The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1992-10-16

              State Representative Clark Requests
County Detox Center Investigation
Hennepin Detox Center Scene
of Native American Protest
By Gary Blair
When 37 year old Larry Knutson,
who is non-Indian, was handed a
copy of the Native American Press
to read, he said, "I knew the person
in the article that had lost their
finger on September 17 as a patient
at the Hennepin County Detox
Center was me." Knutson added, "I
then called the paper because I felt
there must be more to this," and later
added that "CHAMBER OF
HORRORS" is a good name for the
Detox Center.
Knutson said, "I had a slip. I got
drunk. I've been an alcoholic for
sometime now." A friend had given
him a ride to the Detox Center
where things begin to happen pretty
fast. He ended up in the "QUIET
ROOM," looking out the small
window in the door when he noticed
there was blood all over the floor
and he didn't have any pants on. He
noticed the undershorts and socks he
was wearing were also blood
soaked. Knutson thought about
getting some cameras into the Detox
Center to show people how the
patients were being treated and
began to holler at the staff to get the
media.   "I told a women to stop
mopping up the blood. I want
cameras in here so that people will
know how we are being treated."
The bone at the tip of his middle
finger on his left hand was sticking
out. This was the fifth or sixth time
Knutson remembers being at the
Detox Center and recalls each time
he had been verbally abused or
manhandled.
Knutson, an epileptic, was then
taken to the Hennepin County
Medical Center (HCMC) by the
Detox Center staff. The abuse
continued at HCMC where Knutson
said he must of had two grand mal
seizures. "When I woke up, I was
strapped down with both arms above
my head on a hospital guerney and
lying in my own urine. I didn't have
clothes on from the waist down. My
finger was really throbbing. Then a
nurse came into the room, looked at
my arms, and said, 'this is wrong'."
and moved one of my arms down."
"There was an American Indian
man lying on a cot at my feet and
this man was having a seizure. He
was choking." said Knutson. "I
started to holler for help for him, and
the staff came in and told me to
"shut my mouth'. They gave me
another shot and I was again
manhandled and turned over onto
my stomach and strapped down. I
asked for my clothes, but the staff
told me to 'shut up'."
Later Knutson said he remembered
two security men from HCMC
taking him in handcuffs out to the
Traveler's Van. "I complained that
the handcuffs were cutting into my
wrists and one of the security guards
said, 'You're lucky I am on duty or I
would break your neck'." On the
drive back to the Detox Center, the
driver told Knutson, "You're lucky
that big HONKY didn't break your
neck."
At the Detox Center a nurse wrote
only what had occurred at the
hospital. When Knutson tried to
have her write what took place at
the Detox Center she wouldn't
write anything down. The next
morning Knutson received an
apology for what had happened, but
was never told about his Patient
Rights or that he could make a
complaint against the Detox Center
for abuse. He added, "Since I left
the Detox Center, no one has
contacted me."
The PRESS received a carbon
copy of a letter dated October 12th
from State Representative, Karen
Clark, addressed to Bruce Johnson,
Director of the Office of Health
Facilities Complaints, MN Dept. of
Health, requesting a formal state
investigation into the complaints of
abuse toward American Indians and
other patients at the Hennepin
County Detox Center. The
investigation is being conducted
under the Vulnerable Adults Act and
also under enforcement of the
Patient's Bill of Rights.
The PRESS spoke with Rep. Clark
on October 8th who said she was
waiting on a response from Mike
Weber, Hennepin County Human
Services Director, to see what his
plans regarding the issue were. Rep.
Clark addressed the issue to
Hennepin County Commissioner
Peter McLaughlin who is concerned
about the alleged abuse, but does not
plan to take action untiLafter the
elections.
A group from the American Indian
community is requesting that the
investigation be done at a federal
level rather than the state level due
to their concerns over the issue of
trustworthness by the state.
By Me' Rasmussen
Approximately 50 Native
Americans and community leaders
gathered outside the entrance ofthe
"Chamber of Horrors" at 1800
Chicago Avenue. S. in Minneapolis
to protest the activities and
allegations that have been raised
about the Detox Center.
Various members of the group
voiced their concern for the abuse of
Indian clients that havebeen patients
within this facility. Local Indian
activist, Clyde Bellecourt, led a
demonstration in voicing the issues
and asked for an accountability of
the county to the allegations that
have arisen.
Following this local gathering, the
group proceeded downtown
Minneapolis and gathered with other
protestors from within the city that
were dealing with the issues of racism
and violence that haveoccurred within
the City of Minneapolis. The rally
downtown was organized by the
Minneapolis Police Federation and
dealt with the murder of a Minneapolis
Police Officer over two weeks ago and
the recalcitrance ofthe Minneapolis
City Council to address their issues.
Local Indian leaders have expressed
a concern between the increase of
racial tensions within the city and the
connection with the detox center
issues. Presently, there seems to be a
set in paralysis between the city and
the County officials to address these
issues that affect the Minneapolis
Indian population. It was felt that the
tensions are rising and that some type
of action must be taken to alleviate the
rising fears and anger of all of the
related parties. Therefore this march
and protest was a way of
communicating the concerns of the
Indian community.
"If words were invented to conceal thought, newspapers are a great
improvement of a bad invention."
Henry David Thoreau
By and For the Native American Community
rS&\
The
free
Native
American
Press
We support Equal Opportunity For All People
A Weekly Publication
Founded in 1991
Volume 2 Issue 23
October i6,J992
Copyright, The Native American Press, 1992
Photo By Monte Draper, Bemidji Pioneer
More than 100 people spoke against the injustice since the arrival of Columbus in the Americas at a rally and
walk, "Legacy of Columbus: A Walk of Mourning and Hope," in Bemidji Monday. Tom Goldtooth is shown
speaking at the Courthouse, while Tony Treuer holds one of the many signs carried by walk participants.
Travesty of Columbus Day Addressed in Bemidjiv
Columbus Day Demonstrators March in
Solidarity With Prairie Island, Leonard Peltier
By Mel Rasmussen
A rally coincided with, "A Walk of
Mourning and Hope," in Bemidji to
address the Columbus quincentennial
activities that are occurring across the
country. The march moved to several
locations in this city and the marchers
were addressedby speakers from within
the community.
Thepurposeofthe "WalkofMourning
andHope,"wastomourn thepast and to
generate hope and understanding for
the future. This day has been picked by
Indigenous Natives of two continents to
address the suffering and agony that
came from the arrival of the explorer,
Columbus.
Tony Treuer, an organizer for the
event stated, "I would hope that we can
come to understand our differences and
examine this colonial mentality that is
still in effect here today...We came
together not to celebrate, but to mourn
the events ofthe past 500 years."
Rene Senogles, another spokesperson
talked about the ongoing genocide that
has been occurring in South America.
She told the group about the existence of
an Indigenous Womens Widow
Organization in Guatemala who have
been brought together by the continued
genocide that is occurring within their
country. This genocide is a direct result
of the colonialization that came from
Columbus. She also spoke ofthe need to
decolonize some ofthe teachers in our
educational institutions and of the need
to decelebrate Columbus Day.
Sarah Campbell, Presbyterian
Minister stated that there is a new
Christian identity coming about and the
seeds of hope have been planted. The
issues of racism and poverty are major
concerns and we need to make some
major changes.
Retired minister, Walt Scott of
Bemidji, said in the past that the church
has had a spiritual arrogance by calling
Native People heathens, and that the
Europeans had a corner on religion. In
a moving moment he said that he was
ashamed and embarrassed by the past
and asked forgiveness from the group
for the past injustices.
Tom Goldtooth, spoke about the
injustices and the lack of justice for
Indigenous People. He spoke of the
violated treaties, violations of religious
rights and practices and the abuse ofthe
natural resources in our country.
Goldtooth said, "Whenever we say, 'give
us some justice' we get backlash from
anti-Indian people. They're right here
in Beltrami County... We have a Race
Relations Task Force that hasn't yet
questioned the inner workings of this
justice system. They say they are doing
somethingbutthey'renotdoingenough."
The group moved on to the Newman
Center on the campus of Bemidji State
University where a feast was offered for
alloftheparticipants. The symbolism of
eating together was designed to bring
together the sense of harmony that is
necessary for all of the people of this
continent. Through the sharing there
can only be healing for the future..
cff Armstrong
A crowd of about 150 assembled in
downtown Minneapolis, October 12,
in an attempt to reverse the tide of
genocidal racism and environmental
depredation protestors say was
generated by Columbus' wayward
voyage in 1492. Demonstrators
marked the 500th anniversary ofthe
arrival in the Americas of the
mercenary conquistador then known
as Cristobal Colon by marching on
the offices of two perceived enemies
of Native self-determination.
After a pre-march rally,
demonstrators tied up rush-hour
traffic as they converged on Northern
States Power and the Federal Bureau
of Investigation. NSP was targeted
for its plan to store radioactive waste
adjacent to the Prairie Island
Mdewankanton reservation and for
the utility's participation in Canadian
hydroelectric projects which have
flooded Cree land. The FBI was an
object of protest due to its repression
of American Indian Movement
activists in the 1970's, including
imprisoned AIM leader Leonard
Peltier.
Reflecting recent community-police
tensions in the city, marchers chanted
"First Columbus, then the cops.
Genocide has got to stop." At the
rally, Pat Sheppo addressed more than
a dozen police surrounding the
demonstration and called on them to
fulfill their mission to "protect and
serve" by joining the protest in defense
of the earth's endangered ecosystem.
Sheppo told the largely non-Native
audience that all peoples in this land
must return to its original inhabitants'
traditional belief in the interdependence
of all formsoflife. At stake, said Sheppo,
is "the survival of all human beings on
the planet."
But she cautioned against pinning
hopes for change on any of the
presidential candidates, or. for that
matter, on Indigenous people
themselves. "Don't look to the Indians
tosaveyourass, lookwithinyourselves,"
said Sheppo.
Although police at one point ordered
the demonstration off the street, the
marchers' failure to comply did not
triggerany confrontations. Onewoman
was, however, arrested when, according
toawitness, she spitawad of paper into
a squad car.
Among other Minneapolis
quincentennial actions on what both
pro and anti-Columbus forces havebilled
as a landmark date was a protest colli ng
on the city to change the name of
Columbus Avenue. The street is home
to many people of color who object to the
racist implications of honoring the man
whointroducedslavery and colonization
to the hemisphere. Part of Columbus
Avenue runs directly through one ofthe
nations's largest urban concentration of
Native people.
Federal Court affirms Chippewa
Treaty lawsuit gets more complicated rights but moose hunt halted
By Susan Stanich
News-Tribune staff writer
A Chippewa's small trip after leeches
in western Minnesota could bag a
treaty-rights harvest much larger than
anyone anticipated, his attorney said
Wednesday.
"If I'm right about this, and I know I
am, we're talking about all of northern
Minnesota and hundreds of millions of
dollars," said Peter Erlander, professor
of law at William Mitchell of Law
School in St Paul.
Erlander says the Treaty of 1854,
which has been seen as affecting only
the Arrowhead region, actually reserves
ceded-territory rights for Chippewas in
all of northern Minnesota — and
probably in eastern North and South
Dakota, too.
His client, White Earth Reservation
member Albert Bellecourt, went
leeching just outside the reservation
boundaries two years ago. He was
arrested by a state conservation warden
for violating state law.
The treaty protects Bellecourt's right
to harvest there, Erlander said. Next
week, he plans to ask a federal judge to
consider Bellecourt's claims as an
intervener in the treaty lawsuit brought
by the Fond du Lac Chippewa band
against the state of Minnesota.
Under the 1854 Treaty, Chippewas of
the Mississippi -- ancestors of
Bellecourt — gave up their property
interest in the Arrowhead, but never
gave up any hunting and fishing rights
further west, Erlander said.
" Under treaty law, if there's a specific
reference to certain rights in a treaty,
and those rights aren't taken away by a
subsequent treaty or statute, those rights
are inviolate," he said. "And the treaty
very clearly says the Mississippi bands
have hunting and fishing west of the
line."
Mississippi band members include
people who are members of the White
Earth, Mille Lacs and Leech Lake
reservations.
Steve Masten, the lead, attorney for the
state in the Fond du Lac case, couldn't
be reached for comment Wednesday.
Bill Szotskowski, the lead state attorney
in another treaty lawsuit with the Mille
Lacs Chippewa band, said he couldn't
discuss a matter under litigation.
The Mille Lacs lawsuit will go to trial
in February, but since both treaties
involve the same signatories and the
same rights, a federal judge could
decide to combine the two lawsuits into
a single trial.
Luci Botzek, state Department of
Natural Resources assistant
commissioner for special programs,
said she never has heard of anyone
making a claim to 1854 rights outside
the Arrowhead. "We have not heard
about it in any of our briefing sessions,"
she said. "I don't think it's true, but the
whole thing is in court to take a look
at"
Former Fond du Lac staff attorney
Henry Buffalo is handling the treaty
case for Fond du Lac. Buffalo, who
now is in private practice in
Minneapolis, couldn't be reached for
comment Wednesday.
Grand Casino announces GRAND program for disadvantaged
Lyle Berman, CEO of Grand Casinos,
Inc. recently announced the
establishment, by the company, of a
$100,000 grant program for the
economically disadvantaged. The
program, known by the acronym
GRAND (Grants, Resources, Aid and
Needs for the Disadvantaged) kicked off
on October 1.
The program to be administered by a
review committee of Grand Casinos'
executives, is restricted to non-profit tax
exempt 501(C3) organizations or tribes
located near, or providing services within
the Grand Casinos, Inc. business area.
All inquiries regarding this program
should be directed to Marvin Hanson,
Vice President of Associate and Tribal
Relations at the company's corporaie
headquarters.
Grand Casinos, Inc. manages casinos en
Indian lands in the states of Minnesota
and Louisana. The company is also
developing three company owned sittf
on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Its stock
is traded on NASDAQ national mark*
system under the symbol GRND.
By Susan Stanich
News-Tribune staff writer
A federal judge ruled Thursday
that the Fond du Lac Chippewa
band has the "fundamental" and
"federally guaranteed" right to
hunt, fish, and gather in territory
ceded to the United States under
the Treaty of 1854.
However, U.S. District Judge
Richard Kyle's landmark ruling
doesn't allow Fond du Lac to
continue its off-reservation moose
and deer hunt this year, because
the band didn't give the state
enough advance notice of the
hunting seasons.
"We lost the battle on the season,
but it looks like we won the war."
said Fond du Lac Chairman Robert
Peacock. "I'm trying not to crow."
Fond du Lac has canceled the
remainder of its moose hunt, and
band game wardens went looking
for moose hunters Thursday to tell
them to come in. The band also
will delay its deer hunt to coincide
with the beginning of the state
season, Peacock said. As of
Wednesday, 11 of the 42 moose
teams licensed by Fond du Lac had
successful hunts.
Quoting Wisconsin treaty cases
and a more recent Minnesota case
involving two Chippewas who sold
feathers in artwork at Miller Hill
Mall, Kyle said treaties protect
off-reservation harvests "free of
state regulation, except in
instances necessary to preserve
species or resources, or to insure
public safety." The wording is
essentially the same as in federal
rulings in the years-long Wisconsin
case.
"It's not a final determination."
said state assistant attorney general
Steve Masten. "The judge simply
indicates that at this point he was
inclined to think the right exists. He
also indicated the state would have
an opportunity if we ever go on trial
to present wilder arguments."
Kyle, however, said in his ruling
he had scanned those arguments
and wasn't convinced that the
judges in Wisconsin or Minnesota
cases "would, or should, have
reached different results had the
arguments been presented to them."
Fond du Lac attorney Henry
Buffalo said the judge told state
attorneys in the hearing, "'You
mean after 10 years in litigation in
Wisconsin that you guys think you
can do something better?" This is
the first time we've heard such
strong comments from the bench,
and then had them followed with a
ruling. It's kind of heartening."
The judge made his ruling in
response to Fond du Lac's request
for a temporary restrainging order
to keep the state from arresting its
off-reservation hunters.
He said he was rejecting the Fond
du Lac request because the band's
short notice didn't give the state
enought time to notify the public that
a big-game firearms season was in
progress.
"The Court is aware of the harm
associated with denial of federally
guaranteed rights, but must take
into account the threat to public
safety posed by even a small
number of hunters whose presence
in the territory is not expected by
the general public," Kyle said. "The
right of the public to be free from
unanticipated danger from hunters
outweighs the temporary denial of
the band's fundamental right under
the treaties."
On Aug. 21, Fond du Lac notified
the state that its bear season would
be Aug. 25 to Dec. 31; its moose
season from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31; and
its deer season from Oct 10 to Dec.
31. The state has set no moose
season and a Nov. 7 to Nov. 22
firearms deer season.
The ruling could help win another
treaty case for the Mille Lacs
Chippewa Band, said attorney Mark
Slonim of Seattle. That case,
involving the Treaty of 1837 and
east central Minnesota, is set to go
to trial in February. "It sounds like
another decision consistent with
established law," Slonim said. "It
certainly doesn't sound like it could
hurt us."