The Dairyman Blues was filmed near the Yakama people; it includes people from on the reservation or those concerned about the water/air quality on or near the Yakama Indian Reservation.
It certainly raises questions, whether you're against it or in support of the video, if you have unanswered questions, you are right with the people who live there and have questions about their own health.
Thank a local farmer or rancher for keeping his business going and keeping out monstrous operations.
click here to see "Dairyman Blues" by Michael Harris
Jan Whitefoot is a Yakama Nation Member who has questions that maybe we all ought to be asking. She certainly has a Native "land" Issue.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
More "news" for Larry Echo Hawk on the Haskell Indian Nations University Status
Apparently, it is with some (righteous ?) anger that some are accepting the many-headed style of leadership at Haskell Indian Nations University. It appears from what has been posted (and as of yet unverified) that Dr. Warner is gone until January (really?) so another professor will take over acting duties until the man who was supposed to be acting president gets back, but then again no...On Friday Dr. Gillis will take over, until the man who was supposed to be acting president gets back from who-knows-where.
It would appear that the lack of leadership, and the lack of explanation, leaves one to fill in the blanks where honest apologies, and explanations should exist.
Perhaps as the un-verified information below states, Larry Echo Hawk can take a look at it and make more sense than the rest of us. The poster requests that Larry look at it, so it is being presented here with no valid citation, but then Indian Country never needed any more citation than a request from someone needing help.
"
It would appear that the lack of leadership, and the lack of explanation, leaves one to fill in the blanks where honest apologies, and explanations should exist.
Perhaps as the un-verified information below states, Larry Echo Hawk can take a look at it and make more sense than the rest of us. The poster requests that Larry look at it, so it is being presented here with no valid citation, but then Indian Country never needed any more citation than a request from someone needing help.
"
Former Haskell V.P. (allegedly) makes a plea to Larry Echo Hawk
- Against better judgement, I am re-posting what was left as a comment on this blog. If anyone knows the whereabouts of Dr. Ted Wright, please have him contact this blog with a comment about where I can verify or refute that this letter came from him.
I spoke with some former professors who are still inside and the news was not good to hear. You expect that the professors who inspired you to go out and make a difference would not speak in such grave tones about what was going on. Now there are rumors of gag-orders across campus. There must be something going on. Whether it is good or bad, remains to be seen.
There are a select few students and "Dr. Wright" who wish to have an audience with Larry Echo Hawk, the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs. I would hope that if there are valid concerns that more news would follow about how to go about this process. It takes a strong person to stand up and ask for help. I was thankful for Dr. Karen Swisher's open-door policy when she was President of Haskell Indian Nations University. We severely tested her knowledge, her forthrightness and her patience I am sure. But in the end, she came across as polite, professional, accountable, and more importantly, as someone who genuinely cared about the students and was cognizant that her actions had an impact that although not always welcome were taken with a heart for the future of the Indian Student.
What follows is complete heresay until Dr. Ted Wright can be reached to verify the information contained herein.
- "Anonymous said...
HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY EX-VP BECOMES WHISTLE BLOWER
The Honorable Secretary Ken Salazar Department of the Interior Members of the United States Senate
Dear Sirs:
I have read with interest the comments and criticisms about recent Bureau of Indian Education actions, particularly at the post-secondary level. I know that employees within that organization have been threatened if they make unauthorized comments to the press; so, I am sure that most of those individuals would not risk their livelihoods to speak up as a single voice.
This letter is a request to do a thorough investigation of management practices at the post-secondary level, particularly at Haskell Indian Nations University.
Unfortunately, Haskell employs a group of about seven individuals who actively work against the administration. This group has been vocal, and since the Bureau of Indian Education ( BIE ) maintains a policy that does not allow administrators to respond, only misinformation, rumor, and innuendos are spread to the public, to the students, and to Congress.
I agree with a recent blog that said this should be embarrassing to BIE officials; it was embarrassing to me as a native person that the very group of people who should have native students in mind actually worked to create an environment of fictional drama on campus that was detrimental to the University’s attempt to live up to its potential.
Issues that need scrutiny :
1.
Dismantling of the federally legislated demonstration Health Education and Wellness Program program.
2.
Hiring practices at Haskell Indian Nations University and at central office, with oversight of post-secondary.
3.
Mismanagement of personnel issues at central office ensuring continuation of “hostile work environment.”
4.
Personnel who “cyber-bully” and promote misinformation to create dissonance.
5.
Ethics violations, such as advocating for your wife’s hire.
6.
Dismantling of The RED Center, the only connection to a university Haskell Indian Nations University can claim.
7.
A private bequest, used as Stephanie Birdwell’s private project account; $3M+ combined for both Haskell and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute. (Specifically, why didn’t the money go to the congressional chartered non-profit the BIE helped establish for the purpose of raising money.)
8.
Central office’s support of the federal union, rather than its own managers. (Specifically look at the legal effects of dismantling the current negotiated bargaining unit for the entire BIE by setting precedent at Haskell). This doesn’t even speak to the impact on student’s lives.
9.
Expenditures for dialogue sessions where no one is allowed to talk except Central Office Staff: do these coincide with other travel and is Haskell paying for this idea?
10.
Dismantling of processes that promote fiscal accountability (saved $150K in food services to see it squandered now) and healthy lifestyles initiatives (try eating in the cafeteria now).
11.
Lack of follow through on Inspector General referrals for mismanagement of money (when directed by the Inspector General’s office to handle the matter).
You have many issues in Interior; I wonder where Native American Students fit in your priorities?
I realize that I will get a form letter back from your staff and that it is highly likely that you will never read this. I am forwarding copies to some of your colleagues in the hopes that someone finally takes the comments about personnel management and supervision seriously. I believe that Ms. Birdwell and others will suggest that you investigate me rather than look at these issues. I am hopeful you will do both.
I would welcome the opportunity to provide you with incidents.
Dr. Ted A Wright
Former Vice President of Haskell Indian Nations University.
Lawrence, Kansas"
Friday, August 7, 2009
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs & Job Training
Bravo to Rep Lynch, Stephen F. , MA; Rep Kaptur, Marcy OH; Rep Lipinski, Daniel IL; Rep Quigley, Mike IL; and Rep Shuler, Heath NC. These distinguished people had an issue and they came up with a solution. They needed (?) Native American Iron workers. Or they wanted them, or they just saw an opportunity to help some Indians in need of work. At any rate, they have begun the long legislative journey to provide a means to that end: H.R.1129.
H.R.1129
This fancy piece of social work just passed by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and they liked it. This will provide (with "available" funds) an annual grant to someone, some corporation, some entity (National Training Center?) to train Indians how to become Iron Workers and then assist them with job placement. BRAVO! BRAVO!
Why didn't anybody do this instead of the current Non-Tribal-Contractor-Friendly Cadastral Surveying Program?
We can do that? We can provide necessary training for a specific need? We don't have to accept all these non-native contractors who will hold their hand out for money every year when we NEED cadastral surveys conducted? We don't have to accept State, County, and City Surveyors who are trained as CFEDS surveyors, and who also hold the distinction of having a conflict of interest as it relates to releasing the survey information publicly, and representing entities with whom we may have border disputes, and tax disputes? Wow!
Someone should make up a bill like this to replace the horrible CFEDS program. It's only feeding contractors annual jobs on our reservations and we get nothing more than a survey from it. We aren't becoming empowered; we really are at the mercy of a bunch of people, even within the federal government who will subvert our sovereignty, or who will release our National information to several government entities that never were empowered to sign treaties with us.
I'm sure that the Senate Committe on Indian Affairs would gladly look a bill like this over and pass it along. The Tribes would.
"Think outside the box because the box probably belongs to a contractor"
This isn't new; read more here:
Surveys on a reservation A penny for your appraisal
A Grand Contracted Mess Yet More Motivations
President Obama's Contract Reform memo, a fix to the Grand Contracting Mess
H.R.1129
This fancy piece of social work just passed by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and they liked it. This will provide (with "available" funds) an annual grant to someone, some corporation, some entity (National Training Center?) to train Indians how to become Iron Workers and then assist them with job placement. BRAVO! BRAVO!
Why didn't anybody do this instead of the current Non-Tribal-Contractor-Friendly Cadastral Surveying Program?
We can do that? We can provide necessary training for a specific need? We don't have to accept all these non-native contractors who will hold their hand out for money every year when we NEED cadastral surveys conducted? We don't have to accept State, County, and City Surveyors who are trained as CFEDS surveyors, and who also hold the distinction of having a conflict of interest as it relates to releasing the survey information publicly, and representing entities with whom we may have border disputes, and tax disputes? Wow!
Someone should make up a bill like this to replace the horrible CFEDS program. It's only feeding contractors annual jobs on our reservations and we get nothing more than a survey from it. We aren't becoming empowered; we really are at the mercy of a bunch of people, even within the federal government who will subvert our sovereignty, or who will release our National information to several government entities that never were empowered to sign treaties with us.
I'm sure that the Senate Committe on Indian Affairs would gladly look a bill like this over and pass it along. The Tribes would.
"Think outside the box because the box probably belongs to a contractor"
This isn't new; read more here:
Surveys on a reservation A penny for your appraisal
A Grand Contracted Mess Yet More Motivations
President Obama's Contract Reform memo, a fix to the Grand Contracting Mess
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The ultimate insult to the Land Exchange
ok, here's a novel idea for those in the Puzzle Palaces across the United States who are looking for something good to do. For those who are at the level to effect some of the detrimental "policies," ruminate over this idea. If you're a Tribal member who is just trying to live, take a listen, think it over and just think how much better some of the things discussed on this blog would be if the policies were construed to really help the average Indian. If you had five minutes with Yvette Roubideaux, newly appointed Director of the Indian Health Service, would you consider discussing this? In Rapid City, Sioux San hospital is in a different IHS world. I know, I've been there. You have to wait hours to get in sometimes. That, however, is better than the lot most of us are dealt away from Sioux San, where we may wait days to get in to see a doctor, or in a few sad instances, the rest of our lives. This is our Indian version of a discussion on Health Care Reform.
The Indian Health Service Problem: Contract Health Services
Let's put some Indians out of jobs. That's all that some people will hear so let's just put that out there up front so at least it's acknowledged. We need to re-evaluate the money that is spent on contract health administration. The ADMINISTRATION of those funds is an area where we can make the greatest, quickest impact. Will we lose jobs? Yes. But when it comes to surgery, treatment, emergency room treatment, medication, dental work, the average Indian will take the treatment over some highly paid administrator's jobs.
When we have to literally be dying on the front steps of a clinic to get a referral for services that are not offered at the IHS clinic, it's high time to shift some of the money to the areas where it's needed. When we have to be the first one to call in the morning to get an appointment, it's time to re-think what injury means to the administrators. When you have to call the day before to get an appointment the next day, it's time to figure out how you're supposed to know if you're going to be sick the next day. When you have to wait weeks to have a dental crown finished, or when you have to go several days with a cavity because you weren't the first to call in for a same-day appointment, it's time to start requiring these highly paid administrators to stand in line at the IHS clinic with the rest of us when their teeth get a cavity. When several million dollars are sitting in reserve at any given IHS clinic, at any regional office, it's insulting that the IHS administrator will deny you a referral, will let you suffer, will let the condition worsen.
So, what to do, what to do? Centralize the process. Issue an IHS insurance card. Re-vamp the rules. If you're an Indian, you already know the obstacles to getting treatment. There is a ton of paperwork that needs to be completed....before you become injured, before a doctor places healing hands on you. If its not, well, guess who gets the bill when you heal? If you don't call within 72 hours of treatment, you get the bill. If you live outside your reservation, you have to prove economic ties to the community where you live, despite the fact that back home, your ancestors signed away land and asked that you receive medical treatment in exchange for that. If you're 18 and nobody ever explained this to you before you got injured, then IHS just saved several thousand dollars because you didn't jump through their hoops. If you never lived off your reservation and nobody explained the rules before you got injured after you moved to another reservation, the IHS Contract health workers will attempt to look woeful when they deny payment because you didn't fill out their paperwork BEFORE you got injured, despite the fact that you have lived in the area much longer than the minimum required as part of the "economic ties theory."
The agreement (treaty) stipulated that we'd exchange part of our land base for several provisions, chief among them, education, and medical treatment. These provisions were sealed in the battle-blood of our ancestors. They never envisioned, nor did they sign provisions, that an Indian Health service would take over the oversight of this health provision and put all kinds of obstacles in the way of meeting the U.S. government's obligation. Look at any treatment today.
We, the infirmed, the injured, the elders, have to "prove" we are "eligible" for treatment.
That wasn't in the treaty.
My grandfather's grandfather didn't expect this to be the way things were. They signed away part of their Native Land in exchange for several key provisions to take care of their grandchildren. They didn't expect for the same Indian Health Service to hold literally millions of dollars in "reserve" year after year after year. The cannons of treaty construction would mean that "reserves" should be construed for a "season," not for years after years after years.
If you read the CFR closely, Title 42 C.F.R 136.23, you will see that service will be provided to certain persons but the requirement for proof is not spelled out. In other words, it should, as any legal eagle will tell you, rest on the Federal government to prove that you are not eligible. There is no provision in the law that stipulates that the person will be penalized with a bill if they do not report their status prior to becoming injured within the boundaries of a service area other than their own service area, even though they have met the economic ties definition and have lived there long enough.
Or, Or, Or...§ 136.25 Reconsideration and appeals. (a) Any person to whom contract health services are denied shall be notifiedof the denial in writing together with a statement of the reason for the denial. ... and then:
(1) May obtain a reconsideration by the appropriate Service Unit Director of the original denial if the applicant submits additional supporting information not previously submitted...
That doesn't always happen, especially if you are dealing with a Contract Health Administrator who is charged with protecting a budget.
So, let's remove several highly paid administration offices, and centralize the process. Issue an IHS insurance card to every tribal member. Then pay the bills to meet the obligation that the United States signed on to in the treaty. The money follows the card, no matter where the tribal member lives. Even if they go to Haskell Indian Nations University, from an off-reservation address, their medical bills will be paid for by the United States in honor of our ancestors' wishes when they signed away some of their land base.
If Yvette Roubideaux was serious about "bringing reform to the IHS and improving the quality of and ACCESS to health care in the IHS," maybe this is a good starting place to generate some ideas about some out-of-the-box crazzzy version of change. Then again, if some crazy lunatic puts another rider on any congressional action, and somebody else is asleep at the wheel again, maybe nothing will change. Maybe Indians will continue to wait for surgeries, continue to wait for dental treatment, continue to wait to see specialists that the IHS doesn't have on staff. Maybe Contract health administrators will continue to get raises for going "under budget" and storing more away in the IHS reserves. Doesn't that seem strange? They do a "good job" by not expending funds that are set aside for our healthcare. Put it all on an IHS charge card and you will find out exactly how much it really costs to uphold the treaty provision. Something needs to change because at this rate we're not going to be getting any better all by ourselves.
"If we're not doing well in certain areas what can we do to make improvements..."
Shake the tree and see what fruit appears, I'm sure we'll all appreciate it.
The Indian Health Service Problem: Contract Health Services
Let's put some Indians out of jobs. That's all that some people will hear so let's just put that out there up front so at least it's acknowledged. We need to re-evaluate the money that is spent on contract health administration. The ADMINISTRATION of those funds is an area where we can make the greatest, quickest impact. Will we lose jobs? Yes. But when it comes to surgery, treatment, emergency room treatment, medication, dental work, the average Indian will take the treatment over some highly paid administrator's jobs.
When we have to literally be dying on the front steps of a clinic to get a referral for services that are not offered at the IHS clinic, it's high time to shift some of the money to the areas where it's needed. When we have to be the first one to call in the morning to get an appointment, it's time to re-think what injury means to the administrators. When you have to call the day before to get an appointment the next day, it's time to figure out how you're supposed to know if you're going to be sick the next day. When you have to wait weeks to have a dental crown finished, or when you have to go several days with a cavity because you weren't the first to call in for a same-day appointment, it's time to start requiring these highly paid administrators to stand in line at the IHS clinic with the rest of us when their teeth get a cavity. When several million dollars are sitting in reserve at any given IHS clinic, at any regional office, it's insulting that the IHS administrator will deny you a referral, will let you suffer, will let the condition worsen.
So, what to do, what to do? Centralize the process. Issue an IHS insurance card. Re-vamp the rules. If you're an Indian, you already know the obstacles to getting treatment. There is a ton of paperwork that needs to be completed....before you become injured, before a doctor places healing hands on you. If its not, well, guess who gets the bill when you heal? If you don't call within 72 hours of treatment, you get the bill. If you live outside your reservation, you have to prove economic ties to the community where you live, despite the fact that back home, your ancestors signed away land and asked that you receive medical treatment in exchange for that. If you're 18 and nobody ever explained this to you before you got injured, then IHS just saved several thousand dollars because you didn't jump through their hoops. If you never lived off your reservation and nobody explained the rules before you got injured after you moved to another reservation, the IHS Contract health workers will attempt to look woeful when they deny payment because you didn't fill out their paperwork BEFORE you got injured, despite the fact that you have lived in the area much longer than the minimum required as part of the "economic ties theory."
The agreement (treaty) stipulated that we'd exchange part of our land base for several provisions, chief among them, education, and medical treatment. These provisions were sealed in the battle-blood of our ancestors. They never envisioned, nor did they sign provisions, that an Indian Health service would take over the oversight of this health provision and put all kinds of obstacles in the way of meeting the U.S. government's obligation. Look at any treatment today.
We, the infirmed, the injured, the elders, have to "prove" we are "eligible" for treatment.
That wasn't in the treaty.
My grandfather's grandfather didn't expect this to be the way things were. They signed away part of their Native Land in exchange for several key provisions to take care of their grandchildren. They didn't expect for the same Indian Health Service to hold literally millions of dollars in "reserve" year after year after year. The cannons of treaty construction would mean that "reserves" should be construed for a "season," not for years after years after years.
If you read the CFR closely, Title 42 C.F.R 136.23, you will see that service will be provided to certain persons but the requirement for proof is not spelled out. In other words, it should, as any legal eagle will tell you, rest on the Federal government to prove that you are not eligible. There is no provision in the law that stipulates that the person will be penalized with a bill if they do not report their status prior to becoming injured within the boundaries of a service area other than their own service area, even though they have met the economic ties definition and have lived there long enough.
Or, Or, Or...§ 136.25 Reconsideration and appeals. (a) Any person to whom contract health services are denied shall be notifiedof the denial in writing together with a statement of the reason for the denial. ... and then:
(1) May obtain a reconsideration by the appropriate Service Unit Director of the original denial if the applicant submits additional supporting information not previously submitted...
That doesn't always happen, especially if you are dealing with a Contract Health Administrator who is charged with protecting a budget.
So, let's remove several highly paid administration offices, and centralize the process. Issue an IHS insurance card to every tribal member. Then pay the bills to meet the obligation that the United States signed on to in the treaty. The money follows the card, no matter where the tribal member lives. Even if they go to Haskell Indian Nations University, from an off-reservation address, their medical bills will be paid for by the United States in honor of our ancestors' wishes when they signed away some of their land base.
If Yvette Roubideaux was serious about "bringing reform to the IHS and improving the quality of and ACCESS to health care in the IHS," maybe this is a good starting place to generate some ideas about some out-of-the-box crazzzy version of change. Then again, if some crazy lunatic puts another rider on any congressional action, and somebody else is asleep at the wheel again, maybe nothing will change. Maybe Indians will continue to wait for surgeries, continue to wait for dental treatment, continue to wait to see specialists that the IHS doesn't have on staff. Maybe Contract health administrators will continue to get raises for going "under budget" and storing more away in the IHS reserves. Doesn't that seem strange? They do a "good job" by not expending funds that are set aside for our healthcare. Put it all on an IHS charge card and you will find out exactly how much it really costs to uphold the treaty provision. Something needs to change because at this rate we're not going to be getting any better all by ourselves.
"If we're not doing well in certain areas what can we do to make improvements..."
Shake the tree and see what fruit appears, I'm sure we'll all appreciate it.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Kimberly Teehee is actually the #2 position in Indian country
Jackie Johnson Pata said [Kim Teehee's] job was really going to hone in on those [domestic] policy issues. Pata also said, Kim's job was like the No. 1 position in Indian Country.
Well that was before Larry Echohawk's second [or were there more?] swearing in ceremony, after which Larry issued his first editorial declaring that "The historical Cherokee Nation as it existed in 1934 no longer exists as a distinct political entity."
Echo Hawk declared a new nation, a new government, a new-tribe-that-will-have-to-negotiate-a-treaty-because-they-didn't-exist-before, until now, when Larry says they do! Larry presented the "New and Improved" Cherokee Nation with two governments for the price of none! A drum roll should have played before he declared the C-N-O! The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and the United Keetoowah Band!
Wow! Shiny enit?
So, I'm curious, if Kim Teehee is No.1, what does she do if an "underling" declares her tribe "moot?" If there is no Historical Cherokee Tribe, since he just dissolved it in his own mind, which tribe does Kim Teehee declare herself a part of? And how does Larry handle the real No.1 position in Indian Country from such a long distance from the President's desk?
Now I'm confused, is there a historical Cherokee Tribe and if it did "sunset" doesn't that mean that since it dissolved, they don't have trust status? If it dissolved, they don't have a government-to-government relationship with the Federal Government right? So, if it really did dissolve before our very eyes, Larry Echo Hawk just outran Congress in the race to dissolve a Tribe.....wow.......he's quick.
Didn't a past BIA employee declare plenary decision-making over tribal governments such as the Northern Cheyenne? Are we right back where we were trying to get away from? Wow, he does work quickly.
Have a "nice" day, and thank you for visiting the "historical" Cherokee Tribe formerly known as a sovereign nation, declared "moot" by a second and successive Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Larry Echo Hawk.
Well that was before Larry Echohawk's second [or were there more?] swearing in ceremony, after which Larry issued his first editorial declaring that "The historical Cherokee Nation as it existed in 1934 no longer exists as a distinct political entity."
Echo Hawk declared a new nation, a new government, a new-tribe-that-will-have-to-negotiate-a-treaty-because-they-didn't-exist-before, until now, when Larry says they do! Larry presented the "New and Improved" Cherokee Nation with two governments for the price of none! A drum roll should have played before he declared the C-N-O! The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and the United Keetoowah Band!
Wow! Shiny enit?
So, I'm curious, if Kim Teehee is No.1, what does she do if an "underling" declares her tribe "moot?" If there is no Historical Cherokee Tribe, since he just dissolved it in his own mind, which tribe does Kim Teehee declare herself a part of? And how does Larry handle the real No.1 position in Indian Country from such a long distance from the President's desk?
Now I'm confused, is there a historical Cherokee Tribe and if it did "sunset" doesn't that mean that since it dissolved, they don't have trust status? If it dissolved, they don't have a government-to-government relationship with the Federal Government right? So, if it really did dissolve before our very eyes, Larry Echo Hawk just outran Congress in the race to dissolve a Tribe.....wow.......he's quick.
Didn't a past BIA employee declare plenary decision-making over tribal governments such as the Northern Cheyenne? Are we right back where we were trying to get away from? Wow, he does work quickly.
Have a "nice" day, and thank you for visiting the "historical" Cherokee Tribe formerly known as a sovereign nation, declared "moot" by a second and successive Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, Larry Echo Hawk.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The (RE)Confirmation hearing of Larry Echo Hawk
The Confirmation hearing of Larry Echo Hawk held in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee chambers is really not a confirmation hearing as much as it is a re-confirmation hearing. This is an assumption based on the witless list prepared by.....whom? Who knows, who cares? It is obvious that the confirmation has already taken place based on the fact that the list is a fairly short and lonely list. It lacks objectivity, it lacks an outside view, it is probably the best that anybody could come up given the extreme views of their wonder-boy Larry. I just hope the the vetting will take place someplace back here in the real world. It's somebody's idea that this is going to settle the question Indian Country-wide of whether Larry will continue to serve the Morman (sic, yes I know) beliefs that the tradition of gaming which pre-dates any European church does not fall under the Sovereignty of the Tribes to decide their own fate. This is supposed to settle the question of whether Larry still believes that Tribes should deal with states instead of the Federal Government--never mind that Tribes never made treaties with states, never mind that Tribes are still in the midst of Trust Issues that have never been fulfilled and continue to be neglected. This is supposed to settle the question of whether Larry was really sincere in his silent apologies to the Tribes in this area. Never mind that the minutes from his "Last Stand" against Tribal Gaming taking place in Idaho are on file at the University of Idaho Law Library, and that they clearly show he and his staff were absolutely taking a stance against Tribal Sovereignty. His excuse was that he had a "duty" to the state. What is never discussed is that his duty was to point out ALL options for the state of Idaho in its reaction to the Tribal Gaming Stance. He never points out to "his" state of Idaho that one of the options was to honor the sovereignty of the Tribes in Idaho and allow the gaming to take place under the current wording of the law that Idaho had set for its own state non-tribal citizens. Instead he made a case that it was of the most importance that the will of the people of the good state of Idaho be shown by the legislators and that they pass the end-run around their own law to effectively ban the tribal gaming in Idaho. Surprisingly (really?) the people of Idaho passed their own initiative which allowed the same gaming which Larry Echo Hawk sought to ban.
But then I'm sure that all of this will come out in the re-confirmation hearing of Larry Echo Hawk when Alonzo Colby and Larry himself speak to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
Amen to expressing a Native American's point of view
The politics of Larry Echo Hawk's vetting
A further review of Larry Echo Hawk's reaction to state-tribal sovereignty disputes
Larry Echo Hawk urged Tribes toward an intergovernment relationship with ...STATES
Larry Echo Hawk's record on Indian Casinos
Larry Echo Hawk
More on Larry Echo Hawk
Larry Echo Hawk a poor choice among many great ones
The Sovereign masses
But then I'm sure that all of this will come out in the re-confirmation hearing of Larry Echo Hawk when Alonzo Colby and Larry himself speak to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee.
Amen to expressing a Native American's point of view
The politics of Larry Echo Hawk's vetting
A further review of Larry Echo Hawk's reaction to state-tribal sovereignty disputes
Larry Echo Hawk urged Tribes toward an intergovernment relationship with ...STATES
Larry Echo Hawk's record on Indian Casinos
Larry Echo Hawk
More on Larry Echo Hawk
Larry Echo Hawk a poor choice among many great ones
The Sovereign masses
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That’s right eeny, meeny , miny, moe, pick a Haskell President before Washington D.C.’s Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn say’s they go.
Today ( Oct 12, 2009 ) this announcement was made from the Haskell’s President’s office :
During Mr. Redman’s absence this week from campus, Dr. Dan Wildcat will be acting President. Dr. Wildcat will depart for a conference one Thursday at which time, Dr. Karen Gillis will be acting. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the :
Office of the President.
Well at least we know there still is AN OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT AT HASKELL, but which president are they talking about ?
Let’s start with Dr.Warner who has been detailed to New Mexico by her boss, Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn ( BIE out of Washington D.C. ) with a master’s degree in social work and no experience in education. A lot of the people Stephanie is in charge of under her SES title are more qualified and more educated then she is. It’s like boarding a commercial airliner and telling a passenger to fly it. Oh, sorry can’t do that because not everyone on board will be Native American and those who aren’t deserve a real pilot.
So, Dr.Warner is gone until January per Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn and she send in a nice young man to be Haskell’s Acting President by the name of Chris Redman, who is from Oklahoma. He has no background whatsoever in the running of a college, but never mind that. The man was made to sit in the Haskell Board of Regents meetings last week and this week he is not at Haskell at all ! Who knows where the poor guy took off running to after all of that ! He after all was just trying to follow his orders BE PRESIDENT OF A COLLEGE ! And try he has. Gotta have pity on the man from Oklahoma !
Next ! Dr. Dan Wildcat is going to to be Acting President of Haskell, but he too lacks the real qualifications to be a college president however he is trying and has stepped up to the plate at least until Thursday. The mystery is where is Dr.Wildcat going on Thursday that is so important, that Haskell will once again have two acting presidents in one week ? And all of this in less then a month !
And least but probably not last, Dr.Karen Gillis she will step up to the plate on Thursday as Acting President of Haskell but for how long ? Through the weekend until next week ? The answer lays below…
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, no one knows until Stephanie Birdwell-Bighorn catches you by the toe !
No wonder an AIS teacher is getting away with making BLOGGING a class assignment !!! It’s teach WHATEVER you want to teach at HASKELL SEMESTER, because there is no Haskell President.
Larry Echohawk you may want to check this out."