The Native American Press (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1993-07-16

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Senator Inouye briefs colleagues on Indian
Gaming issues
By Mel Rasmussen
Below is the full text of what Senator
Danuel Inouye, (D-HI) told his
colleagues in the United States Senate.
This is in response to a recent bill
introduced in both houses of Congress.
Thisbill has beencalled die Trump Bill.
This is because of their authorship by
members ofthe New Jersey delegation
who are tryingto protectDonald Trump's
Casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The purpose of this bill is to amend the
Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
****
Mr. President, I rise... (in) response
to calls that I have been receiving from
some of my colleagues in the House and
Senate in an effort to clarify some
apparent misconceptions mat resulted
from remarks made in apress conference
... in the Senate television gallery
announcing the inUoduction of a bill to
amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory
Act (IGRA) of 1988.
While I was not present at the press
conference ... in which Members of
the Congress announced the introduction of a bill that is titled, the
Gaming Integrity and State Law Enforcement Act of 1993. I have now
reviewed the proceedings ofthe conference, and because there were
certain statements made that might
be misconstrued by those that may be
less familiar with the provisions of
die IGRA, I welcome this opportunity to clarify the intent ofthe act and
its provisions.
It seems to me that the concerns
expressed by my colleagues in the
House and Senate ... are centered in
two major areas: First, a concern that
the State and tribal governments are
not providing the kind of regulation
of class III gaming that is provided in
the States of Nevada and New Jersey;
and second, a concern that States
don't have the means to determine
the scope of gaming that will be conducted within each State.
Before addressing each of these
concerns and some ofthe other points
that were raised ... I believe it is
helpful to review the basic structure
of fire act as it relates to these concerns.
The IGRA of 1988 classified all
gaming activities into three classes:
Jim Beattie caught imposing A.I.M.'s control ofthe news media/Page 4
Jourdain goes to Washington, D.C./Page 6
Melchoir explains the deep freeze/ Page 5
I.H.S. medical practices questioned in cartoon/ Page 4
Grandpa discusses Numismatics/ Page 3
Jimmy "Ironlegs" Weaver is on the move/Page 1
The Largest Weekly Native Newspaper in North America
[	
The
1
Inouye/See Page 3
Indian   Health   board   Director  faces
discrimination charges
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The
Minnesota Department of Human
Rights said Monday that the executive
director ofthe Indian Health Board is
accused of making derogatory remarks
about American Indian employees.
Human Rights Commissioner David
Beaulieu filed discrimination charges
Friday against the board and Norine
Smith, saying Smith Ueated employees
differently based on their race and
spiritual beliefs.
Many employees who complained
about the treatment were fired,
Beaulieu said. "American Indians
are diverse racially and tribally as
well as religiously and spiritually,
and this diversity should have no
bearing on the manner in which they
are regarded at work,'' Beaulieu said.
About eight out of the board's 22
employees complained they were
discriminated against, Beaulieu said.
Smith, who also is American Indian,
did not immediately return a phone
call.
Accusations against Smith include
making derogatory statements about
the cultural and spiritual practices of
some tribes that staff members are
affiliated with; describing some
employees   as   "half-breeds;"
describing employeesas' 'alcoholics"
and "from dysfunctional families"
because they are Indians; revealing
confidences disclosed during spiritual
ceremonies and laying off people who
complained.
The Indian Health Board is a publicly
funded program providing medical,
dental and psychological care to
American Indians. Previous complaints
had been sent to Dr. Kathy Annette,
Area Director of Indian Health Service
in Bemidji. IHS is the parent
organization of the IndianHealth Board.
The board has 30 days to respond, then
a three-month investigation will begin.
American
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
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Founded in 1991       Volume 3   Issue 10      July 16, 1993
1
Copyright:, The Native American Press, 1 993
UFO sighted on Leech Lake Reservation
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Jimmy Weaver, AKA "IronLegs"
Have you seen this
Elder?
If you sight him, contact the
PRESS as soon as possible
at 1-218-751-1655 before
we have to place his face on
a milk carton. Your stories
and reports are important!!!
By Frank Bibeau
Last Saturday morning I was coming
back home to Ball Club and saw one
of our elders walking by the REZ
ROAD heading back into town. As I
came nearer I recognized him as an
Unusually Fortuitous Ojibwe with a
mission.
It was Jim "Iron Legs" Weaver,
living up to his name, walking to the
city of our Great White Fathers
Washington, D.C, or more
particularly toour new President, Bill
Clinton.
I quickly spun around to greet and
visit with Jim. As I got out of my car
I could see Jim was travelling very
light, with only a small backpack. As
I came around my car Jim pressed his
walking staff into the shoulder ofthe
road and we shook hands. It is a fine
willow staff with an eagle head carved
at the top with a ring of several eagle
feathers bound below the neck waving
in the breeze.
We discussed the need of his journey
and the hopeful outcomes and traded
some paper. I gave a supporting
contribution to his noble campaign,
and Jim gave me a copy ofhis letter to
our President Clinton.
But our visit was brief, for as much
a pleasure it was to visit, we both knew
he must return to his mission. I wanted
to offer a ride, but knew better. I then
bid him safe journey, he lifted his
eagle staff, and we waived and went
our ways.
As Jim got smaller in my rear view
mirror I felt pride and contentment in
having the good luck and honor to
meet such a positive elder role model
on his mission. The power of that
meeting made me want to share this
story. But more importantly, it made!
me mad that one of our Anishinabe*
Elders must go to this extreme to make
a point and hopefully effect change. I
also realized that I am not doing all I can,
so I am sharing this story, and then I too
will write to the President, asking him to
meet Jim part way.
So ifyou see Jim "Iron Legs" Weaver
on his journey to D.C, stop, visit, and
share. For he is doing something
important for all of us tiiat we can't
always do for ourselves. And take note,
for this is what an Anishinabe Warrior
looks like in the 1990's.
Photo submitted by U ofM
V of M Summer Institute students (left to tight): Jori White, Ronald Oakgrove and Jennifer Meyers
U of M program helps minority students adjust
to college life
New "Native Temps" employment service
opens soon
By Gary Blair
The Anishinabe Council of Job
Developers has now added a for-profit,
regenerative funding arm to the eight-
year-old employment program for
Native Americans in the Twin Cities.
Wilma Mason, Executive Director
for ACJD, says that this new service
is called "Native Temps."
Mason explained, "The temporary
employment component will help
address the growing employment
problem affecting Indian people. The
main objective for the new service
will be to get people into regular jobs
by starting them out in a temporary
position."
"We'll be looking for people with
various job skills levels, from highly
technical to the unskilled," she
continued. ACJD recently relocated
to 2309 Nicollet Avenue South, Suite
#103, in Minneapolis.
Mason stated, "We have 67
employers that we'll be working with
and our goal will be to have 39 clients
in full-time employment within our
first year of operation."
The new temporary job service will
place workers at three of the area's
major casinos; Mystic Lake, Grand
Casino Hinckley and Grand Casino
Milacs. "These casinos have
positions open for help on weekends,''
Mason said.
The service will employ three full-
time staff members to manage the
business. Dick Aasen will serve as
Business Manager. Aasen is from the
Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation
in North Dakota and was out of the
office at the time of the PRESS
interview. Richard Mason, is their
Recruitment Coordinator. Mason is
from the Red Lake Reservation in
northern Minnesota.
In addition to matching people with
positions, Native Temps will assist
the employees with transportation to
and from work.They have leased a
van for this purpose and will be hiring
a driver very soon.
According to Mason, the business
got its start with a one-year grant
from Assistance for Native Americans
with matching funds from the Dayton
Hudson Foundation.
Mason concluded, "We think our
numbers for success within one year
are very conservative." She added,
'' We planned the service for two years
and we think we've thought of
everything that will make it
successful.We've even included a
stipend for day care.''
Minneapolis, MN-- Thanks to a
University of Minnesota summer
program, Red Lake native Ronald
Oakgrove won't feel like a
stranger in a big city when he
enrolls at the university this fall.
Oakgrove, a transfer student
from Bemidji State University who
plans to major in the medical field,
is one of 165 incoming students
participating in the university's
Summer Institute, an eight-week
program sponsored by the Office
for Minority and Special Student
Affairs (OMSSA) to help students
develop college-level skills so that
they can successfully pursue their
degrees at the university.
All institute participants receive stipends to cover tuition,
fees and housing.  They take
classes in English, mathematics
or computer science and work
closely with counselors at the
learning resource centers to learn
study habits, time and financial
management, note and test taking, research techniques and other
academic survival skills. In addition to classes, participants are
introduced to the university and
the Twin Cities through tours of
libraries, theaters and other cultural and recreational spots.
"This program is going to open
doors for me to the university,"
said Oakgrove. "The university is
big and exciting and I've met a lot
of new friends from different cultures. When I come here this fall
I'll be confident, have friends and
won'tbe alone. It also will sharpen
my skills in computer and mathematics."
Jennifer Meyers, another Summer Institute student, admitted she
was at first a bit overwhelmed by
the program's demand. "It pushes
me to study and do good in
school," said Meyers, a freshman
from Portland, Ore. "They let us
know that we are not here to mess
around; we are here to go to school
and learn."
But Meyers has adjusted to the
rigorous academic schedule and appreciates the services the institute
provides. "I don't know what I would
have done without this program,"
Meyers said. "Instead of taking a big
jump at the university this fall, this
program gives me more self-confidence about going to school.''
People of Phillips Pow WowCommittee meets
Mpls Park Board
POP holds meeting on Phillips Neighborhood
Housing Trust
By Delvin Cree
On Monday July 26th, at 7:00 PM the
People of Phillips[POP] Neighborhood
Organization will be havingyet another
meeting regarding the moritorium
previously placed on Phillips
Neighborhood Housing Trust [PNHT]
in Minneapolis.
PNHT is a non-profit housing agency
in tiie Phillips neighborhood whose
rental units are predominately occupied
by people of color.
The moritorium against PNHT
resulted after findings of sub-standard
housing conditions, practices of
discrimination against tenants, an
unusually high rate of evictions, and
other problems.
Dorm Vargas, Director ofthe People
ofPhillips Neighborhood Organization,
said in a brief interview on Tuesday,
July 13th, "We are hoping to address
the concerns rai sed by both the previous
and present residents of PNHT.
ChristopherOwens [Director ofPNHT]
is supposed to attend the meeting to
answer questions."
Last month's meeting, held at the
People of Philips office, was tabled so
that past and present residents ofPNHT
would have an opportunity to present
their concerns to Executive Director
Owens at the July 26th meeting.
Tenants who did show up for last
month's meeting expressed their
concern over the racist remarks they
had been subjected to by PNHT staff.
They explained that African-American
people have been called things such as
'' porch monkeys'' and' 'drug dealers''
while Native Americans are commonly
referred to as drunks by staff members.
There was also a barrage of complaints
regarding PNHT board of director
elections in which people accused a
certain staff member of "stacking the
poles" to getfriendsandfamily members
onto the board. It is expected that these
specific concerns will be addressed at
the July 26th meeting as well.
The People ofPhillips Neighborhood
Organization will make a
recommendation that evening and
forward it to the Executive Council and
an overall decision will be made as to
where the moritorium stands.
By Mel Rasmussen
June28,1993, the People ofPhillips
(POP) Pow Wow Committee met with
the Minneapolis Park Board to deal
with the major screw up and
boondoggle that occurred with this
years Pow Wow. In the June 18,1993,
edition ofthe PRESS it was reported
that because park construction was
occurring that POP would have to
change their location.
Because of this flap the Minneapolis
Park Board has become subject to
unfavorable press and is trying to
make some type of restitution to POP.
Press coverage alone has not caused
the Minneapolis Park Board to squirm
as much as having community
members contacting them and voicing
their displeasure.
The Minneapolis Park Board must
be recognized as the separate entity
that it is. It answers neither to the City
of Minneapolis or Hennepin County.
The Park Board was given its charter
and operating privileges by the State
ofMinnesota and is in and by itself a
separate   governmental   entity
complete with its own police force
and charter.
At the June meeting the Park Board
met with the POP and other
community members. According to
community members inattendance at
this meeting the Park Board wanted
to know what all ofthe confusion was
about and why it happened. At no
time could the Park Board members
in attendance give an explanation
why the reseedi ng project was allowed
to occur. They did say that they would
investigate and find out why this error
occurred. However, the flimsy excuse
that appeared to come to the forefront
was that it was up to the contractors
who decided when they wanted to do
the project and not the Park Board.
The strange point here is that there
had to be a scheduled time for this
project and a work order set up. So
someone had to be responsible in the
Park Board system and must be held
responsible for this gross error of
judgement.
In attendance were two members
from the Park Board and staff
members from the parks affected. Also
at the meeting were members from
the Pow Wow committee and the
People of Phillips neighborhood. The
two members from the Park Board
were Annie Young, Commissioner,
and Mary Anderson, who is an
Assistant Commissioner forthe park
board.
During the problems of the
misplaced Pow Wow the park board
attempted to try and correct some of
these errors. One of their correction
plans was that there would be shuttle
busses to the new site. However, this
was abandaidapproach as there were
a great number of vendors and
participants from out of town who
came for this annual event who did
not know of this change and were
inconvenienced by the changes.
According to members ofthe Pow Wow
committee there will be another meeting
on August 5,1993. However, there have
been indications that there is not a
decided date for next years event. Stay
tuned for follow-ups on the Minneapolis
Park Board's actions toward the
community in making next year's event
work in a more orderly manner.
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