.S. regulators as safe to eat and environmentally friendly. And most farmers express satisfaction with the varieties. The crops contain genes from bacteria and viruses to make them resistant to insects and weed killers, promising farmers a better deal. Agricultural biotechnology companies promoted the gene-altered varieties heavily during the past two years, and farmers planted them in record numbers this year. But a wave of consumer distrust that started in England two years ago has swept around the globe and in recent months has shown signs of taking hold in the United States -- especially since the widely reported discovery this summer that pollen from corn engineered to produce an insecticide could kill Monarch butterflies. The result has been an unexpected twist: Many farmers who did not plant the new varieties are resting easier than their progressive counterparts because much of the world is clamoring for their ordinary harvest. Some of these farmers are even being promised they'll be paid a premium for their old-fashioned corn and soybeans. The reverse economics, in which farmers who paid premium prices for high-tech seeds are being shunned and may have to sell their harvest at a discount, is cultivating a high level of frustration. "I've been in this business for 30 years and this indecision about genetically engineered seeds and what the future holds for farmers is the worst I've seen," said Chuck Simmons, president of Bio-Plant Research in Camp Point, Ill., a marketer of gene-altered soy and other seeds. "This is the Y2K of agriculture." Until recently, the debate over gene-altered food had its impact almost entirely on Washington agencies and big-city corporate offices. Under pressure from foreign buyers, for example, Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman this summer called for an independent assessment of whether the U.S. biotech crop approval process is adequate. The National Academy of Sciences is preparing a report on the environmental implications of the new crops. And the American Medical Association said last week it would revisit and rewrite its nine-year-old unflinchingly positive policy statement on the safety of biotech foods. This summer, however, the issue started to affect biotechnology companies directly. Sales abroad came to a near halt. And mimicking the protests that last year paralyzed biotech agriculture in Europe, U.S. activists started uprooting fields of gene-altered plants during midnight raids on company test plots in California, Maine and Minne
NATIVE_NEWS: Expansion Of Medicine Wheel Site Suggested
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: Pat Morris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 'SPIRITUAL LANDSCAPE' Expansion of Medicine Wheel site suggested By MICHAEL MILSTEIN Gazette Wyoming Bureau LOVELL, Wyo. - A new study of traditional Native American use of the Medicine Wheel National Historic Landmark in the Bighorn Mountains concludes that for American Indians, the site's cultural values extend far beyond the ancient stone structure to envelop the entire "spiritual landscape" of Medicine Mountain. The study, in the form of a nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, recommends expanding the current 110-acre National Historic Landmark to 15,230 acres of the Bighorn National Forest. The increased acreage would take in many associated archaeological sites such as traditional campsites, trails and medicinal plant gathering sites. "The Medicine Wheel itself is not the main event up there, the main event is the landscape if you're a Native American," said archaeologist Fred Chapman of the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office and an author of the nomination. "There's nothing else really like this in the West in terms of a concentration of archaeological sites and continuing traditional uses." Expanding the boundaries of the National Historic Landmark would recognize the importance of those sites without imposing any restrictions on land use not already spelled out in a Historic Preservation Plan signed by state, local, federal and tribal groups in 1996, Chapman said. But the proposed boundary expansion is already generating criticism in Lovell, where residents fear it will limit their access to national forest lands long used for grazing, logging and recreation. "I think it's a crime against everyone who lives in the area to try to set aside 15,000 acres for the Medicine Wheel when we've gotten along with 100-plus acres for all this time," said Cal Taggart, who while mayor of Lovell in the late 1960s pushed for designation of the original 110-acre National Historic Landmark including the Medicine Wheel. "They're distorting what this site is all about by saying it's just a sacred site for the Indians," he said. "I don't care if the Indians pray up there or anyone prays up there, but I don't think it ought to be set aside for any group, whether it's Mormons or Baptists or Lutherans or anything else." Although the origin of the Medicine Wheel remains a mystery, many Native American tribes consider the wagon-wheel-shaped stone structure on a windswept ridge below the peak of Medicine Mountain to be a sacred site. Debate over proposals to improve the site with additional visitor facilities finally led to the 1996 Historic Preservation Plan, under which the Forest Service must consult local and state agencies and tribal groups on any plans for logging or other development within a 23,000-acre "viewshed" surrounding the Medicine Wheel. Wyoming Sawmills of Sheridan earlier this year sued the Forest Service, arguing that the Historic Preservation Plan has hampered logging opportunities on lands long designated for multiple use. The lawsuit is still pending. The Historic Preservation Plan also called for revising the Medicine Wheel's nomination to the National Register of Historic Sites based on a comprehensive survey of traditional Native American use of the site - called an "ethnographic survey." The results of that survey make up the bulk of the 100-page nomination completed by Chapman, anthropologist James Boggs of Missoula, Mont., and Robert G. York of the Northern Mariana Islands Museum of History and Culture in Saipan. They say that archaeological evidence and their many interviews with tribal members and local residents document longstanding Native American use of the Medicine Wheel and Medicine Mountain. The authors are now soliciting comments from the parties to the Historic Preservation Plan and the public and will then submit a final version of the nomination to the Forest Service. It will then be up to the Forest Service to submit the nomination to the National Park Service, which maintains the National Register of Historic Places. Copies of the document are available from the Forest Service, although the locations of archaeological sites and the names of Native Americans quoted are blacked out. A public meeting to discuss the nomination is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at the Big Horn County Annex in Lovell. "Contemporary traditional Native Americans generally venerate the Medicine Wheel because it embodies uniquely important and powerful spiritual principles that figure prominently in tribal, family and band-specific oral and ceremonial traditions," the nomination says. "To many Native Americans, Medicine Mountain as a whole constitutes a highly differentiated and complex sacred geography." While the Medicine Wheel itself is the most visible sign of ceremonial use of the area and is the prime attraction for the 15,000 or
NATIVE_NEWS: [aim] Salmon School Will Abandon Mascot
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: This effort to eliminate the "Savages" mascot was spear headed by Cindy Bloom of Midwest Soarring.. Ish From: Pat Morris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> September 16, 1999 Salmon schools will abandon Savages mascot Associated Press - SALMON, Idaho _ The Salmon School Board has decided to change the Salmon Savages' Indian mascot after being told by attorneys that fighting a lawsuit being threatened by a national coalition would cost more than $100,000. The National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media said it would file suit against the district if the Savages do not get rid of their Indian head logo. Indian mascots, especially those coupled with names such as Savage, are derogatory and offensive, coalition members said. Last month the Illinois-based organization demanded a decision within 45 days and wanted the district to sign a memorandum of agreement saying they would get rid of both the logo and the name, and add Indian studies to the high school curriculum. The board voted not to sign the memorandum, and school board chairman Steve Lish said it would take longer to change the logo. Local attorneys said fighting the name change in court could cost more than $100,000. In a district where teachers who do not scrimp on paper can find themselves without by the end of the year, a court battle is not an option, board members said. According to a timeline for responding to the coalition's demands, in January 2000 students and the community would select a new mascot/logo and a name if they wish. This month and next, the district will begin informing students and community groups. That will be followed in November with presentations on possible mascots. The board will make and announce its decision in December, and by the 2000-2001 school year the new mascot would be in place. http://www.spokane.net/news-story-body.asp?Date=091699&ID=s635776&cat=sectio n.Regional =-=-= =-=-= "We simply chose an Indian as the emblem. We could have just as easily chosen any uncivilized animal." Eighth Grade student writing about his school's mascot, 1997 =-= http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/racial/ =-= IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW" Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm =-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER!!!=-=-=
NATIVE_NEWS: COLORADO RIVER BASIN REGION: Fax comments re Kaiser Dump
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: "Ruth Lopez" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> YOU MAY FAX YOUR COMMENTS TO THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN REGION, CALIFORNIA = WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARD AT 760/341-6820 by 8:30 a.m. (Note: I = will be unable to personally attend). 1. OPPOSE: DISCHARGE PERMIT ISSUANCE TO KAISER CORPORATION YOUR NAME OR ORGANIZATION'S NAME HERE strongly urges you to oppose the = issuance of a waste discharge permit to the Kaiser Corporation (a.k.a. = "Kaiser Ventures, Inc., Kaiser Eagle Mountain, Inc. Mine Reclamation = Corporation, Eagle Mountain Reclamation, Inc., Eagle Mountain Class III = Municipal Waste Landfill at Eagle Mountain--Riverside County" hereafter = referred to as "Kaiser"). I/We urge the Regional Water Quality Control = Board to reject Kaiser's application. A discharge permit issued to = Kaiser is simply a license to dilute waste water with ground water which = is tributary to the Colorado River. Proposed for use as a landfill for = waste from Southern California is Kaiser's old iron mine. This mine is = a huge pit which consists of a fractured ore body. Wastes disposed of = in this pit will likely leach into the pristine water aquifer adjacent = to the Joshua Tree National Park. The aquifer is used for agricultural = purposes, specifically for raising natural health related products such = as jojoba and as the drinking supply of those living in the Desert = Center area. Drainage toward the Colorado River could potentially = result in contamination of the Colorado River from hazardous and/or = radioactive wastes advertently and/or inadvertently mixed with the waste = proposed to be disposed of in the rock mine. Full containment of wastes = planned for disposal in the Kaiser iron mine located at Eagle Mountain = should have been a necessary Riverside County requirement for issuance = of a permit. This presumptuous project should be sent back to Riverside = County for rejection. Be certain that we will urge Riverside voters to = take notice at the next election of any incumbents who aided and abetted = in allowing this Kaiser dump to proceed. I/we will not be able to attend the Board meeting scheduled today, = September 16, 1999, due to the prohibitive expense and time to drive = there (_ hours). We object to the fact that the Colorado River = Basin Region Water Quality Control Board meets in a location which is = 120 miles from the nearest location on the Colorado River (Blythe). We also object to the fact that written notice was not forwarded to the = public regarding the postponement of the agenda item concerning the = alleged unlawful discharge of almost 300,000 gallons of undisinfected = sewage into the Colorado River from the Needles Sewer Plant. Please = forward to us the proposed time and date of the Colorado River Basin = Region Water Quality Control Board meeting at which action on this issue = is to be taken.=20 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/ &&
NATIVE_NEWS: CANADA: NEWS BRIEFS
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Date: Thu, 16 Sep 1999 08:24:29 -0400 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],[EMAIL PROTECTED] From: Lynne Moss-Sharman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Canada Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" 9/16/99 Toronto Star Ipperwash officer's defence was flawed, court told By Peter Edwards Toronto Star Staff Reporter The lawyer representing an Ontario Provincial Police officer convicted of slaying a native activist was either misled at the trial or was incompetent, the Ontario Court of Appeal was told yesterday. The comments were made by criminal lawyer Alan Gold, who is representing Acting Sergeant Kenneth Deane as he appeals his 1997 conviction for criminal negligence causing death. Deane was given a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to perform 180 hours of community service. At Deane's trial, Judge Hugh Fraser ruled that the officer knew Indian activist Anthony (Dudley) George was unarmed when he fatally shot him with a sub-machinegun at Ipperwash Provincial Park near Sarnia on Sept. 6, 1995. Gold told a three-judge panel at Osgoode Hall that Deane was denied a fair trial because key evidence about natives having weapons was not introduced at the trial. No equipment or police officers were hit with bullets the night George was killed, and no weapons or bullet casings were recovered from natives. Gold listed the names of 17 people yesterday who he said could have given evidence that the Indians were armed and angry before and after the shooting. He also argued that Fraser couldn't hear a tape in which an officer said police were under fire from natives because a police officer blundered when trying to tape record it. Deane's original lawyer, Norman Peel, didn't introduce any of that evidence because he was either misled by the crown or he was incompetent, Gold said. ``He was misled about an agreement or he was not performing as to standards,'' he said. During the trial, Peel argued that Crown Attorney Ian Scott broke a pre-trial agreement not to discuss muzzle flashes in the park. At the time, Scott reacted angrily and challenged Peel to produce any evidence that such an agreement had been reached. Fraser also found that Deane and fellow OPP officers lied on the stand during the trial. George was among 30 Indians occupying a patch of land in the park. They said the park was built on a sacred burial ground, a claim that was later verified by the federal government. Peel is a respected lawyer who headed a legal team representing former defence chief Gen. Jean Boyle at the public inquiry into the ill-fated 1992-93 Somalia mission. The hearing continues today. from Ottawa Citizen 9/16/99 Ipperwash natives armed, dangerous, lawyer says WENDY MCCANN TORONTO (CP) - New evidence shows natives occupying Ipperwash Provincial Park were armed and dangerous before one of the protesters was shot dead, Ontario's appeal court heard Wednesday. Alan Gold, the lawyer for the provincial police officer who fired the fatal round, told the court that he has affidavits from 18 civilians and army members who saw guns in the natives' hands or heard shots around the time of the 1995 protest. Acting Sgt. Kenneth Deane, who killed protester Dudley George, is appealing his conviction of criminal negligence causing death. Among the most startling new evidence, Gold said, is testimony from a cottager who says she was told by natives about a week before the standoff that they had military assault rifles and submachine-guns and were "ready for anything." Another couple living near the park say they heard an officer say "they're shooting at us; return fire," on a radio scanner the night of the deadly altercation, court heard. A fourth resident of the Lake Huron cottage community says she saw George riding around in a car with a high-powered rifle not long before his death. The testimony paints a very different picture than one portrayed by the Crown during Deane's 1997 trial, Gold told the three-judge panel. During the trial, the Crown maintained the natives were unarmed and engaged in a peaceful occupation of the park they said contained an ancient burial ground. The Chippewa protesters - who were refusing to leave - had been there just 48 hours when about 40 provincial police officers armed with shields and laser-sighted rifles marched in formation on the park. George was killed in the ensuing melee. Gold wants the province's highest court to order a new trial for Deane based on the new evidence. Earlier Wednesday, he argued for a mistrial, saying the provincial police officer was not treated fairly. Deane's trial lawyer was operating under the false impression that the Crown had accepted as fact that the natives had shot first, Gold told the appellate judges. Deane's lawyer didn't bother to introduce evidence that would have proven the officer felt threatened because he assumed t
NATIVE_NEWS: [BIGMTLIST] Radio interview with Jackie Giuliano
And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: From: Robert Dorman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 15:57:40 -0700 >From: "Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.61 [en] (Win98; I) >X-Accept-Language: en >Subject: Radio interview with Jackie Giuliano > >Hello, > >Dr. Michio Kaku interviewed me for his "Explorations in Science" >syndicated radio program. The program is being broadcast this week >(9/14-9/18) on a number of radio stations. Copies can be obtained from >the Pacifica Program Service at 1-800-735-0230. > >Tampa, FL, on WMNF-FM (88.5 FM) on Tuesday at 11 am. >Berkeley and the Bay Area on KPFA-FM (94.1 FM) on Tuesday at 1pm. >New York City on WBAI-FM (99.5 FM) on Wednesday night at 7 pm. >Los Angeles on KPFK-FM (90.7 FM) on Thursday at 2pm. >West Hartford, Conn., on WWUH-FM (91.3) on Sat. afternoons. > >During the interview, I discussed the forced relocation of the Navajo >people from their home in Big Mountain Arizona to the site of a nuclear >waste spill in New Mexico, radioactive metals in consumer goods, the use >of nuclear material in space probes and the dangers in taking species >off the Endangered Species List. It was an interesting and lively >interview and I hope you can find a station carrying it. > >All the best, > >Jackie > > > >-- >Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D. >Professor of Environmental Studies > >Author of "Healing Our World," a weekly column of opinion on the >Environment News Service at >http://www.ens.lycos.com/ens/features/healing/index.html > >Visit Jackie's website on teaching, activism and an archive of over 100 >of his articles at http://www.deepteaching.com > > Bob Dorman, KD7FIZ [EMAIL PROTECTED] The Activist Page http://www.theofficenet.com/%7Eredorman/welcome.html Also, for great internet tools please visit: http://www.msw.com.au/cgi-bin/msw/entry?id=1271 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/ &&
