Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A lot is being written in the mainstream media and other media about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

One thing being seldom mentioned, though, is AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

King was an outspoken and ardent supporter of affirmative action as one of his, and the Civil Rights Movement's, main priorities because King understood that without affirmative action people of color and women would forever remain "last hired, first fired;" and with the capitalist economy now on the skids to oblivion this is more true than ever as we see the massive increase in unemployment and its associated poverty in communities of people of color with Indian Reservations the main examples of how institutionalized racism is still a major, shameful factor in American society with unemployment rates of over 65% and poverty rates of over 80%.

In response to one independent alternative newspaper that is a mouthpiece for the Obama Administration and the Democrats, I posted this response to their lead article about Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Interesting article; typical of what we are getting from this new People's World.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for affirmative action in hiring as one of his top priorities; yet, the term "Affirmative Action" is not mentioned in this article.

Why isn't affirmative action mentioned? Because Barack Obama, his Administration and the Democrats have decided not to enforce affirmative action where public funds and these "stimulus funds" are being spent on public works projects?

I have noticed in other articles in the People's World the term--- and demand for--- "affirmative action" is missing, especially very noticeable in the articles about the AFL-CIO press conferences and jobs (see my post below).

Perhaps lack of attention to the need for affirmative action is just an oversight; on the other hand, perhaps it reflects the general withdrawal from the struggles of working people for justice and equality.

One has to wonder how it is that Affirmative Action is being left out of so many of the discussions about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

No doubt Martin Luther King, Jr. would have had a great deal to say about how intentionally ignoring the implementation and enforcement of affirmative action is a gross act of racism contributing to the denial of the most basic human right--- the right to a job with real living wages.

What might Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have had to say about the City of Bemidji hiring a racist bigot like Rita Albrecht as the head of its City Planning Department only to have her intentionally ignore the need for affirmative action in hiring for the planning, construction, management, staffing and maintenance of the Bemidji Regional Event Center?

I wonder what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have said about the two-million casino workers employed in the smoke-filled casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry receiving poverty wages and forced to work without any rights under state or federal labor laws as these employers invoke "sovereignty" to justify such an injustice with the objective of these casino managements being to insure a pool of cheap labor? I doubt King would have ignored the fact that Democrats reap huge campaign contributions in return for turning their heads in indifference to this injustice that has further served to entrench institutionalized racism in this country as these same politicians can't seem to get the words "affirmative action" to roll off their tongues and pass though their lips.

Martin Luther King, Jr. never would have remained silent knowing that casino workers in Minnesota, as one of their terms and conditions of employment to work in smoke-filled casino at poverty wages without any rights, are forced to sign a statement acknowledging they understand that they will immediately be terminated and fired from employment should they engage in union organizing activity.   

As a member of the NAACP Youth Council and Chair of its Labor Committee--- we leafleted, shouted, marched, picketed, boycotted, were beat up by company security and the police in protesting against racist hiring policies of  numerous employers in Grand Rapids, Michigan until they agreed to hire people of color--- now, Obama, the Democrats and the "leaders" of organized labor have turned their backs on affirmative action.

It is time to take the struggle for affirmative action back out into the streets.

Join with us in demanding that affirmative action policies be implemented in the staffing and maintenance of the Bemidji Regional Event Center and that a penalty in the form of additional hiring of people of color be added. Native American Indians should comprise no less than 60% of the management, staffing and maintenance of those hired to operate the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

Former United States Senator Mark Dayton pledged at the Governor's Forum on Native American Indian Issues in Bemidji on January 14, that as part of his campaign for Minnesota Governor he would make affirmative action in hiring at the Bemidji Regional Event Center one of his priorities.

Mark Dayton will be in Bemidji again, this Thursday--- January 21--- at the Beaux Arts Ballroom in Hobson Union on the Bemidji State University campus sponsored by AFSCME Local 1949 which has remained silent as institutionalized racism dominates the social, political and economic life of Bemidji which, over the years, has been referred to as, "the most racist city in North America;" and in refusing to enforce affirmative action policies in hiring in the construction, management, staffing and maintenance of the Bemidji Regional Event Center, the largest public works project in the area in many decades, Bemidji elected and appointed public officials have once again demonstrated that Bemidji, Minnesota, is, in fact, the most racist city in North America; probably not a boast Bemidji's mayor will be making tomorrow in his state of the city speech... I wonder if Bemidji Mayor Richard Lehmann will make mention of this "distinction" he has helped the City to earn.

Organizations like the Minnesota American Civil Liberties Union and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council have remained silent. The Tribal governments have also remained silent.

Mayor Lehman is known to be pretty chummy with John McCarthy who heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which is angling to bus patrons from the Bemidji Regional Event Center to the six nearby casinos where the one-armed bandits can finish cleaning them out after Ticket Master is done with them.

No doubt all these hypocrites will wax eloquent about what a great man Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was as they perpetuate the racist injustices which are the products of institutionalized racism from which these politicians turn their heads in indifference as John McCarthy of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association sticks a wad of cash into their greedy, racist, corrupt outstretched hands.

Why would John McCarthy of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association have written a letter defending the removal of racist City Planner Rita Albrecht after she blatantly refused to make affirmative action in hiring part of the planning surrounding the Bemidji Regional Event Center?

As for the management of the Bemidji Regional Event Center; doesn't anyone find it strange that tax-payers have footed the bill for everything and now a private management firm like VenuWorks, known for its racist and anti-union policies, has been contracted with and will be allowed to walk off with all the profits?

The BREC has presented an interesting chain of events thoroughly racist from beginning to end--- all paid for with tax-dollars, only to have VenuWorks walk off with the profits. Could not the BREC have been publicly managed after having been publicly financed?

An important question on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

Did the Bemidji Mayor Richard Lehmann or City Manager John Chattin or City Planner Rita Albrecht tell VenuWorks that it did not have to implement affirmative action policies in hiring just like court records show the construction firm of Kraus-Anderson was advised when they asked if there was an affirmative action policy? Maybe VenuWorks' on-site Manager, Mr. LeBarron, would like to comment?

The City of Bemidji is already a party to what appears to be heading in the direction of a long, drawn out and expensive court battle as they are being sued by the Native American Labor Union #12 and its Business Manager, Gregory W. Paquin, who is also a Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (MNDFL) candidate for Minnesota State Senate District 4; suing over their failure to implement affirmative action in the planning and construction phase of the BREC.

It seems these city officials are such a bunch of arrogant racists that they don't care how many times they are going to be dragged into court--- like the racist George Wallace, who was also a Democrat; they are just going to continue to hinder the struggle for human rights and full equality until they are forced to implement affirmative action.

Did anyone ever stop to think that what tax-payers fund, tax-payers should own--- including the profits.

The Bemidji Regional Event Center has already turned out to be one more corrupt, racist, boon-doggle in Northern Minnesota and it hasn't even opened its doors yet... once its doors are opened, will Native American Indians continue to be treated in the same racist manner as in other establishments in Bemidji, Minnesota... why stop with planning, construction, staffing and maintenance... the City of Bemidji might just as well extend its racism to the BREC patrons, too... and, no doubt, it will if past racist practices tell us anything.

Mr. Frank Dickenson of The Anishinabe Coalition for Peace and Justice showed what it takes to get justice in the City of Bemidji after a small Native American Indian child was viciously physically assaulted in a racist attack at the McDonald's Restaurant just down the street from where the Bemidji Regional Event Center is going up when he helped to organize and lead a demonstration at McDonald's... apparently Bemidji Mayor Richard Lehmann isn't going to give affirmative action in hiring at the BREC any consideration until he sees people out in the streets demonstrating for justice and equality in hiring... Mayor Lehmann might want to consider what kind of image is being created for the City of Bemidji which claims it is the "crown jewel" of northern Minnesota's tourism industry... especially if tourists are greeted by protesters carrying signs:

"Welcome to the City of Bemidji; the most racist city in North America."

Adding racist insult to racist injury, is the fact that not one single Native American Indian has a seat in the Minnesota State House or Senate nor on its Congressional or Senate delegation at the national level in spite of having one of the largest Native American Indian populations of any state in the country.

Many people must find it noteworthy--- even if the media (mainstream or alternative) doesn't find it newsworthy that a racist, rich white man like John McCarthy heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association (MIGA) and he doles out the funds derived from an Indian Gaming Industry from which not one single Native American Indian owns a solitary, single slot machine and then turns around and takes this money and doles it out to politicians who are so racist and corrupt they refuse to implement affirmative action policies in hiring to combat racist unemployment and racist poverty. Now, this is something for all of us to think about as we celebrate the life and struggles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--- who really was a community organizer. 

And then, this same John McCarthy raises his voice in protest by taking up his pen to write a "Letter to the Editor" of the Bemidji Pioneer, to protest the firing of the racist City Planner, Rita Albrecht. Not once has John McCarthy or the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association spoken up for the enforcement of affirmative action.

Yes, there certainly is a lot to ponder as we celebrate the life--- and struggles--- of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this National Holiday--- which had to be fought and struggled for.

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.--- A life of community organizing and struggle...

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Jobs For America Now

Jobs for America Now can be catalyst for mass action... but, not if leadership is left in the hands of the AFL-CIO and these coalition partners who are more known for their big talk not backed up with any concrete action.

This is a coalition initiated by the AFL-CIO and some other organizations intended to make it look like organized labor is doing something even though it is doing nothing. There is a huge gap between words and deeds.

I would encourage everyone to check out their website:

http://www.jobs4americanow.org/

The weaknesses are readily apparent.

Their five point program hits five important points but leaves out some very necessary points beginning with the fact that we will never see such a five point program implemented in the United States as long as Obama and the Democrats are fighting Wall Street's wars. Therefore, the first point in this program should be:

1. Jobs, not wars.

2. Also missing from this is the need to include real health care reform because working people need health care as much as we need jobs; plus, if we were to have real health care reform providing everyone with access to health care on a universal basis such a national public health care program would provide millions of jobs... building public health care centers, then staffing and maintaining them.

3. Most important of all as to what is missing from this five point program is the need for full enforcement of affirmative action because the working class will get out of this economic mess created by Wall Street's military-financial-industrial complex in its drive for maximum capitalist profits either united nor not at all. It will be virtually impossible to have the kind of maximum unity required for a strong working class fight-back if people of color and women think they are going to do a lot of the struggling but be left out of jobs in the end. Their reason for thinking they might be left out of jobs they fight for is based upon hard facts. One need only look at the general unemployment levels in this country to see that last hired first fired and laid off has been the rule rather than the exception for people of color and women. Unemployment on many Indian Reservations has not even bottomed out yet and it is around 65% with over 80% of the people suffering the miserable affects of poverty resulting directly from racism. How else does one explain unemployment levels five to seven times the "average?"

4. Also missing from this program is the need for a moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions.

By any fair measure, we need to have these four points added to this five point program the AFL-CIO and its coalition partners are bringing forward.

To date, this coalition has done little more than hold a couple press conferences.

The AFL-CIO and its coalition partners have been more interested in protecting Barack Obama's worthless political ass than in struggling for programs aimed at solving the problems of working people as witnessed by their betrayal of the working class to the interests of the bankers and just recently to the private, for profit health insurance/health care industries.

Working people and progressives should establish local "Jobs For America Now" committees all over the United States putting forward this revised nine point program in turning what the AFL-CIO and its coalition partners intended to be nothing but the typical hot air from a bunch of loud-mouth labor leaders who are so far removed from the problems of everyday living most working people are experiencing that they "forgot" to include these four additional points.

To win this must become part of a campaign where Barack Obama and the Democrats are told to deliver on this nine point agenda or they aren't going to be getting our support or our votes come Election Day 2010.

We need to develop a real campaign that brings people together to struggle for jobs and social and economic justice.

We are going to need much more in the way of "tools" if we are going to wage a real campaign around this expanded program.

In the days ahead, you will find on this blog many suggestions for what you can do.

Press conferences are good; but, by no means should "struggle" by press conference replace the kind of real grassroots and rank-and-file initiative it is going to take to win. Therefore, you will be finding some suggestions at this blog for:


A. Sample "letters to the editor"

B. A petition

C. Leaflets

D. Resolutions to take to political parties and union locals supporting this nine point program.

E. "How to" information about selecting, for an organized campaign:
i. a neighborhood
ii. a school
iii. a church
iv. a mine, mill, factory or other place of work

F. Press releases and organizing press conferences as much of this coalition's work seems to be focused on press conference after press conference getting not much coverage on television, radio or newspapers--- we need to do better.

G. Using tools for the Internet- websites, blogging, etc.

H. Running candidates for state and national office

I. How to organize a vigil.

J. How to organize an educational picket line.

K. How to organize great big demonstrations.

Below are the organizations that are part of this coalition.

Set up a local committee of grassroots/rank-and-file activists and add your name as a member of this coalition.

These organizations aren't going to do anything beyond holding press conferences and approving of everything Barack Obama and the Democrats do no matter how detrimental the consequences to working people unless we push them to go beyond their failed strategy and tactics:

A list of national organizations participating in this coalition are listed below. To get in contact, email: info@jobs4americanow.org.

Participating national organizations

5MillionGreenJobs.org

AFL-CIO

African American Ministers In Action

AFSCME

American Rights at Work

Americans for Democratic Action, Inc.

Americans United for Change

Blue Green Alliance

Campaign for America’s Future

Center for Community Change

Center for Law and Social Policy

Change to Win

Coalition on Human Needs

Community Action Partnership

Demos

Direct Care Alliance

Economic Justice Coalition

Economic Policy Institute

Every Child Matters Education Fund

Food Research and Action Center

Half in Ten Campaign

Hispanic Federation

Inequality and the Common Good Program of the Institute for Policy Studies

Insight Center for Community Economic Development

Japanese American Citizens League

Jobs with Justice

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Legal Momentum

NAACP

National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd

National Association for State Community Services Programs

National Association of Social Workers

National Community Reinvestment Coalition

National Council of Jewish Women

National Council of La Raza

National Council on Aging

National Employment Law Project

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund

National Partnership for Women and Families

National Priorities Project

National Women’s Law Center

NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

ProgressNOW

Project Community, Inc.

SCLC

SEIU

Student Association for Voter Empowerment

Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries

United for a Fair Economy

United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society

United Neighborhood Centers of America

United States Student Association

USAction

Wider Opportunities for Women

WiLL-Women Legislators’ Lobby

Women’s Action for New Directions

The Workforce Alliance

Working America

YouthBuild USA

Add the name of your local organization to this list; don't worry about getting permission to do this; just add your organization's name--- such a coalition should include everyone and exclude no one if we want to see real change.

Here are the original five points obviously severely lacking, but giving us a good start when we add the additional four points:

A first step is to provide relief through continued and expanded unemployment benefits, COBRA, and supplemental nutrition assistance. Safety net spending not only sustains needy families, it also helps the economy by circulating cash into local communities, helping businesses avert further job cuts.

Second, extending substantial fiscal relief to state and local governments will not only preserve needed services, but will also provide millions of jobs in both the public and private sectors (as many private firms deliver public services from health to infrastructure).

Third, we can directly create jobs that put people to work helping communities meet pressing needs, including in distressed communities facing severe unemployment. These initiatives must be designed so they maintain existing wage and benefit standards and do not displace existing jobs or simply exchange one group of unemployed workers for another.

Fourth, there are opportunities to invest in infrastructure improvements in schools, transportation, and energy efficiency that can provide jobs in the short run and productivity enhancements in the longer run.

Last, we should explore spurring private-sector job growth through innovative incentives and providing credit to small and medium-sized businesses.

This initial five point program is very weak on using the public sector to create jobs. And there is no mention of "what tax-payers finance, tax-payers should own."

Many of the problems, including lack of enforcement of affirmative action can be seen in looking at the problems surrounding the Bemidji Regional Event Center Project, which, besides giving us some ideas as to what we are up against, provides us with many solutions. In the course of initiating this project, Native American Indians were intentionally excluded at every level... including being excluded from employment. We see public funds to the tune of over 100 million dollars being invested, only to turn the completed center over to a private firm to manage and profit from even though they didn't spend one single penny incurring any costs... and this is the way almost all of these "stimulus funds" and public monies are being spent.

I would note that the Minnesota AFL-CIO and Change To Win along with the Campaign for America's Future and the NAACP have sat in silence without lifting a finger or their voices--- not even a press conference--- to object... in fact, many of these organizations have participated in, or turned their heads in indifference to the racist injustices surrounding the Bemidji Regional Event Center with the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party being a major party to the racist injustices.

Quite frankly, all of these organizations have sat in silence as some two-million casino workers are employed in the smoke-filled casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry while workers paid poverty wages work without any rights under state or federal labor laws so there is very good reason to believe that these organizations are more interested in electing Democrats than in solving the problems of working people... and, let us be very clear in understanding that electing Democrats and solving the problems of working people are two very different things... unless their is real grassroots and rank-and-file initiative in standing up and fighting to implement this nine point program we will continue to see an increase in unemployment and poverty.

Make no mistake, poverty wage jobs are no solution to ending poverty.

Which makes me wonder, what has happened to the AFL-CIO's slogan while George Bush was president: "America needs a raise?"

I guess we had better make this a ten point program by including the demand for a real, living--- non-poverty--- minimum wage that is legislatively tied to real cost of living factors as determined by the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. It doesn't make much sense to be paying these analysts and statisticians over $100,000.00 a year salaries and then not use these figures to calculate the raise American workers need.

Here we have it, a nice ten point program for real reform that will go a long ways towards re-distributing this Nation's wealth in the creation of jobs.

Jobs, not wars.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

The article below from the Bemidji Pioneer is a very nice story.

But, it only provides a very small part of what actually took place and the things said and issues raised. I will be posting a great deal more about my participation, views and perceptions of this event in the days ahead along with many photographs; because, for a variety of reasons, this event will probably be one of the most important events of the entire gubernatorial campaign here in Minnesota.

Since I was part of the circle Brad Swenson, the journalist for the Bemidji Pioneer was covering, I would like to note some things Brad Swenson did not pick up on:

1. That their is tremendous confusion as to just what "sovereignty" means.

2. For whatever reason, perhaps due to space, the following topics were not reported on here even though Brad Swenson heard them being discussed:

     A. Affirmative Action; in general and specifically relating to the Bemidji Regional Event Center


      B. Institutionalized racism

      C. Casino workers

      D. Power lines

      E.  The Enbridge oil pipelines that will carry raw crude to be refined in Wisconsin with a parallel pipeline carrying the waste and the sludge after refining back to Canada to be dumped on Indian lands.


      F. Peat mining in the Big Bog

      G. The fact no Native American Indians are in the Minnesota State legislature.

I want to just hit on Affirmative Action at this time because, as far as I am aware, the one and only real commitment from any candidate presenting at this forum came from Mark Dayton and Brad Swenson was right there taking notes in our circle when Mark Dayton made the commitment to find out why Affirmative Action is not being enforced when it comes to over 100 million dollars of public funds being spent to build the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

Now, Brad Swenson could not have missed this and I have photos of him taking notes during this discussion; as well I had a tape recorder.

Here is the gist of what transpired during a portion of the time in our circle with former United States Senator Mark Dayton.

Mark Dayton entered our circle and began shaking hands with everyone. When he began shaking my hand, I did not let go of his hand as I firmly grasped his hand and told him: "The last time you and I shook hands while you were a United States Senator you promised you would research the questions pertaining to what might be done about the injustices casino workers employed in Minnesota were being subjected to by being forced to work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws under the perverted views of sovereignty enforced by funds the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association fills your campaign coffers with." Finally, as Mark Dayton pulled and pulled trying to get away, I let go of his hand.

I then brought up the issue of Affirmative Action not being enforced right in Bemidji with the Bemidji Regional Event Center and Mark Dayton responded: "There is nothing I can do about this I am not yet governor."

I then said, to a startled Dayton, "There is something you can do right now. You can wage a campaign that isn't afraid to take on issues in trying to solve problems as part of your campaign. The purpose of political campaigns is not just about electing a politician, or at least campaigns should not be run in this way."

And Dayton responded, "How can I help?"

I suggested he get up to speed on the issue of Affirmative Action as it relates to the Bemidji Regional Event Center and then meet with Bemidji City officials to insist Affirmative Action policies be implemented in the hiring of staff and maintenance of the BREC.

Dayton agreed to do this.

He then got up, shook my hand and thanked me for bringing this matter to his attention and apologized for failing to look into the issues of the injustices of casino workers and explicitly stated he would be tending to this Affirmative Action issue.

After he left the circle to move on to the next circle, he briefly returned, shook my hand again and said: "I did the wrong this the first time you asked me to look into a problem and I didn't respond; I will not make the same mistake twice." And shook my hand again.

Then, at the conclusion of the forum as people were leaving Dayton came up to me again and said, "I promise I am going to look into this problem. I will not make the same mistake twice." And shook my hand and thanked me, again, for making him aware that Affirmative Action was not being enforced on the BREC.

Now, as far as I am aware, besides Tom Bakk's pledge to support Indian Gaming--- though he didn't mention the thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he and the Democrats receive--- no other candidate took it upon themselves to do anything for anyone as part of their campaigns.

We shall see to what extent former United States Senator Mark Dayton who failed to look into the injustices of casino workers--- which continue to this day without any intervention by any DFL politicians--- does with this issue of the City of Bemidji failing to enforce Affirmative Action in hiring for the construction and staffing of the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

It is my understanding others made Mark Dayton aware of this problem, too.

As far as Matt Entenza who boasted that he fought for Native rights in Wisconsin; Entenza had no inclination to fight for Affirmative Action here in Minnesota... he ran from talking about this problem just as he has run for years away from addressing the plight of over 40,000 Minnesotans employed in the Indian Gaming Industry.

And Tom Bakk, when confronted with the issue of the injustices casino workers are subjected to, wrenched his face in anger as it turned fighting red without comment; as if he had been insulted being asked about the problem. Of course, we all know, with John McCarthy, the white racist who heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association right there trying to keep this forum under his control, Tom Bakk was not about to upset his master.

R.T. Rybak became a little annoyed and flustered when I pointed out to him that sovereignty is more than supporting a bunch of corrupt tribal councils bribed by the same Minnesota Indian Gaming Association bribing him and the rest of the Democratic Party and let me know in no uncertain terms that MIGA had not contributed a dime to his campaign to become governor; but, the Mayor of Minneapolis shut his mouth when it was pointed out that MIGA most certainly has funded him in his campaigns for Mayor. Rybak did say he would do a walk along the proposed route for the power lines slated to run through Leech Lake Tribal Lands to see what is going on.

None of the candidates came to this forum prepared to do anything about any of the problems in northern Minnesota which are mainly caused by institutionalized racism.

Poverty was not even mentioned by any of the politicians; a point, in and of itself, which in my opinion should have been noteworthy and newsworthy in this article.

Let's see if Mark Dayton keeps his promise to look into the institutionalized racism responsible for Bemidji City officials refusing to implement Affirmative Action at the BREC and see if he can get some results... we shouldn't stop grassroots activities and hold our breath waiting based upon previous actions--- but, it is possible Minnesotans might have some reason to hope; remembering as we hope what we got from Barack Obama who hoodwinked so many people into hoping.

None of the politicians and none of the organizers of this event addressed the issue of why the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has no platform as part of its Action Agenda in support of Affirmative Action... now, there is a problem for some journalist to explore. Shouldn't this have been one of the questions posed to each of the candidates by the "moderators" who attempted to manipulate and control discussion with these DFL candidates; most of whom are themselves examples of the very embodiment of institutionalized racism here in Minnesota... after all, it has been almost thirty years since any Democrats tried to elect a Native American Indian to public office and that candidate faced the institutionalized racism from the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party at every level.

Stay tuned to my blog for photos, the issues and more on this important event that John McCarthy and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association got more than they bargained for... beginning that the idea of sovereignty is limited to Indian Gaming.

I hope others are going to be blogging and sharing their opinions about this forum.

I would really like to have John McCarthy and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association provide their definition of "sovereignty."

If anyone, including John McCarthy, would like to use my blog for a "guest" blog I would be more than happy to publish their views in their entirety without any editing.

By-the-way... it is my opinion that if these DFL candidates for governor, as part of their campaigns to become governor, cannot even challenge institutionalized racism by getting the City of Bemidji to enforce Affirmative Action in hiring at the BREC, they are not going to accomplish anything of any benefit--- except to help perpetuate the injustices spun by the Indian Gaming Industry and these very politicians bribed--- we can expect nothing from them should they become governor.

Please feel free to distribute this blog to your friends.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council




Published January 15, 2010

http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/event/article/id/100014962/

DFL governor hopefuls talk American Indian issues at forum

Minnesota can do more to build trust with American Indian tribes, say nine Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls, starting with respect of tribal sovereignty.

By: Brad Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer

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Former Minnesota House Minority Leader Matt Entenza was one of nine DFL gubernatorial candidates that spoke Thursday night at an American Indian issues forum at the American Indian Resource Center on the Bemidji State University campus. Pioneer Photo/Monte Draper

Minnesota can do more to build trust with American Indian tribes, say nine Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls, starting with respect of tribal sovereignty.

The candidates talked about tribal sovereignty, American Indian gaming, the environment, health care and more before about 150 people in traditional native circles on Thursday night in an American Indian issues forum on the Bemidji State University campus.

Senate Taxes Committee Chairman Tom Bakk of Cook cut to the chase with his opening remarks:
“If I am governor, the state is not going to expand gaming in Minnesota,” he said to a round of applause. “I have seen the tremendous benefit that gaming has brought to the Bois Forte Band, and Indian Country where I live is different today and more prosperous and has more opportunity than when I grew up.”

The state doesn’t belong in the gaming business, said Bakk, referring to several Republican efforts in recent years to create “racinos” or video gambling in bars.

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton spoke more of party politics and recalled a 1982 Bemidji House race in which the endorsed candidate, Larry Kitto, an American Indian, was challenged. At the time, Dayton was running for U.S. Senate.

Kitto “earned the right to be elected and he was challenged by a white man … and the DFL candidate for governor and the DFL candidate for lieutenant governor refused to be seen photographed or appear with Larry in that race, because of the racism that existed,” said Dayton. “Two of us stood with Larry and went to events, stood with him all the way — our state auditor candidate Paul Wellstone and the other was myself.”
Dayton added that “in the same way, I will stand with those who are elected as the sovereign leaders of sovereign nations, your tribal leaders, and work with you as co-equal heads of state on behalf of the issues that affect all Minnesotans.”

The venue included Minnesota House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, former Sen. Steve Kelley, Sen. John Marty, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Rep. Tom Rukavina and Rep. Paul Thissen.

Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner was the lone missing Democrat, while no Republicans showed even though organizers say they were as well invited.

They each made opening statements and then rotated from circle to circle, each one having a specific issue question to ask the candidates.

“As your governor, I will work with you, and work with the heads of government on a government-to-government relationship on equal terms,” said Kelliher, who touted her efforts on bills to fund Ojibwe and Dakota language preservation.

Kelliher said she’s ordered an “Indian Law 101” program each year for legislators, now in its fourth year. “We’ve expanded the debate from just gaming, which has brought incredible prosperity to our state … to other issues.”

Those issues include protecting the genetic purity of natural wild rice and the native language preservation. As governor, Kelliher said she would appoint a tribal member as a liaison from the governor’s office.

Rukavina said he has fostered American Indian interests for the 23 years he’s been in office, and always has an open door, “to the Indian leaders and the rank-and-file as well.”

As governor, he’d have an American Indian on his “kitchen cabinet,” he said. “You come to me anytime you want, tell me what I’m doing right, what I’m doing wrong.”

He “made sure” three years ago that state funding went to Ojibwe language programs at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Dakota language at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

“If you don’t preserve your language, you don’t to me have culture,” Rukavina said. He noted his grandparents homesteaded on Bois Forte Reservation land.

Rybak, too, cited a family connection as his parents ran a drug store at the corner of Franklin and Chicago avenues in Minneapolis.

“From that moment to the moment I became a mayor of the city of Minneapolis, with the largest American Indian population of any city in the country, I’ve been equally involved in all of these issues,” Rybak said. “One of the greatest things about being governor of Minnesota is that you have the ability to have partnerships with incredible Indian communities.”

There are disparity issues that must be attacked by the next governor, he said, but “there are more important opportunities with the fact that this state has never celebrated the Indian communities that are so much about who we are.”

Entenza said that as a young lawyer, he represented American Indian spearfishers in Wisconsin during the volatile expansion of fishing under treaty rights in the 1980s.

“I’m going to be the governor who leads for all people, because we need respect between us and plan to move the state and your nations forward to everyone’s benefit,” Entenza said. He also cited the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as saying, “We need fewer creeds and more deeds.”

When he started his campaign, Entenza said he met with tribal leaders at Red Lake, Leech Lake and White Earth nations.

Rebuilding Minnesota won’t be done in the State Capitol but with each other, said Thissen. “One of the most important ones is with the state and the tribes. To me, that’s focusing away from where we’ve been … and focusing more importantly on things that we share in common.”

It’s important “that we treat each other with equality,” said Marty. “Every one of us was created as a human being with dignity and deserve respect — even when we’re sick, even when we’re vulnerable, even when we’re poor.”

Everybody should have access to health care, a chance to earn a living wage, he said. Tribal sovereign governments need to be treated with respect. “That’s the way we start, and then we can work on a joint agenda.”

Billed as the first-ever statewide American Indian issues gubernatorial forum, the event was sponsored by Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota, American Civil Liberties Union-Minnesota’s Greater Minnesota Racial Justice Program, Wellstone Action Fund’s Native American Leadership Program and TakeAction Minnesota/The ReNEW Minnesota Campaign.

The event, held at the American Indian Resource Center on campus, was preceded by an Indian taco supper.

A question for Bemidji City Planner Rita Albrecht...

Rita Albrecht;

I understand through hearing things through the grapevine that you are not happy with me referring to you as a racist bigot.

If you are not a racist bigot, could you explain: why, in your capacity employed as a public official as the Bemidji City Planner working on the Bemidji Regional Event Center (BREC), you never brought out Bemidji's "Affirmative Action Policies" for hiring on public works projects?

Why was Kraus-Anderson told they did not have to implement affirmative action policies in hiring at the BREC?

Why has VenuWorks refused to state they will abide by Bemidji's affirmative action policies in staffing and maintaining the BREC?

Instead of answering these questions you go around calling me names.

Why don't you answer these questions on your blog?

Because of your racism, Bemidji now has the title of the most racist city in North America... this should fit in well with it's tourism industry.

Alan L. Maki

MIGA... The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association destroys Native American Indian culture and sovereignty

MIGA... The Minnesota Indian Gaming Association destroys Native American Indian culture and sovereignty as well as undermines democracy in Minnesota.

MIGA operates in a very interesting way.

MIGA was put together by a racist white man, John McCarthy, who found early on in life that there were huge profits to be made off the poverty of Native American Indian people... be it stealing their land when they needed food to feed their families by offering his "help" in time of need by buying their land at far less than market value and then selling at a very high price.

McCarthy early on learned that he could buy off some Native American people to do his dirty work for him and this has paid off well since he linked up with Stanley Crooks who has a most fitting name.

Of course, John McCarthy was able to find many politicians already very adept at extracting bribes from the various industries ranging from banking to agriculture and mining to power generating to forestry... any place there were businessmen exploiting workers and raping the land, Minnesota's politicians quickly found they could extract bribes from the wealthy.

John McCarthy was quick to learn there were always a few people among any people who could be sucked into schemes to abuse and exploit their own people... and mistreat their own people in quest of greater profits.

John McCarthy quickly found that he could always buy a few people in some way to get what he wanted: great wealth for himself... something he has attained through the Indian Gaming Industry.

John McCarthy has found it very easy to bribe the politicians.

John McCarthy has found it quite easy to find people like Sally Fineday and Audrey Thayer and those operating Wellstone Action to twist around his fingers as if they were nothing but putty in the palm of his hand.

The recent letter McCarthy wrote which was signed by Sally Fineday on behalf of the Beltrami County DFL--- a DFL Party organization known for its racism and bigotry, the likes of Mr. Nelson the Chair and Mike Simkins, Michael Meurs and the rest of this crowd--- demonstrates very clearly how John McCarthy operates.

The "forum" being put on under the auspices of being a a forum for the public to find out from gubernatorial candidates where they stand on Native American Indian issues where voters were supposed to be able to share their concerns and ideas also has very cleverly been turned into a lobbying effort in support of the Indian Gaming Industry.

John McCarthy has conceived the idea of putting hereditary chiefs on the gaming payrolls to buy them off just as he previously has done so successfully with tribal politicians... those tribal politicians who refused to take his bribes quickly found themselves being called corrupt, incompetent and undemocratic as they soon became the targets of massive hate campaigns--- Roger Jourdain was one of the first targets of such a hate campaign orchestrated by MIGA... John McCarthy stood back and smiled as he began to destroy Native American Indians, their communities and their culture in this way.

We have seen how John McCarthy and MIGA operate in organizing this forum of gubernatorial candidates... first you call it non-partisan and open to the public--- which it was never intended to be; then, the day before the forum you begin distributing a completely different statement calling upon people to use the slick website of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association as their resource for information on issues like "What is sovereignty?" I notice in none of the pictures on the MIGA website do we see John McCarthy dancing.

Sally Fineday released a letter on behalf of the the Beltrami County DFL attacking workers demanding their rights as a threat to "sovereignty."

I have yet to hear anyone explain how workers having rights and unions is a threat to any nation's or people's sovereignty; especially when the majority of the people comprising the nation are working people.

This is the perverted, distorted and twisted view of "sovereignty" pushed by John McCarthy and those like Stanley Crooks who want to maintain Native American Indian communities as a source of cheap labor for the Indian Gaming Industry.

Over 95% of the Native American Indian population is working class which means just one thing: If, as workers, they do not have jobs paying real living wages they will live in poverty.

What kind of perverted and twisted sovereignty is responsible for maintaining an entire people living in poverty?

Workers without any rights are workers who will forever remain in poverty... especially when you have all white racist bigots making the laws and negotiating "Compacts" with tribal politicians who are in John McCarthy's hip pocket as are the state legislators... quite the cozy little deal.

All of which begs the question:

If the majority of the Native American Indian people are working people and most of these people have to rely on the casino industry for jobs because affirmative action in employment is not being enforced in the private or public sector... what kind of "sovereignty" do a people without any rights in their place of employment have?

Sovereignty is predicated on people being free and equal, protected by human rights legislation and statutes.

Workers without any rights who are employed under the most Draconian conditions enforced by their employers without any recourse to have their grievances heard and their rights protected are a people who have no sovereignty.

John McCarthy and MIGA along with Minnesota politicians like those running for governor are destroying sovereignty as they claim in their perverted way, that they are defending sovereignty... of course, they would make this claim because as long as people believe John McCarthy's perverted and twisted views of sovereignty, everyone profits--- everyone that is except for the Native American Indian people who are forced to work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws; and this condition is what John McCarthy, MIGA, Sally Fineday, Wellstone Action, the American Civil Liberties Union, the tribal governments and Minnesota's Democratic Farmer-Labor Party are willing to endure in the name of sovereignty... interesting though, Native American Indians get this sovereignty of poverty without any rights and heart and lung diseases and the cancers... but, check out what John McCarthy gets out of this "sovereignty" deal--- just drive by his multi-million dollar estate high up on a hill overlooking the Mighty Mississippi.

Sovereignty works real well for John McCarthy; isn't it interesting that McCarthy's perverted and twisted version of sovereignty doesn't pay off as well for the people residing in the sovereign Indian Nations?

Something to think about as you chow down on the Indian Tacos compliments of John McCarthy and MIGA, just like the nice walleye dinners McCarthy provides for Beltrami County DFL fund-raising events which aren't reported to the Minnesota Elections Commission until someone just happens to question why not. 

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the one and only person to rise to the defense of the racist Bemidji City Planner who refused to insist that the City of Bemidji's affirmative action policy be enforced in the construction, staffing and maintenance of the Bemidji Regional Event Center was John McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association... Mr. McCarthy was afraid that casino managements might have to compete with higher wages paid to Native American Indian workers employed in a legislated smoke-free working environment with all the rights and protections the rest of Minnesota's workers enjoy.

One has to wonder and ask: If John McCarthy is so concerned with protecting the sovereignty of Indian Nations and the rights of Native American Indians, why has John McCarthy not written a letter on behalf of MIGA calling for the full implementation and enforcement of affirmative action in hiring with this massive public works project being paid for with the tax-dollars of Native American Indians just like everyone else--- except that Native American Indians are being denied employment in the project.

John McCarthy and MIGA are for a perverted and twisted form of sovereignty which is, in the process of being enforced by a bunch of racist and corrupt politicians like the ones running for governor all profit from the poverty of Native American Indians.

And Shar Knutson, President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO sits in silence through it all as do the big blow-hards like Richard Tumka and Leo Gerard who are tolerating a this bunch of racist bigots at the helm of the Minnesota DFL to hold everything from DFL fund-raisers to conventions in the smoke-filled casinos where working people have no rights.

I want to welcome everyone to North America's crown jewel of tourism, Bemidji, Minnesota which just also happens to be the most racist community in North America... Rita Albrecht has helped to plan Bemidji to remain this way.

Don't forget this MIGA forum where gubernatorial candidates have been brought together where John McCarthy will make sure they are lobbied to protect, defend and enforce poverty all in the name of defending sovereignty.

What the heck... I suppose if George Bush and Barack Obama can get away with occupying other countries in the name of defending democracy; I suppose John McCarthy and MIGA can get away with calling this enforcement of poverty a defense of "Indian sovereignty."

John McCarthy and MIGA have spent millions upon millions of dollars bribing Minnesota DFL politicians to see sovereignty in their way yet, what I find most interesting, is that they never question why there isn't one single Native American Indian sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature... now, there is something to think about.

Alan L. Maki

DFL gubernatorial candidates set for American Indian forum in Bemidji; but have voters been given the kind of timely notice they need to participate?

The article below appeared in the Bemidji Pioneer today. The event takes place tomorrow.

We have the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association manipulating this event which was planned long ago.

The intent of the organizers was to exclude people from the grassroots because they did not want to have controversial questions asked of the candidates; questions which would prove embarrassing to the candidates, one of whom will most likely emerge the next governor.

One need only look at the announced attendees cited in this article to determine that this is nothing but a dog-and-pony show created by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association:

Attendees will include Marge Anderson, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe; Kathryn Beaulieu, secretary of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa; Elizabeth Towle, chairwoman of the Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota (member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe); and Peggy Flanagan, director of Wellstone Action’s Native American Leadership Project (member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe).

One of the primary organizers of the event is Sally Fineday and another is Audrey Thayer... both seek to cover up the injustices surrounding the Indian Gaming Industry and seek to hide the connections between these DFL candidates for Governor and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which owns all the horses in the race so no matter who loses, the corrupt and racist Indian Gaming Association comes out the winner... of course, Tom Rukavina's campaign is already being undermined by the hierarchy who do all the controlling and manipulations in the Minnesota DFL whose candidates receive millions of dollars every election cycle from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

Just what does the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association purchase from the DFL through its maze of bribery which makes jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff look like a piker:

Forty-thousand Minnesotans work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws.

In addition, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association gets to have appointed, its racist friends like Rita Albrecht to important positions in government where they make the decision to refuse to implement affirmative action in hiring policies so as to keep people poor; thus assuring the casino industry of a ready supply of cheap labor. In what other division of the hospitality industry can cooks be hired for minimum wage as they are at Red Lake's brand new Seven Clans Casino?

Poverty wages means big profits for the casino owners and managers who have raked in over sixty-billion dollars in sheer profits this year in Minnesota, alone... this is not to mention the even more lucrative "businesses" that go along with the Indian Gaming Industry like drug dealing, prostitution, loan-sharking, the illegal gambling with betting on everything from high school basketball games to professional sports and the ponies.

In the case of Red Lake Gaming Enterprises which is supposed to be a "dry" casino operation, management makes big profits selling booze on the sly to its favorite customers.

What is being covered up by all this controversy surrounding this event with Republicans crying about being excluded, is the very fact that the organizers of this event like Audrey Thayer and Sally Fineday and those from Wellstone Action refuse to address the issue that in spite of so many candidates running, not one is a Native American Indian or a person of color. Kind of strange that this little group would avoid this issue.

As it is also very strange that this outfit pretending to be for involving Native American Indians in the political process... not one single one of these organizations has ever lifted a finger or their voices pointing out that not one single Native American Indian is sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature nor among its Congressional or Senate delegations.

What is going on here? Payoff a bunch of racist bigots to let a bunch of mobsters who own the slot machines run off with all the profits leaving people in poverty while these politicians build up a nice little nest-egg for the next election--- very slick, everyone is taken care of; everyone that is except the majority of the people for whom this creates a life of poverty which accompanies great misery.

How is it that these organizations have sat back doing nothing and putting forth no effort demanding enforcement of affirmative action in hiring when it comes to the Bemidji Regional Event Center?

They were no place to be seen when Rita Albrecht told Kraus-Anderson they need not enforce the City of Bemidji's own affirmative action policies as the Bemidji Regional Event Center is being constructed... and here they are in complete silence as hiring for the staffing and maintenance of the Bemidji Regional Event Center is about to get underway by a private management firm--- VenuWorks--- which is notorious for its union-busting, poverty wage and racially discriminatory hiring practices from one end of the United States to the other which is now engaged in talks with these casino managements to enable these casinos to bus in people from activities at the BREC to get them to the one-armed bandits, drugs and prostitutes. 

Look at the organizations sponsoring this event and fronting for the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party which has been the primary obstacle to Native American Indians getting a voice in the Minnesota State Legislature who now claim to be sponsoring some kind of "non-partisan forum" even though it includes only Democrats:

Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota, American Civil Liberties Union-Minnesota Greater Minnesota Racial Justice Project, Wellstone Action Fund’s Native American Leadership Program and Take Action Minnesota.

Again, Audrey Thayer does her thing that the foundations hire her to do: Make excuses for this kind of anti-democratic and racist behavior.

The Bemidji police get away with murdering a young Native American Indian--- Audrey Thayer is right there to make excuses.

Affirmative Action is intentionally not enforced by a racist City Planner who comes under attack and there is Audrey Thayer covering for Rita Albrecht right on her own blog.

Audrey Thayer has made excuse after excuse as to why 40,000 Minnesotans are going to jobs in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages and without any rights under state or federal labor laws.

Audrey Thayer is right there "investigating" racist police activity which she claims is a common occurence yet she has never called for the prosecution of a single police officer.

Excuse after excuse after excuse for the racism which is responsible for the complete impoverishment of people living on Indian Reservations... and with the clout to bring together every single Democrat seeking to become Minnesota's next governor, none of these basic questions are being asked.

Sally Fineday is the voice of the Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota... only days ago, in a letter written by John McCarthy who heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and singed by Sally Fineday on behalf of the Beltrami County DFL; in this letter Fineday and McCarthy present a most racist, perverted and twisted view of "sovereignty" in defence of the continued injustices casino workers are being subjected to while in the same letter Fineday acknowledges what Brian Melendez has been denying for years that the Minnesota DFL has nothing in its platform calling for enforcement of affirmative action; yet, in this same letter, Fineday and McCarthy and the Beltrami County DFL attack one of their own candidates running for Senate District 4 who has led the fight for enforcement of affirmative action and full accountability from this Indian Gaming Industry which has created massive poverty as DFL candidates continue accepting bribes from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry as they look away in indifference to the disgraceful, racist poverty they cannot help but see as they go to pick up their campaign contributions.

Since when is "sovereignty" a right to abuse working people and pay them poverty wages and force workers to be employed without any rights?

Each and everyone of these Democratic candidates for governor have been a party to maintaining the institutionalized racism in this state.

It is interesting that this article in today's Bemidji Pioneer by Brad Swenson picks up on the exclusion of the Republicans instead of focusing on these issues of injustice in a way that would finally force these politicians to explain how it is they are running for governor without so much as a peep about any of this poverty, racism and corruption.

Perhaps it is the advertising revenues derived from this racist and corrupt casino industry preventing newspaper reporters from delving into these questions--- if, so; so much for all the talk about a "free and open media" enabling democracy to thrive in our great big bastion of democracy that needs to be shoved down the throats of the rest of the world at gun point.

Why hasn't the Bemidji Pioneer editorialized insisting that these DFL candidates for governor answer these very simple yet very basic, fundamental and important questions?

These candidates have been talking about everything under the sun on their escapades into the racist wonderland known as Beltrami County; yet, these issues are yet to be addressed:

Affirmative Action

Worker's Rights

Elimination of poverty

Native American Indian representation in the Minnesota State Legislature

There are other issues which these candidates refuse to address:

Minnesota continuing to support the Israeli killing machine through its purchase of Israel's bonds.

Refusal to implement Canadian-style health care.

The destruction of the Big Bog by peat mining interests.

Failure to legislate a real living minimum wage based upon real cost of living factors.

Allowing the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Plant to close its doors after investing tens of millions of tax-payer dollars subsidizing Ford's profits for 80 years and providing the Ford Motor Company with free electricity the entire time.

I can't help but wonder what kind of news coverage we will be reading the day after this great non-partisan, no-issue American Indian Forum takes place.

Will people readsing the Bemidji Pioneer learn why each and everyone of these white candidates who have been in and out of the area have remained silent as the racist and corrupt DFL'er Rita Albrecht told Kraus-Anderson they did not have to implement affirmative action in hiring policies in a city with a 25% Native American Indian population with over 80% living in such abject poverty they have to line up directly across the street from the Bemidji City Hall at the Beltrami County Food Shelf in minus 30 degree weather to get food for their tables. How is it that City Planner Rita Albrecht could look into the faces of those forced to live in poverty and then turn around and tell Kraus-Anderson and VenuWorks they do not have to be concerned about implementing affirmative action in hiring policies?

How is it that Audrey Thayer now tries to cover for this dirty racist public official by posting to her blog that she is competent and did a good job? Coincidentally, John McCarthy also has written in defense of his racist friend, Rita Albrecht... and through all of this there has not been a peep from any of these other leaders claiming they are trying to get Native American Indian participation in the political process--- for years now we have seen what kind of "participation" is wanted from the Native American Indians in the political process by those like Sally Fineday, Audrey Thayer and this bunch of Democrats--- just keep the money flowing to our campaign coffers and you will have the right to work in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights; and this is why there is this late notice with no suggestion that candidates for governor should have to answer real questions about jobs, poverty, racism and people's livelihoods.

Maybe this event should have been held in the almost completed Bemidji Regional Event Center... or, is there something the politicians don't want people to see? Something like racism.

Published January 13, 2010

http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/event/article/id/100014891

DFL gubernatorial candidates set for American Indian forum

All 10 announced Democratic candidates for governor this year plan to be in Bemidji on Thursday to discuss American Indian issues.

By: Brad Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer

All 10 announced Democratic candidates for governor this year plan to be in Bemidji on Thursday to discuss American Indian issues.

The purportedly non-partisan forum at Bemidji State University has no Republican candidates, with one GOP operative charging that the forum was intended that way.

Billed as the first-ever, cross-tribal, pre-precinct caucus governor candidate forum on American Indian issues, the forum is sponsored by Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota, American Civil Liberties Union-Minnesota Greater Minnesota Racial Justice Project, Wellstone Action Fund’s Native American Leadership Program and Take Action Minnesota.

Confirmed candidates are Minnesota House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Sen. Tom Bakk, former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner, former Sen. Steve Kelley, Sen. John Marty, Rep. Tom Rukavina, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Rep. Paul Thissen.

All are Democrats.

“It seems a bit disingenuous to claim that a program is non-partisan when only feeble (if any) attempts were made to get representation from all gubernatorial candidates,” John Carlson, Bemidji campaign coordinator for GOP candidate Rep. Marty Seifert.

Carlson was responding Monday to an e-mail from Audrey Thayer, director of the Greater Minnesota Racial Justice Project, a sponsor.

“My concern is we have also four candidates (that I am aware of) who are Republican that may or may not (have) been sent letters. I do not have their contacts,” Thayer wrote Carlson. “Apparently, the Republican Party was sent a letter. and was to contact their potential candidates.”

She notes that some of the organizers of the event “are very young as community organizers and may (have) not known the process of community organizing for an event such as this.” Her organization “has pushed the issue of being non-partisan with all those organizations who are working on planning this event.”

Candidate information is posted with the state Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, Carlson says.
“One doesn’t have to know much or look far to find the information if there is a true desire to be non-partisan,” he wrote. “Whomever claimed they didn’t have contact information is either lazy or ignorant and really didn’t want broad representation from the entire political spectrum.”

Candidates’ calendars fill up quickly, Carlson, a former Republican House 4A candidate, wrote. “To get this information 76 hours before the event all but assures that candidates, whose information ‘could not be found,’, would be no-shows (which appears to be the desired outcome).”

Formal notices to the media didn’t go out until Monday, although the event began showing up on the DFL candidates' publicly available event calendars late last week.

Local Republicans will have their own, partisan event on Jan. 26 in BSU’s Beaux Arts Ballroom. Confirmed to that GOP-only governor candidate forum are the six remaining announced candidates (former State Auditor Pat Anderson dropped out of the race Tuesday and instead will run for her old job).

That event is sponsored by the Beltrami County Republicans, and is believed to be the first time where all GOP candidates for a statewide race were in Bemidji. The same can probably be said for the DFL gathering Thursday.

Also in the works is a Beltrami/Cass County DFL gubernatorial forum Jan. 23 at Northern Lights Casino south of Walker, and a Jan. 30 governor candidates’ forum at the new Red Lake Casino which hopes to draw from both parties.

Thursday’s event begins at 5:30 p.m. with an Indian taco supper, followed at 6:30 p.m.. with the candidate forum. Originally slated for the Beaux Arts Ballroom, it was moved Tuesday to the American Indian Resource Center, also on the BSU campus.

“Over the past decade, native Americans have increased their political involvement in Minnesota, impacting state House elections from Red Lake to Mille Lacs and even the 2008 U.S. Senate elections,” according to a statement on the event. “At the same time, native Americans are getting engaged in the 2010 elections earlier than ever. At this forum native Americans from Prairie Island to Fond du Lac to Red Lake will be raising their concerns and hopes for Minnesota and getting responses from gubernatorial candidates.”

Attendees will include Marge Anderson, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe; Kathryn Beaulieu, secretary of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa; Elizabeth Towle, chairwoman of the Native Vote Alliance of Minnesota (member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe); and Peggy Flanagan, director of Wellstone Action’s Native American Leadership Project (member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe).

Some of the candidates also plan events while in Bemidji. Author and retired BSU Professor Will Weaver is hosting Kelliher at his home prior to Thursday’s forum, and Rukavina is holding a meet and greet session 10:30-noon Friday at BSU’s Lower Hobson Union.