What would you do if you were totally dependent upon a single monthly check of $250 to cover all your living expenses from rent, heat, electricity to food and then your check suddenly ceased arriving in your mail box without any explanation? What if you live on a reservation where there is 80-85% unemployment and your tribe is $60 million in debt? Add to the context the highest rates per population of child suicide in the world. Now imagine what goes through your mind when your single source of income becomes “invisible” and you already know you don’t have the gas to drive off the reservation to search for employment, you have no funds to find housing off the reservation, and you are the sole adult caretaker for your grandchildren. What is now going through your mind at this point?
The following information is directly from Anne Fields who has been in direct contact with people on Pine Ridge Reservation who are currently in precisely the situation presented above.
Anne Fields:
There is a new situation on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota (and presumably on other reservations) that is very dire and perhaps life threatening.
I am a white grandmother who has spent a total of 18 months on the reservation, including four months teaching in the Early Head Start program. I have friends who are directly affected by the problem and who are growing more desperate each day. So far my efforts to find information or help for them have been unsuccessful.
Each month the Bureau of Indian Affairs has been providing General Assistance grants (see below) to many residents who are desperately needy. On Pine Ridge approximately 940 people receive monthly checks of up to $250. These checks are often their only source of income and their lifeline.
In December 2012 no checks came. I spent several hours on the phone with officials at the local, regional, and national levels trying to find out what had happened. Eventually I ended up at the BIA Division of Human Services in Washington where I spoke with Bevette Hern at 202-513-7608. She told me that there had been new software which had a glitch that was holding things up. She said it was now fixed and that the Treasury would get a file transfer shortly and that the Agencies should have the money by the end of that week. This did indeed happen.
But then in March 2013 again no checks ever came and there were no notifications to the recipients. The Post Offices were besieged by people looking for their money. No checks have arrived for April 2013 and folks are seriously cold and hungry. They do not know if the money will ever come again. They have had no information from the BIA.
In an effort to try to get some information regarding these crucial funds, I tried to call Bevette to see if this is a permanent situation, only to find that she is no longer working there (even though her answering machine still uses her name). I spoke with someone who would only give her name as “Roberta” and who said that she knew nothing about the details, only that the money available for “Welfare” has been cut back. She told me that I needed to talk to the BIA Great Plains Social Services in Aberdeen, SD. I called them at 605-226-7351 and spoke with “Patti.” She told me that Central Office has not received any funds so they have nothing to give out. She recommended that I talk to the folks in Washington–the same people who directed me to call her office.
I have written to South Dakota Congresswoman Noem and Senators Johnson and Thune for clarification, but as of now I have heard nothing back from any of them.
BIA Human Services handles 6 components of Financial Assistance, which consist of:
1. General Assistance
a) An applicant must meet the criteria contained in 25 CFR 20.300 (Who qualifies for Direct Assistance)
b) Apply concurrently for financial assistance from other state, tribal, county, local, or other federal agency programs for which he/she is eligible;
c) Not receive any comparable public assistance, and
d) Develop and sign an employment strategy in the ISP with the assistance of the social service
worker to meet the goal of employment through specific action steps including job readiness and job search activities.
So, what should Anne Fields and these 940 people on Pine Ridge Reservation DO to get some information from the BIA and/or the Federal Government? Any suggestions? Even if you have no notions about how to deal with this continuing situation, please take a moment to send this information via your favorite internet social network sharing options.
Young Indigenous women are some of the most invisible and unrepresented people on Earth. That is one reason to read Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog, nowBrave Bird, with Richard Erdoes even though it was published in 1990. Another reason is that it won the American Book Award in 1991. Yet another reason is for the insight it provides into some of the tough issues young women on reservations continue to confront: violence, rape, alcoholism, drug abuse, racism, exploitation, poor education, grinding poverty. This is not a calm, quiet memoir of a certain time and place written by a woman looking back in nostalgia with some polite veneer of wisdom gained by mature hindsight. Lakota Woman offers the perspective of a very candid, blunt spoken, tough, and passionate young woman who makes no apologies for anything. This is a woman who now knows who she is, where she came from, and why. Part of her story includes giving birth to her first child during the siege at Wounded Knee in 1973 after refusing to leave in spite of the increasing danger. While Lakota Woman does not offer any in-depth analysis of the American Indian Movement, the Trail of Broken Treaties or the Native American Church, it does offer a no punches pulled, first person female perspective based on direct experiences with all of them– a young Lakota female perspective seldom encountered in the mainstream American culture.
I am a iyeska, a breed, that’s what the white kids used to call me. When I grew bigger they stopped calling me that, because it would get them a bloody nose. I am a small woman, not much over five feet tall, but I can hold my own in a fight, and in a free-for-all with honkies I can become rather ornery and do real damage. I have white blood in me. Often I have wished to be able to purge it out of me. As a young girl I used to look at myself in the mirror, trying to find a clue as to who and what I was. My face is very Indian, and so are my eyes and my hair, but my skin is very light. Always I waited for the summer, for the prairie sun, the Badlands sun, to tan me and make me into a real skin. (p.9)
Such are the words of Mary Brave Bird of the Brule Tribe from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Consider the memoirs current teenaged women of Rosebud, Pine Ridge, Standing Rock and the Cheyenne River Reservations might share–if anyone dared put them into print. Lakota Woman might offend some, might make some very uncomfortable, and distress others. It certainly won’t bore anyone. It definitely offers a great deal to think about regarding women, culture, family, history, spirituality, politics, and values.
Maze of Injustice, the failure to protect Indigenous Women from sexual violence in the USA, PDF file of Amnesty International http://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/MazeOfInjustice.pdf Perhaps this report offers one explanation for the legistative difficulties faced by the VAWA. Why would non-Native men want to start allowing arrest and prosecution of the non-Native men who rape Indigenous women on reservations? No rocket science required.
Much thanks to Roxie for her very generous gift of art supplies to Cheryl Locke’s elementary class on the Pine Ridge Reservation. My poem, as promised, on topic of Roxie’s choice.
Visit Roxie’s blogcasa for many things writing/publishing related–with good humor too. Sorry, not the Good Humor Ice Cream Bars–yet. Though she may figure out how to link us up with those too soon enough! http://roxieh.wordpress.com/
This post concerns ”Much Ado about in-situ leach uranium mining, Powertech, clean water, mine bonds, the environment and Bills.” No, not tax bills, not Mr. Bill, but bills of legislative import in South Dakota–the land of Powertech Potential Profits without accountability. Well, Lilias Jarding, who plays very nicely with the Clean Water Alliance of South Dakota, has a few activist proposals for the citizens of South Dakota concerned about the potentially nasty toxifying effects of in situ uranium mining touted by Powertech and their other foreign–and American grown–cohorts. Without further ado, please take a gander at Lilias’ list of not to be missed Bills.
From the cyber-desk of Lilias Jarding, Clean Water Alliance of South Dakota,
Senate Bills 148. 149, 150–and 141.
Greetings –
There are now three bills in the S.D. Legislature that we need to work to support! This is great news, but now the work begins. This message contains information on how to contact your legislators to say you support the bill and information on each bill. Please read to the bottom and take action today.
The first bill, Senate Bill 148, would return state regulatory authority over in situ leach uranium mining. This is the authority that was taken away in 2011 by the bill that Powertech Uranium authored. We are FOR this bill. We want the state to regulate this type of dangerous mining, not just some distant federal officials. And we want regular monitoring of the construction, operation, and water quality at ISL mines. Without state monitoring, this regular oversight will not occur.
The second, Senate Bill 149, would change the current law. The current law gives uranium companies 30 days to report environmental violations without any penalty. Instead, under this bill, the companies would have to report environmental violations within 24 hours. We are FOR this bill. We want companies who do this dangerous type of mining to be responsible for their spills and leaks. We want problems to be reported quickly, so that corrective measures can be applied quickly.
The third bill, Senate Bill 150, is the longest. It provides additional protections that: (1) require uranium companies to return water to baseline conditions after they mine, (2) let the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources determine if it is feasible to mine safely in a particular place, (3) allow a mining permit to be denied if the company cannot demonstrate that restoration of water will work, and (4) require full restoration of water quality after mining. We are FOR this bill. We want full protection from the problems that in situ leach uranium mining has caused in other places. The mining companies say they can mine safely and without contaminating groundwater. This bill simply holds them to their word.
These are important bills, and we are lucky to have strong supporters like Senator Bradford and Representatives Heinert and Killer, who introduced these bills and will work to support them. So please take a moment to thank them. And plan to support these bills by going to Pierre, when they are up for hearings. This could happen with only a couple days’ notice, so have your gas money set aside! We’ll help arrange carpools, when the time comes.
Right now, please contact your area’s legislators and urge them to support each of these bills. You can find out who your legislators are at http://legis.state.sd.us/who/index.aspx
You can e-mail legislators at http://legis.state.sd.us/email/LegislatorEmail.aspx You only have to write a message once and change the legislator’s name at the top and in your “Dear ___” line. If you have more than a few minutes, please contact every legislator and ask for their support.
We will be targeting the members of specific committees, as soon as the bills are assigned to committees. So watch for that.
Thanks for all you do. As usual, let me know if you have questions
Senate Bill 141
Here is another bill we need to support. It’s Senate Bill 141. It would increase the bond requirements for mining companies and would apply to Powertech Uranium’s proposed mine. The text of the bill is here: http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2013/Bill.aspx?File=SB141P.htm. Before they start mining, companies have to post a bond to insure that the mine is cleaned up, especially if the company goes bankrupt or leaves the state. These bonds are usually way too low. This bill would require a higher bond.
Please contact the bill’s sponsors — Senators Adelstein, Rampelberg, Kirkeby, Lucas, and Tidemann and Representatives Sly, Kopp, Hunhoff (Bernie), and Shrempp — and thank them for sponsoring the bill.
Please contact your district’s legislators — and as many others as you have time to contact — and tell them you support this bill. We support this bill because we want to be sure that the state’s natural resources are protected and that South Dakota taxpayers are not left paying to clean up messes left by mining companies, as has happened so often in the past.
Oh and everyone please take notes for when Powertech Uranium Corporation–or some version thereof–comes to visit your state sniffing for uranium and such.
Sorry for such a narrow focus, but my curiosity about Powertech knows no boundaries. I can’t quite figure out why anyone would want to deal with uranium extraction in any manner. Oh yes the nuclear power industry and the nuclear weapons industry and some other poor sods who think nuclear energy is so sweet even though there’s NO way to clean up its toxic waste. Well, I so need to get past this uranium compulsion so I’m just going to drop the “dots” here and let the lines be what they are–visible or invisible to any inquiring minds. When I find some wonderful visual that connects it all, like the water cycle illustration, I will gleefully share it. Haven’t found one for uranium mining/extraction–yet. There’s got to be one out there somewhere. Do share if you have a link to one. For now your ears may have to take the lead. So many “dots” and only so much brainspace for juggling them all. Whose got a pencil/pen for lines between dots? Reading and listening necessary for inking–unless you’re following in Marie Curie’s Nobel Prize winning footsteps.
Trivia tidbit, Marie Curie’s cookbook and scientific papers are radioactive-per Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Curie . Working on the cutting edge of science at her time, Curie had no foreknowledge of the health dangers connected with radioactive materials.
Yes, Mr. Richard F. Clement is a very busy fellow. But don’t worry about him being overworked and underpaid at $249,500 (stock options included) per year as of 2011. Clement is a long time fan of uranium mining according to his profile on the Bloomberg Businessweek page. He likes mining uranium in the United States for Powertech, a company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. (wave!). Mr. Clements has been playing with uranium in the USA (and Australia) since about 1967 as far as I can currently tell from his profile. Yep, he served Mobil Oil for starters as operations manager for uranium exploration in the USA. I wonder if he explored the uranium mines that some Navajo are rather concerned about in regard to health issues? Who knows? I’m sure Richard F. Clement Jr. knows for sure. But I don’t think he’s going to tell me. Maybe Uranium Resources in New Mexico can clarify this point? Probably could–but not likely to do so.
On Powertech’s website potential health issues regarding radioactive isotopes are downplayed to make uranium mining seem safe:
Uranium and its decay products primarily emit alpha particles that have little ability to penetrate through membranes, such as skin or even paper. Lower levels of both beta and gamma radiation also are emitted.
Long-term studies of regions with uranium recovery show no increased risk of cancer mortality from living nearby such facilities.
If uranium extraction/recovery is harmless as Powertech wants folks to think, then I am a Great White Shark.
OOPS! Am not! Bummers.
More from Clement’s profile on Bloomberg Businessweek:
“He [Clement] served as a Senior Vice President of Exploration of Uranium Resources from 1983 to 1996 and subsequently as President of Uranium Resource’s New Mexico subsidiary, Hydro Resources Inc., until 1999 where he oversaw the securing of all necessary mining permits for ISL development of Hydro Resource’s uranium deposits.”
Obviously Mr. Clement has moved on in search of fresher uranium pastures in South Dakota and Wyoming per the Dewey-Burdock Project, Powder River Basin, Centennial and other proposed mining projects.
Lena Morgan describes “divide and conquer” uranium mine developer’s style –along with some other interesting tidbits to the tune of tailings waste. The other fellows’ comments ought to give anyone pause.
Video from Democracy Now!
More information fun about uranium mining from If You Love This Planet with Dr. Helen Caldicott –Medical Effects of Uranium Mining on Population & Native Peoples. This program is well worth your listening time because of all the information it presents.
Am I a shameless beggar or what? I can be. Though I suspect I need to work on my tech savvy, string pulling and emotional manipulation in order to increase effectiveness and reach. Apologies to anyone feeling put upon. But I swear that I will write a poem, topic of their choice, for anyone who swallows this hook. Really I will. Just be forewarned that you only pick the topic–not how I might treat it poetically. On the odd chance that someone out there in the cyberswamplands might take the bait I’m on another fishing trip. A quick gander at the photo subjects and no doubt everyone knows what’s on this shopping list. Yes, ART supplies. Remember those third graders without any winter coats? Well, their teacher would very much like to have them do a little art. Just the usual child’s play with pencils, crayons, markers, and maybe some watercolor paints. Nothing elaborate. They are third graders after all–not oil painting Picasso hopefuls. They probably haven’t heard of Picasso–much less dreamt of following his artistic path. At least not yet. No, don’t expect them to get any notions about Picasso or Monet from their school library or some computer the rest of us here take for granted. That is highly unlikely all real life things considered on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. The bottom line here is that Cheryl’s third graders do not create any of the usual child art in school because they have no colored pencils, markers, crayons, construction paper (primary colors), glue sticks, pencils (no.2), tissue paper, or poster board. Clearly no one can supply 18 children with all these supplies. But if each person who visits this blogcasa were to send just one box of Crayola crayons or one package of construction paper or one pan of watercolors. Just a single item, one by one would do the trick. If you’re inclined to yank my poetic strings send Cheryl Locke’s third grade students an art supply– and then state your item choice and poem topic request in the comments. So, who wants a poem?
The wonderful people who donated their time and energy as Volunteers for Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” the other night upon learning from Anne Fields, who also volunteers at the New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta, Georgia, about the coatless children in Cheryl Locke’s third grade class took swift and effective action to conclude the quest for coats. Donations were collected. Orders were placed online with JC Penny. Coats will be shipped to Ms. Locke. Arrival is expected early next week. How’s that for Volunteer Action? !
Wow!
Huzzah! for the Volunteers!
Very Loud Huzzah!! for the Volunteers!
Crazy Loud Huzzah!!! for the Volunteers!
Where these generous souls gathered to volunteer–The New American Shakespeare Tavern’s production of Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol.’
Tis the season of snow, wind, rain and cold for those of us without warm sandy beaches under our feet. Tis the season of shopping too. Many folks use the gift giving holy days to update clothing needs for growing children. In the Kansas City Metro area there’s a yearly winter clothing drive–”Project Warmth”–where people donate gently used coats at specially designated locations–check it out here –>>> http://www.projectwarmthkc.com/news-events/ . Well, Cheryl Locke’s third graders do not live in the Kansas City Metro area, they live on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and hence will not be receiving any coats or blankets from “Project Warmth.” Having learned that approximately half of Ms. Locke’s students have no winter coats at all –that’s right these children have no coats to wear for a winter in South Dakota–I figured it’s worth putting out a call for a few coats for them. So if your child is getting a coat upgrade this winter please consider sharing their outgrown winter wear with a coatless child. There’s no donation button. There’s no middleman. There’s just Cheryl Locke’s address, coat sizes and eight children in need of some winterizing like the little one in Yi-Ching Lin’s photograph. Thank you.
POST UPDATE: This particular Coat Crusade is Complete thanks to the Volunteers at the New American Shakespeare Tavern. See the Huzzahs! post for them. But if you’ve got coats which need children, please see the One Spirit Needs list via the Okini list link here http://nativeprogress.org/index.php/en/ .
Hi folks. What’s your weather doing today? Yes, I really want to know. If you’re inclined please drop a link to your weather conditions in the comments. If you’re living on a nice clean beach near clean water then color me green with envy. As for mine, it’s thinking about stretching to a chilly 29 degrees C.
While doing this post the temperature at Pine Ridge, South Dakota is 21 degrees, C. A little nippy to be outdoors without a hat or coat (more about coats coming up). If you share a stocking cap consider yourself well thanked.
Definition: A close-fitting knitted cap.
Yeah, these things.
One Spirit could use a few of these for the Future Generations Riders.
Violating copyright births bad karma---imagine a mad hacker you'll never see coming--nor catch going. Respect = my work is my work and your work is your work.
Everything posted here is my work, copyrighted, unless otherwise noted. Comments aside. Om
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Cemetery Hill, Wounded Knee, Mugged by a Squirrel for a plum, Ed's driving, Art for Art's Sake, painting nudes, Cheyenne River Indian Reservation, KKFI, Crazy Horse, Reading, Marry, Critical Path, Political Missionary, White Wolves, teaser (1), We Shall Remain Shallow, Winter Fox Frank, Wes Studi, The Only Good Indian, Spotted Elk, naked woman centered, devotees (Crazy Horse), Blue Heron, Critical Path, An Adaptable Woman, and other plums ripening and Tanka Bars.
om mani padme hum jewel in the lotus wahupa qi prana universal life energy
