Kucinich Endorsed by Navajo Nation Coalition, To Speak at Conference Ceremony
The following is a press release from January 15, 2004, by the Kucinich campaign
***
Kucinich Endorsed by Navajo Nation Coalition,
To Speak at Conference Ceremony
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2004
Democratic Candidate Dennis Kucinich has received the endorsement of the Dine Bidziil Navajo Strength Coalition, a coalition of 24 grassroots organizations.
Kucinich will address the annual Dine Bidzill convention on Saturday morning, Jan. 17th. Also speaking will be Winona LaDuke.
Jan. 17, 2004
9 a.m Mountain Standard Time
Farmington Civic Center Farmington, New Mexico Kucinich will speak to 1,000 grassroots Navajo/Dine activists and be ceremonially honored.
Conference organizer Norman Patrick Brown said: "Congressman Kucinich honors our Indian values, and he supports our right to control our own resources and determine our own course. He has the compassion to understand the human cost of uranium mining on our land as well as the human cost of the U.S. occupation of Iraq, where many of our brave warriors are serving. He honors the Dine contributions to this country, and we honor him for what he is doing to bring peace and justice to all of America's people, brown, black, and white. We hope and pray to see Dennis Kucinich become the next president of the United States."
The Navajo Nation are known to themselves as the Dine people. They comprise the largest indigenous community in North America and are currently faced with multiple problems stemming from radioactive contamination due to uranium mining on their land, along with other energy corporation incursions damaging to their fragile ecosystem and the health of their people. They are also engaged in struggles to protect sacred sites and to retain the precious water, farming, and grazing rights that are essential to survival in arid land. For the past three years, the Dine Bidziil One Mind, One Voice, One Prayer coalition of 24 grassroots organizations has convened annually to affirm their life ways, share views and information, organize on key issues, and select leadership.
Kucinich endorser, 2002 Green Party Vice Presidential candidate, and world-renowned Native human rights and environmental activist Winona LaDuke said: "Dennis Kucinich is a leader with integrity and demonstrated courage. His commitment to democracy, equity, constitutional rights, environmental justice and peace is honorable and long-standing."
Kucinich says: "The federal government has failed in its chosen responsibilities as a guardian of Indian resources and as a treaty partner. The mismanagement of Indian lands and Indian mineral rights is appalling. As President, I will honor treaty commitments and sovereignty, and I will increase funding for tribal programs to provide decent health care, housing, education, and environmental protection. My administration will enforce existing laws and enact new ones as needed to protect sacred sites and Native cultural practices, to promote the development of clean, renewable energy, and to ensure environmental protection in Indian country."
Earl Hatley, the Kucinich campaign's Native American Outreach Coordinator, said: "I back Dennis Kucinich because he understands our issues and supports our rights. I've never before heard a candidate for high office offer an apology to American Indians for centuries of broken promises and broken treaties. And not only does Congressman Kucinich stand up for our sovereignty rights. With Indian people as a whole having less access to health care than federal prisoners do, he also stands up for providing the health care we so desperately need. With much needed human services and veteran benefits being sacrificed to unchecked military spending and tax cuts for the wealthy by the "borrow and spend" Republicans, he names what is going on and proposes to change these disastrous, inhuman policies. Whenever he talks, whether it's about NAFTA and fair trade or what's happening to the natural world, he hits the nail on the head. In my book, he's our man."
New Mexico Media Contact: Jerilyn Bowen, NM Media Coordinator, 505/2551436; 505/350-4098; jbowen1@comcast.net
For more information: http://kucinich.us/firstnations/
For Congressman Kucinich's Schedule: http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.htm.
National Contacts: David Swanson 301-772-0210, cel 202-329-7847, swanson@kucinich.us,
Susan Mainzer 213-840-0077, susan.mainzer@kucinich.us
Subscribe to this blog's feed