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: Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs
And now:Ish [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: From: "CATHERINE DAVIDS" [EMAIL PROTECTED] and Ishgooda *** Last night (Thursday, September 2, 1999) a meeting was held at the North American Indian Association (NAIA) building in Detroit. The meeting was held to discuss Governor Engler's recent edict to close the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs. The "guv" intends to transfer all aspects of the MCIA to other departments within the Department of Civil Rights. About 50 people attended the meeting. Aurora Sauceda and Cheryl Spaniola and I drove down from Flint. We thought it was going to be a rally. Instead it turned out to be a meeting. It was very interesting. The first speaker was a woman elder (one of the founders of the NAIA). She was eloquent with solid questions about the closing and the transfer. She mentioned several questions which needed to be addressed, such as how does the budget for the Civil Rights Department compare to the current budget for the Indian commission? Are federal funds going to be coming down? What current jurisdictional powers will be hampered by the transfer to civil rights as the commission as it has been addresses both reservation and urban Indians in the state and has been a voice for bothHow will current agencies and programs under the Indian commission be effected ? Accessibility less for rural locations? The current commission employs a number of Native people, how will these jobs be effected? Will there once again be well meaning non Natives implementing Native agencies and programs? In the past there was a lot of serious illness on the Isabella Reservation near Mt Pleasant..a state investigation revealed almost total neglect by the state then current program structures and was one of the reasons for the creation of the commission under then Gov Romney...we face this same potential for criminal neglect once again? Ultimately her greatest concern is the dismantling of the communication network that the MCIA has created. The next speaker was a male elder and from the information we knew that he has always been an activist for Indian Country. After these two speakers it was kind of quiet with everyone trying to figure if they could add anything to what these two elders had stated and questioned. Rick Schott (President of the NAIA) had quite a time getting everyone else out of their chairs to speak but finally he asked a question and I raised my hand. This was his trick to get someone else to the microphone. So...I got up and stated my opinion about the importance of the MCIA, that the "guv's" closing of the office was an act of war (destroying communication networks), that the "guv" is always angry with us Indians and finding ways to cause us harm, that if the MCIA closes what will he do to us next, etc. I shared information about State Representative Lynn Martinez's office giving support and lobbying on behalf of the MCIA (I forgot to mention that the State's Democratic House of Representatives Caucus is also gathering information for possible support). Then lots of other people got up to speak. One man got up and deflected the purpose of the meeting to the upcoming 2000 Census and the importance of getting counted in order to ensure equitable distribution of federal funds. [Thurmond Bear also pointed out that it takes numbers to create political clout. To be heard we need to show numbers..if you are self identified as Native, mark it. He mentioned a housing program in Washington state that received funding for only 45 homes, not 450 because the census only showed that there were a max of 45 who could be included] This man is absolutely correct but this discussion distracted from the concerns about the MCIA. This man did say that us Indians should take care of ourselves and not depend upon the MCIA whose closing is a "done deal." He stated that he has known about this for about two months even though the information was just publicly released only within the past two weeks. Then another man got up and stated that us Indians need to put aside our differences, learn to work together, "can't we all just get along," and that the closing of the MCIA is a "done deal and we'd better just get over it, and figure out how to take care of ourselves." A representative from the American Civil Liberties Union was present and said his plan is to file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the MCIA. This is an historic action because the ACLU has traditionally seemed to be uninterested in American Indian issues and concerns. Levi Rickert (North American Indian Center of Grand Rapids) gave good support for the MCIA as did Rick Schott. Paul Vargas (a member of the Brown Beret) came to offer support from his group. He is a knowlegable and mesmerizing speaker. The late middle-aged men in the room sat up and remembered when they were all "on fire" with passionate
NATIVE_NEWS: Re: Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs
And now:LISN [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Subject: Fwd: Re: Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1999 06:57:18 -1000 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: "CATHERINE DAVIDS" [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-pmrqc: 1 Priority: normal For all of you who receive this message more than once please forgive me but I need to get this out and don't have time to edit as carefully as I should. Catherine A rally to gather support for the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs will be held on Thursday, September 2, 1999at 6:00 p.m. at: North American Indian Association 22720 Plymouth Road Detroit, Michigian 48239 1-313-535-2966 The center is located between Outer Drive Telegraph Avenue. State Representative Lynn Martinez (Democrat) has given her commitment to alerting Michigan's Latino/a community and many Latino/a leaders will be at the rally on Thursday night. Martinez's office is spending a lot of time calling labor leaders, politicans, etc., in order to ensure that Michigan's American Indian community has support. Engler's office states they are "speaking for Michigan's Indian community who wants to be served by other state agencies." I can state for certainty that Engler's office has not polled the American Indian people of Michigan. State agencies are funded by taxpayers and American Indians are taxpayers...therefore ALL state agencies are required to give support to all people regardless of ethnic origin or religious background or sexual preference. To do otherwise is an act of discrimination and preference. The difference here is that the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs is by Indians for Indians. It is not a welfare or service agency that provide emergency shelter, clothing, food, etc. It is a communication office providing a valuable service that no other agency provides. Engler's office would have us believe that this office has not performed its duties in a proper or timely manner and yet we know better...the MCIA has been a valuable tool and Donna Budnick and her office have performed a remarkable service and its quarterly magazine has become a lifeline in this state and in the Great Lakes area. The Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs is the equivalent office. Consider this: the thousands of migrant farm workers that come here and work for slave wages and live in inhumane conditions...and, the State of Michigan encourages this near enslavement of our Mexican relations. Michigan's Latino/a community has a rich and vibrant history in this state with many worthy accomplishments. It is good to know this history: before Anglos began their insidious invasion of these lands the Indian peoples of what is now called Mexico were frequent travelers to this area and had "travel villages" as far north as Saskatchewan, Canada. The Ojibway and Chippewa people were not just sitting here waiting to be discovered...they had (as did all tribes) traders and explorers who went "everywhere." The Indian tribes knew each other. When the borders were set down at the Rio Grande River many families became divided by two countries. Mexican people are Maya, Apache, Kikapo, Cheyenne, Mechixa, etc. We are related and this is why Lynn Martinez is my hero today and all week long. She recognizes this historic relationship and has put her support behind her relations. State Representative Laura Toy (Republican) from Livonia has received a permit to hold a celebration to honor Christopher Columbus on the steps of the State Capital Building on October 6th. Toy is already in the process of requesting donations from corporations (advertisments in a program). Martinez has committed her office to acting in concert with the American Indian community and she will be receiving a permit and she will sponsor a counter-rally of protest on October 6th on the steps of the State Capital Building. We will need drums, veterans, people of all ages, colors, religions, etc. I can only speak for myself about this but I am deeply appreciative that Martinez is acting on these two matters because there are no American Indian's in Michigan's House of Representatives or Senate. Everyone should take a few moments to send a letter of support to both Donna Budnick and Lynn Martinez. Our letters will also be a vote of support for the Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs. If Engler is successful in closing the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs it will not be long before the Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs is threatened with closing. This is a historic moment in Michigan history...when the American Indian and Latino/a communitys join together for strength and protection. If you cannot send a letter then please send a fax. If you cannot do either of those then please send me an e-mail message of support and I will make copies to present to both Donna and Lynn. If you send e- mail messages please include
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 From the Flint Journal Saturday, August 21, 1999 Governor John M. Engler eliminated the Indian Affairs Commission on Friday, transferring responsibility for the protection of Indians' civil rights and access to state services to the director of the Department of Civil Rights. Engler spokesman John Truscott said although the governor was happy with commission members, "the way a commission operates, it's difficult for them to be prompt. We hope this will produce better coordnation and faster implementation." WHAT IS HAPPENING The Governor's office has given the Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs 60 days to pack-it-in and move onsort of a "go back to where you came from" attitude. Concrete reasons for ending our commission's mission have not materialized. Instead the bureaucratic tactic has been to imply that the Commission has not been doing its job properly or in a timely manner. This is as far away from fact and truth as the Planet Earth is from the Planet Venus. Under the direction of Donna Budnick and her staff the Commission has effectively expanded communication on a wide range of issues to Michigan's American Indian community: both on the reservations and in urban areas. Their quarterly magazine has informed the American Indian people of federal and state laws, updates issues and concerns, and has a comprehensive list of Pow- Wows in the Great Lakes area. The commission also takes their "show on the road" holding meetings in various areas around the state in order to create a voice for all the American Indian people. Ending this commission will silence the one organization that has effectively created coommunication among Michigan's American Indian people. A state-wide community meeting will be held on September 2nd at 6:00 p.m. at the American Indian Center 22720 Plymouth Detroit, Michigan 1-313-535-2966 The Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs needs support. Letters can be sent to: Donna Budnick, Executive Director Michigan Commission on Indian Affairs Victor Office Center, Suite 700 201 N. Washington Square Lansing, MI 48913 phone: 1-517-373-0654 fax: 1-517-334-8641 Please consider this: if Engler and his state government is allowed to drive this commission into a state of non-existance his next target might just well be the Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs which creates communication for the voice of Michigan's Latino/a population which is largely Mexican. It is good to remember that Mexican people are more Indian than Spanish and therefore we need to support the Michgian Commission on Indian Affairs in order to also protect our relatives over at the Michigan Commission on Spanish Speaking Affairs. Catherine Davids Flint, Michigan 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/
