And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Mon, 31 May 1999 16:23:24 -0500 (CDT) >From: Duke <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: Northen Plains Media Consortium <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Civil Rights Commission > > >For More Information >Contact: Harold Iron Shield <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Phone: 218-236-5434 > > > >PRESS RELEASE PRESS RELEASE > > >CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP HEARS CONFLICTS FROM NATIVE PEOPLE > By Harold Iron Shield > > > The Minnesota Advisory Committee to the United States Civil Rights >Commission heard testimony from the Native American community members >residing in the City of Moorhead, Minnesota. > They told the stories of victimization of their children while going >to school in the Moorhead School District and while living in Moorhead. >Discrimination and harassment of the native students attending a Moorhead >Public School was cited as being a constant situation. > Pam Renville, a parent of a twelve year daughter who attended a >Moorhead Junior High School testified that her daughter was being harassed >by a non-Indian girl and when her daughter finally rebelled to the >harassment, the school punished her daughter instead. > In her testimony, she also mentioned that her daughter was placed >under arrest and handcuffed by the police and spent the night in jail and >appeared before the Judge the next morning. > According to Renville, she said that her daughter was charged with two >simple assaults and one disorderly conduct and the States Attorney wanted >to keep her in jail for fear that Renville's daughter will be a threat to >the non-Indian girl. > The daughter was released under house arrest for a period of time >until she appear in court for the second time and was given six months for >good behavior. Meanwhile, the non-Indian girl who harassed Renville's >daughter was not punished for her involvement in the incident. > Pam Renville testified that what was done to her daughter was unfair >and is seeking some form of justice for her daughter. > Theodora Menge, a member of the White Earth Ojibway Nation also >testified about how her family faced harassment, discrimination and racism >in the Fargo-Moorhead area. > "As a low income Native American I run into opinions from people who >think I am uneducated or have bad habits like drinking, bar hopping or >they make slurs on my virtue or my parenting skills." > Menge also testified concerning one of her son's who faced some >harassment from non-Indian kids who called him names and slapped him in >the back of the head. She said that both boys were taken to the office >and the other boy was sent back to class and a discussion developed about >the incident with the vice-principal and he was under the impression that >Menge's son was the culprit. > The focus of the testimony by Menge also highlights the stereotypes, >assumptions many people have about minorities when doing the same things >as white people. > And I testified as a worker in the Moorhead community and gave >testimony regarding incidents that were given to me over the phone or >written by those who were aware of the incidents. One incident involved a >Native American couple who every morning burned sage for a time of prayer >to start the day. > This was a daily routine and finally neighbors in the apartment >building complain that the couple had been smoking pot and told the >landlord who then accused them of the same thing. > The Native American couple tried to explain that the smell of sage >when burned has a similar smell to pot. After numerous attempts of >explanations the landlord issued an eviction notice. This incident is >blamed on cultural insensitivity and the unwillingness to listen. > Another incident that was cited is becoming suspects in businesses >that we enter as minorities. Being followed around by store workers who >go undercover to make sure we don't shoplift or steal merchandise from >their business. > A school incident in Moorhead where a young Native American boy had >his braids cut off by non-Indian students. And the young Native American >student was suspended from school over the incident. > With all of the testimony given in the two day period, it makes me >question the value of cultural diversity and it's effectiveness in the >Fargo-Moorhead area. Racism is still here in many of the businesses, >Police Department, City Government and the School District as we heard the >testimonies and conflicts presented to the Advisory Commission for the >United States Commission on Civil Rights. > As testimony was given we who spoke out about the unwanted conflicts >we become victimized as troublemakers in the city of Moorhead. It's not >taken as a concern in the community. Instead, it gets misinterpreted. > Lastly, my testimony called for an understanding, a true understanding >that we the people that come from various tribal nations carry the burden >of our forefathers as we attempt to live amongst those who hate us. That >is a dishonor to our existence. > > > > > Reprinted under the fair use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html doctrine of international copyright law. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
