The Ojibwe News (Bemidji, Minnesota), 1997-05-09

              FBI confirms probe into Parker killing
By Gary Blair
"They tried to make me cry, Ma, but
I won't cry," 21 year-old Gene Parker
told his mother, Judy Barrett, two days
before she gave doctors at Hennepin
County Medical Center permission to
remove her son from life-support
machines after learning that he was brain
dead.
"He told me that the police had taken
him down by the river and they had
beaten him up," Judy Barrett said last
Saturday. Parker was found in a trash
dumpster on April 16th at the corner of
36th Avenue and E. Lake Street in
Minneapolis.
A press release issued by the
Minneapolis Police Department shortly
after Parker was found stated that he was
helped from the dumpster by police
officers and that he refused help and then
called a relative and was taken home.
The press release also said that Parker
was later taken to the hospital when he
could not be awakened after he had went
to bed earlier that day.
The victim's younger brother is being
held in the April 5th shooting death of
13 year-old Anthony WhiteOwl, and
police believe that the beating could
have been gang retaliation. However,
according to the same press release, the
Minneapolis Police Department is also
investigating the possibility that Parker's
death was the result of police action.
"In the matter of the death of Gene
Parker, the Minneapolis office of the
FBI   has   begun   a   preliminary
investigation," Minnesota U.S. Attorney
David Lillehaug said on Tuesday of this
week.
The following day, special agent David
Sid, who is in charge of the Minnesota
office of the FBI, confirmed that he has
assigned one of his agents to start the
Parker investigation. "If the Indian
community is fearful of one bad police
officer, it makes the other good police
officers'jobs more difficult," Sid said.
A source in the Minneapolis Indian
Community who asked not to be
identified had this to say about Sid's
remarks, "That's maybe true, but we
can't tell who the good officers are
anymore." The U.S. Justice Department
and the FBI are conducting a separate
Killing cont'd on 5
MCT-TEC quarterly meeting was well-
attended, but adjourns early due to protest
By Anne Dunn
Mahnomen, MN—Although the
May 2nd, Minnesota Chippewa Tribe-
Tribal Executive Committee's
quarterly meeting was well-attended,
it adjourned early and several officials
left the Wigwam Room of the
Shooting Star Casino.
Prior to the meeting George Bush
Fairbanks, Pine Point elder and
spiritual advisor, offered a smudge and
pipe ceremony.
According to Fairbanks this was the
first TEC meeting ever held on the
White Earth Reservation and he was
honored to bring the pipe to this
important event. He asked attendees
to respect the pipe and conduct the
meeting in a manner which would
reflect well on tribal people.
Burton "Luke" Wilson, Leech Lake
General Council representative for
Minneapolis, presented a written
challenge concerning Election
ordinance No. 6, Article III, which
concerns the residency requirement.
Wilson wants it reduced from one year
to 90 days. The challenge was
accepted for consideration.
The first item on the agenda was the
swearing in of newly-elected
Reservation Business Committee
officials Erma Vizenor of White Earth
and Linda Johnston of Leech Lake.
The swearing-in was followed by a
loud mix of booing, name-calling and
applause.
Although elder Fairbanks asked the
crowd to refrain from disrespectful
conduct in the presence of the pipe,
the disruption continued. So he took
the pipe and left.
MCT Executive Director Gary
Frazer attempted to continue the
meeting but Linda Bellanger, White
Earth, interrupted the nomination of
officers to request that TEC President
Norman Deschampe, Grand Portage,
respond to questions from the people
before proceeding further with the
agenda.
Boone Wadena, White Earth,
declared that since White Earth
officials had failed to comply with the
constitution, he was taking his people
and returning to Gull Lake. "But I will
start a fire at White Earth," he
MCT-TEC cont'd on 3
Vizenor, McArthur exit TEC meeting after
being sworn in, shouted down
By Jeff Armstrong
Confronted by vocal challenges from
a range of political opponents, White
Earth chairman Eugene (Bugger)
McArthur and secretary treasurer
Erma Vizenor walked out ofa May 2
meeting of the six-reservation
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe's 12-
member Tribal Executive Committee
(TEC).
The host officials' abrupt departure
less than an hour into the session
brought to a close the first public TEC
meeting held on White Earth in more
than a decade. Recently elected on a
platform of open government and
political reform, Vizenor and
McArthur's retreat was clearly a blow
to their governing Reservation
Business Committee, which had billed
the event as a historic break from a
"20-year dictatorship" under
imprisoned former White Earth RBC
chairman and TEC president Darrell
(Chip) Wadena.
At the meeting, however, several
veterans of the former anti-Wadena
alliance known as Camp Justice
accused Vizenor and McArthur of
betraying their commitment to
constitutional change and treaty rights.
Shortly after McArthur nominated
incumbent TEC president Norman
Deschampe to another term, former
Camp Justice supporter Linda
Bellanger of White Earth walked to
the front of the Shooting Star Casino
Wigwam Room to address the
committee and a standing-room-only
crowd of about 150.
More dismissed Natives join in suing
Minneapolis over psychological tests
By Gary Blair
Another Native American plans to
file a lawsuit after being fired nearly
two years ago for failing a
psychological test administered by the
Minneapolis Fire Department.
Last week, 27 year-old Mark
Metsala, an enrollee from the White
Earth reservation, attended a
Minneapolis firefighter's steering
committee meeting. There he told the
group he was terminated shortly after
being evaluated by psychologist
Marvin Logel. Logel's past
recommendations are now being
challenged by at least five other
minority fire cadets terminated for the
same reason.
The firefighter steering committee is
sanctioned by a 25 year-old federal
court order to assist in the integration
of the Minneapolis Fire Department.
Monty Leon is another Native
American who plans to sue the city for
his dismissal after he failed Dr. Logel's
psychological examination. The other
fire cadets who were terminated for
failing the psychological screening are
black males.
At the time that Metsala was
excepted as a city fire cadet, he had
just been honorably discharged from
the U.S. Marines Corps, where he had
seen combat duty in Kuwait for which
he had been decorated. "I had passed
all of my education testing with grades
that were above average. I don't have
any criminal background. I just
wanted to be a firefighter," said
Metsala, who had just jogged from
downtown Minneapolis to meet with
the PRESS at 26th and Hennepin
Avenue South for the interview on
Tuesday evening.
"I am not after the money, all I want
is a fair shot at the job. And why the
Mayor hasn't done anything about this
—I don't understand. Isn't she a black
women?" Metsala added.
"I wasn't given any veteran's
"I have a right to speak. It's a crucial
time for our land," said Bellanger, as
TEC officials tried vainly to carry on
business over her voice. "You're
making moves on our land, our
resources," said the Anishinabe
woman, in reference to a closely
guarded $20 million offer by the U.S.
Justice Department to settle tribal land
claims involving more than 800,000
on-reservation acres. "We're living in
the time of the prophecies," she said.
Security supervisor Del Allen, who
had previously attempted to search
this reporter, began moving toward
Bellanger, but was deterred by an
eagle feather held in his path by Dale
Greene, Jr. of Fond du Lac. Allen then
called in additional security officers,
Meeting cont'd on 5
preference when I was hired, like I was
supposed to have received, nor was I
told about my right to appeal as a
veteran when I was terminated,"
Metsala continued.
Metsala, who was adopted as a
baby, said he is enrolled at White
Earth as a full-blood Indian. Metsala's
efforts to become a Minneapolis
firefighter will also be supported by
the American Indian Firefighters
Association, headed by chairperson
Mike Beaulieu.
Five of the fire cadets who were
terminated last fall are presently
receiving their regular training wages
from the city. They're waiting for a
federal judge to rule on contempt
charges against the City of
Minneapolis for its failure to comply
with the 25 year old court order that
called for the integration of the city's
fire department. That ruling is due
sometime this week.
By Robert Whereatt and Jay Weiner
Minneapolis Star Tribune Staff Writers
Senate Majority Leader Roger
Moe on Tuesday said the Legislature
should wait until 1998 to make a
decision on a new Twins ballpark,
giving legislators the summer and fall
to nail down specifics, including a
funding source and a final, elusive cost
for the facility.
"That would be my preference now,"
Moe told reporters. But Gov. Arne
Carlson rejected any delay beyond the
scheduled adjournment 12 days from
today.
"This bill deserves to be voted up or
down prior to the 19th of May," he
said in response to Moe's comments.
"And every legislator should have
the opportunity to vote on it. If it loses,
the public will know who is
accountable."
Moe's suggestion was further
evidence that the only thing more fluid
and distended this spring than the
stadium debate is the Red River. He
said Twins owner Carl Pohlad would
like to have a definitive answer this
year, but that may not be in the best
interest of the state.
"If it means that we take some time
over the interim, spell out exactly what
is needed, what we can agree on in
terms of a facility, and then look at
FBI confirms probe into Parker killing
MCT-TEC quarterly meeting adjourns early
Celebration Held for New W.E. Administration
Tribes to participate in fetal alcohol study/ pg 3
Justice Dept. seeks deadline for land claims/ pg 5
Voice of the People
1
Moe says it's in ballpark's best interest to
wait    More orderly process seen for '98 session
Fifty Cents
Ojibwe
News
We Support Equal Opportunity For All People
Founded   In 19BB
Volume 9    laaue 30
May 9, 1997
1
A weekly publication.
Copyright, The Ojibwe News, 1 997
various financing options, and then
present that back to the '98 session
seems tome a much more orderly
process," said Moe, DFL-Erskine.
House Speaker Phil Carruthers,
DFL-Brooklyn Center, a critic of a
state-financed stadium, stopped short
of endorsing Moe's preference to
postpone a decision. But asked if he
had a preference, Carruthers said, "I'm
certainly not ready to vote on it."
GOP leader criticized
Sen. Dick Day, R^Owatonna,
criticized his caucus leader for
withdrawing his support for legislation
Interest cont'd on 3
Young dancers make their way into the arena at the 24th Annual BSU-Council Indian Student's powwow.
Celebration Held for New White Earth
Administration
By Julie Shortridge
A community celebration for new
White Earth government officials
elected over the past year was held
Saturday, May 3, from 1:00pm-
midnight at Shooting Star Casino in
Mahnomen. The officials honored
included Chief Executive Eugene
("Bugger") McArthur, Secretary/
Treasurer Erma Vizenor, District I
Rep. Irene Auginaush-Turney, and
District III Rep. John Buckanaga.
Choosing not to participate in the
day's events was District II
Representative Anthony Wadena, who
has been in office since 1990, and is
the son of now-imprisoned former
Chief Executive Chip Wadena. Chip
Wadena dominated White Earth
politics for 20 years and is currently
serving a four-year sentence in
Sandstone Federal Prison for multiple
felony convictions stemming from
abuse of power, fraud and stealing
from White Earth people. Charged
with Wadena were former Secretary/
Treasurer Jerry Rawley and former
District I Rep. Rick Clark currently
serving felony sentences in Duluth
Federal Prison.
Renewal, healing, and re-building
were the themes of speeches given by
the newly-elected officials. Chief
Executive Bugger McArthur invited
the citizens of White Earth to
participate in their government, make
suggestions for improvement, and be
a part of decision-making - all of
which will be new for the White Earth
community.
The day's events included
performances by the Pine Point
School Drum Group, the Auginaush
Drum Group, presentation of the
colors by the White Earth Color
Guard, singing of the national anthem
by Joe Vene, a pipe ceremony with
Larry Cloud Morgan, and a blessing
by George "Joe Bush" Fairbanks. The
"Hanks Brothers Band" performed
during the community feast, and
evening dance music was provided by
the   band  "Damnedest  Thing."
Celebrate cont'd on 3
Bemidji Area Race Relations Council
(BARRC) examines human rights issues
By Larry Adams
In an effort to find out why there is
such a racial disparity between Native
people and white people in the Bemidji
area, the Native American Press/Ojibwe
News talked with the Bemidji Area
Race Relations Council (BARRC.)
According to Diana King, the community relations specialist at BARRC,
her administrative staff consists of herself and a receptionist with an office in
Nymore.
From the office near the Showtime
store, BARRC's role is to take race-related complaints from the Bemidji and
surrounding communities.
"People, especially young people call
me up and they, even here in the office,
they say 'We want this racism to end.
I'm tired, they're tired of this racism.
What can we do?' "
That's what my position is primarily,
is to field any complaints from either
side," said King. "If there is a business
that says T've been accused of discrimination, I've tried to work it out with the
employee. Will you assist me in working
that out with the employee?'"
From there, the parties work with
King, who interviews people accused
of discrimination to assess their need for
advocacy services, educates clients
about how the judicial system works and
the procedures they must follow. King
also acts as a community liaison to provide education on cultural sensitivity,
mediate discrimination issues, make referrals for needed services and make
available education materials for em-
Rights cont'd on 3
Tribal Leader: Casino could be jeopardized
by unrest
MOLE LAKE, Wis. (AP) _ A
takeover of the headquarters of the
Mole Lake Chippewa band could
threaten operation of the tribal casino,
a dissident leader says.
"The casino is still running yet, but
I don't know what they are going to
do. I don't know how they are going to
get the payroll out," Al McGeshick
said as the takeover entered its sixth
day today.
The Forest County Sheriff's
Department said no problems were
reported overnight.
McGeshick's group that took over
tribal offices on the Mole Lake, or
Sokaogon, Chippewa Reservation last
Thursday, vowing to stay until Tribal
Chairman Arlyn Ackley resigns and
an audit of tribal finances is completed.
The protest group alleges more than
$300,000 is missing. It used two cars
to block one door into the tribal
headquarters Monday, said
McGeshick, who is Ackley's uncle.
"We are going to stay here as long as
it takes to get our demands done," he
said.
McGeshick, 61, said telephones to
the tribal headquarters were
disconnected, but protesters had access
to cellular telephones and were not
discouraged.
Ackley, paroled from prison in 1991
after being convicted of dealing
cocaine, said the tribal treasurer has
Casino cont'd on 6