Kucinich Supports American Indians, Tribal Sovereignty
The following is a press release from January 22, 2004, by the Kucinich campaign
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Kucinich Supports American Indians, Tribal Sovereignty
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2004
By: Earl L. Hatley,
National American Indian Coordinator
Kucinich for President Campaign
(Vinita, OK) - From the beginning of his campaign for President of the United States, Congressman Dennis Kucinich has reached out to Indian Country and sought every opportunity to visit tribes and native peoples along the campaign trail.
He was recently in Farmington, NM attending the annual convention of Dine Bidziil, a traditional organization representing approximately 20 grassroots traditional groups within the Navajo Reservation. The Dine Bidzill and its President, Norman Brown, endorsed Dennis at the meeting, while an elder medicine man performed a prayer and ceremony for Dennis to assist him with his message for peace. This event was typical of his experience in Indian Country over the past year as he travels the country in his bid for the Presidency.
Serving as the National American Indian Coordinator for the Campaign has been a great honor and experience for me. First of all, I have had the privilege of meeting with Dennis and discussing, at length, his views on the issues in Indian Country and his platform in general. We have had some informal discussion as well. The result of this, for me, is the realization that he truly wants to help our peoples.
His is the only candidate that has a formal (written) Indian Policy on a website dedicated to American Indians (http://www.kucinich.us/firstnations). He is the only candidate visiting Indian lands and meeting with grassroots and elected tribal leaders as he travels in the campaign. As he said to me the first time we met; "we have to reconcile the past, if we are to move forward together now and in the future." He has stated in his speeches (that I personally attended) that, as President, he will offer an official apology to our First Nations, on behalf of the United States, for the more that two hundred years of "broken treaties, broken promises, and broken hearts."
All of us in Indian Country should know that Dennis understands the federal government has failed in its chosen responsibilities as a guardian of Indian resources and as a treaty partner. As President, Dennis Kucinich will re-affirm the U.S. commitment to honor its treaties with tribal governments, to maintain strict adherence to tribal sovereignty and to increase funding for tribal programs, especially; health care, housing, environmental protection and education.
As President, he will enforce existing laws and enact necessary laws for the protection of tribal cultural practices, protection of Sacred Sites and historically significant cultural sites. He will insure that royalties are managed properly with full accounting to tribes and individual royalty owners, while rectifying the fraudulent practices of the past. Further, as President, he will protect Indigenous Peoples everywhere from the impacts of global climate change and persistent organic pollutants through an energy policy based on conservation and renewable technologies, ratification of the Kyoto Protocols and increasing energy efficiency of automobiles.
Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona and North Dakota are four of the states with primaries on February 3rd that have large American Indian populations. I appeal to each of you to spread the word about this campaign. Mail, email and hand out this information to all your contacts, friends and family. The campaign needs your vote in the primary and needs your donations in order to continue spreading the word. Dennis Kucinich will not take corporate or PAC funds.
This campaign is strictly operating on the donations of individual contributors. As Dennis told me, "I will not be controlled. I will owe no one except the people." This campaign, then, is also about campaign finance reform and corporate control of our political system, economy and our lives. In the end it's the votes that are counted, not the money. Give what you can afford, but most importantly GET OUT THE VOTE!! This year it is our turn. The Indian vote will make the difference in each district in these four primary states with so many of our peoples.
If you have questions, need materials, please let me know. Lets show them our power in this election!!
Contact: Earl L. Hatley (Cherokee/Delaware) earl.hatley@kucinich.us
http://www.kucinich.us/firstnations
For more information: http://www.kucinich.us
For Rep. Kucinich's Schedule: http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.htm
Contact: David Swanson 301-772-0210, cel 202-329-7847, fax 301-772-7293, swanson@kucinich.us
Oklahoma Contact: Beth Skye, Campaign Director, 405-249-5998 cell, http://www.okforkucinich.us, skye@okforkucinich.us
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