Ghost Dancing

Today I am writing about the fact that people are living in a state of extreme crisis on the Reservations in South Dakota. On 6th November, a blizzard struck the Great Plains, covering the state in 4 feet of snow and parts of the Lakota reservations in up to 20 foot drifts. The governor of South Dakota declared a state of emergency --but the reservations are exempt from any assistance. I haven’t been able to find out exactly why that is. Bottom line is that they need help desperately. Many parts of the rez have no water or electricity. Food is also scarce. An appeal has been sent out for people to help any way they can. Native activist Russell Means has issued an International Disaster Declaration.

In September of 2007 the UN passed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. At that time American Indian activists withdrew from all treaties with the US Government and started contacting foreign governments to solicit support. Well I say good for them! It is unclear what, if any, support they have received. But it is clear that many Native Americans are against that action. Some agree with Rosebud Sioux Tribe President Rodney Bordeaux who said “The issue isn't whether we should withdraw from our treaties; the issue is what we should do, and what we should have been doing, to enforce our treaties and to make a better life for our future generations.”

I bet they sure could use a bailout like the auto industry wants. But in their case they don’t need a bailout. They simply need for the government to pay them they money they are owed. Some estimate that that the government owes Native Americans as much as $137.5 billion in back royalties. Couldn’t they fast track through some of the fucking bureaucratic red tape and give them a few billion? Or even just a few million?

There is a class action suit called Cobell v. Kempthorne (previously called Cobell v. Norton) where an estimated 500,000 Native Americans are trying to recover this money that essentially has been stolen from them over the years. Just another example on the Trail of Broken Treaties.

All the while we send billions around the world in foreign aid. A good chuck of it military foreign aid I must add. Right here within our midst are these “reservations” that are worse off than some “third world” countries. Pine Ridge being a prime example.

I could go on and on about this subject but I will close for now. Do what you can. Send some money. Pray for them. Write to Bush and Obama. And while we're at it, since today is thanksgiving, let's all be thankful that we are not living in Pine Ridge tonight….

The Israeli Siege in Gaza

President Bush and Secretary Condoleezza Rice have pretty much given up on the Israeli/Palestinian peace process and are leaving it up to Obama now. The fundamental issues of the conflict have not yet been resolved. Borders of a Palestinian state; security arrangements; the fate of Palestinian refugees who left their homes in 1948, or were forced to leave; and the status of Jerusalem. The blockade of a million and a half Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is now entering its third week.

And if Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) gets elected in the new elections in Israel the road to peace is most likely to become that much harder to accomplish. He has actually said that he would end Israel’s current negotiations with the Palestinians if elected prime minister. Can you hear my huge sigh at this point?

Two American activists are now in a new prison in Israel, recently being moved from simply jail. Amy Goodwin interview and video here. They are Donna and Darlene Wallach. They believe that they were actually kidnapped because they were in Palestinian waters not Israeli waters when they were arrested. What do you think and why isn't anyone from the department of state working to help get them out or even find out what they are charged with?

This situation is one of the most important issues on my personal plate, but like so many others it brings me much frustration while trying to think of what I can do to break the “Israel is always right” mindset of the United States government. Obama doesn’t seem to be much different than those who have come before, with the exception of Jimmy Carter.

Here is a woman telling why Americans go to Gaza and this man has some more articulated reasons.

Here is the link to the Free Gaza Movement.

Here Archbishop Tutu describes his feelings after visiting Gaza. The Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu has called Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip an "abomination".

So where do we go from here? How can we move this up on President elect Obama's incredible list of things to do?

Is Defense Secretary Gates Best Obama Choice for Peace?

As some of you may know there has been legislation floating around congress to institute a cabinet level Department of Peace for quite a few years. At the end of this CNN news video clip, Wendy Green representing the Peace Alliance, points out that Robert Gates may be already on line with the agenda of the Department of Peace and many in the alliance think he may be the best choice for Secretary of Defense. To bolster this thought is this speech Gates gave last year at Kansas State University. It is rather long but a good read. While recognizing winning the war in Afghanistan cannot been done my military alone he praises the work of non military people and organizations that have done remarkable work in making Afghanistan a more civilized, livable and less violent place. Here is a little thought toward the end of his address:

“I have been heartened by the works of individuals and groups like these. But I am concerned that we need even more civilians involved in the effort and that our efforts must be better integrated.

The way to institutionalize these capabilities is probably not to recreate or repopulate institutions of the past such as AID or USIA. On the other hand, just adding more people to existing government departments such as Agriculture, Treasury, Commerce, Justice and so on is not a sufficient answer either – even if they were to be more deployable overseas. New institutions are needed for the 21st century, new organizations with a 21st century mind-set.”

The Idaho Peace Coalition has been campaigning for the Department of Peace since the beginning and maybe now is the time that there will be a climate that it may have a chance to become a reality. We now also have a facebook page. Please join us and work for a more peaceful world and put an end to war.