Choctaw Man charged with 2nd Degree Murder in Weekend Slaying
August 17, 2010
By Scott
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/theonefeather/2010/08/17/choctaw-man-charged-with-2nd-degree-murder-in-weekend-slaying/
Bridgeo Marino Phillips Sr., 28 of Philadelphia, Miss., an enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, has been indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte on one count charging second degree murder in connection with an incident which allegedly took place on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in Jackson County on Saturday, Aug. 14. The announcement came Tuesday, Aug. 17 from U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins of the Western District of North Carolina, Owen D. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Charlotte Division and Ben Reed, Chief of the Cherokee Indian Police Department.
According to information contained in official court documents, Phillips Sr. is charged in a federal bill of indictment with one count of second degree murder. If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of imprisonment for life. He will remain in local federal custody pending trial in the Western District of North Carolina.
The case is being handled for the government by Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville.
The public is reminded that federal bills of indictment contain mere allegations and that a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
In two other, separate and unrelated cases, the U.S. Attorney announced that two defendants, Billy Jack Hicks, 38, an EBCI tribal member, of Whittier, and Kenneth Nolan Millsaps, 31, of Andrews, have each been charged in federal bills of indictment alleging federal firearms violations.
Hicks is charged with one count alleging the defendant to be an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance and being in possession of a Smith 7 Wesson .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol, in violation of federal law.
Millsaps is charged with two counts: one count alleging the defendant to be an unlawful user of an addicted to a controlled substance and being in possession of a Mossberg 20 gauge shotgun and a Rohm .32 caliber revolver and the second county alleging the defendant to be a felon in possession of firearms.
If convicted, Hicks faces a ten year maximum penalty and if convicted Millsaps faces a ten year maximum penalty as to each county he is facing. Both defendants are currently pending trial in U.S. District Court. Hicks has been released on bond, Millsaps will be afforded a detention hearing on Friday, Aug. 20. The Hicks case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Millsaps case was investigated by ATF.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office
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"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
FCC establishes Native Office
FCC establishes Native Office
August 16, 2010
By Scott
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/theonefeather/2010/08/16/fcc-establishes-native-office/
WASHINGTON – In order to develop and advance an agenda aimed at bringing the benefits of a modern communications infrastructure to all Native communities, the Federal Communications Commission has established an Office of Native Affairs and Policy. The office will work to promote the deployment and adoption of communications services and technologies throughout Tribal Lands and Native communities, by, among other things, ensuring robust government-to-government consultation with Tribal governments and increased coordination with Native organizations.
“Tribal lands and Native communities suffer unacceptably low levels of communications services, especially broadband,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. “Increasing connectivity in Native America is one of the FCC’s top priorities. With this new office, the Commission will work closely with Native leaders to develop and implement policies that ensure their communities enjoy the benefits of 21st Century communications infrastructure.”
The office will be headed by Geoffrey Blackwell, and will be part of the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. “The Office of Native Affairs and Policy is a historic milestone and the culmination of many years of effort by leaders in Indian Country and at the FCC,” said Blackwell. “There is a lot of good hard work that remains on the path ahead. As Tribal Nations and Native communities exercise their sovereignty and self-determination to ensure a bright future for their generations, the entire agency now has a new capability to engage with them. Many people throughout the FCC have worked diligently on behalf of Tribes for a number of years. I look forward to working with them to further advance the Commission’s efforts on behalf of Native communities.”
The Office of Native Affairs and Policy will handle ongoing consultation and coordination with American Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and other Native and Tribal entities, and will be the official Commission contact point for these activities. It will also engage in work with Commissioners, bureaus, and offices, as well as with other government agencies, private organizations, and the communications industries, to develop and implement FCC policies regarding Tribal Nations and Native communities.
Source: FCC release
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"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
August 16, 2010
By Scott
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/theonefeather/2010/08/16/fcc-establishes-native-office/
WASHINGTON – In order to develop and advance an agenda aimed at bringing the benefits of a modern communications infrastructure to all Native communities, the Federal Communications Commission has established an Office of Native Affairs and Policy. The office will work to promote the deployment and adoption of communications services and technologies throughout Tribal Lands and Native communities, by, among other things, ensuring robust government-to-government consultation with Tribal governments and increased coordination with Native organizations.
“Tribal lands and Native communities suffer unacceptably low levels of communications services, especially broadband,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. “Increasing connectivity in Native America is one of the FCC’s top priorities. With this new office, the Commission will work closely with Native leaders to develop and implement policies that ensure their communities enjoy the benefits of 21st Century communications infrastructure.”
The office will be headed by Geoffrey Blackwell, and will be part of the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. “The Office of Native Affairs and Policy is a historic milestone and the culmination of many years of effort by leaders in Indian Country and at the FCC,” said Blackwell. “There is a lot of good hard work that remains on the path ahead. As Tribal Nations and Native communities exercise their sovereignty and self-determination to ensure a bright future for their generations, the entire agency now has a new capability to engage with them. Many people throughout the FCC have worked diligently on behalf of Tribes for a number of years. I look forward to working with them to further advance the Commission’s efforts on behalf of Native communities.”
The Office of Native Affairs and Policy will handle ongoing consultation and coordination with American Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Villages, Native Hawaiian Organizations, and other Native and Tribal entities, and will be the official Commission contact point for these activities. It will also engage in work with Commissioners, bureaus, and offices, as well as with other government agencies, private organizations, and the communications industries, to develop and implement FCC policies regarding Tribal Nations and Native communities.
Source: FCC release
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"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
No Recognition for Central Band of Cherokees
No Recognition for Central Band of Cherokees
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/theonefeather/2010/08/17/no-recognition-for-central-band-of-cherokees/
August 17, 2010
By Scott
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The group known as the Central Band of Cherokee, located in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., will not be receiving federal recognition if a “Proposed Finding Against Acknowledgment”, filed Monday, Aug. 16 by Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk, holds up.
The 407-member group recently received recognition from the state of Tennessee, but BIA officials state, “The evidence shows the petitioner is a voluntary association formed in 2000 of individuals who claim but have not documented Indian ancestry.”
Information from the BIA states, “The petitioner claims its members are descendants of Cherokee Indians who had not given up their rights to 1806 treaty lands in Tennessee, or are descendants of Indians living in Tennessee who evaded removal or escaped when the Cherokee were removed from North Carolina in the late 1830s. None of the evidence demonstrates the validity of either claim.”
It further stated, “The readily available public records clearly showed the petitioner’s members do not descend from any Cherokee group or any other Indian tribe. The evidence clearly shows the group’s ancestors were consistently identified as non-Indians, primarily ‘White’ settlers coming to Tennessee in the early and mid-1800s from disparate locations. At no time were they identified as Indians or living in an Indian community.”
The group received recognition from the State of Tennessee’s now-defunct Commission of Indian Affairs on Saturday, June 19.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation both opposed that action. At the time, Principal Chief Michell Hicks stated, “As one of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes, we have had no interaction with any of these groups and I absolutely do not support them in this endeavor.”
On Aug. 17, Joe Sitting Owl White, Principal Chief of the Central Band of Cherokee group, told the Knoxville News-Sentinel that he will challenge the BIA’s ruling.
In July, he told the One Feather that tribes outside of Tennessee such as the Cherokee Nation have been instrumental in keeping groups such as his from receiving recognition. “They (Cherokee Nation) act like a bunch of lying, greedy white men. “We’re the same blood. Why would we want to fight each other? That’s crazy. That’s not Cherokee.”
There will be a 180 day comment period on this latest finding which will be posted on the Interior Department’s website at –www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/OFA/RecentCases/index.htm.
The actual denial document from the BIA can be viewed here:
2010-08-13-DOI-OFA-CBC-DENIAL
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"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
http://www.nc-cherokee.com/theonefeather/2010/08/17/no-recognition-for-central-band-of-cherokees/
August 17, 2010
By Scott
By SCOTT MCKIE B.P.
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The group known as the Central Band of Cherokee, located in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., will not be receiving federal recognition if a “Proposed Finding Against Acknowledgment”, filed Monday, Aug. 16 by Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs Larry Echo Hawk, holds up.
The 407-member group recently received recognition from the state of Tennessee, but BIA officials state, “The evidence shows the petitioner is a voluntary association formed in 2000 of individuals who claim but have not documented Indian ancestry.”
Information from the BIA states, “The petitioner claims its members are descendants of Cherokee Indians who had not given up their rights to 1806 treaty lands in Tennessee, or are descendants of Indians living in Tennessee who evaded removal or escaped when the Cherokee were removed from North Carolina in the late 1830s. None of the evidence demonstrates the validity of either claim.”
It further stated, “The readily available public records clearly showed the petitioner’s members do not descend from any Cherokee group or any other Indian tribe. The evidence clearly shows the group’s ancestors were consistently identified as non-Indians, primarily ‘White’ settlers coming to Tennessee in the early and mid-1800s from disparate locations. At no time were they identified as Indians or living in an Indian community.”
The group received recognition from the State of Tennessee’s now-defunct Commission of Indian Affairs on Saturday, June 19.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation both opposed that action. At the time, Principal Chief Michell Hicks stated, “As one of three federally recognized Cherokee tribes, we have had no interaction with any of these groups and I absolutely do not support them in this endeavor.”
On Aug. 17, Joe Sitting Owl White, Principal Chief of the Central Band of Cherokee group, told the Knoxville News-Sentinel that he will challenge the BIA’s ruling.
In July, he told the One Feather that tribes outside of Tennessee such as the Cherokee Nation have been instrumental in keeping groups such as his from receiving recognition. “They (Cherokee Nation) act like a bunch of lying, greedy white men. “We’re the same blood. Why would we want to fight each other? That’s crazy. That’s not Cherokee.”
There will be a 180 day comment period on this latest finding which will be posted on the Interior Department’s website at –www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/OFA/RecentCases/index.htm.
The actual denial document from the BIA can be viewed here:
2010-08-13-DOI-OFA-CBC-DENIAL
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"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
Torturing Bears
Torturing Bears
Hello Friends! Hope this finds you all well. Please take a few minutes to read a petition that I started. It is so important to me this cruelty be stopped. South Carolina is the only state that allows it. I am ashamed to live in SC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A declawed, defanged bear is chained to a stake as hunting dogs bark and snap, trying to force the bear to stand on its hind legs. The training exercise called bear baying(baiting) is intended to make the bears easier to shoot in the wild and it's only allowed in South Carolina. Read more...please click
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-bear-baying-in-south-carolina/
Thank you in advance and please forward the petition to your friends.
Hello Friends! Hope this finds you all well. Please take a few minutes to read a petition that I started. It is so important to me this cruelty be stopped. South Carolina is the only state that allows it. I am ashamed to live in SC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A declawed, defanged bear is chained to a stake as hunting dogs bark and snap, trying to force the bear to stand on its hind legs. The training exercise called bear baying(baiting) is intended to make the bears easier to shoot in the wild and it's only allowed in South Carolina. Read more...please click
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ban-bear-baying-in-south-carolina/
Thank you in advance and please forward the petition to your friends.
Issues & News From STSSA Friends & Family 8/31/2010
"Can You Guys Still Hear Us?": President Obama Talks Economy Amidst Technical Snafus
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/08/can-you-guys-still-hear-us-president-obama-talks-economy-amidst-technical-snafus.html?nwltr=WN_topstory_more
During a hastily-called Rose Garden event during which the sound system failed him, President Obama attempted today to communicate to the American public that his administration remains on top of the economic crisis.
The president’s primary messages were twofold: One that Republicans need to stop obstructing a initiative he proposed to cut taxes that will encourage small businesses to hire and expand, as well as a $30 billion small business lending initiative.
“Drop the blockade,” he said to Senate Republicans, whom he said were “holding this bill hostage,” damaging economic growth.
Second, the president said that his “economic team is hard at work in identifying additional measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth and hiring in the short term and increasing our economy's competitiveness in the long term.”
Those additional measures, which he said he would be addressing “in further detail in the days and weeks to come,” seemed largely to be proposals he and administration officials had talked about before, such as further cutting corporate taxes to encourage job growth, renewing for those who earn under $200,000 a year the Bush tax cuts set to expire at the end of the calendar year, and spending more on clean energy, infrastructure, and research and development.
The event in some ways could be seen as a metaphor for the administration’s flailing on the economy. Originally no remarks were scheduled, then on Sunday evening, the White House announced the president would make remarks in the Oval Office after his economic daily briefing.
Then on Monday that was upgraded to remarks by the president at 12:30 p.m. ET in the Rose Garden after his briefing, signifying a more formal event.
Then those remarks were pushed to 1 p.m.
Finally the president approached the lectern at 1:20 p.m.
Only five sentences into his remarks, the P.A. system fizzled.
“What we did know was that it took nearly a decade -- what we did -- how are we doing on sound, guys?” the president asked
“Is it still going to the press?” he asked, checking to make sure even if he couldn’t be heard clearly in the Rose Garden, broadcast networks were getting clean sound, which they were.
“OK,” the president said.
A plane flew nearby, drowning out his voice.
“What we did know was that it was going to take nearly a decade in order for -- can you guys still hear us?”
Reporters nodded.
“OK,” he continued, “let me try this one more time.”
The president said the small business lending initiative would help business owners “get the credit they need and eliminate capital gains taxes on key investments so they have more incentive to invest right now. And it would accelerate $55 billion of tax relief to encourage American businesses, small and large, to expand their investments over the next 14 months. Unfortunately, this bill has been languishing in the Senate for months, held up by partisan minority that won't even allow it to go to a vote. That makes no sense.”
The president said the bill “is fully paid for. It will not add to the deficit. And there is no reason to block it besides pure partisan politics.”
“The small-business owners and the communities that rely on them, they don't have time for political games,” he said. “They shouldn't have to wait any longer…I know we're entering election season, but the people who sent us here expect us to work together to get things done and improve this economy.” Noting the “serious challenges” the nation faces, the president said policymakers need to “rise above the politics of the moment to summon an equal seriousness of purpose.”
A Senate Republican leadership aide said that when the Senate returns, the first legislative vote scheduled will deal with a Republican amendment to the small business bill. The Senate is not scheduled to return until September 13.
-Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
August 30, 2010 in Economy, Obama, Barack, White House | Permalink |Share | User Comments (397)
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Listening Conferences for UN Report: No one was listening to Native Americans
By Brenda Norrell
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/08/listening-conferences-un-report-no-one-was-listening-native-american
Updated Aug. 24, 2010
It appears no one was listening at the US State Department’s Listening Conferences this year, when Native Americans offered testimony on human rights for a report to the United Nations.
The US Periodic Review on Human Rights released Monday, Aug. 23, shows the Obama Administration giving itself a glossy, positive review on the issue of Native Americans and human rights to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
However, the release of the final document proves Russell Means was accurate when he described the Listening Conferences as a “Smokescreen.”
“Once again, the occupation government of the United States of America has trotted out its dogs and ponies to provide a smokescreen and diversion from its continuing crimes against the indigenous peoples and nations of the Western Hemisphere,” Means said in March.
The US report to the UN fails to describe the ongoing environmental genocide, where corporations in collusion with the US government target Indian country with power plants, coal mines and oil and gas wells.
The United States does not address the uranium mining that now threatens water supplies of Navajos or Lakotas, nor of the proposed Desert Rock power plant that threatens the health of Navajos. There is no mention of the so-called Navajo Hopi land dispute that resulted in the relocation of 14,000 Navajos on Black Mesa. It was manufactured by attorneys, Congressmen and Peabody Coal to make way for Peabody Coal mining. The report does does not mention the Forgotten Navajos of the Bennett Freeze zone, where development was frozen by federal legislation.
The US report does not address the poisoned groundwater of the Tohono O'odham from mining, nor the conditions on South Dakota Indian lands. It does not address the violations of the rights of the Western Shoshone as gold mining targets sacred Mount Tenabo. There is no mention of how the use of recycled sewage water on sacred San Francisco Peaks will affect American Indian Nations.
There is no mention of the radioactive spills and radioactive tailings strewn across the Navajo Nation or the live Cold War bombs in the Badlands on Pine Ridge, S.D. There is no mention of the genocide of uranium mining, leaving behind a legacy of cancer and death, in Acoma and Laguna Pueblos. There was no mention of testimony to protect Zuni Pueblo sacred places.
The US Periodic Review fails to address the widespread abuses by the US Border Patrol of Indigenous Peoples traveling in their own territories, or the violations of NAGPRA and other federal laws during construction of the US/Mexico border wall. This included Boeing digging up the ancestors of the O'odham.
There is no mention of the physical abuse of Haudenosaunee and others on the northern border by border agents. The US fails to describe the racial profiling that has become acceptable for police and border agents in the US. There is no mention of the destruction of ceremonial items by border agents.
The US does not address the violations of fishing and hunting rights of Native Americans in violations of Treaties. There is no mention of the loss of water rights.
The report fails to describe the targeting of American Indians by police during traffic stops, the longer prison sentences issued by courts for American Indians or the ongoing hate crimes in Indian country bordertowns. The US fails to admit to the denials of American Indian religious freedom in US prisons.
While giving a sweeping rosy report of the United States in regards to Native Americans and human rights, the US says it is considering passage of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The US fails to point out that it is trailing all the other countries in the world in adoption of the Declaration.
The US is currently attempting a flim-flam approach to the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. But Indigenous Peoples say that US laws of "Discovery" and "Conquest" can not supersede the UN Declaration.
Tonya Gonellaa Frichner, Onondaga, said the US House of Representatives submitted Resolution 1551.1H to Congress and referred it to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on July 22.
"The resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should 'promote respect for and full implementation of the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples consistent with US law.'
"As positive as this wording of the resolution may seem, the phrase 'consistent with US law' is highly problematic because US law with regard to American Indian nations and peoples is premised on unacceptable doctrines such as 'discovery,' 'conquest,' and 'plenary power,' and on a presumption of United States supremacy over Indigenous peoples," said Frichner, North American Regional Representative to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
"The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is an international human rights instrument that recognizes the individual, collective, and group rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right of self-determination, and the right of Indigenous Peoples to give or withhold their free, prior, and informed consent when it comes to the exploitation of their Indigenous lands, territories, and resources.
"It is incumbent upon the United States government to fully endorse and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in a manner consistent with international standards of human rights, and in keeping with the recognition of the individual, group, and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples," she said.
Meanwhile, in the Periodic Review to the UN, while applauding freedom of expression in America, the US fails to point out that spying on private citizens is nearing the Cold War spying level. There is no mention of ongoing US war crimes.
The ACLU, in its response to the US Periodic Report, stressed the US abuse of the rights of prisoners and migrants.
Although Window Rock, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation was one site of the testimony at the Listening Conferences, there are no specifics of Navajo testimony in the final report.
Although written testimony was presented on behalf of Leonard Peltier, there is no mention of Peltier in the final report.
Means said, in his statement in March, “As we can see, many indigenous people have been duped to participate, yet again, in a lying and duplicitous process of the United States. The United States has absolutely no interest or intention of admitting to the world its human rights record that is neither justifiable nor defensible. In particular, the record of the United States with regard to historical, and ongoing, violations of over 370 treaties that were negotiated and signed with indigenous nations must be, but will not be, addressed by the United States.”
The ACLU listed the shortcomings of the report and made recommendations today, stressing the United States abuse of the rights of prisoners and migrants:
http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/upr_submission_20100419.pdf
View the US Periodic Review to the UN Human Rights Council:
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/146379.pdf
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863-9977 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415 863-9977 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
www.Freedomarchives.org
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IPPNW = International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Statement of the Pre-Congress
´Sacred Land, Poisoned Peoples´
to the 19th IPPNW World Congress
read by Rebecca Wingfield-Bear (Australia) and Charmaine
White Face (USA) to the Closing Plenary, August 29, 2010,
at the University of Basel, in Basel, Switzerland.
Indigenous Peoples and their representatives attending the
Pre-Congress ´Sacred Land, Poisoned Peoples´, at this critical
time of intensifying destruction to Mother Earth and human
health by nuclear resource development, have gathered and
shared stories of resistance to uranium mining across the globe.
From Canada and the USA to Niger, Mali, Namibia, Tanzania
and Malawi, from Russia, Germany, Australia, Brazil and India,
communities facing dramatic impacts from this toxic industry
have come together in unity.
Past, present and future generations of Indigenous Peoples are
disproportionately impacted by uranium mining, nuclear weapons
and the nuclear power industry. The nuclear fuel chain radio-
actively contaminates our peoples´health, land, air and waters,
and threatens our very existence and our future generations.
Uranium mining, nuclear energy development and international
agreements that foster the nuclear fuel chain violate our basic
human rights and fundamental natural laws of Mother Earth,
endangering our survival and spiritual well-being.
The dangerous health impacts of radioactive exposure begin with
uranium mining. We reaffirm the Declaration of the World Uranium
Hearing in Salzburg, Austria, in 1992, that uranium and its radio-
active decay products must remain in the ground.
We stand in solidarity with those working for an end to uranium
mining and processing, irresponsible radioactive waste management,
nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
We dedicate ourselves to a nuclear free future for all people.
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CherokeeLink Newsletter
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For The HTML Format of the Newsletter:
(Having Problems With The Links? Try this version instead.)http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=newsletter&Date=8/30/2010
AOL - 8/30/2010 Newsletter
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Osiyo,
The event we’ve all been eagerly awaiting, the 58th Annual Cherokee National Holiday, is now less than a week away. This coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday, over 100,000 people from across the country will come to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to celebrate! Dozens of activities are scheduled over three days including a parade through downtown Tahlequah on Saturday morning, a classic car show, live music, cultural games and competitions, softball tournaments, a powwow, food, refreshment and more. The Cherokee National Holiday is good, wholesome fun for the entire family and you can get all the details by visitinghttp://holiday.cherokee.org.
The theme of this year’s holiday is “Happy, Healthy People” and what a perfect opportunity that makes for you to begin living a more active and healthy lifestyle. Visithttp://cherokeechallenge.cherokee.org to see how you can participate in several different runs and other healthy competitions.
This year is also the 10th anniversary of the Cherokee National Youth Choir. Acting as ambassadors for the Cherokee Nation, the youth choir has traveled across the country while promoting Cherokee culture, music and the preservation of the Cherokee language. A new CD, entitled “Then & Now”, commemorates the growth of the choir over the past decade and is now available. Details are online athttp://choir.cherokee.org.
Wado! (Thank you)
Cherokee Nation
P.O.Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
918 453-5000
communications@cherokee.org
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***Cherokee Nation News***
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Sequoyah Schools Makes Adequate Yearly Progress Once Again: 8/27/2010 11:22:00 AM
(C) Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation’s Sequoyah Schools recently received notification that they have once again made “adequate yearly progress” according to the benchmarks measured by the No Child Left Behind Act. All public schools and some private schools are evaluated annually to determine recognition. This is the fourth year in a row that Sequoyah has achieved this honor.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3332
Jackie Eagle Named Jr. Miss Cherokee Ambassador: 8/27/2010 9:56:00 AM
(C) Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation named the 2010-2011 Jr. Miss Cherokee Ambassador during the annual competition held in the conjunction with the 58th Cherokee National Holiday. Jackie Eagle of Gore was awarded first place by a panel of judges and for the next year will act as a goodwill ambassador for the tribe and will promote the government, language, history and traditions of the Cherokee people.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3331
58th Cherokee National Holiday Downtown Events Expand: 8/26/2010
(C) Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is rolling out the red carpet Sept. 3-5 to welcome visitors old and new to Tahlequah for the 58th Cherokee National Holiday. Although exciting activities will take place non-stop throughout the three days, festival goers may want to be especially sure they grab a spot downtown early on Saturday to be on hand for some of the biggest events. Returning visitors will find some new events to enjoy this year.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3330
Cherokee Nation Honors Area Family of Veterans: 8/25/2010 2:21:00 PM
(C) Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation recently honored four veterans at its August monthly tribal council meeting in Tahlequah. The four are all part of a close-knit eastern Oklahoma Cherokee family and represent multiple branches of the military.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3329
Caney Valley Elementary Receives School Supply Contribution: 8/24/2010 9:27:00 AM
(C) Cherokee Nation
As children returned to Caney Valley Elementary School for a new school year, the supplies closet was loaded with more items due to a contribution from employees of Cherokee Casino Ramona. In the weeks leading to the beginning of the new school year, casino employees collected then contributed more than $200 in supplies, including glue, scissors, paper and other items to be used throughout the school year.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3328
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**** Other Links of Interest ****
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Games - http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=culture&culture=games
Community Calendar - http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=calendar
RSS Feed - http://rss.cherokee.org
Podcasts - http://podcasts.cherokee.org
E-Cards - http://ecards.cherokee.org
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**** Cultural Tidbits ****
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All efforts to have non-Indian intruders removed from the Cherokee Nation by the U.S., as required by treaty, were ignored.
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from the Eagle Watch
August 30, 2010
Here's an important announcement from John Kane. To get more information, you can view his web site at:
http://letstalknativepride.blogspot.com/
From: JMKane1220@aol.com
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:00:23 EDT
Subject: 9-1-10 rally
FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: Rally at the Big Indian Smoke Shop and Thruway bridge on Route 438 in Cattaraugus, September 1, 2010 at 9:00AM.
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I hope all is well.
I just wanted to share that we are seeking 24 tribes to participate in a Native American competition reality TV show, Dream Catchers- Search For The Ultimate Warrior.
We will be offering the winning tribe a solar and wind generation facility and tech school. Other prizes will be awarded throughout the competition as well.
Marc and I have been traveling across the US and Canada and have found a number of tribes interested. Corporate sponsors are also excited about the show.
Now only will it be a competition but we will also be presenting historical facts about the contributions that Native Americans have made to society.
If you know of any tribes that would like to participate please let me know. My email address is mjexcels108@yahoo.com
I can send you further details if you email me.
Sincerely,
mary jo
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Priceless Record of Native American World on Brink of Change at
Bonhams
LONDON.- A series of fascinating and important 19th century portraits of
Native Americans by the pioneering German/American photographer, John Karl
Hillers are for sale in Bonhams
sale at Knightsbridge on 5 October 2010.
Hillers emigrated with his family to the USA from his native Hanover in 1852
when he was just nine years old. He fought on the Union side in the Civil
War and re-enlisted in the army once the conflict was over. On leaving the
service in 1870 he took a job as a teamster in Salt Lake City where he met
the man who was to change his life, the explorer and early anthropologist
John Wesley Powell. Hillers signed up as a boatman for Powell’s second
expedition down the Colorado River in 1871 but was soon helping out with the
photography.
By the time Powell led the first expedition by European Americans into the
Grand Canyon the following year Hillers had become the team’s chief
photographer.
For the next 20 years he explored and photographed the American West
becoming especially well known for his sensitive and dignified images of
Native Americans. For several years he worked for the American Bureau of
Ethnology leaving an extensive and priceless record of a world on the brink
of irrevocable change.
The 15 images are individually priced and range from £200 –1,500.
http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2
&int_new=39841
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2.
NIEA Communications Director Job Annoucement
Posted by: "NDN News" tamra@NDNnews.com tamra_ndnnews
Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:07 pm (PDT)
Please forward to anyone that might be interested in this position with
NIEA.
Thanks,
Tamra
_____
From: niea@niea.org [mailto:niea@niea.org]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 4:34 PM
To: Tamra@NDNnews.com
Subject: NIEA Communications Director Job Annoucement
NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
NIEA Job Description: Director of Communications
For Immediate Hire
The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) seeks a full time, in house
Director of Communications to assist in creating and executing an
overarching communications plan to promote and expand the influence and
capacity of the organization to accomplish its mission and provide increased
awareness and service to its members, its constituents, its strategic
partners, its funders , its volunteers, to opinion and policy setters, and
to its Native American students, families, and communities. The Director of
Communications reports directly to the Executive Director and is an integral
part of the core staff of the NIEA. The activities of the Director of
Communications will touch all parts of the NIEA's programs and services.
Salary is commensurate with experience. Frequent travel is required.
The functions of the position, include, but are not limited to the
following:
Establish and implement an overarching communications plan to promote and
expand the influence, capacity, and sustainability of the organization to
better accomplish its mission and to serve the education needs of American
Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students, their families, and
their communities. This communication plan contains discrete sub plans which
follow.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish and implement a
media relations plan which encompasses all aspects and services of the
organization. This plan requires fostering working relationships with
journalists, reporters, opinion and policy setters, and all print,
electronic, video, and other media.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish, develop, and
implement a plan to use social media to increase the influence of the
organization to provide increased awareness and service to its members, its
constituents, its strategic partners, its funders and potential funders, its
volunteers, opinion and policy setters, and Native American students,
families, and communities.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish, develop and
implement a plan to create consistent and uniform messages on behalf of the
organization to increase the influence of the organization and to promote
and expand the capacity of the organization to accomplish its mission and
provide increased awareness and service to its members, its constituents,
its strategic partners, its funders, its volunteers, to opinion and policy
setters, and to its Native American students, families, and communities.
As part of the overarching communication plan establish, develop, and
implement a communications plan to create and build future fund development
opportunities to increase the influence of the organization and to support
the accomplishment of its mission.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish, develop, and
implement a plan to provide training for volunteers and staff to be able to
implement the media relations and communications plan, to more effectively
use social media, to communicate a consistent organizational message, and to
increase potential fund development opportunities for the organization.
As part of the overarching communications plan assist in managing the
development, updating and effective use of the technical infrastructure and
website contained within the organization.
Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
Essential Qualifications
Master of Arts Degree in Communications or Public Relations or related
field;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Previous experience
working collaboratively as part of a communications/public relations/fund
development team for a non profit entity or a marketing firm for a for
profit entity;
Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks and meet
deadlines;
Ability to proactively identify communications/public relations/fund
development/ media relations opportunities and to develop supporting
programs to take advantage of these opportunities;
Ability to communicate, manage and collaborate with individuals and entities
inside and outside the organization as relates to communications/fund
development/media relations/public relations;
Demonstrated ability to construct an overarching communications plan that
addresses media relations, the use of social media, the creation and use of
consistent and relevant messaging, the creation of fund development
opportunities, and the development of training opportunities for staff and
key volunteers to increase the influence and capacity of the NIEA to better
achieve its mission and provide increased service to its stakeholders.
A minimum of 3-5 years experience in establishing and implementing a media
relations plan, including identifying necessary media contacts, journalists,
reporters, opinion and policy shapers, and fostering and building long term
relationships with them, and in delivering information to them that is
reported and communicated to a broader audience through their contacts and
networks;
A minimum of 3-5 years experience in using social media and constructing
systems of social media connections to communicate an organizational
message, to increase awareness of a particular message, and in recruiting
individuals and organizations to participate. A minimum of 3-5 years of
experience using HTML and in programming to create and maintain a website to
support the use of social media.;
A minimum of 3-5 years experience in establishing, developing, implementing,
and delivering consistent and uniform messages on behalf of an organization
or campaign to achieve a defined goal and objective;
A minimum of 3-5 years of experience working with an organization in a
communications/fundraising/fund development/marketing capacity ( not for
profit organization experience preferred);
A minimum of 3-5 years experience establishing, developing, and providing
training for volunteers and staff to be able to implement a media relations
plan, to more effectively use social media, to communicate a consistent
organizational message, and to increase potential fund development
opportunities for an organization;
Possession of a driver's license in good standing.
To Apply
Provide cover letter, resume, at least two writing samples, a portfolio of
work accomplished and at least two samples of the same, and the names and
addresses of three references, including land address, e mail address, and
phone of references provided.
Frequent travel is required as part of the job duties for this position.
E mail application information to NIEA Executive Director Colin Kippen
ckippen@niea.org
NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
NIEA Job Description: Research and Policy Associate for Campaign on High
School Equity
For Immediate Hire
The National Indian Education Association is seeking resumes from highly
motivated individuals to work on a full time basis as a Research and Policy
Associate in Washington, D.C., that will assist in the development and
coordination of an organizational initiative focused on high school policy
reform.
Position Summary
The position has primary responsibility for assembling and reviewing
relevant qualitative and quantitative research and developing documents
(briefing papers, talking points, comments, articles, etc.) for NIEA that
help to clarify and advance NIEA's high school policy agenda. The Associate
will also attend policy related meetings, conferences, workshops, forums and
other presentations to inform NIEA research and for networking purposes and
will assist in developing and coordinating the NIEA activities of the
Campaign on High School Equity. The Associate works closely as part of a
team which includes the High School Campaign Director and the NIEA Executive
Director, to accomplish the work of the Campaign for High School Equity.
The position will manage the logistics of any events or meetings facilitated
by NIEA related to the project, including serving as a point of contact for
event consultants and the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE) coalition
partners. The Associate will also manage administrative functions including
providing support for the Web site and creating and maintaining data bases
necessary to support the work of the project as needed. The Associate will
also be responsible for filing necessary reports and updates in support of
the project as needed.
Qualifications
Minimum 1-3 years experience in public policy, government relations,
research or education desired.
Knowledge of and ability to use technology to build, maintain and use data
bases.
Knowledge of and commitment to national education issues, particularly
related to high school education and minority/native youth.
Familiarity and experience working and effectively communicating with Native
communities. An interest in and an understanding of Education issues
relating to Native Americans.
Experience in formulating policy and communicating those policies to varied
audiences.
Excellent research skills, including the ability to review qualitative and
quantitative research, to access and apply research on high school equity
and education, to create connections between research and policy, and to
monitor and analyze legislative activity and news.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
BA required; Master of Arts in Education or Public Policy field preferred.
Contact Information
NIEA is now accepting resumes and writing samples (3-5 pages) from qualified
applicants. Please send cover letter, resume, and writing sample to:
ckippen@niea.org Colin Kippen, Executive Director.
--
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/08/can-you-guys-still-hear-us-president-obama-talks-economy-amidst-technical-snafus.html?nwltr=WN_topstory_more
During a hastily-called Rose Garden event during which the sound system failed him, President Obama attempted today to communicate to the American public that his administration remains on top of the economic crisis.
The president’s primary messages were twofold: One that Republicans need to stop obstructing a initiative he proposed to cut taxes that will encourage small businesses to hire and expand, as well as a $30 billion small business lending initiative.
“Drop the blockade,” he said to Senate Republicans, whom he said were “holding this bill hostage,” damaging economic growth.
Second, the president said that his “economic team is hard at work in identifying additional measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth and hiring in the short term and increasing our economy's competitiveness in the long term.”
Those additional measures, which he said he would be addressing “in further detail in the days and weeks to come,” seemed largely to be proposals he and administration officials had talked about before, such as further cutting corporate taxes to encourage job growth, renewing for those who earn under $200,000 a year the Bush tax cuts set to expire at the end of the calendar year, and spending more on clean energy, infrastructure, and research and development.
The event in some ways could be seen as a metaphor for the administration’s flailing on the economy. Originally no remarks were scheduled, then on Sunday evening, the White House announced the president would make remarks in the Oval Office after his economic daily briefing.
Then on Monday that was upgraded to remarks by the president at 12:30 p.m. ET in the Rose Garden after his briefing, signifying a more formal event.
Then those remarks were pushed to 1 p.m.
Finally the president approached the lectern at 1:20 p.m.
Only five sentences into his remarks, the P.A. system fizzled.
“What we did know was that it took nearly a decade -- what we did -- how are we doing on sound, guys?” the president asked
“Is it still going to the press?” he asked, checking to make sure even if he couldn’t be heard clearly in the Rose Garden, broadcast networks were getting clean sound, which they were.
“OK,” the president said.
A plane flew nearby, drowning out his voice.
“What we did know was that it was going to take nearly a decade in order for -- can you guys still hear us?”
Reporters nodded.
“OK,” he continued, “let me try this one more time.”
The president said the small business lending initiative would help business owners “get the credit they need and eliminate capital gains taxes on key investments so they have more incentive to invest right now. And it would accelerate $55 billion of tax relief to encourage American businesses, small and large, to expand their investments over the next 14 months. Unfortunately, this bill has been languishing in the Senate for months, held up by partisan minority that won't even allow it to go to a vote. That makes no sense.”
The president said the bill “is fully paid for. It will not add to the deficit. And there is no reason to block it besides pure partisan politics.”
“The small-business owners and the communities that rely on them, they don't have time for political games,” he said. “They shouldn't have to wait any longer…I know we're entering election season, but the people who sent us here expect us to work together to get things done and improve this economy.” Noting the “serious challenges” the nation faces, the president said policymakers need to “rise above the politics of the moment to summon an equal seriousness of purpose.”
A Senate Republican leadership aide said that when the Senate returns, the first legislative vote scheduled will deal with a Republican amendment to the small business bill. The Senate is not scheduled to return until September 13.
-Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
August 30, 2010 in Economy, Obama, Barack, White House | Permalink |Share | User Comments (397)
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Listening Conferences for UN Report: No one was listening to Native Americans
By Brenda Norrell
http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2010/08/listening-conferences-un-report-no-one-was-listening-native-american
Updated Aug. 24, 2010
It appears no one was listening at the US State Department’s Listening Conferences this year, when Native Americans offered testimony on human rights for a report to the United Nations.
The US Periodic Review on Human Rights released Monday, Aug. 23, shows the Obama Administration giving itself a glossy, positive review on the issue of Native Americans and human rights to the United Nations Human Rights Council.
However, the release of the final document proves Russell Means was accurate when he described the Listening Conferences as a “Smokescreen.”
“Once again, the occupation government of the United States of America has trotted out its dogs and ponies to provide a smokescreen and diversion from its continuing crimes against the indigenous peoples and nations of the Western Hemisphere,” Means said in March.
The US report to the UN fails to describe the ongoing environmental genocide, where corporations in collusion with the US government target Indian country with power plants, coal mines and oil and gas wells.
The United States does not address the uranium mining that now threatens water supplies of Navajos or Lakotas, nor of the proposed Desert Rock power plant that threatens the health of Navajos. There is no mention of the so-called Navajo Hopi land dispute that resulted in the relocation of 14,000 Navajos on Black Mesa. It was manufactured by attorneys, Congressmen and Peabody Coal to make way for Peabody Coal mining. The report does does not mention the Forgotten Navajos of the Bennett Freeze zone, where development was frozen by federal legislation.
The US report does not address the poisoned groundwater of the Tohono O'odham from mining, nor the conditions on South Dakota Indian lands. It does not address the violations of the rights of the Western Shoshone as gold mining targets sacred Mount Tenabo. There is no mention of how the use of recycled sewage water on sacred San Francisco Peaks will affect American Indian Nations.
There is no mention of the radioactive spills and radioactive tailings strewn across the Navajo Nation or the live Cold War bombs in the Badlands on Pine Ridge, S.D. There is no mention of the genocide of uranium mining, leaving behind a legacy of cancer and death, in Acoma and Laguna Pueblos. There was no mention of testimony to protect Zuni Pueblo sacred places.
The US Periodic Review fails to address the widespread abuses by the US Border Patrol of Indigenous Peoples traveling in their own territories, or the violations of NAGPRA and other federal laws during construction of the US/Mexico border wall. This included Boeing digging up the ancestors of the O'odham.
There is no mention of the physical abuse of Haudenosaunee and others on the northern border by border agents. The US fails to describe the racial profiling that has become acceptable for police and border agents in the US. There is no mention of the destruction of ceremonial items by border agents.
The US does not address the violations of fishing and hunting rights of Native Americans in violations of Treaties. There is no mention of the loss of water rights.
The report fails to describe the targeting of American Indians by police during traffic stops, the longer prison sentences issued by courts for American Indians or the ongoing hate crimes in Indian country bordertowns. The US fails to admit to the denials of American Indian religious freedom in US prisons.
While giving a sweeping rosy report of the United States in regards to Native Americans and human rights, the US says it is considering passage of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The US fails to point out that it is trailing all the other countries in the world in adoption of the Declaration.
The US is currently attempting a flim-flam approach to the adoption of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. But Indigenous Peoples say that US laws of "Discovery" and "Conquest" can not supersede the UN Declaration.
Tonya Gonellaa Frichner, Onondaga, said the US House of Representatives submitted Resolution 1551.1H to Congress and referred it to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on July 22.
"The resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should 'promote respect for and full implementation of the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples consistent with US law.'
"As positive as this wording of the resolution may seem, the phrase 'consistent with US law' is highly problematic because US law with regard to American Indian nations and peoples is premised on unacceptable doctrines such as 'discovery,' 'conquest,' and 'plenary power,' and on a presumption of United States supremacy over Indigenous peoples," said Frichner, North American Regional Representative to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
"The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is an international human rights instrument that recognizes the individual, collective, and group rights of Indigenous Peoples, including the right of self-determination, and the right of Indigenous Peoples to give or withhold their free, prior, and informed consent when it comes to the exploitation of their Indigenous lands, territories, and resources.
"It is incumbent upon the United States government to fully endorse and implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in a manner consistent with international standards of human rights, and in keeping with the recognition of the individual, group, and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples," she said.
Meanwhile, in the Periodic Review to the UN, while applauding freedom of expression in America, the US fails to point out that spying on private citizens is nearing the Cold War spying level. There is no mention of ongoing US war crimes.
The ACLU, in its response to the US Periodic Report, stressed the US abuse of the rights of prisoners and migrants.
Although Window Rock, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation was one site of the testimony at the Listening Conferences, there are no specifics of Navajo testimony in the final report.
Although written testimony was presented on behalf of Leonard Peltier, there is no mention of Peltier in the final report.
Means said, in his statement in March, “As we can see, many indigenous people have been duped to participate, yet again, in a lying and duplicitous process of the United States. The United States has absolutely no interest or intention of admitting to the world its human rights record that is neither justifiable nor defensible. In particular, the record of the United States with regard to historical, and ongoing, violations of over 370 treaties that were negotiated and signed with indigenous nations must be, but will not be, addressed by the United States.”
The ACLU listed the shortcomings of the report and made recommendations today, stressing the United States abuse of the rights of prisoners and migrants:
http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/upr_submission_20100419.pdf
View the US Periodic Review to the UN Human Rights Council:
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/146379.pdf
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863-9977 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415 863-9977 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
www.Freedomarchives.org
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IPPNW = International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Statement of the Pre-Congress
´Sacred Land, Poisoned Peoples´
to the 19th IPPNW World Congress
read by Rebecca Wingfield-Bear (Australia) and Charmaine
White Face (USA) to the Closing Plenary, August 29, 2010,
at the University of Basel, in Basel, Switzerland.
Indigenous Peoples and their representatives attending the
Pre-Congress ´Sacred Land, Poisoned Peoples´, at this critical
time of intensifying destruction to Mother Earth and human
health by nuclear resource development, have gathered and
shared stories of resistance to uranium mining across the globe.
From Canada and the USA to Niger, Mali, Namibia, Tanzania
and Malawi, from Russia, Germany, Australia, Brazil and India,
communities facing dramatic impacts from this toxic industry
have come together in unity.
Past, present and future generations of Indigenous Peoples are
disproportionately impacted by uranium mining, nuclear weapons
and the nuclear power industry. The nuclear fuel chain radio-
actively contaminates our peoples´health, land, air and waters,
and threatens our very existence and our future generations.
Uranium mining, nuclear energy development and international
agreements that foster the nuclear fuel chain violate our basic
human rights and fundamental natural laws of Mother Earth,
endangering our survival and spiritual well-being.
The dangerous health impacts of radioactive exposure begin with
uranium mining. We reaffirm the Declaration of the World Uranium
Hearing in Salzburg, Austria, in 1992, that uranium and its radio-
active decay products must remain in the ground.
We stand in solidarity with those working for an end to uranium
mining and processing, irresponsible radioactive waste management,
nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
We dedicate ourselves to a nuclear free future for all people.
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CherokeeLink Newsletter
**************************
For The HTML Format of the Newsletter:
(Having Problems With The Links? Try this version instead.)http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=newsletter&Date=8/30/2010
AOL - 8/30/2010 Newsletter
------------------------------------------------------------
Osiyo,
The event we’ve all been eagerly awaiting, the 58th Annual Cherokee National Holiday, is now less than a week away. This coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday, over 100,000 people from across the country will come to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, to celebrate! Dozens of activities are scheduled over three days including a parade through downtown Tahlequah on Saturday morning, a classic car show, live music, cultural games and competitions, softball tournaments, a powwow, food, refreshment and more. The Cherokee National Holiday is good, wholesome fun for the entire family and you can get all the details by visitinghttp://holiday.cherokee.org.
The theme of this year’s holiday is “Happy, Healthy People” and what a perfect opportunity that makes for you to begin living a more active and healthy lifestyle. Visithttp://cherokeechallenge.cherokee.org to see how you can participate in several different runs and other healthy competitions.
This year is also the 10th anniversary of the Cherokee National Youth Choir. Acting as ambassadors for the Cherokee Nation, the youth choir has traveled across the country while promoting Cherokee culture, music and the preservation of the Cherokee language. A new CD, entitled “Then & Now”, commemorates the growth of the choir over the past decade and is now available. Details are online athttp://choir.cherokee.org.
Wado! (Thank you)
Cherokee Nation
P.O.Box 948
Tahlequah, OK 74465
918 453-5000
communications@cherokee.org
------------------------------------------------------------
**************************
***Cherokee Nation News***
**************************
Sequoyah Schools Makes Adequate Yearly Progress Once Again: 8/27/2010 11:22:00 AM
(C) Cherokee Nation
Cherokee Nation’s Sequoyah Schools recently received notification that they have once again made “adequate yearly progress” according to the benchmarks measured by the No Child Left Behind Act. All public schools and some private schools are evaluated annually to determine recognition. This is the fourth year in a row that Sequoyah has achieved this honor.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3332
Jackie Eagle Named Jr. Miss Cherokee Ambassador: 8/27/2010 9:56:00 AM
(C) Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation named the 2010-2011 Jr. Miss Cherokee Ambassador during the annual competition held in the conjunction with the 58th Cherokee National Holiday. Jackie Eagle of Gore was awarded first place by a panel of judges and for the next year will act as a goodwill ambassador for the tribe and will promote the government, language, history and traditions of the Cherokee people.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3331
58th Cherokee National Holiday Downtown Events Expand: 8/26/2010
(C) Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation is rolling out the red carpet Sept. 3-5 to welcome visitors old and new to Tahlequah for the 58th Cherokee National Holiday. Although exciting activities will take place non-stop throughout the three days, festival goers may want to be especially sure they grab a spot downtown early on Saturday to be on hand for some of the biggest events. Returning visitors will find some new events to enjoy this year.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3330
Cherokee Nation Honors Area Family of Veterans: 8/25/2010 2:21:00 PM
(C) Cherokee Nation
The Cherokee Nation recently honored four veterans at its August monthly tribal council meeting in Tahlequah. The four are all part of a close-knit eastern Oklahoma Cherokee family and represent multiple branches of the military.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3329
Caney Valley Elementary Receives School Supply Contribution: 8/24/2010 9:27:00 AM
(C) Cherokee Nation
As children returned to Caney Valley Elementary School for a new school year, the supplies closet was loaded with more items due to a contribution from employees of Cherokee Casino Ramona. In the weeks leading to the beginning of the new school year, casino employees collected then contributed more than $200 in supplies, including glue, scissors, paper and other items to be used throughout the school year.
http://www.cherokee.org/news.aspx?id=3328
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*********************************
**** Other Links of Interest ****
*********************************
Games - http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=culture&culture=games
Community Calendar - http://www.cherokee.org/home.aspx?section=calendar
RSS Feed - http://rss.cherokee.org
Podcasts - http://podcasts.cherokee.org
E-Cards - http://ecards.cherokee.org
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**** Cultural Tidbits ****
**************************
All efforts to have non-Indian intruders removed from the Cherokee Nation by the U.S., as required by treaty, were ignored.
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from the Eagle Watch
August 30, 2010
Here's an important announcement from John Kane. To get more information, you can view his web site at:
http://letstalknativepride.blogspot.com/
From: JMKane1220@aol.com
Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2010 20:00:23 EDT
Subject: 9-1-10 rally
FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: FWD: Rally at the Big Indian Smoke Shop and Thruway bridge on Route 438 in Cattaraugus, September 1, 2010 at 9:00AM.
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I hope all is well.
I just wanted to share that we are seeking 24 tribes to participate in a Native American competition reality TV show, Dream Catchers- Search For The Ultimate Warrior.
We will be offering the winning tribe a solar and wind generation facility and tech school. Other prizes will be awarded throughout the competition as well.
Marc and I have been traveling across the US and Canada and have found a number of tribes interested. Corporate sponsors are also excited about the show.
Now only will it be a competition but we will also be presenting historical facts about the contributions that Native Americans have made to society.
If you know of any tribes that would like to participate please let me know. My email address is mjexcels108@yahoo.com
I can send you further details if you email me.
Sincerely,
mary jo
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Priceless Record of Native American World on Brink of Change at
Bonhams
LONDON.- A series of fascinating and important 19th century portraits of
Native Americans by the pioneering German/American photographer, John Karl
Hillers are for sale in Bonhams
sale at Knightsbridge on 5 October 2010.
Hillers emigrated with his family to the USA from his native Hanover in 1852
when he was just nine years old. He fought on the Union side in the Civil
War and re-enlisted in the army once the conflict was over. On leaving the
service in 1870 he took a job as a teamster in Salt Lake City where he met
the man who was to change his life, the explorer and early anthropologist
John Wesley Powell. Hillers signed up as a boatman for Powell’s second
expedition down the Colorado River in 1871 but was soon helping out with the
photography.
By the time Powell led the first expedition by European Americans into the
Grand Canyon the following year Hillers had become the team’s chief
photographer.
For the next 20 years he explored and photographed the American West
becoming especially well known for his sensitive and dignified images of
Native Americans. For several years he worked for the American Bureau of
Ethnology leaving an extensive and priceless record of a world on the brink
of irrevocable change.
The 15 images are individually priced and range from £200 –1,500.
http://www.artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=2
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2.
NIEA Communications Director Job Annoucement
Posted by: "NDN News" tamra@NDNnews.com tamra_ndnnews
Sun Aug 29, 2010 4:07 pm (PDT)
Please forward to anyone that might be interested in this position with
NIEA.
Thanks,
Tamra
_____
From: niea@niea.org [mailto:niea@niea.org]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2010 4:34 PM
To: Tamra@NDNnews.com
Subject: NIEA Communications Director Job Annoucement
NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
NIEA Job Description: Director of Communications
For Immediate Hire
The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) seeks a full time, in house
Director of Communications to assist in creating and executing an
overarching communications plan to promote and expand the influence and
capacity of the organization to accomplish its mission and provide increased
awareness and service to its members, its constituents, its strategic
partners, its funders , its volunteers, to opinion and policy setters, and
to its Native American students, families, and communities. The Director of
Communications reports directly to the Executive Director and is an integral
part of the core staff of the NIEA. The activities of the Director of
Communications will touch all parts of the NIEA's programs and services.
Salary is commensurate with experience. Frequent travel is required.
The functions of the position, include, but are not limited to the
following:
Establish and implement an overarching communications plan to promote and
expand the influence, capacity, and sustainability of the organization to
better accomplish its mission and to serve the education needs of American
Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students, their families, and
their communities. This communication plan contains discrete sub plans which
follow.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish and implement a
media relations plan which encompasses all aspects and services of the
organization. This plan requires fostering working relationships with
journalists, reporters, opinion and policy setters, and all print,
electronic, video, and other media.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish, develop, and
implement a plan to use social media to increase the influence of the
organization to provide increased awareness and service to its members, its
constituents, its strategic partners, its funders and potential funders, its
volunteers, opinion and policy setters, and Native American students,
families, and communities.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish, develop and
implement a plan to create consistent and uniform messages on behalf of the
organization to increase the influence of the organization and to promote
and expand the capacity of the organization to accomplish its mission and
provide increased awareness and service to its members, its constituents,
its strategic partners, its funders, its volunteers, to opinion and policy
setters, and to its Native American students, families, and communities.
As part of the overarching communication plan establish, develop, and
implement a communications plan to create and build future fund development
opportunities to increase the influence of the organization and to support
the accomplishment of its mission.
As part of the overarching communications plan establish, develop, and
implement a plan to provide training for volunteers and staff to be able to
implement the media relations and communications plan, to more effectively
use social media, to communicate a consistent organizational message, and to
increase potential fund development opportunities for the organization.
As part of the overarching communications plan assist in managing the
development, updating and effective use of the technical infrastructure and
website contained within the organization.
Other duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
Essential Qualifications
Master of Arts Degree in Communications or Public Relations or related
field;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Previous experience
working collaboratively as part of a communications/public relations/fund
development team for a non profit entity or a marketing firm for a for
profit entity;
Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple tasks and meet
deadlines;
Ability to proactively identify communications/public relations/fund
development/ media relations opportunities and to develop supporting
programs to take advantage of these opportunities;
Ability to communicate, manage and collaborate with individuals and entities
inside and outside the organization as relates to communications/fund
development/media relations/public relations;
Demonstrated ability to construct an overarching communications plan that
addresses media relations, the use of social media, the creation and use of
consistent and relevant messaging, the creation of fund development
opportunities, and the development of training opportunities for staff and
key volunteers to increase the influence and capacity of the NIEA to better
achieve its mission and provide increased service to its stakeholders.
A minimum of 3-5 years experience in establishing and implementing a media
relations plan, including identifying necessary media contacts, journalists,
reporters, opinion and policy shapers, and fostering and building long term
relationships with them, and in delivering information to them that is
reported and communicated to a broader audience through their contacts and
networks;
A minimum of 3-5 years experience in using social media and constructing
systems of social media connections to communicate an organizational
message, to increase awareness of a particular message, and in recruiting
individuals and organizations to participate. A minimum of 3-5 years of
experience using HTML and in programming to create and maintain a website to
support the use of social media.;
A minimum of 3-5 years experience in establishing, developing, implementing,
and delivering consistent and uniform messages on behalf of an organization
or campaign to achieve a defined goal and objective;
A minimum of 3-5 years of experience working with an organization in a
communications/fundraising/fund development/marketing capacity ( not for
profit organization experience preferred);
A minimum of 3-5 years experience establishing, developing, and providing
training for volunteers and staff to be able to implement a media relations
plan, to more effectively use social media, to communicate a consistent
organizational message, and to increase potential fund development
opportunities for an organization;
Possession of a driver's license in good standing.
To Apply
Provide cover letter, resume, at least two writing samples, a portfolio of
work accomplished and at least two samples of the same, and the names and
addresses of three references, including land address, e mail address, and
phone of references provided.
Frequent travel is required as part of the job duties for this position.
E mail application information to NIEA Executive Director Colin Kippen
ckippen@niea.org
NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
NIEA Job Description: Research and Policy Associate for Campaign on High
School Equity
For Immediate Hire
The National Indian Education Association is seeking resumes from highly
motivated individuals to work on a full time basis as a Research and Policy
Associate in Washington, D.C., that will assist in the development and
coordination of an organizational initiative focused on high school policy
reform.
Position Summary
The position has primary responsibility for assembling and reviewing
relevant qualitative and quantitative research and developing documents
(briefing papers, talking points, comments, articles, etc.) for NIEA that
help to clarify and advance NIEA's high school policy agenda. The Associate
will also attend policy related meetings, conferences, workshops, forums and
other presentations to inform NIEA research and for networking purposes and
will assist in developing and coordinating the NIEA activities of the
Campaign on High School Equity. The Associate works closely as part of a
team which includes the High School Campaign Director and the NIEA Executive
Director, to accomplish the work of the Campaign for High School Equity.
The position will manage the logistics of any events or meetings facilitated
by NIEA related to the project, including serving as a point of contact for
event consultants and the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE) coalition
partners. The Associate will also manage administrative functions including
providing support for the Web site and creating and maintaining data bases
necessary to support the work of the project as needed. The Associate will
also be responsible for filing necessary reports and updates in support of
the project as needed.
Qualifications
Minimum 1-3 years experience in public policy, government relations,
research or education desired.
Knowledge of and ability to use technology to build, maintain and use data
bases.
Knowledge of and commitment to national education issues, particularly
related to high school education and minority/native youth.
Familiarity and experience working and effectively communicating with Native
communities. An interest in and an understanding of Education issues
relating to Native Americans.
Experience in formulating policy and communicating those policies to varied
audiences.
Excellent research skills, including the ability to review qualitative and
quantitative research, to access and apply research on high school equity
and education, to create connections between research and policy, and to
monitor and analyze legislative activity and news.
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
BA required; Master of Arts in Education or Public Policy field preferred.
Contact Information
NIEA is now accepting resumes and writing samples (3-5 pages) from qualified
applicants. Please send cover letter, resume, and writing sample to:
ckippen@niea.org Colin Kippen, Executive Director.
--
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
Monday, August 30, 2010
McCain Accuses ‘Pro-Immigration Groups’ Of Being ‘Oblivious’
McCain Accuses ‘Pro-Immigration Groups’ Of Being ‘Oblivious’
by Andrea Christina Nill posted on Monday, 30 August 2010
http://www.laprogressive.com/immigration-reform/mccain-immigrant-rights/
Last week, I predictedthat it was only a “matter of time” before an opportunistic lawmaker points to the tragicmassacre of 72 Central and South American migrants on their way to the U.S. as yet another reason to “seal the border” and delay immigration reform. Unsurprisingly, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stepped up to the plate on Fox News’ On the Record with Greta Van Susteren. However, McCain didn’t just use it as an opportunity to start fear-mongering about violence in Mexico hypothetically “spilling over,” he also called immigration and human rights activists “oblivious” for suggesting that “our border is more secure than ever”:
When they — this is the most cruel and brutal things that have happened in our hemisphere. And what I don’t get, Greta, is where are the immigration activists and the human rights activists and others that wouldn’t conclude that the way you stop this terrible situation — one of the ways is to secure our borders? Then this human trafficking dries up and people come to this country legally. But they don’t seem to get that. Where are the human rights activists with these terrible abuse taking place as we speak? [...]
And then [they] turn around and say, “Don’t worry, our border is more secure than ever,” is completely oblivious to what’s happening on the other side of the border and continues to happen in our own state. And the majority of the American people have it figured out. But frankly, apparently, some of these immigration groups, pro-immigration groups haven’t figured it out yet. Secure the border. Then we can address some of the other issues.
Watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEM9Jhncj9g&feature=player_embedded
However, immigration activists aren’t just speculating when they suggest that the U.S. side of the border is safer than it’s been in years. The claim is actually based on hard data from the FBI and interviews with law enforcement officials. The FBI crime statistics show that as undocumented immigration has increased, crime in Arizona and other border states has gone down. Data from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) additionally shows that the violent crime rate in Arizona has been declining since 2006 and in 2008 and is at the lowest level since 1973. Even property crime has plummeted in Arizona since 2002 and in 2008 and is at its lowest point since 1966. Clarence Dupnik, the border sheriff of Arizona’s Pima County, has stated, “I hear politicians on TV saying the border has gotten worse. Well, the fact of the matter is that the border has never been more secure.”
Finally, immigration and human rights activists are very aware that human smuggling is a “human rights crisis.” Long before the bodies of 72 murdered migrants were found, Amnesty International decried “the alarming levels of abuse faced by the tens of thousands of Central American irregular migrants that every year attempt to reach the US by crossing Mexico.” On the ground, non-profit groups such as Border Angels and the Border Action Network work to provide relief to migrants and the border towns they pass through.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, immigration groups continue to fight for immigration reform that would have the effect of shuttering the human smuggling business by providing economic migrants with more opportunities to legally enter the U.S. when there are jobs available for them. Meanwhile, as Wonk Room noted yesterday, the enforcement-only approach that McCain pushes exacerbates the problems and hardships migrants face. The harder it is to cross the border, the more profitable the human smuggling business becomes. And as profits rise, so does violence in Latin America.
McCain, however, insisted last night that he believes the border can be made airtight, citing Israel’s impeccable border security record — underestimating the persistent ingenuity of human smugglers and ignoring both the focus of Israeli border security efforts and the human rights violations associated with them.
Surely, McCain has access to all the information cited in this post — which means either he is the one who is oblivious or he is willfully deceiving the American public.
Andrea Christina Nill
Reposted with permission from The Wonk Roo
--
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
by Andrea Christina Nill posted on Monday, 30 August 2010
http://www.laprogressive.com/immigration-reform/mccain-immigrant-rights/
Last week, I predictedthat it was only a “matter of time” before an opportunistic lawmaker points to the tragicmassacre of 72 Central and South American migrants on their way to the U.S. as yet another reason to “seal the border” and delay immigration reform. Unsurprisingly, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) stepped up to the plate on Fox News’ On the Record with Greta Van Susteren. However, McCain didn’t just use it as an opportunity to start fear-mongering about violence in Mexico hypothetically “spilling over,” he also called immigration and human rights activists “oblivious” for suggesting that “our border is more secure than ever”:
When they — this is the most cruel and brutal things that have happened in our hemisphere. And what I don’t get, Greta, is where are the immigration activists and the human rights activists and others that wouldn’t conclude that the way you stop this terrible situation — one of the ways is to secure our borders? Then this human trafficking dries up and people come to this country legally. But they don’t seem to get that. Where are the human rights activists with these terrible abuse taking place as we speak? [...]
And then [they] turn around and say, “Don’t worry, our border is more secure than ever,” is completely oblivious to what’s happening on the other side of the border and continues to happen in our own state. And the majority of the American people have it figured out. But frankly, apparently, some of these immigration groups, pro-immigration groups haven’t figured it out yet. Secure the border. Then we can address some of the other issues.
Watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEM9Jhncj9g&feature=player_embedded
However, immigration activists aren’t just speculating when they suggest that the U.S. side of the border is safer than it’s been in years. The claim is actually based on hard data from the FBI and interviews with law enforcement officials. The FBI crime statistics show that as undocumented immigration has increased, crime in Arizona and other border states has gone down. Data from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) additionally shows that the violent crime rate in Arizona has been declining since 2006 and in 2008 and is at the lowest level since 1973. Even property crime has plummeted in Arizona since 2002 and in 2008 and is at its lowest point since 1966. Clarence Dupnik, the border sheriff of Arizona’s Pima County, has stated, “I hear politicians on TV saying the border has gotten worse. Well, the fact of the matter is that the border has never been more secure.”
Finally, immigration and human rights activists are very aware that human smuggling is a “human rights crisis.” Long before the bodies of 72 murdered migrants were found, Amnesty International decried “the alarming levels of abuse faced by the tens of thousands of Central American irregular migrants that every year attempt to reach the US by crossing Mexico.” On the ground, non-profit groups such as Border Angels and the Border Action Network work to provide relief to migrants and the border towns they pass through.
Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, immigration groups continue to fight for immigration reform that would have the effect of shuttering the human smuggling business by providing economic migrants with more opportunities to legally enter the U.S. when there are jobs available for them. Meanwhile, as Wonk Room noted yesterday, the enforcement-only approach that McCain pushes exacerbates the problems and hardships migrants face. The harder it is to cross the border, the more profitable the human smuggling business becomes. And as profits rise, so does violence in Latin America.
McCain, however, insisted last night that he believes the border can be made airtight, citing Israel’s impeccable border security record — underestimating the persistent ingenuity of human smugglers and ignoring both the focus of Israeli border security efforts and the human rights violations associated with them.
Surely, McCain has access to all the information cited in this post — which means either he is the one who is oblivious or he is willfully deceiving the American public.
Andrea Christina Nill
Reposted with permission from The Wonk Roo
--
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
Sunday, August 29, 2010
[Save the Peaks] Wall Street Journal & Navajo Times Articles | City Meeting & Rally on Monday!
[Save the Peaks] Wall Street Journal & Navajo Times Articles | City Meeting & Rally on Monday!
Greetings,
Here are some articles on the current struggle to protect the Holy San Francisco Peaks.
Flagstaff City council will vote whether or not to amend their current snowmaking contract with Arizona Snowbowl on Monday, August 30th at 5:30 PM at Sinagua High School in Flagstaff, AZ. The amendment includes using Flagstaff's drinking water instead of wastewater. An option that every tribe in Arizona is now opposed to (The Inter-tribal Tribal Council of Arizona just made a statement affirming opposition to the plan).
As Snowbowl threatens to start cutting trees as early as next week, we need your support more than ever.
We will be holding a rally and prayer vigil at 4:00 PM at Foxglenn park (near Sinagua at 4200 E. Butler Ave) before the council meeting.
If you cannot join us please send an email & make phone calls to Flagstaff City Council:
To email all: council@flagstaffaz.gov
Phone: (928) 779-7600
You can also sign the "Water is Life" petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/sc083010/petition.html
For more information: www.truesnow.org or www.savethepeaks.org.
Wall Street Journal: Fake Snow a Real Sore Point as Indians Battle Ski Resort
Tribes Find Phony Flakes Disrespectful; 'Like Bombing a Church'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703908704575433852972813596.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_editorsPicks_3
By MIRIAM JORDAN
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.—When rain recently deluged northern Arizona, many Hopi tribe members interpreted it as an omen: Mother Nature was unhappy about a ski resort's plans to spray man-made snow on peaks sacred to the Native Americans.
"When you interfere with Mother Nature," says Hopi tribe Vice Chairman Herman Honanie, gazing at the 12,000-foot-high San Francisco Peaks, "Mother Nature has a response."
If so, she's not the only one. Tribal elders, U.S. senators, federal judges and senior Obama Administration officials all have weighed in on this spat over land where the Hopi, Navajo and 11 other tribes trace their origins.The Native Americans believe it is sacrilege for skiers and snowboarders to cruise the slopes. The Arizona Snowbowl resort says it's just trying to run a business, not trample on tribal religious rights.
The Native Americans have been battling the resort since the 1970s. For the second time in 20 years, the U.S. Supreme Court last year refused to hear their case, and now the war of attrition is coming to a head at the Flagstaff City Council. Local officials are to vote on whether to pump potable recycled water to the resort to make snow. It's unclear whether this will appease the tribes, who were infuriated by a previous plan to use treated sewer water.
Some believe man-made snow disrespects the natural process of precipitation. "This mountain is where life began; it created us," says Rex Tilousi, a leader of the Havasupai tribe. Native Americans journey to the peaks to collect herbs for traditional healing and worship deities they believe dwell there. Dumping artificial snow there, says Mr. Tilousi, is "like bombing a church."
For the operators of Snowbowl, artificial snow is a hedge against unpredictable weather, a lifeline for hundreds of mainly seasonal jobs.
"If you don't have snowmaking, the question is not if you will go out of business; it's when you will go out of business," says Eric Borowsky, the resort's owner. "We only occupy 1% of the peaks. Can't we share this?"
Snowbowl sits on 777 acres in the Coconino National Forest. Mr. Borowsky and his partners bought the resort in 1992, betting on its appeal to residents of the Phoenix area, a two-hour drive away. "We thought it would be an easy business," he says.
But in 2001-02, a bare winter limited the ski season to four days and 2,857 skiers. The resort drafted a plan to expand and produce artificial snow from treated waste water.
After years of environmental review detailed in a 600-page report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, which oversees the federal land that the resort sits on, approved the plan in 2005. The city of Flagstaff would sell the resort a maximum 1.5 million gallons a day of "class A-plus reclaimed water" during ski season, according to court transcripts.
"There was no demand for that water in the winter from golf courses, parks and schools," says City Manager Kevin Burke. "We were just throwing it away, anyway."
Tribal leaders were incensed. Snow made from water that had flowed through morgues, hospitals and kitchen sinks was tantamount to cultural "genocide," said Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma, the Hopi cultural preservation director, called it a "dagger in the Hopis' spirituality."
Backed by environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, the tribes sued the Forest Service to halt the resort's project. Soon, this city of 63,000 was buried in a snow saga. After speaking in favor of using recycled water to make snow, then-Mayor Joseph Donaldson found his car adorned with toilet paper and a urine-filled commode.
In March 2007, a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling barred Snowbowl's expansion. Judge William Fletcher wrote that "from time immemorial" the tribes have counted on the purity of the peaks' water for religious practices. Allowing treated sewage on the peaks would be as "if the government were to require that baptisms be carried out with reclaimed water," he wrote.
But the following year, the same court reversed the decision. Reclaimed wastewater for snowmaking didn't "substantially burden" the tribes' exercise of religion, it ruled.
In June 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, effectively clearing the last legal obstacle to Snowbowl's expansion plans. Yet Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack directed the Forest Service to hold off issuing a construction permit, in hopes of achieving a compromise.
The tribes' green allies opened a new legal front. They filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that snow made of treated effluent posed health risks if ingested. Remnants of "personal-care products and pharmaceuticals is what you find in reclaimed sewer water," said their attorney, Howard Shanker, in an interview at a Flagstaff coffee shop with a view of the peaks.
Flagstaff city officials, meanwhile, suggested switching the source for fake snow from "reclaimed" water to "recovered, reclaimed" water, that is potable. The difference: an underground filtration process that allows for natural earth cleansing. "Pushing water through dirt and rocks makes it come out cleaner on the other side," says Mr. Burke.
The potable water is pricier.
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack liked the better-water idea and pledged federal funding to cover the extra cost. City officials say that supplying potable water to the peaks could cost an additional $11 million over 20 years.
Arizona's senators were incensed. Republicans John McCain and Jon Kyl sent Secretary Vilsack a letter in March condemning "the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl." At the same time, they called on the government to grant Snowbowl permission to start its expansion "immediately."
The new water plan initially threw some tribal leaders off balance. Hopi water officials informed Secretary Vilsack in a letter that fake snow from potable water was an "imperfect" but acceptable solution. Hopi Chairman LeRoy N. Shingoitewa then fired off a separate letter, saying the officials had acted without authority.
Vice Chairman Honanie reiterated the tribe's opposition to snowmaking of any kind at a public meeting in Flagstaff on July 29.
Flagstaff's seven city council members are scheduled to vote Aug. 30 whether to sell potable water to the resort. Mr. Burke, the city manager, sums up the situation as "muddy water at this point."
Write to Miriam Jordan at miriam.jordan@wsj.com
###
Navajo Times: Hikers side with tribes in Peaks issue
http://www.navajotimes.com/news/2010/0810/082710peaks.php
By Cindy Yurth Tséyi' Bureau
DOOKO'OSLÍÍD, Ariz., Aug. 27, 2010
he Navajo and Hopi tribes have both come out against the latest proposal for snowmaking on the San Francisco Peaks - using potable rather than reclaimed sewage water - but how do Flagstaff locals feel about the issue?
To find out, the Navajo Times interviewed people taking the sky ride (the summer name for the Arizona Snow Bowl's chairlift) and hiking the network of trails around Mt. Humphreys on Aug. 20.
By a margin of five to one in an admittedly limited and unscientific poll, people actually using the mountain thought that any kind of snowmaking on the mountain is probably a bad idea - even people who had not heard of the tribes' objections. One man declined to take a stand because he was not familiar with the issue.
The decision will be up to the Flagstaff City Council at a specially scheduled meeting Monday.
"I'm not really for it (snowmaking)," said Zachary Thomason, 28, who had just headed down from the summit. "It hasn't been done before, so we don't know what it's going to do to the vegetation and the habitat. It's not just about making money off the mountain. You have to think about our heritage, and what we're all here for."
Asked if he knew the mountain was sacred to 13 regional tribes, Thomason said he did, and added there are plenty of non-Indians who also revere the mountain in their own way.
"Everybody should be pulling together on this one," he said.
Stephen Dacosta, 25, a graduate student who had just moved to Flagstaff from Tennessee, said he didn't know about the mountain's special place in tribal spirituality, but thought it seemed wasteful to import water from the city for snowmaking.
"In an area that has a shortage of water, it seems like a no-brainer," he said.
As might be expected, two 16-year-old Navajos hiking on Dooko'oslííd opposed the proposal.
"The mountain is sacred to us. They shouldn't disturb it," said Chadwick Sutter.
"They should respect other people's religious beliefs," echoed Mike Parra.
Tony Randall, 52, of Flagstaff agreed.
"This is a shrine," he said. "Whether we agree with it or not, we have to respect it."
Randall and his wife have gone as far as to boycott the SnowBowl - a tough decision for lifelong skiers who actually chose their house for its proximity to the ski area.
"I'm sure the resort isn't worried about a one-couple boycott," Randall said. "But it makes us feel better."
Jan and Jeff Laufhutte of Hillsdale, N.J., regularly vacation in Flagstaff to take advantage of the outdoor recreation and are considering moving here. They weren't familiar with the SnowBowl issue, but Jan, 47, said she believes in respecting Native beliefs.
"We don't want to trample on their rights, that for sure," she said, adding, "I just hope it works out to everybody's benefit."
Jeff, 49, was a little more cautious. "I'd have to study the issue," he said. "This is a different world from where we're from. We have plenty of water."
The only pro-snowmaking voice came from Ken Von Schulze, a 55-year-old Flagstaff resident who was just coming from the sky ride.
"I think it's good for the economy," he said. "If you look at a map, you can see that it's just a small portion, a minor amount of area that is used for the ski area."
--
Klee Benally
indigenousaction@gmail.com
www.indigenousaction.org - Independent Indigenous Media
www.oybm.org - Indigenous Youth Empowerment!
www.savethepeaks.org - Protect Sacred Places
www.taalahooghan.org - Flagstaff Infoshop
www.blackfire.net
www.myspace.com/eelk
www.twitter.com/eelk
Skype: indigenousaction
Greetings,
Here are some articles on the current struggle to protect the Holy San Francisco Peaks.
Flagstaff City council will vote whether or not to amend their current snowmaking contract with Arizona Snowbowl on Monday, August 30th at 5:30 PM at Sinagua High School in Flagstaff, AZ. The amendment includes using Flagstaff's drinking water instead of wastewater. An option that every tribe in Arizona is now opposed to (The Inter-tribal Tribal Council of Arizona just made a statement affirming opposition to the plan).
As Snowbowl threatens to start cutting trees as early as next week, we need your support more than ever.
We will be holding a rally and prayer vigil at 4:00 PM at Foxglenn park (near Sinagua at 4200 E. Butler Ave) before the council meeting.
If you cannot join us please send an email & make phone calls to Flagstaff City Council:
To email all: council@flagstaffaz.gov
Phone: (928) 779-7600
You can also sign the "Water is Life" petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/sc083010/petition.html
For more information: www.truesnow.org or www.savethepeaks.org.
Wall Street Journal: Fake Snow a Real Sore Point as Indians Battle Ski Resort
Tribes Find Phony Flakes Disrespectful; 'Like Bombing a Church'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703908704575433852972813596.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_editorsPicks_3
By MIRIAM JORDAN
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.—When rain recently deluged northern Arizona, many Hopi tribe members interpreted it as an omen: Mother Nature was unhappy about a ski resort's plans to spray man-made snow on peaks sacred to the Native Americans.
"When you interfere with Mother Nature," says Hopi tribe Vice Chairman Herman Honanie, gazing at the 12,000-foot-high San Francisco Peaks, "Mother Nature has a response."
If so, she's not the only one. Tribal elders, U.S. senators, federal judges and senior Obama Administration officials all have weighed in on this spat over land where the Hopi, Navajo and 11 other tribes trace their origins.The Native Americans believe it is sacrilege for skiers and snowboarders to cruise the slopes. The Arizona Snowbowl resort says it's just trying to run a business, not trample on tribal religious rights.
The Native Americans have been battling the resort since the 1970s. For the second time in 20 years, the U.S. Supreme Court last year refused to hear their case, and now the war of attrition is coming to a head at the Flagstaff City Council. Local officials are to vote on whether to pump potable recycled water to the resort to make snow. It's unclear whether this will appease the tribes, who were infuriated by a previous plan to use treated sewer water.
Some believe man-made snow disrespects the natural process of precipitation. "This mountain is where life began; it created us," says Rex Tilousi, a leader of the Havasupai tribe. Native Americans journey to the peaks to collect herbs for traditional healing and worship deities they believe dwell there. Dumping artificial snow there, says Mr. Tilousi, is "like bombing a church."
For the operators of Snowbowl, artificial snow is a hedge against unpredictable weather, a lifeline for hundreds of mainly seasonal jobs.
"If you don't have snowmaking, the question is not if you will go out of business; it's when you will go out of business," says Eric Borowsky, the resort's owner. "We only occupy 1% of the peaks. Can't we share this?"
Snowbowl sits on 777 acres in the Coconino National Forest. Mr. Borowsky and his partners bought the resort in 1992, betting on its appeal to residents of the Phoenix area, a two-hour drive away. "We thought it would be an easy business," he says.
But in 2001-02, a bare winter limited the ski season to four days and 2,857 skiers. The resort drafted a plan to expand and produce artificial snow from treated waste water.
After years of environmental review detailed in a 600-page report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, which oversees the federal land that the resort sits on, approved the plan in 2005. The city of Flagstaff would sell the resort a maximum 1.5 million gallons a day of "class A-plus reclaimed water" during ski season, according to court transcripts.
"There was no demand for that water in the winter from golf courses, parks and schools," says City Manager Kevin Burke. "We were just throwing it away, anyway."
Tribal leaders were incensed. Snow made from water that had flowed through morgues, hospitals and kitchen sinks was tantamount to cultural "genocide," said Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley Jr. Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma, the Hopi cultural preservation director, called it a "dagger in the Hopis' spirituality."
Backed by environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, the tribes sued the Forest Service to halt the resort's project. Soon, this city of 63,000 was buried in a snow saga. After speaking in favor of using recycled water to make snow, then-Mayor Joseph Donaldson found his car adorned with toilet paper and a urine-filled commode.
In March 2007, a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling barred Snowbowl's expansion. Judge William Fletcher wrote that "from time immemorial" the tribes have counted on the purity of the peaks' water for religious practices. Allowing treated sewage on the peaks would be as "if the government were to require that baptisms be carried out with reclaimed water," he wrote.
But the following year, the same court reversed the decision. Reclaimed wastewater for snowmaking didn't "substantially burden" the tribes' exercise of religion, it ruled.
In June 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, effectively clearing the last legal obstacle to Snowbowl's expansion plans. Yet Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack directed the Forest Service to hold off issuing a construction permit, in hopes of achieving a compromise.
The tribes' green allies opened a new legal front. They filed a lawsuit in federal court alleging that snow made of treated effluent posed health risks if ingested. Remnants of "personal-care products and pharmaceuticals is what you find in reclaimed sewer water," said their attorney, Howard Shanker, in an interview at a Flagstaff coffee shop with a view of the peaks.
Flagstaff city officials, meanwhile, suggested switching the source for fake snow from "reclaimed" water to "recovered, reclaimed" water, that is potable. The difference: an underground filtration process that allows for natural earth cleansing. "Pushing water through dirt and rocks makes it come out cleaner on the other side," says Mr. Burke.
The potable water is pricier.
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack liked the better-water idea and pledged federal funding to cover the extra cost. City officials say that supplying potable water to the peaks could cost an additional $11 million over 20 years.
Arizona's senators were incensed. Republicans John McCain and Jon Kyl sent Secretary Vilsack a letter in March condemning "the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize snowmaking at Arizona Snowbowl." At the same time, they called on the government to grant Snowbowl permission to start its expansion "immediately."
The new water plan initially threw some tribal leaders off balance. Hopi water officials informed Secretary Vilsack in a letter that fake snow from potable water was an "imperfect" but acceptable solution. Hopi Chairman LeRoy N. Shingoitewa then fired off a separate letter, saying the officials had acted without authority.
Vice Chairman Honanie reiterated the tribe's opposition to snowmaking of any kind at a public meeting in Flagstaff on July 29.
Flagstaff's seven city council members are scheduled to vote Aug. 30 whether to sell potable water to the resort. Mr. Burke, the city manager, sums up the situation as "muddy water at this point."
Write to Miriam Jordan at miriam.jordan@wsj.com
###
Navajo Times: Hikers side with tribes in Peaks issue
http://www.navajotimes.com/news/2010/0810/082710peaks.php
By Cindy Yurth Tséyi' Bureau
DOOKO'OSLÍÍD, Ariz., Aug. 27, 2010
he Navajo and Hopi tribes have both come out against the latest proposal for snowmaking on the San Francisco Peaks - using potable rather than reclaimed sewage water - but how do Flagstaff locals feel about the issue?
To find out, the Navajo Times interviewed people taking the sky ride (the summer name for the Arizona Snow Bowl's chairlift) and hiking the network of trails around Mt. Humphreys on Aug. 20.
By a margin of five to one in an admittedly limited and unscientific poll, people actually using the mountain thought that any kind of snowmaking on the mountain is probably a bad idea - even people who had not heard of the tribes' objections. One man declined to take a stand because he was not familiar with the issue.
The decision will be up to the Flagstaff City Council at a specially scheduled meeting Monday.
"I'm not really for it (snowmaking)," said Zachary Thomason, 28, who had just headed down from the summit. "It hasn't been done before, so we don't know what it's going to do to the vegetation and the habitat. It's not just about making money off the mountain. You have to think about our heritage, and what we're all here for."
Asked if he knew the mountain was sacred to 13 regional tribes, Thomason said he did, and added there are plenty of non-Indians who also revere the mountain in their own way.
"Everybody should be pulling together on this one," he said.
Stephen Dacosta, 25, a graduate student who had just moved to Flagstaff from Tennessee, said he didn't know about the mountain's special place in tribal spirituality, but thought it seemed wasteful to import water from the city for snowmaking.
"In an area that has a shortage of water, it seems like a no-brainer," he said.
As might be expected, two 16-year-old Navajos hiking on Dooko'oslííd opposed the proposal.
"The mountain is sacred to us. They shouldn't disturb it," said Chadwick Sutter.
"They should respect other people's religious beliefs," echoed Mike Parra.
Tony Randall, 52, of Flagstaff agreed.
"This is a shrine," he said. "Whether we agree with it or not, we have to respect it."
Randall and his wife have gone as far as to boycott the SnowBowl - a tough decision for lifelong skiers who actually chose their house for its proximity to the ski area.
"I'm sure the resort isn't worried about a one-couple boycott," Randall said. "But it makes us feel better."
Jan and Jeff Laufhutte of Hillsdale, N.J., regularly vacation in Flagstaff to take advantage of the outdoor recreation and are considering moving here. They weren't familiar with the SnowBowl issue, but Jan, 47, said she believes in respecting Native beliefs.
"We don't want to trample on their rights, that for sure," she said, adding, "I just hope it works out to everybody's benefit."
Jeff, 49, was a little more cautious. "I'd have to study the issue," he said. "This is a different world from where we're from. We have plenty of water."
The only pro-snowmaking voice came from Ken Von Schulze, a 55-year-old Flagstaff resident who was just coming from the sky ride.
"I think it's good for the economy," he said. "If you look at a map, you can see that it's just a small portion, a minor amount of area that is used for the ski area."
--
Klee Benally
indigenousaction@gmail.com
www.indigenousaction.org - Independent Indigenous Media
www.oybm.org - Indigenous Youth Empowerment!
www.savethepeaks.org - Protect Sacred Places
www.taalahooghan.org - Flagstaff Infoshop
www.blackfire.net
www.myspace.com/eelk
www.twitter.com/eelk
Skype: indigenousaction
Unrepentant: Disrobing The Emperor (FOR ALL OUR CANADIAN READERS)
Unrepentant: Disrobing The Emperor
Friends, Romans, Countrymen...
This just in:
CANADIAN MANAGEMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
VANCOUVER, B.C. DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA
August 29, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
U.K. Publisher Announces “Unrepentant: Disrobing The Emperor.”
London, August 29, 2010 – John Hunt Publishing, a prominent U.K. publishing
house, has announced the forthcoming release of Reverend Kevin Annett's new book
documenting “the Canadian genocide.” The defrocked United Church of Canada
minister describes the atrocities endemic in 141 native residential schools with
the death of 50,000 children. The last school closed in 1996.
Publication of “Unrepentant: Disrobing the Emperor,” with an Introduction by Dr.
Kurt Kaltreider of Ashland, Oregon, follows closely recent extensive worldwide
media attention to child abuse, trafficking and international cover-up by
religious and government organizations.
Refusing to remain silent, Annett was first fired from his position as minister
and in 1995 was defrocked in a “trial” by his employer, the United Church, the
only instance of a minister's “delisting” in Canadian history. Alone against the
forces of church and state Annett, as skid-row minister, broadcaster, author and
film-maker, has lectured widely in North America and Europe, an advocate for
international recognition and justice for aboriginal people.
Already posted on Amazon for advanced orders, “Unrepentant: Disrobing The
Emperor,” will be in wide distribution throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, South
Africa and North America by all major distributors and e-book media.
In her review of Kevin's book, Lydia White Calf of Boulder, Colorado, wrote in
part:
“As the wife of a Lakota Sioux elder, I had heard of the abuses practised since
1870 in hundreds of “residential schools” in both the United States and Canada
by the major church organizations. Never until this incredible book came into my
hands had I gauged the enormity of these crimes, which continue today on both
sides of the border in a more subtle fashion.
“Kevin's depiction of 'the Canadian genocide,' exposed him to an unbelievable
inquisition and persecution by his employer the United Church. To cover up his
revelations, that Church stripped him of his livelihood and a promising career,
his family and his reputation.
“On at least three occasions physically assaulted by anonymous thugs, he was
denied recourse by the courts and has been afforded no recognition or help by
the Canadian government which, since the 19th Century, was fully complicit in
the systemic abuse by the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United churches.
“After years of struggle against enormous adversaries, Kevin Annett has produced
an award-winning documentary film, hosts a radio talk show in Vancouver, is the
unpaid pastor on Vancouver's skid row and has founded a nine-nation organization
under the auspices of the UN working toward an international tribunal to bring
justice to aboriginal people.
“Kevin has lectured widely at universities from McGill to Berkeley to Boston
College, and to humanist, native and community groups on two continents. He
returns to Europe in September for his fourth film and lecture tour in 16 cities
in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK.
“Last April, he conducted a memorial service and a symbolic rite of exorcism in
front of the Vatican in St. Peter's Square. Twelve hours later a tornado –
almost unprecedented in that time and place – devastated central Rome and the
Vatican.
“Rarely in history has a single man stood alone against such formidable
adversaries because of his insistence on the truth and justice for the
powerless. 'Disrobing The Emperor' is the story of one man's fight for truth. In
a broader sense, it points hopefully toward a better world for all nations and
their indigenous people.”
INFORMATION: (386) 323-5774 billdataco@yahoo.com
(250) 753-3345 hiddenfromhistory@yahoo.ca
With availability likely by October, copies of “Unrepentant: Disrobing the
Emperor” can be obtained
1. on the website hiddenfromhistory.org
2. at any retail bookstore
3. on Amazon (available now on a pre-order basis), or
4. from either of the addresses below.
Lori O'Rorke
260 Kennedy Street
Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2H8
William Annett
1000 Walker Street #223
Holly Hill, Florida 32117
The book will retail at $19.95 (U.S.)
At either of the above addresses, you can obtain copies for $15.00 net,
inclusive of shipping. For Canadian buyers, $15.00 net in Canadian funds.
THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOUR FRIENDS, RELIGIOUS OR OTHERWISE...
Friends, Romans, Countrymen...
This just in:
CANADIAN MANAGEMENT RESEARCH ASSOCIATES
VANCOUVER, B.C. DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA
August 29, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
U.K. Publisher Announces “Unrepentant: Disrobing The Emperor.”
London, August 29, 2010 – John Hunt Publishing, a prominent U.K. publishing
house, has announced the forthcoming release of Reverend Kevin Annett's new book
documenting “the Canadian genocide.” The defrocked United Church of Canada
minister describes the atrocities endemic in 141 native residential schools with
the death of 50,000 children. The last school closed in 1996.
Publication of “Unrepentant: Disrobing the Emperor,” with an Introduction by Dr.
Kurt Kaltreider of Ashland, Oregon, follows closely recent extensive worldwide
media attention to child abuse, trafficking and international cover-up by
religious and government organizations.
Refusing to remain silent, Annett was first fired from his position as minister
and in 1995 was defrocked in a “trial” by his employer, the United Church, the
only instance of a minister's “delisting” in Canadian history. Alone against the
forces of church and state Annett, as skid-row minister, broadcaster, author and
film-maker, has lectured widely in North America and Europe, an advocate for
international recognition and justice for aboriginal people.
Already posted on Amazon for advanced orders, “Unrepentant: Disrobing The
Emperor,” will be in wide distribution throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, South
Africa and North America by all major distributors and e-book media.
In her review of Kevin's book, Lydia White Calf of Boulder, Colorado, wrote in
part:
“As the wife of a Lakota Sioux elder, I had heard of the abuses practised since
1870 in hundreds of “residential schools” in both the United States and Canada
by the major church organizations. Never until this incredible book came into my
hands had I gauged the enormity of these crimes, which continue today on both
sides of the border in a more subtle fashion.
“Kevin's depiction of 'the Canadian genocide,' exposed him to an unbelievable
inquisition and persecution by his employer the United Church. To cover up his
revelations, that Church stripped him of his livelihood and a promising career,
his family and his reputation.
“On at least three occasions physically assaulted by anonymous thugs, he was
denied recourse by the courts and has been afforded no recognition or help by
the Canadian government which, since the 19th Century, was fully complicit in
the systemic abuse by the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United churches.
“After years of struggle against enormous adversaries, Kevin Annett has produced
an award-winning documentary film, hosts a radio talk show in Vancouver, is the
unpaid pastor on Vancouver's skid row and has founded a nine-nation organization
under the auspices of the UN working toward an international tribunal to bring
justice to aboriginal people.
“Kevin has lectured widely at universities from McGill to Berkeley to Boston
College, and to humanist, native and community groups on two continents. He
returns to Europe in September for his fourth film and lecture tour in 16 cities
in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the UK.
“Last April, he conducted a memorial service and a symbolic rite of exorcism in
front of the Vatican in St. Peter's Square. Twelve hours later a tornado –
almost unprecedented in that time and place – devastated central Rome and the
Vatican.
“Rarely in history has a single man stood alone against such formidable
adversaries because of his insistence on the truth and justice for the
powerless. 'Disrobing The Emperor' is the story of one man's fight for truth. In
a broader sense, it points hopefully toward a better world for all nations and
their indigenous people.”
INFORMATION: (386) 323-5774 billdataco@yahoo.com
(250) 753-3345 hiddenfromhistory@yahoo.ca
With availability likely by October, copies of “Unrepentant: Disrobing the
Emperor” can be obtained
1. on the website hiddenfromhistory.org
2. at any retail bookstore
3. on Amazon (available now on a pre-order basis), or
4. from either of the addresses below.
Lori O'Rorke
260 Kennedy Street
Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2H8
William Annett
1000 Walker Street #223
Holly Hill, Florida 32117
The book will retail at $19.95 (U.S.)
At either of the above addresses, you can obtain copies for $15.00 net,
inclusive of shipping. For Canadian buyers, $15.00 net in Canadian funds.
THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOUR FRIENDS, RELIGIOUS OR OTHERWISE...
Friday, August 27, 2010
The Whale Said "Thank You."
The Whale Said "Thank You"
If you read a recent front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read about a female humpback whale that had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth.
A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help.
Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.
They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.
When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.
She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around... she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.
The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.
.. ******************
May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate
To be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled
From the things that are binding you.
And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.
I pass this on to you, my family and friends, in the same spirit…
To be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled
From the things that are binding you.
And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.
I pass this on to you, my family and friends, in the same spirit…
--
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
Issues & News From STSSA Friends & Family 8/27/2010
Issues & News From STSSA Friends & Family 8/27/2010
The court decision to restore Endangered Species Act protections for Greater Yellowstone wolves is only weeks old. But that’s not stopping Wildlife Services agents -- the government’s wildlife killing experts -- from planning to kill hundreds of wolves in the region, including helpless pups in their dens.
The federal Wildlife Services agency has gone too far -- and we need your help to stop them.
Please take action now to speak out against the Wildlife Services plan to expand their wolf-killing role in Idaho.
The federal Wildlife Services agency (a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) is the primary wolf-killer in the United States. Now they want to expand their wolf-killing operations. They plan to work with Idaho officials to kill up to 80 percent of the wolves in north-central Idaho by land and from the air.
Their plan also includes killing entire packs -- including gassing helpless wolf pups in their dens -- and surgically sterilizing alpha wolf pairs.
All this despite the fact that wolves in the region are once again protected by federal law.
Speak out now to stop the out-of-control wolf killing plan -- before the government-sponsored killing starts.
USDA’s Wildlife Services is the same agency that helped kill off wolves by the 1940s. And their new plan shows their intent to escalate their current war on these magnificent animals that you and I have fought so hard to protect.
Instead of helping ranchers co-exist with wolves and other native wildlife with proven non-lethal techniques, Wildlife Services is expanding their role as the nation’s top wolf-killers -- and dragging wolf management back to the brutal and archaic practices of the past.
Wildlife Services’ outrageous wolf-killing plan seeks to punish wolves for doing what they do naturally: preying on elk and fulfilling their ecological role as part of a natural system.
This unacceptable wolf-killing plan cannot be allowed to go forward -- especially since wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies regained protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Oppose Wildlife Services’ plan to kill more endangered wolves in Idaho.
Idaho officials are claiming that wolves are the major cause of elk declines in parts of the state. But in 23 of the 29 elk management zones, populations of these animals are at or above population targets -- many of the areas experiencing declines in elk numbers contain no wolves. And the Clearwater National Forest was experiencing steep declines in elk numbers by 1988 -- long before wolves returned to the area.
Politics is clearly driving state officials to call on USDA’s Wildlife Services to kill more wolves to artificially boost game populations beyond what current habitat can support.
Take action now to help stop the federal Wildlife Services plan for killing more protected wolves in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Rockies region.
http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=xNbhuIQKhj0FzSsflxCZew..
Please take action today -- the deadline for public comments on this outrageous wolf-killing plan is Tuesday, August 31st.
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Home Sweet Homeless
No "Home Sweet Home"
Five years after Katrina
Matt Pascarella and I encountered Patricia Thomas while she was breaking into a home at the Lafitte Housing Project in New Orleans. It was her own home. Nevertheless, if caught, she'd end up in the slammer. So would we. Matt was my producer for the film, Big Easy to Big Empty, and he encouraged my worst habits. I'd worked for the New Orleans Housing Authority years back and knew they wanted the poor black folk out of these pretty townhouses near the French Quarter. Katrina was an excuse for ethnic cleansing, American style. Matt and I skipped cuffs on this shoot, but were charged later by Homeland Security (see below). While I recorded the story of hidden evils on film, Matt gathered a story which no camera can capture. Here it is. - Greg Palast
by Matt Pascarella
August 26th, 2010
Four years ago, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I sat with Patricia Thomas. Greg Palast and I had just helped her break into her home in the Lafitte Projects. She had been locked out for a year. She showed us her former home, her belongings scattered everywhere, and wrestled out endless stories of post-Katrina life: how she struggled to find shelter over the last year, how they came and put bars on her doors and windows and locked her out, how it was "man made."
I picked up a photo of her at Mardi Gras, taken a few years earlier, and compared it to what she looked like now. In the picture her hair was longer, her face younger, her smile deeper. Now her arms were wasted and thin, her eyes sunken into her face, and her bottom front teeth were gone. On most days, she told me, she wore her dead mother's dentures, but today she had forgotten to put them in. Her own teeth broke off when escaping the rising waters. She had fallen face first onto the concrete slab that was her front porch. The very spot where we were sitting was where it had happened. Over my left shoulder, running the length of the building, was a scar, a stain from the water line.
August in Louisiana is unbearably hot for a Northern boy. Beads of sweat poured from my face, down my neck. Patricia went inside, found an old roll of paper towels in a kitchen cabinet and brought me one. The quilted paper had a kitschy design - a giant heart with words that said, "Home Sweet Home."
I looked at her and wondered how this could happen in mycountry.
A few weeks before, I was in Mexico City with Palast covering the Presidential Election. A presidency had been stolen. People were on the streets screaming "Vota por Vota, Casilla por Casilla!" Count the votes! "Vote by Vote, box by box!" I had seen the aftermath of a massacre in a small village outside Mexico City. I had seen people from all over the country rise up in anger taking to the streets. I had seen the Zapatistas march and Subcomandante Marcos himself flanked by young women acting as a protective barrier. I had seen the house where Trotsky was stabbed in the back of the head with an ice pick.
When I finally left Mexico City, I remember being deeply confused. The kind of confusion that tears at the soul and has the ability to completely dismantle any preconceived notions of how to view the world. I was inspired to see so many people fighting for democracy, and yet a deep depression sunk in as the plane took off. I knew their efforts would not matter. I had seen the American 'consultants', the DC hacks, in the offices of the ruling party and I knew it was over.
Now, here I was - back home in the United States - outside a decimated house near the levees, trying to understand why a New Orleans native, Brod Bagert, was calling a friend who worked with the fire department. Brod was asking his old friend what the number "5" below the giant orange spray-painted X on the front of the house meant. But Brod already knew what it meant.
Here I was watching Brod, one year later, trying to convince himself that what had happened to his neighbors didn't actually happen. After many long days of hearing countless horrifying stories and walking through miles of destruction, I now stood next to a grown man who was desperately trying to lie to himself simply because the alternative was too painful. I couldn't hold back the tears. It was the first, and only, time in my professional life that I had to walk away from an interview. I hid out behind a smashed up, rotted out BMW and cried.
After a few minutes I returned to Brod. He hung up the phone, looked at Palast and me, and slowly choked, "Five people died here."
He finally gave in to what had happened here: the sprayed "9-16" above that X meant that those five bodies had been left to decompose for nearly 19 days before being discovered by rescue crews.
Brod rubbed his eyes and we went inside the house. His fathomless sadness hardened into anger. We walked through a sand dune littered with toys into what was once the living room. I tried not to imagine the mom and dad and kids as water crushed them against the ceiling; as they clawed for one more breath.
Brod took us down the street to his home, that is, the sticks that were left of his home. He was breathing hard, he was shaking. "Old ladies watched the water come up to their nose, over their eyes and they drowned in houses just like this, in this neighborhood, because of reckless negligence that is unanswered for."
I think back now, to those words, spoken four years ago and wonder if it will ever be answered.
We then met Stephen Smith. He worked at the Marriott hotel, but had no car and no way to get out when the Mayor said to get out. Stephen pulled a dozen neighbors to a bridge over the rising water for four days as helicopters whirled overhead. Four days in the humid sun. No food. An old man gave his grandchildren his only bottle of water; then the old man died of dehydration. Stephen now works in a grocery store in Houston where FEMA ultimately dumped him. His kids live in Baton Rouge.
The next day Palast and I drove up to Baton Rouge to confront the company that was contracted to come up with an evacuation plan for the City of New Orleans. They had refused all of our interview requests, so we showed up at their offices to request a copy of the plan in person. We were quickly thrown out, they threatened to call security. They knew what we knew: There was no plan.
We drove out to the town of Baker. There, we surreptitiously passed through a security checkpoint before funneling into a massive FEMA trailer park. Here we met Pamela Lewis who told us her story of escaping the flood. Despite having MS, she pushed a boat with her 86-year-old mother, other relatives and neighbors through the streets of New Orleans. When she got to a bridge, armed men yelled at her, called her a nigger, and commanded her to turn around. They didn't want a boat full of black people coming into their neighborhood. She then managed to make it to the Superdome where she was sprayed down by hoses, tossed on a bus, and then told to pay a fare and get off. She had no idea where she was.
We finished filming. Pamela stood in front of the car next to her trailer, and I locked eyes with her. I put the car in reverse and backed out, leaving her there, alone, not knowing what she was going to do with her life.
We drove back to New Orleans, passing an Exxon Oil Refinery - the only thing near Pamela's trailer park. Several weeks later, at the request of Exxon, Homeland Security would file a criminal complaint against me and Palast under the anti-terrorism PATRIOT Act for filming "critical infrastructure." The only thing critical about that refinery was the pollution it was spewing near what had become a refugee camp.
Five years have gone by and it is rare if a week passes that I don't think of New Orleans. Nearly two thousand people lost their lives. An entire city was decimated. People were killed by the very police officers who were supposed to be protecting them. Hundreds of thousands lost their homes and livelihoods. To this day there are some still living in FEMA trailers. Patricia died a few years back in a horrible car accident; Lafitte, her home, has since been demolished.
My job was to go, to report, and then go home. My job was to leave Patricia, Pamela, Brod and countless others whom I had encountered, behind - to place them in a compartment in my mind, and to move on to the next story. Yet I never quite managed to do that with New Orleans. Maybe it was easier for me to cope in places like Mexico, but New Orleans wasAmerica. It happened in my country. All of the people I met in New Orleans - their images, their words - have, over the years, crystallized into a vivid sense of disenchantment with the romantic narrative of America I was taught as a child.
I sit here now, thumb through my old notebook that is labeled in black marker "NOLA" and find the paper towel Patricia gave me. It still reads, next to that big, faded heart, "Home Sweet Home."
*********
Matt Pascarella produced the Greg Palast investigation, Big Easy to Big Empty: The Untold Story of the Drowning of New Orleans.
Pascarella is currently a journalist with the Palast Investigative Fund which is offering the film as download FREE of charge during this week of commemoration. Or, for a donation, receive the DVD signed by Palast.
The Palast Fund requests your tax-deductible donations. We are returning to New Orleans to finish the investigation we started.
Subscribe to Palast's Newsletter and podcasts.
Follow Palast on Facebook and Twitter.
www.GregPalast.com
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I was shocked by Alan Simpson's recent thoughtless comments calling Social Security a "milk cow"1 and insulting millions of Americans.
Coming from anyone these comments would be over the line. But what makes them more offensive is Senator Simpson's position: co-chair of President Obama's Fiscal Commission, which is currently considering changes to Social Security as a solution to reduce the deficit.
How can a commission led by Sen. Simpson fairly make recommendations on the future of important programs like Social Security?
Click here to send a letter to the White House TODAY, urging that the President's Fiscal Commission stop considering benefit cuts to Social Security to address the deficit.
You and I know that the millions of Americans who receive Social Security aren't "milking the system." Social Security is paid for by the lifetime of contributions from hard-working Americans, and hasn't contributed even one penny to the federal deficit.
Social Security cuts should not be considered to reduce the deficit – in fact, how can we accept any changes recommended by a commission led by Alan Simpson? But President Obama set up this commission, and it's up to him to protect Social Security from budget-driven cuts.
Tell President Obama to stand up for Social Security and urge his Commission to reject budget-driven cuts to Social Security.
http://action.aarp.org/site/R?i=_KiZn8BRhJd636ps9_7AVA..
Thank you for speaking out on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Barry Jackson
Senior Manager, Grassroots
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Buffalo Field Campaign Update from the Field
Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
August 26, 2010
Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working in the field every day in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.
------------------------------
------------------------------
* Update from the Field--Dates Added to West Coast Roadshow
* Join BFC for Woodcut Week September 6-12
* Bison Advocates Tour Livestock Grazing Allotment Critical for Wild Bison
* TAKE ACTION! Tell Yellowstone not to Vaccinate Wild Buffalo
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Useful Links
------------------------------
* Update from the Field--Dates Added to West Coast Roadshow
BFC'S WEST COAST ROAD SHOW, SEPTEMBER 17 - OCTOBER 9, 2010
Buffalo Field Campaign's co-founder Mike Mease, and dedicated volunteer Noah, will soon embark on our 2010 West Coast Road Show, coming to numerous towns and cities in Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. Mike and Noah will share stories and video footage from our front lines work with America's last wild buffalo and talk about ways you can join our efforts to help protect them, even from within your own community. Mike has nearly two decades of experience in the company of wild buffalo, having lived in one of the coldest climates in the lower 48 states to work in their defense, and he is an amazing storyteller, sure to inspire you to join the growing herd of wild buffalo warriors. For the duration of the tour, BFC is excited to announce that we will be joined by Lakota musician and activist, the talented Good Shield of 7th Generation Rise as well as the incredible Phoenix AfterBuffalo!
HELP SPREAD THE WORD! If you want to help us with any of these events, please check the Road Show Schedule and contact the point person at that specific venue to see how you can plug in. You can also help spread the word in your community by putting up these downloadable posters around your town, neighborhood and e-mailing all your friends, posting to Facebook or by any other means you can think of to help spread the word to save the herds.
Live in Portland and have community connections? We are looking for a venue to host an event there on the night of Monday, September 20. Please contact Mike and let him know.
If you have never been to one of these powerful presentations, you are in for a real treat. If you've joined us before, we hope you will do so again! If you have any questions about specific events, please check the schedule and contact the point person for that venue. For other information contact Mike Mease at mease@wildrockies.org.
See you soon!
With the Buffalo,
Mike Mease
Cofounder, Buffalo Field Campaign
------------------------------
* Join BFC for Woodcut Week September 6-12!
BFC will be hosting our annual Woodcut Week from September 6-12, 2010 and we need your help to gather, haul, cut, and stack the firewood that will keep our volunteers warm all winter. Please make plans to join us for a week of good hard work, tasty meals, friendship, and nights around the BFC campfire.
For more information on these volunteer opportunities, please contact Mike Mease at mease@wildrockies.org.
------------------------------
* Bison Advocates Tour Livestock Grazing Allotment Critical for Wild Bison
On August 4 Buffalo Field Campaign organized a field trip with local Montanans to view cattle grazing on the Gardiner Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. Gardiner District Ranger Mary Maj and Steven Schacht, vegetation staff, joined us to discuss the Forest's plans and to get local concerns for wild buffalo habitat on the Forest's radar.
Two permittees, James and Larry Stands and Lewis and Jill Wilks, operate the Three Peaks Ranch and run a total of 260 cow calf pairs and 10 horses on the Slip & Slide grazing allotment from June 16 through October 15. Slip & Slide covers 6,750 Gallatin National Forest acres and is the last public lands grazing allotment east of the Yellowstone River in the Gardiner basin, prime buffalo habitat and a major wildlife corridor.
The third permittee, Franklin and Susan Rigler, who operate the Dome Mountain Ranch, waived their portion of the Slip & Slide allotment to the Forest who allocated the cow calf pairs to Three Peaks Ranch. Rigler leases his private land for the Slip & Slide bison quarantine pen near Dome Mountain run by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The Slip & Slide permit is due to expire at the end of 2010. The Interagency Bison Management Plan agencies classify the Slip & Slide as Zone 3 due to the presence of cattle and bison quarantine pens at Corwin Springs and Slip & Slide. Wild bison are prohibited from occupying any habitat in Zone 3, at any time of year, despite the fact bison migrate to these habitats on the Gallatin National Forest. Several buffalo have been shot for venturing into Zone 3 in the Gardiner basin.
Gardiner basin is a critical wildlife corridor providing habitat for mule deer, one of the largest elk herds in North America, bighorn sheep, a small genetically isolated population of pronghorn antelope, and migratory bison. Grizzly bears and wolves are not far behind one of the largest migrations of wild ungulates in the lower 48 states.
One of the things we learned on the field trip is the Gardiner Ranger District's intent to annually renew the permit without performing an environmental analysis (last done in 1991) due to cutbacks in Congressional funding. The Forest's legal analysis may not come for years.
TAKE ACTION! Please contact Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Mary C. Erickson
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* Tell Yellowstone not to Vaccinate Wild Bison!
Family group of buffalo out on the flats of Horse Butte, Gallatin National Forest. BFC file photo by Dru. Click here for larger image.
It doesn't make any sense at all to attempt to vaccinate bats, skunks, raccoons or other wildlife against rabies, but it does make sense to vaccinate your dog or cat. So where is the logic in vaccinating wild bison against brucellosis, and not mandating vaccinations for domestic cattle, the manageable species? If it doesn't make sense, the government usually wants to do it, and Yellowstone National Park is no exception.
TAKE ACTION! There's still plenty of time to submit your comments to Yellowstone National Park about their misguided plan to vaccinate wild bison. Comments are being accepted through September 24, 2010. It is very important that the Park hear from you about this unfortunate plan to shoot wild buffalo with a brucellosis vaccine intended for cattle, and unsafe for buffalo. The vaccine is ineffective, costly, harmful, intrusive and culturally unacceptable. Please tell the Park you do not approve of vaccinating wild buffalo, and instead, request Yellowstone to develop an alternative to buy-out cattle in the buffalo's immediate habitat areas of Yellowstone, Madison and Gallatin River valleys.
Take action today! And please spread the word to save these herds! Thank you for taking this action to help America's last continuously wild buffalo. You can also review the official comments of BFC and our partners Western Watersheds Project.
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* Last Words
"We looked upon animals like the wolf, buffalo, elk, and grizzly bear as elders because they were already here in the creation when our people came along. Ours is the task to respect the elders and to respect what the elders teach us."
--Jack Gladstone, Blackfeet Tribal Council
Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you'll see them here!
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* Kill Tally
AMERICAN BUFFALO ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 7
2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 4
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 3*
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0
*Two bulls that were drugged by APHIS on 5/4/10 were shot by DOL
later that evening. One was shot by DOL on 7/13/10 for trying to free his imprisoned relatives at the Corwin Springs quarantine facility.
2008-2009 Total: 22
2007-2008 Total: 1,631
Total Since 2000: 3,709*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortality
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Media & Outreach
Buffalo Field Campaign
P.O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org
BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.
KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY
Join Buffalo Field Campaign -- It's Free!
Tell-a-Friend
Take Action!
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A technical problem resulted in the Take Action section of today's Update being cut. We are resending the affected section in its entirety. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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* Bison Advocates Tour Livestock Grazing Allotment Critical for Wild Bison
On August 4 Buffalo Field Campaign organized a field trip with local Montanans to view cattle grazing on the Gardiner Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. Gardiner District Ranger Mary Maj and Steven Schacht, vegetation staff, joined us to discuss the Forest's plans and to get local concerns for wild buffalo habitat on the Forest's radar.
Two permittees, James and Larry Stands and Lewis and Jill Wilks, operate the Three Peaks Ranch and run a total of 260 cow calf pairs and 10 horses on the Slip & Slide grazing allotment from June 16 through October 15. Slip & Slide covers 6,750 Gallatin National Forest acres and is the last public lands grazing allotment east of the Yellowstone River in the Gardiner basin, prime buffalo habitat and a major wildlife corridor.
The third permittee, Franklin and Susan Rigler, who operate the Dome Mountain Ranch, waived their portion of the Slip & Slide allotment to the Forest who allocated the cow calf pairs to Three Peaks Ranch. Rigler leases his private land for the Slip & Slide bison quarantine pen near Dome Mountain run by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The Slip & Slide permit is due to expire at the end of 2010. The Interagency Bison Management Plan agencies classify the Slip & Slide as Zone 3 due to the presence of cattle and bison quarantine pens at Corwin Springs and Slip & Slide. Wild bison are prohibited from occupying any habitat in Zone 3, at any time of year, despite the fact bison migrate to these habitats on the Gallatin National Forest. Several buffalo have been shot for venturing into Zone 3 in the Gardiner basin.
Gardiner basin is a critical wildlife corridor providing habitat for mule deer, one of the largest elk herds in North America, bighorn sheep, a small genetically isolated population of pronghorn antelope, and migratory bison. Grizzly bears and wolves are not far behind one of the largest migrations of wild ungulates in the lower 48 states.
One of the things we learned on the field trip is the Gardiner Ranger District's intent to annually renew the permit without performing an environmental analysis (last done in 1991) due to cutbacks in Congressional funding. The Forest's legal analysis may not come for years.
TAKE ACTION! Please email Gallatin National Forest SupervisorMary C. Erickson or call her at 406-587-6703 and ask her to perform a suitability analysis to close the Slip & Slide grazing allotment. The Forest should manage the habitat for native populations of wildlife including migratory bison, mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope. Gardiner basin provides critical habitat for grizzly bears and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Wolves have been sighted on the Forest, along with rare species of trumpeter swan, peregrine falcon, pygmy owl, golden eagle, northern goshawk and osprey.
------------------------------
Media & Outreach
Buffalo Field Campaign
P.O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org
BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.
KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY
Join Buffalo Field Campaign -- It's Free!
Tell-a-Friend
Take Action!
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A recent study suggests that nearly 80% of the oil released by the Deepwater Horizon offshore disaster remains. [1] That means that millions of barrels are still poisoning our sea turtles, fouling our coasts and threatening the survival of endangered marine life like sperm whales and bluefin tuna.
Solving just 20% of the problem isn’t enough. Demand that your senators pass the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Accountability Act (S. 3663), legislation to preserve vital habitat for sea turtles and other wildlife and improve oversight and accountability to prevent the next offshore oil disaster.
Just use the information below to contact your senators now:
Johnny Isakson - (770) 661-0999
Saxby Chambliss - (770) 763-9090
If you do not see your senators information above, please call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected with your senators' Washington, DC offices.
… and deliver this simple message:
My name is David & Sharon Kitchen, and I’m calling from Townsend to urge [your senators] to pass the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Accountability Act (S. 3663) as soon as they return to Washington, DC in September.
While we don’t yet know the full extent of the environmental and economic impacts of this spill, we have already seen the devastation it has caused to wildlife, fisheries and coastal economies.
If passed, the Senate bill would improve offshore drilling management and crisis response and finally guarantee funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund – an important tool for preserving and restoring habitat for Gulf wildlife and other animals. It would also invest in Home Star, an energy efficiency program that lowers consumers’ energy costs and creates jobs.
Please let me know that you called. In the weeks ahead, we will be following up with your senators to ensure that they know how much you care about a more comprehensive response to the Gulf oil disaster.
While the oil has stopped gushing into the Gulf, we are far from “mission accomplished.”
The House of Representatives has passed a bill to address much needed drilling reforms, and now it’s time for the Senate to do the same.
The BP oil disaster has affected every Gulf state – and beyond. Fisheries have been devastated, tourism to the area has plummeted, wildlife refuges and marshes have been fouled with oil, toxic tar has washed onto beaches, and thousands of dolphins, sea turtles, herons, pelicans, and countless other bird and wildlife species were coated in oil, facing slow and agonizing deaths.
With hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity dependent on clean coasts and healthy coastal waters, this spill has already resulted in damage for coastal areas dependent on tourism or fishing.
For example, in Alabama, rental reservations were canceled, and they saw a more than 50 percent reduction in tourists to the Gulf Coast area of Baldwin County. The loss of tourism trickles into the rest of the community. Without tourists, gas stations, restaurants, and shops also suffer. There have already been layoffs and businesses closed, and many local businesses (specifically fishing-related ones) are about to shut their doors.
Oil companies cannot promise that something like this disaster won’t happen in the Gulf or other coastal areas, and there is simply too much danger to subject major fisheries and wildlife areas to continued offshore drilling without real reform.
Please call your senators today and take a stand for responsible action to address the Gulf oil disaster… and help prevent the next offshore environmental catastrophe!
http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=pd3FA_NDS5oHjXhRo_VfoQ..
For the Wild Ones,
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Cancer's Favorite Food - Found in Everything You Eat?
Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, according to a study that challenges the notion that all sugars are the same.
Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways. This could explain why other studies have previously linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
According to MSNBC:
"Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods. Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy."
The court decision to restore Endangered Species Act protections for Greater Yellowstone wolves is only weeks old. But that’s not stopping Wildlife Services agents -- the government’s wildlife killing experts -- from planning to kill hundreds of wolves in the region, including helpless pups in their dens.
The federal Wildlife Services agency has gone too far -- and we need your help to stop them.
Please take action now to speak out against the Wildlife Services plan to expand their wolf-killing role in Idaho.
The federal Wildlife Services agency (a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture) is the primary wolf-killer in the United States. Now they want to expand their wolf-killing operations. They plan to work with Idaho officials to kill up to 80 percent of the wolves in north-central Idaho by land and from the air.
Their plan also includes killing entire packs -- including gassing helpless wolf pups in their dens -- and surgically sterilizing alpha wolf pairs.
All this despite the fact that wolves in the region are once again protected by federal law.
Speak out now to stop the out-of-control wolf killing plan -- before the government-sponsored killing starts.
USDA’s Wildlife Services is the same agency that helped kill off wolves by the 1940s. And their new plan shows their intent to escalate their current war on these magnificent animals that you and I have fought so hard to protect.
Instead of helping ranchers co-exist with wolves and other native wildlife with proven non-lethal techniques, Wildlife Services is expanding their role as the nation’s top wolf-killers -- and dragging wolf management back to the brutal and archaic practices of the past.
Wildlife Services’ outrageous wolf-killing plan seeks to punish wolves for doing what they do naturally: preying on elk and fulfilling their ecological role as part of a natural system.
This unacceptable wolf-killing plan cannot be allowed to go forward -- especially since wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies regained protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Oppose Wildlife Services’ plan to kill more endangered wolves in Idaho.
Idaho officials are claiming that wolves are the major cause of elk declines in parts of the state. But in 23 of the 29 elk management zones, populations of these animals are at or above population targets -- many of the areas experiencing declines in elk numbers contain no wolves. And the Clearwater National Forest was experiencing steep declines in elk numbers by 1988 -- long before wolves returned to the area.
Politics is clearly driving state officials to call on USDA’s Wildlife Services to kill more wolves to artificially boost game populations beyond what current habitat can support.
Take action now to help stop the federal Wildlife Services plan for killing more protected wolves in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Rockies region.
http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=xNbhuIQKhj0FzSsflxCZew..
Please take action today -- the deadline for public comments on this outrageous wolf-killing plan is Tuesday, August 31st.
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Home Sweet Homeless
No "Home Sweet Home"
Five years after Katrina
Matt Pascarella and I encountered Patricia Thomas while she was breaking into a home at the Lafitte Housing Project in New Orleans. It was her own home. Nevertheless, if caught, she'd end up in the slammer. So would we. Matt was my producer for the film, Big Easy to Big Empty, and he encouraged my worst habits. I'd worked for the New Orleans Housing Authority years back and knew they wanted the poor black folk out of these pretty townhouses near the French Quarter. Katrina was an excuse for ethnic cleansing, American style. Matt and I skipped cuffs on this shoot, but were charged later by Homeland Security (see below). While I recorded the story of hidden evils on film, Matt gathered a story which no camera can capture. Here it is. - Greg Palast
by Matt Pascarella
August 26th, 2010
Four years ago, on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I sat with Patricia Thomas. Greg Palast and I had just helped her break into her home in the Lafitte Projects. She had been locked out for a year. She showed us her former home, her belongings scattered everywhere, and wrestled out endless stories of post-Katrina life: how she struggled to find shelter over the last year, how they came and put bars on her doors and windows and locked her out, how it was "man made."
I picked up a photo of her at Mardi Gras, taken a few years earlier, and compared it to what she looked like now. In the picture her hair was longer, her face younger, her smile deeper. Now her arms were wasted and thin, her eyes sunken into her face, and her bottom front teeth were gone. On most days, she told me, she wore her dead mother's dentures, but today she had forgotten to put them in. Her own teeth broke off when escaping the rising waters. She had fallen face first onto the concrete slab that was her front porch. The very spot where we were sitting was where it had happened. Over my left shoulder, running the length of the building, was a scar, a stain from the water line.
August in Louisiana is unbearably hot for a Northern boy. Beads of sweat poured from my face, down my neck. Patricia went inside, found an old roll of paper towels in a kitchen cabinet and brought me one. The quilted paper had a kitschy design - a giant heart with words that said, "Home Sweet Home."
I looked at her and wondered how this could happen in mycountry.
A few weeks before, I was in Mexico City with Palast covering the Presidential Election. A presidency had been stolen. People were on the streets screaming "Vota por Vota, Casilla por Casilla!" Count the votes! "Vote by Vote, box by box!" I had seen the aftermath of a massacre in a small village outside Mexico City. I had seen people from all over the country rise up in anger taking to the streets. I had seen the Zapatistas march and Subcomandante Marcos himself flanked by young women acting as a protective barrier. I had seen the house where Trotsky was stabbed in the back of the head with an ice pick.
When I finally left Mexico City, I remember being deeply confused. The kind of confusion that tears at the soul and has the ability to completely dismantle any preconceived notions of how to view the world. I was inspired to see so many people fighting for democracy, and yet a deep depression sunk in as the plane took off. I knew their efforts would not matter. I had seen the American 'consultants', the DC hacks, in the offices of the ruling party and I knew it was over.
Now, here I was - back home in the United States - outside a decimated house near the levees, trying to understand why a New Orleans native, Brod Bagert, was calling a friend who worked with the fire department. Brod was asking his old friend what the number "5" below the giant orange spray-painted X on the front of the house meant. But Brod already knew what it meant.
Here I was watching Brod, one year later, trying to convince himself that what had happened to his neighbors didn't actually happen. After many long days of hearing countless horrifying stories and walking through miles of destruction, I now stood next to a grown man who was desperately trying to lie to himself simply because the alternative was too painful. I couldn't hold back the tears. It was the first, and only, time in my professional life that I had to walk away from an interview. I hid out behind a smashed up, rotted out BMW and cried.
After a few minutes I returned to Brod. He hung up the phone, looked at Palast and me, and slowly choked, "Five people died here."
He finally gave in to what had happened here: the sprayed "9-16" above that X meant that those five bodies had been left to decompose for nearly 19 days before being discovered by rescue crews.
Brod rubbed his eyes and we went inside the house. His fathomless sadness hardened into anger. We walked through a sand dune littered with toys into what was once the living room. I tried not to imagine the mom and dad and kids as water crushed them against the ceiling; as they clawed for one more breath.
Brod took us down the street to his home, that is, the sticks that were left of his home. He was breathing hard, he was shaking. "Old ladies watched the water come up to their nose, over their eyes and they drowned in houses just like this, in this neighborhood, because of reckless negligence that is unanswered for."
I think back now, to those words, spoken four years ago and wonder if it will ever be answered.
We then met Stephen Smith. He worked at the Marriott hotel, but had no car and no way to get out when the Mayor said to get out. Stephen pulled a dozen neighbors to a bridge over the rising water for four days as helicopters whirled overhead. Four days in the humid sun. No food. An old man gave his grandchildren his only bottle of water; then the old man died of dehydration. Stephen now works in a grocery store in Houston where FEMA ultimately dumped him. His kids live in Baton Rouge.
The next day Palast and I drove up to Baton Rouge to confront the company that was contracted to come up with an evacuation plan for the City of New Orleans. They had refused all of our interview requests, so we showed up at their offices to request a copy of the plan in person. We were quickly thrown out, they threatened to call security. They knew what we knew: There was no plan.
We drove out to the town of Baker. There, we surreptitiously passed through a security checkpoint before funneling into a massive FEMA trailer park. Here we met Pamela Lewis who told us her story of escaping the flood. Despite having MS, she pushed a boat with her 86-year-old mother, other relatives and neighbors through the streets of New Orleans. When she got to a bridge, armed men yelled at her, called her a nigger, and commanded her to turn around. They didn't want a boat full of black people coming into their neighborhood. She then managed to make it to the Superdome where she was sprayed down by hoses, tossed on a bus, and then told to pay a fare and get off. She had no idea where she was.
We finished filming. Pamela stood in front of the car next to her trailer, and I locked eyes with her. I put the car in reverse and backed out, leaving her there, alone, not knowing what she was going to do with her life.
We drove back to New Orleans, passing an Exxon Oil Refinery - the only thing near Pamela's trailer park. Several weeks later, at the request of Exxon, Homeland Security would file a criminal complaint against me and Palast under the anti-terrorism PATRIOT Act for filming "critical infrastructure." The only thing critical about that refinery was the pollution it was spewing near what had become a refugee camp.
Five years have gone by and it is rare if a week passes that I don't think of New Orleans. Nearly two thousand people lost their lives. An entire city was decimated. People were killed by the very police officers who were supposed to be protecting them. Hundreds of thousands lost their homes and livelihoods. To this day there are some still living in FEMA trailers. Patricia died a few years back in a horrible car accident; Lafitte, her home, has since been demolished.
My job was to go, to report, and then go home. My job was to leave Patricia, Pamela, Brod and countless others whom I had encountered, behind - to place them in a compartment in my mind, and to move on to the next story. Yet I never quite managed to do that with New Orleans. Maybe it was easier for me to cope in places like Mexico, but New Orleans wasAmerica. It happened in my country. All of the people I met in New Orleans - their images, their words - have, over the years, crystallized into a vivid sense of disenchantment with the romantic narrative of America I was taught as a child.
I sit here now, thumb through my old notebook that is labeled in black marker "NOLA" and find the paper towel Patricia gave me. It still reads, next to that big, faded heart, "Home Sweet Home."
*********
Matt Pascarella produced the Greg Palast investigation, Big Easy to Big Empty: The Untold Story of the Drowning of New Orleans.
Pascarella is currently a journalist with the Palast Investigative Fund which is offering the film as download FREE of charge during this week of commemoration. Or, for a donation, receive the DVD signed by Palast.
The Palast Fund requests your tax-deductible donations. We are returning to New Orleans to finish the investigation we started.
Subscribe to Palast's Newsletter and podcasts.
Follow Palast on Facebook and Twitter.
www.GregPalast.com
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I was shocked by Alan Simpson's recent thoughtless comments calling Social Security a "milk cow"1 and insulting millions of Americans.
Coming from anyone these comments would be over the line. But what makes them more offensive is Senator Simpson's position: co-chair of President Obama's Fiscal Commission, which is currently considering changes to Social Security as a solution to reduce the deficit.
How can a commission led by Sen. Simpson fairly make recommendations on the future of important programs like Social Security?
Click here to send a letter to the White House TODAY, urging that the President's Fiscal Commission stop considering benefit cuts to Social Security to address the deficit.
You and I know that the millions of Americans who receive Social Security aren't "milking the system." Social Security is paid for by the lifetime of contributions from hard-working Americans, and hasn't contributed even one penny to the federal deficit.
Social Security cuts should not be considered to reduce the deficit – in fact, how can we accept any changes recommended by a commission led by Alan Simpson? But President Obama set up this commission, and it's up to him to protect Social Security from budget-driven cuts.
Tell President Obama to stand up for Social Security and urge his Commission to reject budget-driven cuts to Social Security.
http://action.aarp.org/site/R?i=_KiZn8BRhJd636ps9_7AVA..
Thank you for speaking out on this critical issue.
Sincerely,
Barry Jackson
Senior Manager, Grassroots
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Buffalo Field Campaign Update from the Field
Buffalo Field Campaign
Yellowstone Bison
Update from the Field
August 26, 2010
Buffalo Field Campaign is the only group working in the field every day in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.
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* Update from the Field--Dates Added to West Coast Roadshow
* Join BFC for Woodcut Week September 6-12
* Bison Advocates Tour Livestock Grazing Allotment Critical for Wild Bison
* TAKE ACTION! Tell Yellowstone not to Vaccinate Wild Buffalo
* Last Words
* Kill Tally
* Useful Links
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* Update from the Field--Dates Added to West Coast Roadshow
BFC'S WEST COAST ROAD SHOW, SEPTEMBER 17 - OCTOBER 9, 2010
Buffalo Field Campaign's co-founder Mike Mease, and dedicated volunteer Noah, will soon embark on our 2010 West Coast Road Show, coming to numerous towns and cities in Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. Mike and Noah will share stories and video footage from our front lines work with America's last wild buffalo and talk about ways you can join our efforts to help protect them, even from within your own community. Mike has nearly two decades of experience in the company of wild buffalo, having lived in one of the coldest climates in the lower 48 states to work in their defense, and he is an amazing storyteller, sure to inspire you to join the growing herd of wild buffalo warriors. For the duration of the tour, BFC is excited to announce that we will be joined by Lakota musician and activist, the talented Good Shield of 7th Generation Rise as well as the incredible Phoenix AfterBuffalo!
HELP SPREAD THE WORD! If you want to help us with any of these events, please check the Road Show Schedule and contact the point person at that specific venue to see how you can plug in. You can also help spread the word in your community by putting up these downloadable posters around your town, neighborhood and e-mailing all your friends, posting to Facebook or by any other means you can think of to help spread the word to save the herds.
Live in Portland and have community connections? We are looking for a venue to host an event there on the night of Monday, September 20. Please contact Mike and let him know.
If you have never been to one of these powerful presentations, you are in for a real treat. If you've joined us before, we hope you will do so again! If you have any questions about specific events, please check the schedule and contact the point person for that venue. For other information contact Mike Mease at mease@wildrockies.org.
See you soon!
With the Buffalo,
Mike Mease
Cofounder, Buffalo Field Campaign
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* Join BFC for Woodcut Week September 6-12!
BFC will be hosting our annual Woodcut Week from September 6-12, 2010 and we need your help to gather, haul, cut, and stack the firewood that will keep our volunteers warm all winter. Please make plans to join us for a week of good hard work, tasty meals, friendship, and nights around the BFC campfire.
For more information on these volunteer opportunities, please contact Mike Mease at mease@wildrockies.org.
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* Bison Advocates Tour Livestock Grazing Allotment Critical for Wild Bison
On August 4 Buffalo Field Campaign organized a field trip with local Montanans to view cattle grazing on the Gardiner Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. Gardiner District Ranger Mary Maj and Steven Schacht, vegetation staff, joined us to discuss the Forest's plans and to get local concerns for wild buffalo habitat on the Forest's radar.
Two permittees, James and Larry Stands and Lewis and Jill Wilks, operate the Three Peaks Ranch and run a total of 260 cow calf pairs and 10 horses on the Slip & Slide grazing allotment from June 16 through October 15. Slip & Slide covers 6,750 Gallatin National Forest acres and is the last public lands grazing allotment east of the Yellowstone River in the Gardiner basin, prime buffalo habitat and a major wildlife corridor.
The third permittee, Franklin and Susan Rigler, who operate the Dome Mountain Ranch, waived their portion of the Slip & Slide allotment to the Forest who allocated the cow calf pairs to Three Peaks Ranch. Rigler leases his private land for the Slip & Slide bison quarantine pen near Dome Mountain run by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The Slip & Slide permit is due to expire at the end of 2010. The Interagency Bison Management Plan agencies classify the Slip & Slide as Zone 3 due to the presence of cattle and bison quarantine pens at Corwin Springs and Slip & Slide. Wild bison are prohibited from occupying any habitat in Zone 3, at any time of year, despite the fact bison migrate to these habitats on the Gallatin National Forest. Several buffalo have been shot for venturing into Zone 3 in the Gardiner basin.
Gardiner basin is a critical wildlife corridor providing habitat for mule deer, one of the largest elk herds in North America, bighorn sheep, a small genetically isolated population of pronghorn antelope, and migratory bison. Grizzly bears and wolves are not far behind one of the largest migrations of wild ungulates in the lower 48 states.
One of the things we learned on the field trip is the Gardiner Ranger District's intent to annually renew the permit without performing an environmental analysis (last done in 1991) due to cutbacks in Congressional funding. The Forest's legal analysis may not come for years.
TAKE ACTION! Please contact Gallatin National Forest Supervisor Mary C. Erickson
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* Tell Yellowstone not to Vaccinate Wild Bison!
Family group of buffalo out on the flats of Horse Butte, Gallatin National Forest. BFC file photo by Dru. Click here for larger image.
It doesn't make any sense at all to attempt to vaccinate bats, skunks, raccoons or other wildlife against rabies, but it does make sense to vaccinate your dog or cat. So where is the logic in vaccinating wild bison against brucellosis, and not mandating vaccinations for domestic cattle, the manageable species? If it doesn't make sense, the government usually wants to do it, and Yellowstone National Park is no exception.
TAKE ACTION! There's still plenty of time to submit your comments to Yellowstone National Park about their misguided plan to vaccinate wild bison. Comments are being accepted through September 24, 2010. It is very important that the Park hear from you about this unfortunate plan to shoot wild buffalo with a brucellosis vaccine intended for cattle, and unsafe for buffalo. The vaccine is ineffective, costly, harmful, intrusive and culturally unacceptable. Please tell the Park you do not approve of vaccinating wild buffalo, and instead, request Yellowstone to develop an alternative to buy-out cattle in the buffalo's immediate habitat areas of Yellowstone, Madison and Gallatin River valleys.
Take action today! And please spread the word to save these herds! Thank you for taking this action to help America's last continuously wild buffalo. You can also review the official comments of BFC and our partners Western Watersheds Project.
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* Last Words
"We looked upon animals like the wolf, buffalo, elk, and grizzly bear as elders because they were already here in the creation when our people came along. Ours is the task to respect the elders and to respect what the elders teach us."
--Jack Gladstone, Blackfeet Tribal Council
Do you have submissions for Last Words? Send them to bfc-media@wildrockies.org. Thank you all for the poems, songs and stories you have been sending; you'll see them here!
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* Kill Tally
AMERICAN BUFFALO ELIMINATED from the last wild population in the U.S.
2009-2010 Total: 7
2009-2010 Slaughter: 0
2009-2010 Hunt: 4
2009-2010 Quarantine: 0
2009-2010 Shot by Agents: 3*
2009-2010 Highway Mortality: 0
*Two bulls that were drugged by APHIS on 5/4/10 were shot by DOL
later that evening. One was shot by DOL on 7/13/10 for trying to free his imprisoned relatives at the Corwin Springs quarantine facility.
2008-2009 Total: 22
2007-2008 Total: 1,631
Total Since 2000: 3,709*
*includes lethal government action, quarantine, hunts, highway mortality
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Media & Outreach
Buffalo Field Campaign
P.O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org
BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.
KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY
Join Buffalo Field Campaign -- It's Free!
Tell-a-Friend
Take Action!
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A technical problem resulted in the Take Action section of today's Update being cut. We are resending the affected section in its entirety. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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* Bison Advocates Tour Livestock Grazing Allotment Critical for Wild Bison
On August 4 Buffalo Field Campaign organized a field trip with local Montanans to view cattle grazing on the Gardiner Ranger District of the Gallatin National Forest. Gardiner District Ranger Mary Maj and Steven Schacht, vegetation staff, joined us to discuss the Forest's plans and to get local concerns for wild buffalo habitat on the Forest's radar.
Two permittees, James and Larry Stands and Lewis and Jill Wilks, operate the Three Peaks Ranch and run a total of 260 cow calf pairs and 10 horses on the Slip & Slide grazing allotment from June 16 through October 15. Slip & Slide covers 6,750 Gallatin National Forest acres and is the last public lands grazing allotment east of the Yellowstone River in the Gardiner basin, prime buffalo habitat and a major wildlife corridor.
The third permittee, Franklin and Susan Rigler, who operate the Dome Mountain Ranch, waived their portion of the Slip & Slide allotment to the Forest who allocated the cow calf pairs to Three Peaks Ranch. Rigler leases his private land for the Slip & Slide bison quarantine pen near Dome Mountain run by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The Slip & Slide permit is due to expire at the end of 2010. The Interagency Bison Management Plan agencies classify the Slip & Slide as Zone 3 due to the presence of cattle and bison quarantine pens at Corwin Springs and Slip & Slide. Wild bison are prohibited from occupying any habitat in Zone 3, at any time of year, despite the fact bison migrate to these habitats on the Gallatin National Forest. Several buffalo have been shot for venturing into Zone 3 in the Gardiner basin.
Gardiner basin is a critical wildlife corridor providing habitat for mule deer, one of the largest elk herds in North America, bighorn sheep, a small genetically isolated population of pronghorn antelope, and migratory bison. Grizzly bears and wolves are not far behind one of the largest migrations of wild ungulates in the lower 48 states.
One of the things we learned on the field trip is the Gardiner Ranger District's intent to annually renew the permit without performing an environmental analysis (last done in 1991) due to cutbacks in Congressional funding. The Forest's legal analysis may not come for years.
TAKE ACTION! Please email Gallatin National Forest SupervisorMary C. Erickson or call her at 406-587-6703 and ask her to perform a suitability analysis to close the Slip & Slide grazing allotment. The Forest should manage the habitat for native populations of wildlife including migratory bison, mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope. Gardiner basin provides critical habitat for grizzly bears and Yellowstone cutthroat trout. Wolves have been sighted on the Forest, along with rare species of trumpeter swan, peregrine falcon, pygmy owl, golden eagle, northern goshawk and osprey.
------------------------------
Media & Outreach
Buffalo Field Campaign
P.O. Box 957
West Yellowstone, MT 59758
406-646-0070
bfc-media@wildrockies.org
http://www.buffalofieldcampaign.org
BFC is the only group working in the field every day
in defense of the last wild buffalo population in the U.S.
KEEP BFC ON THE FRONTLINES WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION TODAY
Join Buffalo Field Campaign -- It's Free!
Tell-a-Friend
Take Action!
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A recent study suggests that nearly 80% of the oil released by the Deepwater Horizon offshore disaster remains. [1] That means that millions of barrels are still poisoning our sea turtles, fouling our coasts and threatening the survival of endangered marine life like sperm whales and bluefin tuna.
Solving just 20% of the problem isn’t enough. Demand that your senators pass the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Accountability Act (S. 3663), legislation to preserve vital habitat for sea turtles and other wildlife and improve oversight and accountability to prevent the next offshore oil disaster.
Just use the information below to contact your senators now:
Johnny Isakson - (770) 661-0999
Saxby Chambliss - (770) 763-9090
If you do not see your senators information above, please call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected with your senators' Washington, DC offices.
… and deliver this simple message:
My name is David & Sharon Kitchen, and I’m calling from Townsend to urge [your senators] to pass the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Accountability Act (S. 3663) as soon as they return to Washington, DC in September.
While we don’t yet know the full extent of the environmental and economic impacts of this spill, we have already seen the devastation it has caused to wildlife, fisheries and coastal economies.
If passed, the Senate bill would improve offshore drilling management and crisis response and finally guarantee funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund – an important tool for preserving and restoring habitat for Gulf wildlife and other animals. It would also invest in Home Star, an energy efficiency program that lowers consumers’ energy costs and creates jobs.
Please let me know that you called. In the weeks ahead, we will be following up with your senators to ensure that they know how much you care about a more comprehensive response to the Gulf oil disaster.
While the oil has stopped gushing into the Gulf, we are far from “mission accomplished.”
The House of Representatives has passed a bill to address much needed drilling reforms, and now it’s time for the Senate to do the same.
The BP oil disaster has affected every Gulf state – and beyond. Fisheries have been devastated, tourism to the area has plummeted, wildlife refuges and marshes have been fouled with oil, toxic tar has washed onto beaches, and thousands of dolphins, sea turtles, herons, pelicans, and countless other bird and wildlife species were coated in oil, facing slow and agonizing deaths.
With hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic activity dependent on clean coasts and healthy coastal waters, this spill has already resulted in damage for coastal areas dependent on tourism or fishing.
For example, in Alabama, rental reservations were canceled, and they saw a more than 50 percent reduction in tourists to the Gulf Coast area of Baldwin County. The loss of tourism trickles into the rest of the community. Without tourists, gas stations, restaurants, and shops also suffer. There have already been layoffs and businesses closed, and many local businesses (specifically fishing-related ones) are about to shut their doors.
Oil companies cannot promise that something like this disaster won’t happen in the Gulf or other coastal areas, and there is simply too much danger to subject major fisheries and wildlife areas to continued offshore drilling without real reform.
Please call your senators today and take a stand for responsible action to address the Gulf oil disaster… and help prevent the next offshore environmental catastrophe!
http://action.defenders.org/site/R?i=pd3FA_NDS5oHjXhRo_VfoQ..
For the Wild Ones,
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Cancer's Favorite Food - Found in Everything You Eat?
Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, according to a study that challenges the notion that all sugars are the same.
Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways. This could explain why other studies have previously linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.
According to MSNBC:
"Americans take in large amounts of fructose, mainly in high fructose corn syrup, a mix of fructose and glucose that is used in soft drinks, bread and a range of other foods. Politicians, regulators, health experts and the industry have debated whether high fructose corn syrup and other ingredients have been helping make Americans fatter and less healthy."
Sources:
MSNBC August 2, 2010
Cancer Research August 1, 2010; 70: 6368
Reuters August 2, 2010
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Marcie Lane
Committee Member
Protect Sacred Sites " Indigenous People,One Nation"
www.protectsacredsites.org
863-425-5478
Arizona Snow Bowl
Hello Marcie,
I just spoke with the Tribes about this proposal yesterday. I encouraged them to further pursue that line of action.
Thank you for your email.
Coral
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Arizona Snow Bowl
Dear Council Member Evans,
I read an article about new propsals regarding buying the Snow Bowl from the owners and numerous non profit groups coming together with the tribes to turn this into a safe green park to preserve our cultural needs and give people a good healthy means to enjoy the peaks without the polution of recycled water and expansion that would harm our Sacred Mountains. I approve and support this proposal 100% and hope it comes into fruition for all our sakes. Thank you for making an effort to work with these groups to make this happen.
Sincerely,
Marcie Lane
Committee Member
Protect Sacred Sites as "Indigenous People,One Nation"
www.ProtectSacredSites.org
863-425-5478
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Stop Open Pit Mining In Huichol Sacred Sites Wixárika Research Center
http://events.contracostatimes.com/berkeley-ca/events/show/139043405-stop-open-pit-mining-in-huichol-sacred-sites-wixarika-research-center
Sunday, Oct 10 7:00p
at La Peña Cultural Center, Berkeley, CA
Join the Wixárika Research Center for an evening of discussion and film to stop the mining of the sacred Wixárika site of Wirikuta in the state of San Luis de Potosi Mexico. All funds raised will go directly to the legal defense fund.
Event Website
http://www.lapena.org/event/1566
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Federal official announces $65M to support affordable housing in Ind
Posted by: "NDN News"
Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:41 pm (PDT)
_____
From: First Peoples Human Rights Coalition
[mailto:info@firstpeoplesrights.org]
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2010 2:52 AM
To: info@firstpeoplesrights.org
Subject: HUD secretary tours reservation
From the article below: "I'm seeing real measurable progress," the secretary
[Shaun Donovan, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary] said. "And I'm
seeing optimism from tribal leaders throughout the country."
Last year the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing visited the Pine Ridge
Reservation, commenting that the housing she saw there was among the worst
housing she had seen. Although the words "Right to Housing" are not being
used in the article below, it appears that efforts are being made by the
current administration to address housing needs of Indigenous peoples of the
Plains territories.
________________________
HUD secretary tours reservation
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20100825/NEWS/8250323/1001
Federal official announces $65M to support affordable housing in Indian
Country
syoung@argusleader.com . August 25, 2010
Kills In Water (from left) talk with Shaun Donovan, U.S. Housing and Urban
Development Secretary, and Rodney Bordeaux, Rosebud Sioux Tribe President,
during a housing tour of the Rosebud Reservation in the Soldier Creek
community in South Dakota, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010. The Kills In Water family
lives in a house with no running water or electricity.
David and Regina Kills In Water (from left) talk with Shaun Donovan, U.S.
Housing and Urban Development Secretary, and Rodney Bordeaux, Rosebud Sioux
Tribe President, during a housing tour of the Rosebud Reservation in the
Soldier Creek community in South Dakota, Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2010. The Kills
In Water family lives in a house with no running water or electricity.
(Devin Wagner / Argus Leader)
ROSEBUD - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan saw the
worst and best of housing Tuesday on the Rosebud Reservation but also
insisted that he is seeing progress.
Donovan toured the reservation with Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., in preparation
for a joint Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee field
hearing today in Rapid City.
One of their stops was in the Soldier Creek community west of Rosebud, where
David and Regina Kills In Water are raising three young children in a
dilapidated trailer with no water, electricity or sewer.
"It's not right," Donovan said of the Kills In Waters, who must walk to a
house next door for water or to use a bathroom. "It really is a conflict of
emotions for me. But at the same time, I'm also inspired by some of the work
being done here."
The secretary particularly was impressed with the Ojinjintka Housing
Development Corp., a subsidiary of the tribe's housing authority. The
house-building corporation is using federal stimulus money to help build 12
homes and employ 18 tribal workers at salaries averaging $17 an hour, with
full benefits.
Amos Prue, chief executive officer of the housing authority, said the houses
will help meet the needs of low-income families on the reservation, where
there is a need to build at least 360 housing units for people waiting to
get homes.
But along with creating jobs for tribal members, Prue said the housing
development corporation also wants to compete on the open market off the
reservation and potentially provide houses for other reservations.
"If we can generate interest from the outside, we can provide more jobs for
our people. That's our main focus," Prue said.
To help Rosebud achieve that, Donovan and Johnson announced that $65 million
was being made available to support community development and affordable
housing production in Indian Country across the United States.
Of that, $8.7 million is available for Northern Plains tribes.
Asked whether he thought such funding was enough to make a substantial dent
in housing needs on reservations such as Rosebud, Donovan said he is seeing
progress. And he said President Obama is proposing to spend an additional
$18.5 billion in Indian Country in the next budget, a 5 percent increase
over this year.
"I'm seeing real measurable progress," the secretary said. "And I'm seeing
optimism from tribal leaders throughout the country."
Both Johnson and Donovan will testify at today's field hearing, which begins
at 11 a.m. CDT at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Reach reporter Steve Young at 331-2306.
Copyright C2010
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2.
Fw: [AIMFLCH] Lawsuit over Geronimo's remains dismissed
Posted by: "Audrey Beavers"
Fri Aug 27, 2010 5:05 am (PDT)
-
Subject: [AIMFLCH] Lawsuit over Geronimo's remains dismissed
To:
Date: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 10:58 PM
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Lawsuit over Geronimo's remains dismissed
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the descendants of Geronimo, who were suing the federal government and the Skull and Bones society at Yale. The plaintiffs claimed that Skull and Bones stole some of Geronimo's remains in 1918. The judge says the law only applies to cultural items that were taken after 1990. (And it's never been established that S&B has the remains.)
Posted by James Hart on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at 01:07 PM | Permalink
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"Judge Richard Roberts last month granted a Justice Department motion to dismiss, saying the plaintiffs failed to establish that the government had waived its right not to be sued without its consent.
He also dismissed the lawsuit against Yale and the society, saying the plaintiffs cited a law that only applies to Native American cultural items excavated or discovered after 1990."
Well we can all be comforted that any wrongs that may have been done to this Native American's remains and thus his family were handled and weighed carefully on the merits of the evidence and not summarily dismissed on any legal technicalities - especially in light of all the wrongs done to the Native peoples of this continent in the wake of European colonialism.
On behalf of all Native Americans, we apologize for not asking the government for its consent to waive its right not to be sued after all the government has done to Native Americans. We should obviously be ashamed for not asking this required permission.
Read more: http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_scene/2010/08/lawsuit-over-geronimos-remains-dismissed.html#ixzz0xlt2ygU5
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David Love: While Chinese workers jump out of windows, Americans are dying as well. In the U.S., workers die on exploding oil rigs and in deathtrap coal mines because their regulation-hating employers want to maximize profits.
Read More
http://www.laprogressive.com/economic-equality/capitalism-killing/
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'A Hand to Hold Onto' seeks nationwide input - Confidential survey looks at childhood victimization in Indian country
By Brenda Austin - Aug. 26, 2010
PORTLAND, Ore. - A survey project believed to be the first of its kind is asking participants about their experience with childhood violence in Indian country. Dire statistics of violence and high rates of incarceration has led to two online surveys: One for young adults to share their perspectives of violence in their childhood, and a survey for caregivers and adults who are making decisions and affecting the lives of Native youth. It is hoped the data from these anonymous surveys will help improve the understanding of childhood victimization and its impact on juvenile delinquency to help reduce those experiences in tribal communities.
The survey project, "A Hand to Hold Onto" was launched in June during the National Congress of American Indian's Mid-Year Conference in Rapid City, S.D. The two online surveys are now available for participants.
Kristy Alberty, executive communications manager for the National Indian Child Welfare Association, said the project has had input from youth and young adults every step of the way during the past two years. "We field tested the questions on youth involved with the National Congress of American's Youth Commission and they have helped steer the project. Even the name of the project was chosen by young adults."
The project is a partnership between NICWA, the Institute for Social and Policy Research at Purdue University Calumet andPrevent Child Abuse America. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is funding the survey.
Alberty said the information collected from the surveys will help find solutions, inform tribal leaders, communities and policy makers, and create programs and services to help meet the needs of today's youth.
The findings from the survey will be made public in October and will be presented in November at the national convention of the National Congress of American Indians. Survey results will also be presented in April 2011 during NICWA's annual conference in Anchorage, Alaska and at other national conferences.
The survey for young adults ages 18 - 25 asks participants about victimization and its consequences, and also asks about protective factors they experienced before the age of 18. The survey Web site - www.ahandtohold
onto.org - has background information and a phone number to call for counseling, in case the survey brings up memories that are stressful or difficult.
The second survey for adults ages 26 and up asks about the perceived scope of victimization and juvenile delinquency in their communities and what kind of services are offered and how effective they believe those services are. Dozens of tribal leaders have taken this survey, as well as more than 100 child welfare staff workers, and the project is encouraging parents/caregivers and elders to participate before the survey ends.
To participate in the surveys you must be over the age of 18, be of American Indian or Alaska Native descent, or an indigenous Canadian living in the U.S. The survey is anonymous and confidential and cannot be traced back to an e-mail address or name. A $10 Amazon.com gift card is provided to each survey participant, limited to one per person and quantities are limited.
Patricia Carter, Nez Perce, NCAI youth ambassador and NICWA board member, is a contributor to the project and presented a briefing paper to the NCAI youth leadership at the national convention last October. "We are rarely asked about ourselves and how we view life as tribal youth, so it was really great being offered the chance to do that through the survey. It was also nice to have a say in how the project was organized and developed and I am looking forward to seeing what the outcome of the survey will be."
Alberty said working with youth on the project was a great experience. "The time the youth have put into this project has been very valuable and critical to the program's success. The opportunity to listen to young Native adults across the country using an anonymous online survey is unprecedented."
According to the Department of Justice, the rate of victimization of American Indian/Alaska Native persons is double that of all races; 74 percent of youth in custody of theFederal Bureau of Prisons are AI/AN and in several states AI/AN youth make up 29 to 42 percent of all youth in secure confinement. The suicide rate for American Indian youth is almost twice the rate for white juveniles and is the highest of any race.
Cultural pride and identification, in addition to adherence to Native spiritual beliefs, is associated with higher self-esteem, lower rates of drug and alcohol use, increased success at school, reduced rates of suicide and improved relationships with peers.
The older adult survey can be found atwww.nativeadvocatesurvey.org, use the password "4ourfamilies." The password for the young adult survey is "4ourfuture." For more information, contact Kristy Alberty at (503) 222-4044 or e-mail kristy@nicwa.org.
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/A-Hand-to-Hold-Onto-seeks-nationwide-input-101166529.html
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Pentagon Pulls $1B from WMD-Defense Efforts to Fund Vaccine Initiative
By Elaine M. Grossman
Global Security Newswire
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Defense Department has shifted more than $1 billion out of its nuclear, biological and chemical defense programs to underwrite a new White House priority on vaccine development and production to combat disease pandemics, according to government and industry officials (see GSN, Aug. 20)... Full Story http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100827_5297.php
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When it comes to gray wolves, the federal Wildlife Services agency typically has one thing on its mind: killing them.
Now it’s teaming up with the State of Idaho in a plan for gray wolf management that would slaughter hundreds of wolves. In some cases, entire packs will be killed -- and newborn pups could be gassed in their dens.
Please send a message to Wildlife Servicesexpressing your outrage and strong opposition to its proposed wolf-killing plan.
You may recall that earlier this month, a federal judge ruled in our favor and restored endangered species protection for wolves in Idaho and Montana, saying that they should not have been removed from the endangered species list in the first place.
Now, Wildlife Services is proposing to slash the wolf population in Idaho by about 40 percent!
What’s worse, they are justifying this deadly plan by saying it’s necessary for the protection of livestock, elk and deer. But the reality is that wolf conflicts with livestock make up a miniscule percentage of livestock losses, and 23 of Idaho’s 29 elk population zones are above or within management objectives.
Tell Wildlife Services to go back to the drawing board and prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement for their plan to manage wolves in Idaho, especially now that wolves are back on the endangered species list.
Please take action today -- the deadline for comments is August 31.
http://www.nrdconline.org/site/R?i=MjPQENu-HQNRPc5aBW_QeA..
Let’s make sure this massacre of wolves is not allowed to proceed.
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--
"Success is measured by happiness not wealth"
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