The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-05-21

              Update on St Paul Indian issues
By Delvin Cree
At the April 28 meeting of the Red
School House Board of Directors the
board voted unanimously to remove the
school's principal Melvin Rautanea In
addition, AnneMitchell, Administrative
Assistant, and Michael Wade (Odie),
Maintenance Supervisor/Bus Driver,
were reinstated to their positions.
Mitchell and Wade had been terminated
by Rautanen and former chairman of
the board Mike Poolaw without board
approval.
The Red ScheolHouse, located at471
E. Magnolia in St Paul, operates under
a contract from the St Paul Public
School System. It was designed to be
culturally-specific to Native American
youth.
According to newly-elected board
chair Janet Day Solis, there were
numerous problems that arose in the
last few months of Rautanen's term as
principal. "Kids were being kicked out
ofthe school orsuspendedatan alarming
rate,'' she said.' 'There were a number
of concerns parents had about the kind
of education their children were getting
but numerous calls to the school's
administration [technically run by
Rautanen] seemed to fall on deaf ears.''
Previous articles in The Native
American Press regarding the Red
School House revealed allegations of
illegal activities by former Chairman of
the Board Mike Poolaw. Some of these
allegations include changing the legal
signatories forthe school to include just
himself and Principal Rautanen,
excluding the Board Treasurer which
is in direct violation ofthe school's Bylaws. Inaddition,therewereallegations
thatPoolawallowed personal friendsto
live for free in a house owned by the
school. The house was originally
purchased to be an adultbasic education
center. Mr. Poolaw is also accused of
hiring a personal friend to do contract
work for the school and paying him
additional money that was not in the
contract originally approved by the
board. When Anne Mitchell, the
schools' administrative assistant,
refused to sign the check for the
additional paymentshewasterminated
from her job. It was at this time that
Poolaw went to the bank and changed
the signatories to just himself and
Rautanen, as mentioned above.
Appropriately it seems, Mike Poolaw
was relieved of his position as board
chair at the April 22 board meeting
which he did not attend. Now with
Principal Rautanen also gone the
community feels that the school is
headed in the right direction Enrollment
is up, there is less tension and the kids
are happy with the new changes.
Board Chair Janet Day Solis stated
that she was doing everything she could
to get the school back on its feet agaia
She gees to the school on a daily basis to
check on the kids and see howthings are
going.
One board member stated at the April
28 meeting,' 'I'm sorry that people had
to be let go, but in this case we had no
choice. We didn't want to see what
happened at the St Paul American
Indian Center happen here.'' This was
particularly on people's minds as the
Indian Center, under the direction of
Mike Poolaw, is no longer in operation.
On that note, an update ofthe St. Paul
American Indian Center is in order as
The Press has recently learned that the
Internal Revenue Service is going after
back taxes owed to them by the center.
It would appear that certain board
members will finally have to explain
how they allowed this much needed
community resource to fall into financial
ruin. And more specifically, they will
have to explain, line by line, where all
that grant money went. Maybe justice
will be served after all and in the end the
St. Paul Indian community will get a
new center.
End Sexual harassment on the reservation
By Diane White
Over the past decade Americans have
been made aware of sexual harassment
in the office, at schools and in
government. Unfortunately, the native
American community is not exempt fro
thisdegradingact. Whoarethevictims?
Thevirtimsarevulnerableandgenerally
between the age group of 18 - 24 years
old, but not always. Who are the
perpetrators? The perpetrators are men
who are in positions of power, for
instance, a manager or a supervisor.
HowareNative American women being
harassed? Female employees of the
casinos and of the tribal government are
being victimized by our own men and
by non-Native American men. This
statement does not mean that Native
American women are not victims of
sexual harassment and abuse outside of
-the Native American community.
There are a number of personal beliefs
about sexual harassment and sexual
abuse within our sexistNative American
community. Are you guilty of these?
For example, "She deserved it - look at
how she dresses and/or acts. She was
drinking and passed out He was right.
He's just being a man." There are
numerous other examples that are idiotic
and sexist ideas that I have actually
heard Native American men say.
Several months ago, I spoke to a
Native American man about sexual
harassment and he stated to me that
"women want it", "they [women] ask
for it." What did this man mean? It
really offended me that he wouldactually
believe that any woman would want to
be harassed or abused. What did he
mean? This Native American man who
holds a supervisory position at a casino
in the Leech Lake area is guilty of a
phenomenon called "blaming the
victim." This is when the perpetrator
openly states that women are to blame
for what happens to them. They get
what they deserve. Of course, while
wearmgthe androgynous casmouiiiibrm
women automatically become desirous
of every lecherous eye, touch and
proposition. Not!
Sexual harass is unwanted sexual or
Harassment/See Page 3
Midwest Treaty Network schedules meeting
By Mel Rasmussen
The Midwest Treaty Network of
Madison Wisconsin announced their
next meeting date. The meeting will
be at the Lac du Flambeau Community
Center at Lac du Flambeau Indian
Reservation in Wisconsin. The date
will be Saturday, May 29 at 12 noon.
According to Zoltan Grossman this
meeting will coincide with the start of
the construction of a traditional village
on the reservation. Also the main
issues that will be discussed are the
Protect the Earth Gathering, spearing
in Minnesota, mining issues, Prairie
Island nuclear waste disposal, mascots
and other issues.
Grossman stated that Lac du
Flambeau Band member, Nick
Hockings and his wife Charlotte will
be starting their long awaited
construction of a traditional village.
This project has been a dream for the
Hockings for a number of years Nick
Hockings has in the past several years
started to set up the groundwork for
this project through his work with
several different colleges. He has had
different college classes come to Lac
du Flambeau to participate in the
cultural and societal teachings that
were present with the traditional
village life-style. These groups laid
the groundwork for the traditional
village concept.
Grossman stated that part of their
project this year at this meeting is to
get the members of the group back in
touch with the initial realities ofthe
Network. At all of the different events
it was felt that it was important to
bring back the humanness into focus
and in scale. The theme for this will
be called 'Getting Back to Our Roots.'
This means going back to the feeling
of earlier gatherings, before there was
a separation between 'experts/
entertainers' and 'audiences.' There
would still be speakers and cultural
performers. But the idea is to let the
gathering become an experience of
learning and inspiration.
The Protect the Earth gathering is
scheduled for July 30 to August 1,
1993. The location will also be in Lac
du Flambeau, Wisconsin. Among the
different discussion circles will be the
continuation of the mining
information, anti-mining strategies,
opposing nuclear threats, treaties/
sovereignly, religious freedom,
women's/men's/kids" circles, life and
the environment in urban areas,
education in the schools, the role of
Native support groups, and other
concerns. This year the Midwest Treaty
Network nas been given the main role or
organi/ing this gathering.
Grossman went on to talk about the
need for continuing support for the
Anishinabe Liberation Front and the
legal support that is starting for the
elders who were arrested at Mille Lacs
Lake. These elders were Bea Swanson
(WhiteEarth Reservation), MikeChosa
(LacduFlambeauReservation), George
Cardinal (KeneenawBay Reservation).
These spearers are now looking for
financial and organizational support
with their court cases. For further
informationyoucan contact ChiefHole-
in-the-Day VII (Clifford Skinaway) at
218-426-3832. Grossman state that by
supporting these spearers, we can help
erase the artificial borders that divide
the Anishinabe Nation.
Grossman was looking forward to the
support and the continuing growth of
the Midwest Treaty Network. If anybody
was interested in becoming involved
they can contact the Network at their
Madison offices. The address is Midwest
Treaty Network, 731 State Street,
Madison, Wisconsin, 53703. The
Madison Hotline is 608-249-2390.
ALF (Anishinabe Liberation Front) schedules
meeting at Sandy Lake
Civil Rights Protest over Native American Rights/Page 1
ALF to meet at Sandy Lake Reservation/Page 1
MAIC Business Loan Program under scrutiny again/Page 1
U.S. Supreme Court decision affects tribal sovereignty/Page 2
Update on St Paul Indian issues and problems/Page 1
A treatise on Indian rights and environment/Page 5
The Largest: Weekly Native Newspaper In North America
By Mel Rasmussen
According to members of the
Anishinabe Liberation Front there will
be a meeting at the Sandy Lake
Reservation on May 21 through May
23,1993. The purpose of this meting is
to continue the rallying of support for
AlJaridtJielegalfurdsfortheir arrested
elders. The discussion of issues. All of
the appropriate spring ceremonies,
includingpipe ceremonies, sweat lodges
and feasts.
According to Cliff Skinaway, Chief
Hole-In-The-Day VII the gathering will
consist of opening ceremonies on Friday
evening. Then Saturday will be the
conducting of meeting and discussing
the current Indian issues that are
occurring in Indian Country and that
are affecting all of the citizens of the
United States. During the afternoon
there will be a major discussion
concerning the strip mining issues in
this country and dovetail in with the
ongoing meeting in Lac du Flambeau,
Wisconsin by the Midwest Treaty
Network on May 29th.
On Saturday evening plans have
been scheduled for an evening of
fishing and spearing of some type.
This activity will be a continuation of
the ongoing exercising of the rights
ofthe Anishinabe Nation to exercise
their rights to hunt and gather in all of
the ceded territories.
For further information and directions
to the Sandy Lake Reservation, contact
Clifford Skinaway at 218426-3832.
Inouye: Senate won't take away Indian
Gambling rights
WASHINGTON (AP)
The chairman of the Senate Indian
Affairs Committee said Tuesday he will
propose changes, but not a complete
overhaul, of a 1988 law allowing Indian
tribes to operate casinos. The
announcement by Sen. Daniel Inouye,
D-Hawaii, means that Congress may
not hold the answer to Rhode Island's
pending battle over a casino proposed
by the Narragansett Indians.
After a two-hour private meeting with
eight governors and representatives of
Indian tribes, Inouye sought to assure
tribal leaders that they need not worry
about Congress revoking their right to
organize gambling enterprises. State
governments are arguing that the 1988
Indian Gamimg Regulatory Act allows
Indians too much leeway.' "There is no
need to worry. This is not a process to
repeal the law," Inouye said. "This is
a process to clarify and strengthen the
law."
Rhode Island Gov. Bruce G Sundlun
said after the meeting that he hopes to
talk the Narragansett Indians out of
their proposal to open a casino, inouye
urged Sundlun to try to reach a
compromise with the tribe. "Whilel'm
wilting to sit down and negotiate with
the Narragansett tribe to see if there's a
compromise that can be reached as has
been suggestedby Sen. Inouye, Iwantto
Gambling/See Page 3
The
Native
American
We
Opportunity For AH
—T-
Founded In 1991
HlBrflHHBKS^
Volume 3   Issue Z May 21, 1993
1
Copyright, The Illative
1993
v <li        u      • ■ Photo by gary Blair
Kathleen Messinger makes a statement concerning the abuse of native American Civil Rights and Liberties.
Civil rights protest in Mpls has little effect on
government officials
By Gary Blair
It is now apparent that the Native
American community of Minneapolis has been neglected for so long that
any attempts by community figures to
get Hennepin County and city officals
to stop the civil rights abuse ofNative
Americans has now become ineffective.
On May 19,1993, Clyde Bellecourt
and his version of AIM staged a press
conference and protest march over
the recent incident involving two
Native Americans being transported
in the trunk of a police car to the
Hennepin County Medical Center for
detoxifcation. Bellecourt, who continues to draw heat from the Native
American community for ignoring
the abuse at the recently closed
Hennepin County detox center, staged
an old time AIM protest similar to
that of 25 years ago.
The group started at the Peacemaker Center and made their way
down Franklin Avenue. Moving towards City Hall, they stopped at the
old Hennepin County Detox Center
that was closed last year when client
abuse allegations surfaced. Allegations that Bellecourt admitted he had
known about for the last 10 years but
chose not to address.
The group arrived at City Hall and
met with various county and city officials which included the mayor, one
county commissioner, one city council member, and the chief of police.
The protestors demanded a commitment to investigate allegations of civil
rights abuse against Native Americans and retribution against abuse
perpetrators.
Although the march had begun on
an upbeat note, it quickly became
apparent that this demonstration was
not in the same league as the those
sponsored by AIM in the early days.
Native American elder, Bea
Swanson, delivered one ofthe strongest messages at the protest meeting.
She pointed to the American flag and
said to the officials, " How can I
respect your flag when you don't respect mine." [Refering to the
traditional Indian staff carried by protestors.]
During her address, Kathleen
Messinger, spokespersonforthe Native
American Coalition for Civil Rights,
told those same officials,' 'You'll open
up that detox center again over my dead
body."
Spike Moss, an activist from the Afro
American community also delievcd a
powerful speech. Atone point he stated,
"Sixty percent of Native American
males don't have jobs and when they
get involved in crime and violence and
turn to alcohol and drugs you blame
them."
Considering his position as protest
organizer, Clyde Bellecourt's speech
was a disappointment. It was obvious
that he did not intend to put himself on
the line and really push the issues. It
would have been appropriate in this
instance for him to reveal intentions of
aggressive legal action in response to
the complacency shown by the officials
in his audience. No such mention was
made, however.
It would appear that Bellecourt has
found himself in a serious conflict of
interest situation He receives considerable funds from both the county and the
city to operate his Peace Maker Center.
Funds from which he draws a generous
salary.
Statements made by government of-
ficialswere not worthy ofmention here.
Suffice it to say that they expressed a
desire to' 'continue dialogue'' with the
Native American community.
The meeting broke up somewhat
abruptly with Clyde Bellecourt still
standing at the podium, watching his
audience get up and leave the room.
70 percent of MIAC business loans may never
be repaid
By Bill Lawrence
According to information obtained
from the Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council (MIAC) via a Minnesota Data
Practices Act request, the Press
learned that nearly 70% or 50 ofthe
70 outstanding loans from MIAC's
' Indian Business Loan Program will
probably never be repaid. Since its
inception in 1981, the Indian Business
Loan Program has essentially written
off 13 business loans.
Thirty-four more loans are currently
carried as delinquent and appear
headed for the same fate. Eleven of
the loans presently carried on the
books of the MIAC as delinquent
have not had a loan payment for over
two years. In addition, five others
have only received minimal payments
in the same period of time.
In terms of dollars, the 70 loans
made to date by the MIAC total
$1,119,308. The 13 loans that were
made to business's that have gone
under and written offby MIAC add up
to $180,437. The 34 loans currently
carried as delinquent add up to
$592,729. The MIAC considers 13
loans with a dollar value of $240,975,
to be current The current classification
is highly questionable since one loan
made in 1985, for $25,000, has only
been paid down to $20,195.57 as of
April 30, 1993. This amounts to a
total payment of $4,804.43 or $50.05
per month for the 96 months that this
loan has been in existence. There are
two loans in the amount of $66,235,
for Red Lake tribal members pending.
The Amountthat is presently available
for lending to eligible tribal members
is$680,356. To date Leech Lake tribal
members have received 26 loans,
White Earth tribal members 21, Bois
Forte 6, Fond Du Lac 5, Lower Sioux
2, Red Lake 2, Grand Portage 1, Mille
Lacs 0, Upper Sioux 0, Shakopee 0,
and Prairie Island 0.
On the positive side 10 loans totally
$105,563, have been paid in full by
loan recipients. The Press's review of
the information received from the
MIAC, which was often incomplete,
MAIC/SeePage6