An open letter to Michael Caputo of Minnesota Public Radio

Michael Caputo

Analyst, Public Insight Journalism

Minnesota Public Radio News

Mr. Caputo,

Per your letter below in response to my suggestion, I’m not interested in talking to you about my “expertise” in anything.

I don’t think anyone has to be an “expert” to see the injustices inherent in the institutionalized racism being perpetrated and perpetuated by Bemidji City officials, Kraus-Anderson Construction, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Congressman Collin Peterson, State Senator Mary Olson, Representatives Brita Sailer and John Persell.

It is bad enough that Minnesota Public Radio has chosen not to report on the Draconian conditions workers in the Indian Gaming Industry are forced to work under--- loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights under state or federal labor laws… now, once again, you have chosen not to cover another story about working people.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed Executive Order #11246 to enforce “affirmative action” because he recognized the very deep-seated structural, systemic and institutionalized racism in this country.

It does not take an “expert” to understand that this very deep-seated structural, systemic and institutionalized racism is part of a “way of life” in northern Minnesota.

I feel sorry for the people of Minnesota who are relying on MPR for their news if you don’t comprehend the gravity of the racist injustices embodied in this Bemidji Regional Event Center given the deep-seated poverty among the Native American Indian communities on and off the Indian Reservations, which themselves are a most despicable example of institutionalized racism where poverty and unemployment is intentionally maintained at such high levels in order to create a “pool of cheap labor” for the Indian Gaming Industry.

Executive Order #11246 was created just for situations like a massive public works project such as the Bemidji Regional Event Center requiring the demographics and living conditions and standards of people of color, women and the disabled to be taken into consideration prior to moving ahead with even the planning process of this type of massive undertaking.

You and your news department at MPR are fully aware that no affirmative action program was developed, implemented or enforced for the planning, construction and now the hiring of staff and maintenance personnel by an outside management firm who was not required to divulge its own track record regarding affirmative action nor was VenuWorks required to prepare such an affirmative action policy prior to beginning the hiring process which is now underway.

It is your responsibility, not mine since my name is not on your paycheck, to have looked into all of this.

If Minnesota Public Radio is not concerned about the FACT that institutionalized racism is being orchestrated and carried out by public officials and the private contractors and management firms they hire then as far as I am concerned this is another very serious matter that needs to be looked into as to your own role in this pattern of institutionalized racism because your failure to report on this institutionalized racism is thus preventing people from becoming aware of this most disgraceful situation in the kind of timely manner in order to remedy this problem of not having developed and implemented an affirmative action policy/s on this once in a life time opportunity for people to attain meaningful employment in a good, clean, safe working environment at real living wages and salaries.

Affirmative Action is not something politicians, public officials and those in private enterprise have an option of choosing to implement or not; Executive Order #11246 makes Affirmative Action a REQUIREMENT on a public works project of this magnitude.

Minnesota Public Radio has made numerous reports on the Bemidji Regional Event Center with not one single one of those reports relating to employment practices or complaints regarding the lack of Affirmative Action; in fact, you are well aware that a lawsuit has been filed by the Native American Indian Labor Union #12 and that suit is presently before Beltrami County District Court Judge John Melbye at this very moment--- a law suit Minnesota Public Radio has NOT so much as reported on. You CHOSE not to send a reporter to Judge Melbye’s Courtroom because you did not want to report to your listeners what was said and took place in the Courtroom.   

Mr. Caputo, this is not about “experts” telling Minnesota Public Radio the facts of this case and the ramifications of the poverty resulting from institutionalized racism; this is all about Minnesota Public Radio’s refusal to report the facts in a timely manner so that people can take the actions they deem appropriate to attain justice and the human right to gainful employment--- without which people will be poor.

But, as a matter of fact, you and your news organization are fully aware that there are any number of “experts” in northern Minnesota you can go to for a story on the failure of elected and appointed public officials to enforce affirmative action--- might I suggest that you send your news crews out to the Beltrami  County Food Shelf across the street from the Bemidji City Hall and ask any Native American Indian standing in line waiting to receive food if they would like the opportunity to go to work on or at the Bemidji Regional Event Center… there is your “expert” Mr. Caputo.

Mr. Caputo, I would note that my original letter to you resulted from Minnesota Public Radio doing a story about racism in northern Minnesota; it would seem to me that since you recognize that racism has been, and continues to be, a serious problem in northern Minnesota that you and your staff would have the common sense to make inquiries to determine if people’s rights were being protected in all phases of the planning, construction and operation of the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

Might I suggest you consult with Anna Marie Hill to find out what she thinks about there being no affirmative action hiring policy in place for the Bemidji Regional Event Center or as your news staff refers to this racist boondoggle so affectionately as “the BREC.”

Why not have your news crews ask around to see if there has been any enforcement of affirmative action for any of the public works projects any place in Minnesota… I trust, that while you are probably no “expert” on affirmative action since if you were you might have taken this a bit more seriously; but, I trust that you understand that there is a difference between having an affirmative action policy and a non-discrimination policy. You might begin your news report on this matter by asking the Bemidji City Manager, the Bemidji City Attorney and the Bemidji Mayor if they understand the difference between the two.

I trust that you are fully aware that the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party does not have affirmative action as part of its “Action Agenda.” The Republicans in Minnesota are adamantly opposed to affirmative action without explaining what they will do to remedy the “un-level playing field” created by centuries of racist injustices and genocide; the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party refuses to insist on the enforcement of affirmative action--- once, again, an issue that MPR has refused to report on… probably because if people started a new political party looking after their interests your work-load would become unbearable.

I trust that MPR will be covering our organizing drive of BREC staff and maintenance workers better than you have covered the issues of institutionalized racism and affirmative action--- but, no doubt you will provide more in-depth coverage on how the decorative shrubbery was chosen.

Thank you for responding to my concerns albeit in a very superficial and insulting manner.

Yours in struggle for full equality of all peoples and full rights and real living wages for all workers,

Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Please check out my blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Let’s talk about the politics and economics of livelihood for real change.

From: Caputo, Michael [mailto:mcaputo@mpr.org]
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2010 7:28 AM
To: amaki000@centurytel.net
Subject: MPR News thanks you for your message...

Dear Alan:

Minnesota Public Radio received your email and we appreciate your willingness to comment and to share. Your comment on the affirmative action program at the Bemidji Regional Event Center was read. We take these kinds of comments seriously.

MPR and American Public Media (which operates MPR along with national programs like Marketplace and Speaking of Faith) have developed a way to partner more closely with folks on news coverage. It’s called Public Insight Journalism, but it really is a way to tap you on the shoulder when we cover issues that mean something to you.

Take a moment, to tell us about your expertise – what you do for a living, what you are passionate about. That way, when a topic or story surfaces related to your expertise, we can contact you in advance for your input.  Just click the link below.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/publicinsightjournalism/contact_tell_us_more.php?dom_name=mprpin

And feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks again,

Michael Caputo

Analyst, Public Insight Journalism

Minnesota Public Radio News

(651) 290-1081

mcaputo@mpr.org

The Century Foundation... wrecking grassroots and rank-and-file movements for real health care reform...

I posted this in response to a blog posting on “The Century Foundation” web site:




http://takingnote.tcf.org/2010/03/who-is-don-berwick-and-what-will-this-mean-for-health-care-reform.html



The Century Foundation is responsible for coordinating all the work that went into undermining the grassroots and rank-and-file movements for single-payer universal health care.



In my opinion, the hour is too late to keep dinging around with advocating single-payer universal health care… what we now need to do is focus our energies in struggling for socialized health care.



Here is what I posted in response to a blog posting by Maggie Mahar who heads up all the destructive work of The Century Foundation aimed at undermining grassroots and rank-and-file struggles for peace & social and economic justice of which real health care reform is a major part:

Why aren't we talking about a national public health care program (socialized health care)?



This is the only solution to this health care mess created by the for-profit, market driven health care system.



We already have three of the finest socialized health care models to expand and work from: VA, Indian Health Service and the National Public Health Service. Even as under-funded as these public health services are--- they are the best examples of good health care systems in the world.



If we ended these dirty wars that George Bush and the Republicans started with support from the Democrats which Barack Obama and the Democrats now keep going and expanding all on their own, we could use the money now being used to kill people and killing jobs to create the finest public health care system in the world which, in turn, would create up to ten million new jobs.



Here is a formula we should all be considering:

Peace = Socialized health care + Jobs

I work with people employed in the loud, noisy, smoke-filled casinos of the Indian Gaming Industry for whom real health care reform is a matter of life-and-death... working people employed in environments causing diseases and illness should not have to pay a single penny for health insurance.



People went to the polls to elect a president and congress to end these dirty wars, for real health care reform and for creating jobs paying real living wages... what we are getting is more wars, the "Health Insurance Industry Bailout and Profit Maximization Act of 2010" and trillion dollar "stimulus funding" creating poverty wage jobs without the enforcement of Executive Order #11246 (affirmative action).



I look forward to your response. In the meantime, we are telling people we are fed up with the politics of the Democrats and the Republicans:

No peace; no votes.


No public health care system; no votes.


No living wage jobs with affirmative action enforced; no votes.

This is what they call "accountability" in a "democracy."



We are living in the richest country in the world with a Wall Street imposed government that can't even provide its own citizens with something so basic as a fundamental human right like health care as trillions of dollars are squandered on militarism and wars.



We have a President who moonlights as a health insurance salesman who has a bunch of Congressman working for him as if they are part of Amway's pyramid scheme as the health insurance industry rakes in the dough and organizations like The Century Foundation have schemed to undermine even a simple reform like a single-payer universal health care system based upon the Canadian model.



Ms. Mahar--- you and The Century Foundation along with your "partners" like the Campaign for America's Future are playing us all for fools as if every day of the year is April Fool's Day.



Alan L. Maki

Director of Organizing,

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Getting America Back To Work

Getting America Back To Work is going to take a massive movement built from the ground up by rank-and-file working class activists who see the need to challenge corporate power by becoming involved in the decision-making process.

We need to understand that key to creating jobs is ending Obama's and the Democrat's dirty wars which are killing people and killing jobs because no society can simultaneously fight wars and create and maintain jobs because when a nation wastes its resources on militarism and wars this is like dumping a country's resources into the ocean.

We have over 3,700 mines, mills and plants closed down in this country and more going the way of Whirlpool in Indiana... people need all kinds of things to live better lives; it is time to kick production into high gear producing for people's needs not Wall Street's profits--- this can only be accomplished through public ownership and nationalization of closed mines, mills and factories.

We could create up to ten-million new jobs through the creation of a socialized healthcare system which would provide free healthcare to all--- the only thing required is using the money now being wasted on Obama's wars.

We need to reactivate the highly successful CCC and WPA programs of the 1930's only on a much larger scale.

Getting America Back To Work is going to require working people take the time to create grassroots political organizations independent of the Democrats and Republicans.

Turning this country around is going to require taxing the hell out of the rich--- this is called redistribution of wealth and we shouldn't shy away from this or any other progressive ideas because the only institutions still adequately functioning in this country are public institutions--- publicly owned mines, mills and factories will re-open creating millions of new jobs.

Getting America Back To Work is going to require innovative new socialist ways of thinking the American people haven't considered for awhile.

Getting America Back To Work isn't going to be easy but it is possible through grassroots and rank-and-file initiatives.

Marches on Wall Street are good.... placing the mines, mills and factories presently owned by Wall Street under public ownership is even better and this is where our focus should be.

Creating a national government owned bank would be a good first step in providing the financing needed in Getting America Back To Work.

Alan L. Maki

A question posed to me: Why are you concerned about racism?

The answer to this question should be so obvious to any human being that an answer should not be required:

Racism is simply immoral.

Racism hurts the victims.

Racism even robs the racist of humanity as hating someone because of the color of their skin dehumanizes even the bigot; and, racism is destructive of democracy.

However, since it is apparent there are so many racists in positions of power and influence in government and among the general population I feel further explanation is needed.

Unfortunately, there probably isn't any way we are going to end the racist acts of of uncaring, stupid individuals any time soon.

What we can do is demand the public schools do a better job educating towards eradicating racism but how is this accomplished when so many teachers are even nothing but bigots?

There are not only the personal acts of racism; there is ideological racism perpetuated by our schools, the media and opportunist politicians who will use every cheap, dirty trick to try to get votes. There is institutional racism of which structural and systemic racism are a part.

This entire rotten and corrupt political and economic system has us all trapped in a web, and institutionalized racism is the primary "glue" holding this web together.

Where you find corruption in government you will almost always find racism in government.

As American cities were burning, the result of a massive popular uprising and rebellion against racism on the part of African-Americans, Lyndon Baines Johnson signed Executive Order #11246 intended to bring an end to institutionalized racism through the enforcement of affirmative action.

For years, now, the racist bigots of every political stripe and persuasion have been challenging affirmative action being enforced in hiring, education and housing.

The enforcement of affirmative action is the bone of contention in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party today as the politicians are trying to accomplish what the racists have not been able to accomplish in the courts: striking down affirmative action through a ruling declaring Executive Order #11246 "unconstitutional" because it "discriminates against whites."

So, instead of challenging affirmative action in the courts, the white racist elected officials like the members of the Bemidji City Council have found supporters in attacking affirmative action among state and federal elected officials like MN State Representatives Brita Sailer, John Persell and Senator Mary Olson who are working in cahoots with Congressman Collin Peterson and Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken--- all of whom have shown their true racist colors by refusing to stand up for the enforcement of the law of the land--- Executive Order #11246 which has as its primary goal to "create a level playing field" for all Americans.

The objective of Executive Order #11246 never has been to solve the many problems of injustices in our society like unemployment, poverty, lack of healthcare, poor housing and inadequate schools. A more socially just social and economic system which requires the unity of all peoples to achieve can only accomplish bringing an end to these injustices for all of us. Ironically, we find the biggest racists and bigots also the greatest defenders of this failed capitalist social/economic system.

These public officials like racist United States Congressman Collin Peterson have sought to fan the flames of racism for their own cheap political gain here in Minnesota's 7th Congressional  District by, instead of challenging Executive Order #11246 in the courts because they know their court challenge to affirmative action would fail; instead, these racist bigots like Collin Peterson who use racism as a tool to push their constituencies to the political right creating an atmosphere where they can be elected and re-elected on a thoroughly reactionary pro-war/pro-big-business agenda--- to accomplish their objectives, Peterson and his gang of public officials who cling to his unraveling political coat-tails, arrogantly decided they would just ignore Executive Order #11246 and affirmative action on the Bemidji Regional Event Center--- the largest ever public works project in northern Minnesota. They intended to demonstrate to their racist supporters that they are "independent" of Washington and that they had the "courage" of a Tea Bagger in "standing up for white people" because isn't this what the racist Tea Bagger movement is really all about?

It is this institutionalized racism which should concern every decent person in Minnesota because if we lose the common human decency to fight against this institutionalized racism perpetrated by these crooked and corrupt politicians like Collin Peterson, Brita Sailer, John Persell and Mary Olson working in cahoots to deprive Native American Indians of jobs on the Bemidji Regional Event Center because the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and the corrupt tribal governments requiring a pool of cheap labor to operate their casinos fear that if Native American Indians have the right to jobs on a large public works project like the Bemidji Regional Event Center, the back of institutionalized racism in hiring will once and for all be broken in northern Minnesota and throughout Minnesota and the Indian Gaming Industry will have to compete with higher wages.

A rich racist white man, John McCarthy, runs the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association and in spite of having spent tens of millions of dollars electing white racist candidates like Collin Peterson, Brita Sailer, John Persell and Mary Olson who are dedicated to shoring up institutionalized racism as a means to push ALL wages down which in turn pushes all business profits up... in spite of spending tens of millions of dollars electing these racist white politicians, the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association has never once spent a single dime trying to elect Native American Indian politicians... doesn't this strike anyone as somewhat strange given the fact that not one single Native American Indian sits among the more than 200 state legislators or among our congressional delegation.

Look at the huge number of Democrats presently running for governor; not pne single Native American Indian among the candidates yet all of these candidates except for one go begging for campaign contributions from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association which a white man doles out.

Is there one single reason why a Native American Indian should not have been allowed to be nominated to run against Collin Peterson who takes the money from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association only to turn his racist back on the racist unemployment causing horrific poverty on Indian Reservations not to mention that workers employed in smoke-filled casinos that is called "the modern-day version of smallpox-laden blankets" by even the head of the Indian Health Service, working without any rights under tribal, state or federal laws (ever heard of any "sovereign" nation allowed to get away without laws protecting workers?) who are all paid poverty wages... which raises the question: How do you end poverty while paying workers poverty wages? Any school child understands that when you pay working people poverty wages those workers and their families will live in poverty.

And, isn't institutionalized racism really about using one group of workers against another group of workers to depress and keep wages down? There is no other explanation for institutionalized racism other than to maintain a racist and corrupt political system where the levers of government are used to push wages down... not only are the victims of racism deprived of the jobs they are entitled to when affirmative action is not enforced... but those people for whom perpetuating racism is some kind of a sick "honor" have their own standard of living held down and pushed down.

Racism, in all its ugly forms, is like a cancer in the human body which destroys everything healthy--- racism in our society destroys everything decent and just.

If anything destroys the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party its destruction will be attributable to the racism the Democrats acquiese to, and perpetuate.

It is no coincidendence that everything evil and unjust--- from wars to poverty to lack of adequate healthcare can be attributed to the racism which permeates our society--- United States Congressman Collin Peterson and his racist supporters have demonstrated this as they trampled upon democracy by perverting Robert's Rules of Order to maintain the racist status quo of all white politicians in the Minnesota State Legislature and on its Congressional delegation.

Think about it: Over one-hundred delgates engaged in smothering democracy in order to deprive one Native American the right to run for public office... all these racists stood up to pledge allegiance to the flag and then they turned right around and made the American flag an ugly symbol of racism.

Racism destroys democracy and creates an un-even playing field which ends up hurting us all.

Something to think about around the dinner table tonite--- if you can keep from vomiting knowing what is going on in this state in your name.

Alan L. Maki

Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention: A study in racism, corruption and the subversion of democracy

I am sure most people will not believe what I am about to write about the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention.

One almost would have had to have been present at the Best Western Motel's "Bigwood Event Center" in Fergus Falls, Minnesota on Saturday, April 10, 2010 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to understand just how racist, rotten and corrupt the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has become since 1948... but, for anyone in attendance at this so-called nominating convention the stench of the anti-democratic and racist corruption will fill their nostrils for years to come... for anyone who sees politics as a way to achieve better lives and livelihoods this 7th Congressional DFL Nominating Convention is sure to be the beginning of the end of their association, affiliation and even voting for DFL candidates.

A "nominating convention" is supposed to be just what the word implies; delegates coming together  to "nominate" candidates... in this case, a "convention" to "nominate" a "candidate for the United States Congress" from the "Seventh Congressional District" from the "Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party."

For many years, Collin Peterson has been the Congressman from the 7th District.

Other 7th District Nominating Conventions have been very corrupt and anti-democratic; like the one where the Vice-president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO--- Mark Froemke--- who was registered to vote in Grand Forks, North Dakota actually "nominated" Collin Peterson to run because Minnesotans had already been thoroughly fed up with Peterson who it is well-known, is a Republican who chooses to run on the MNDFL ticket even though he does not support any part of the DFL's "Action Agenda."

Collin Peterson is a vile racist who is opposed to affirmative action when it comes to people of color and he is equally bigoted when it comes to the rights of women and the handicapped.

Peterson has been a gung-ho supporter of these dirty wars under both Bush and Obama.

Amy "Republican Lite" Klobuchar thinks Collin Peterson is the cat's meow--- better than sliced bread. For Klobuchar, Peterson's thoroughly reactionary positions are a sign of "independence," which she claims the people of the 7th Congressional District want--- which would lead any thinking person to conclude, if Klobuchar is correct, that 7th District voters have no use for the MNDFL... and, this just might be the case more than Amy "Republican Lite" Klobuchar and the DFL hierarchy understand--- not only for the 7th Congressional District; but, for most of Minnesota--- so, why would anyone even bother to vote for the DFL unless they support racism and anti-labor corruption?

Ostensibly the 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention was run according to Robert's Rules of Order. But, isn't the purpose of Robert's Rules of Order supposed to be to assure the most democratic process possible and open a nominating convention up for greatest participation of all in order to assure the protection of the democratic process? Of course, anyone with the least little respect for democracy understands that Robert's Rules of Order is not a process that is intended to be perverted to thwart and stymie democracy--- yet, at the 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention this was precisely the way Robert's Rules of Order was used--- or, more properly abused--- to prevent the democratic participation in the political process... nothing really new to the MNDFL; but, for the first time displayed so publicly as hundreds of racists and bigots of every stripe and persuasion who managed to get themselves elected as delegates through a similar corrupt process participated in a completely rigged convention that didn't even have a pretense of being democratic.

Robert's Rules of Order was abused in the most undemocratic fashion to allow and enable Collin Peterson to be nominated be racists and bigots equal to himself as a sea of white faces raised their delegate cards in approval knowing a number of people had come to the convention to nominate alternative candidates--- one of whom was a Native American Indian and an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Reservation.

Brian Melendez, the Zionist warmonger, stood at the sidelines providing hand signals to Paul Wright the racist Chair of the MNDFL 7trh Congressional District--- Wright is known for his undemocratic behavior as is Melendez, who recently tried to derail precinct caucus resolutions in support of affirmative action and for divesting from the murderous Israeli killing machine.

Saturday Wright displayed his racist arrogance as he tolerated a racist white man to step up to the microphone as Native American Indian, Greg Paquin, was about to speak. Wright admonished Paquin that the Convention "will get to your issue."

The racist who so disgracefully stepped in front of Paquin who was next in line to speak; was then allowed to bring forward the use of Robert's Rules of Order for the purpose of closing all nominations for the 7th Congressional District seat before any nominations had even been called for! Thus creating a nominating convention where only one nomination was allowed even though it was widely known there were other nominations to come in addition to Peterson--- specifically the nomination of Curtis Buckanaga. I have the photos of the vote on this most disgraceful motion commenced under Robert's Rules of Order... the racist Chair of the Rules Committee just shrugged the entire thing off as one group of people having a better grasp of how to use Robert's Rules of Order than others.

But, has it ever been the intent of Robert's Rules of Order to be used to stifle democracy or prevent the nomination of all but one candidate at a "Nominating Convention?" Of course not. But, to a Zionist supporter of the Israeli killing machine like Brian Melendez who finds it completely appropriate to mistreat Palestinian people in the exact same racist manner as Native American Indians have been mistreated through centuries of racist abuse including most recently being denied jobs at the Bemidji Regional Event Center where United States Congressman Collin Peterson and his racist coterie of DFL'ers including Belrami County DFL Chair Nelson and his racist colleagues like Mike Simkins, John McCarthy, Rita Albrecht, Brita Sailer, Mary Olson, John Persell who worked in collusion to deny jobs to Native American Indians--- these are the very same people who perverted Robert's Rules of Order to assure ten-term Congressman with a racist, anti-labor, pro-corporate agenda would once again be nominated without any discussion of his thoroughly reactionary policies that United States Senator Amy "Republican Lite" Klobuchar calls "independent;" about as "independent" as the racist anti-labor Tea Baggers trying to similarly smother democracy.

In fact, the greater part of the delegates to the 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention had the exact same racist and anti-democratic attitudes and behaviors as Tea Baggers... is it any wonder the racist, fascist Tea Baggers support Collin Peterson?

Fergus Falls is as much the burial grounds for democracy as Minnesota has been a burial grounds for generations of Native American Indians targeted for centuries of a racist campaign of genocide and it is no coincidence that these disgusting racists who dominated the 7th District DFL Nominating Convention were active participants in this ugly dirty campaign of genocide part of which is denying Native American Indians the right of representation in Minnesota's State House and among its Congressional delegation--- every DFL politician and voter should be hanging their heads in shame after sitting in silence with what has taken place is Fergus Falls, Minnesota this past Saturday. 

Fergus Falls, Minnesota... the burial grounds for democracy.

I would note that the Management of the Best Western Motel... well known for its own racist hiring practices, was engaged in supporting Brian Melendez and Paul Wright and the majority of the white racist delegates who had assembled for the 7th Congressional District Nominating Convention where they once again saddle voters with the choice of "Republican heavy" Peterson versus the nominee of the Republican Party who is, like Amy Klobuchar, "Republican Lite."

Question I was asked... my answer

After my previous blog posting I was asked:

My answer would be: Whenever the Democrats no longer serve their purpose and they cannot win anything through the Democratic Party.

When should people break away from the Democratic Party? How do we know when to break away from the Democrats?

Look, let's be frank; politics for working people is not about this or that candidate winning as if scoring points in a basketball game.

For working people, politics is about livelihoods and rights.

We, as working people, should never fall for this load of donkey dung that we must support the candidates nominated in this corrupt political process known as "nominating conventions;" nor should we be bound by who wins elections because they buy their way or someone like the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association buys their way.

Each and everyone of our votes is very precious because it is a key to a better life, for peace, for social and economic justice and we should protect our votes--- and ourselves--- by casting our votes only for candidates who will, once elected, struggle alongside of us as we struggle in our communities and places of employment for what is right.

What sense does it make for us to just hand over our votes to candidates who tell us one thing in order to get elected then turn around and ignore us or vote against our interests once elected.

We need to et somethng straight; we don't OWE any political party or any politician anything--- they are supposed to work for us not the other way around.

For working people, it makes no sense not to use the Democratic Party to the extent possible to avance our agenda for peace, healthcare, jobs, justice and an end to racism and discrimination in all its ugly forms.

On the other hand, it makes no sense for anyone to remain in the Democratic Party once they can no longer accomplish their objectives.

But, beginning to work outside of the Democratic Party should not translate into not working with our fellow workers who don't yet see the need to leave the Democratic Party because at the grassroots level of people who continue to vote for Democrats there are many people who understand it when people need to move outside of the Democratic Party to achieve their goals and objectives--- with such people we should work in alliance towards our goals and objectives.

We are already seeing many people either rejecting the warmongering, corruption and racism of the Democratic Party be leaving it or remaining to struggle inside within the frame-work.

As working people, I think we need to remain flexible enough that we support ANY initiatives inside or outside of the Democratic Party which are focussed on making life better for people.

As working people, we should appreciate struggles of others working towards our common objectives and not buy into this phony concept that we need to vote for Democrats because otherwise Republicans are going to win.

If Republicans win it is not because people are moving outside of the Democratic Party and drawing votes away from the Democrats--- the Democrats have no one to blame but themselves because the corporate, corrupt elements who manipulate and control the Democratic Party are not being responsive to the needs and desires of most of the American people who want nothing more than peace, good healthcare through some kind of public healthcare program, jobs at real living wages with everyone assured the right to access to jobs through the enforcement of affirmative action programs.

The Democrats have betrayed the American voters who went to the polls in 2008 and voted in a very solid majority that they wanted peace--- NO MORE WARS.

The Americam people don't want these dirty wars because they don't want death and suffering delivered upon other peoples in foreign countries in their name and as a people we understand that every single dime spent on this death and destruction robs us of a decent quality of life here at home; depriving us of healthcare, jobs, quality public education, decent housing, school lunch programs and this insanity of militarism is blocking our way in eliminating the scourge of poverty and the misery it entails.

I would encourage anyone and everyone to become engaged in some way in exploring politics outside of the Democratic Party--- let's just call it a new kind of politics of the people who aspire to a better world; not just in fancy sounding words aimed at getting elected and then doing the opposite; but in creating new kinds of people's politicians who will advance pro-people, rather than pro-corporate, anti-people, agendas.

It truly is a crime against democracy, a racist crime at that, that not one single Native American Indian is sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature because the same old dirty corrupt nominating process that politicians like former United States Senator Mark Dayton has complained about has been used for over 150 years to prevent the original inhabitants of this continent from having a right to participate in what is hypocritically called "the democratic process."

One must ask the question: What kind of dirty and corrupt hypocrites would have the unmitigated gall to do as DFL State Senator Mary Olson has done while backed to the hilt by John McCarthy and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association with all the money she needs, to then, upon the nominating process that racists like herslf and her friends like John McCarthy, the racist Bemidji City Planner who planned Native American Indians right out of the jobs to which they are entitled by law, Rita Albrecht and long-time DFL wheeler-dealer Michael Meuers... after knowing the manipulation, finagling and shenanigans that take place largely with her own doing... to then announce "the democratic process has worked."

For a worthless, racist politician like DFL State Senator Mary Olson, there is perhaps no difference between "Democratic process" and "democratic process;" however, any halfway intelligent person who takes the time to see just how the nominating process took place for Minnesota State Senate District 4 can see that the process is anything but "democratic."

Tomorrow will see the "Democratic process" at work once again as the sugar beat industry along with the union "leaders" the industry has bought off like Mark Froemke who has forced less-than-living-wage contracts down workers' throats and left workers in the sugar beat refineries not much better off than what workers were subjected to over 100 years ago and enter into coalition with the sugar beat industry and the corrupt union bosses teaming up with the likes of JohnMcCarthy the racist rich white man who heads up the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association--- once again, Collin Peterson, who admits he is more conservative than his Republican opponents will, again, be seeking the DFL nomination for 7th Congressional District Congressman. Of course, the union bosses from the building and construction trades who have lamented affirmative action for decades will be supporting Peterson, as will the representatives of the teacher unions whose pension funds controlled by Las Vegas "investors" and those like the charming John Edwards whose campaign against poverty ended when he was caught with his pants down, are now the primary investors of funds building casinos in the Indian Gaming Industry.

In the labor movement we have a name for these kinds of sweet little deals--- "sweetheart agreements."

And that is what the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has become--- nothing but an unbroken chain of "sweetheart deals" between corrupt politicians and those who will hand them the most money while wars and poverty rage on with the needs, problems and concerns of the people nothing more than a footnote needed to be mentioned in order to trick people into voting for them one more time.

Anyone can look to see the players who will dominate the nominating process for the 7th Congressional  seat in Congress--- aren't these all the same players who rigged the Roseau County DFL Convention? The same players who rigged the nominating process in Beltrami County? Just take a look... it is one more rigged nominating process--- is it any wonder that former State Senator Mark Dayton has bolted from this corrupt and rigged process in his attempt to become governor being the one and only candidate proclaiming his allegiance to affirmative action--- the law of the land?

Just imagine, here are these "nominating conventions" taking place where the nominees are no better than the racist George Wallace yet these same racist candidates are receiving the money from the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association.

How is DFL State Senator Mary Olson any better that any Republican who states they do not believe in affirmative action?

In fact, George Bush was politically and ideologically opposed to affirmative action but even this neanderthal ENFORCED affirmative action... while at present, the Democrats refuse tio enforce affirmative action or demand that it be enforced--- why no enforcement of affirmative action in Minnesota? Because Brian Melendez the racist warmonger who heads up the Minnesota DFL and his elite little "Summit Hill Club" are taking the votes of African-Americans, Hispanics and Native American Indians, women and the handicapped for granted as they seek out the racist suburban, profressional, upper middle class, well-heeled and wealthy votes which bring in not only votes but tons of money to the MN DFL.

Politics--- Democratic Party politics is all about big money; no different from the Republicans... democratic politics, the politics of the people is a completely different matter--- this is a politics and economics of livelihood. There really is a big and fundamental difference. More and more people will be seeking the democratic politics outside of the Democratic Party as liberals and leftists come together in a progressive coalition seeking change. Many of these progressive coalitions will result in new political parties which should find a way to work together with the many people who will be running as independents.

At every opportunity, liberals, progressives and those on the left should be challenging what everyone knows is "the good old boys club."

Racism, bigotry, war, poverty, healthcare for profit and injustice---

Or, peace, equality, a decent standard of living for all, healthcare for people not-for-profit and working towards an end to injustices...

We really do have a choice... that choice is to accept what racist, warmongering, pro-corporate and corrupt politicians like John Persell, Brita Sailer and Collin Peterson toss our way like a few meatless bones they might be generous to toss out to a barking dog who wouldn't know enough to look a gift horse in the mouth--- or standing up and fighting back instead of following along after these Dumb Donkeys fighting each other for what the sparrows leave behind.

I'll re-publish this same blog posting the evening before the State DFL Convention takes place in Duluth on April 23,24, 25... I don't know why they don't hold this Convention on April Fool's Day.

With the way the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party has played people for fools these past two years one would think delegates to the state convention would have to walk through a gauntlet of peace and social activists at the Convention Center in Duluth.

Something to think about around the dinner table tonight.

Alan L. Maki

Democracy and the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party

The middle-class professional and small-business class together with well-heeled and wealthy members of the "Summit Hill Club" who control and manipulate the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party as if politics is a sport and for whom politics is a method to maintain control of the system from which they reap their profits; these people who are represented by corporate attorneys like Brian Melendez, are seeking to eliminate "Precinct Caucus Night in Minnesota" because it has become to cumbersome for them to control and manipulate to their ends, the Precinct Caucuses; too many working people, people of color, women and youth bringing forward resolutions concerning their problems and concerns requiring real solutions.

Three such concerns the well-heeled and wealthy would like to forget about in the democratic process are:

Here in Roseau County the way these people operate has been demonstrated time and time again.

Peace.
Healthcare.
Jobs.

What do they do to exclude working people?

They tell their buddies about meetings while excluding others whose ideas and opinions they don't like.

They announce times, dates and places for required meetings then move the meetings, telling only those they can count on to vote their way--- a great way to get "unanimity."

They hold conventions where they refuse to allow issues of importance to working people to be discussed; then they require exhorbitant fees for "banquets" where they put forward their real agenda aimed at "giving working people the shaft."

They use the "nominating process" to assure only the candidates they want to run get in office while claiming the candidates of this rigged nominating process are the only "real" candidates of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and candidates that run in "nominating primary elections" where voters have the chance to select candidates are some-how rogue candidates unworthy of support.

Many people come to the Precinct Cacuses and once there see, find out and experience just how they are being manipulated out of the decision-making process when it comes to solving their addressing their concerns and their problems.

By the time most people get done with being jerked around by these manipulators and control freaks like Brian Melendez and those like him who have vested interests in maintaining the profit flow of those they represent but never declare their conflicts of interest--- for Melendez, the law firm he is employed by, Faeger & Benson, where Melendez makes a six-fugure salary plus bonuses working for major corporations and for the Indian Gaming Industry--- this conflict of interest becomes apparent when ever improved wages and working conditions are discussed or when the rights of people of color and entire communities of people of color who have been victimized by gencuries of genocide and now "benevolent neglect" like Native American Indian people who, like all working people are completely frozen out of the political decision-making process.

Well, by the time people see what happens at the precinct caucus level most people are too discouraged to go on in the political process any further--- in fact, so many Minnesotans have seen for themselves, with their own eyes the manipulation and control over time--- they have no respect for the candidates whose names appear on the primary ballots so they don't even make the trip to the primaries any more unless they see the appearance of a "rogue" or "maverick" candidate appear on the ballot.

Those people still bothering to vote in General Elections anymore, are for the most part, people who have never seen how undemocratic the entire political process is and their ideas have been influenced by the slick advertising agencies hired to "sell" candidates to voters portraying them as the greatest thing since pre-sliced bread.

In fact, it is the present "nominating conventions" which are instruments befitting an old Finnish feudal lord with a vested interest in keeping his serfs in their place that should be abolished in favor of the more democratic primary elections where all voters are eligible to vote to nominate the candidate of their choice.

All restrictive "petitions" and filing fees to run for political office should be eliminated. Collecting  25 signatures should be all that is required for anything less than a statewide race, while one-hundred signatures should be plenty for a state-wide race.

Why should independent candidates going into a primary election be forced to compete unfairly with a well-oiled (read fully funded) political machine which turns out maybe 30 to 70 of their crooked and corrupt friends with a vested interest in maintaining profits to choose candidates of their liking while independents are forced to file rediculous nubers of signatures on petitions and pay filing fees?

A pefect example of the way this manipulation takes place can be seen by the way the extremely wealthy John McCarthy of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association maintains control of the Beltrami County DFL with his hirelings befitting all the methods employed by any organized crime family in America... and this is what passes in Minnesota for democracy these days.

One only need meet the candidates selected through this corrupt and undemocratic process; people like John Persell who once you talk to the guy wonder if he knows any better than to tie his shoe laces together--- from shoe-to-shoe, or if his wife has to lace and tie his shoes in the morning and double knot them to make sure they don't come untied... such are the utter fools this undemocratic process of these rigged "nominating conventions" produce together with thoroughly racist and corrupt individuals like State Senator Mary Olson whose most loyal friends are John McCarthy and racist "community planners" like Brita Albrecht whose concerns for the creation of the concept for the Bemidji Regional Event Center included evey single thing from will the walkways be close enough to the lake to whether these walk-ways will be ashphalt or concrete to what kind of shrubbery will line these walk-ways to the artwork at the entrance-way to the decor inside the BREC to what kind of vendors will be allowed to profit from public tax-dollars to what color the seats will be to how people will be shuttled between the BREC to local smoke-filled casinos employing workers at povery wages without any rights--- but, Rita Albrecht and the Bemidji City Council who hired her, then fired her (when she was exposed as a racist) after it became apparent she had intentionally omitted an affirmative action policy required by law for hiring the people to plan, build, manage, staff and maintain the BREC--- thus assuring, once again, that Native American Indians would be excluded from the process and left without the jobs to which they are entitled by law, affirmative action law: Executive Order #112246.

One has to wonder how these politicians and their string pullers like John McCarthy and the corrupt Michael Meuers whose racist wife also sits on the racist white Bemidji City Council then have the audacity to go to Native American Indians for votes--- and money--- for candidates like stupid fools like John Persell whose claim to fame is that he managed to stumble through a hitch in the military and racists like Mary Olson and Brita Sailer who make a pilgramage into in Indian Country to get their campaign contributions and stump for the votes they need to win in this "swing vote district" at election time while ignoring the racist unemployment and poverty.

For a while here and there working people and the racially oppressed could make a break through and bust through a door here or there in the Minnesota DFL; but, not anymore.

Now it is only a question of time and organization before working people of all races come together in Minnesota to bolt the MNDFL which fails and refuses to respond to the concerns, needs and problems of the people who have no choice but to create a political party which will stand for peace, healthcare and jobs which no working woman or man can live a decent life without.

Until such a political formation takes shape we should encourage as many challenges inside the DFL and outside of it through independent campaigns based around the concerns and needs of working people and solving the problems of the working class.

If a candidate can not stand for peace; they should not receive our money or our help in any way; let them do their own phone-banking and walk the neigborhoods.

No peace; no votes.
No real healthcare reform; no votes.
No jobs with enforcement of affirmative action; no votes.

The time has come to tell the likes of Brian Melendez and John McCarthy to take their warmongering, racist candidates and go to hell.

End the machine manipulated "Nominating Conventions;" not Precinct Night in Minnesota.

Minnesota Democrats peddle racism in the guise of benevolence

Minnesota DFL State Senator Mary Olson, DFL'er Representative John Persell and DFL'er Brita Sailer are among Minnesota Democrats boasting that they look after the needs of Native American Indians because they secured funding for the promotion of Native languages and cultures.

But, what are the real facts?

First, the funding they have secured is a mere pittance compared to the amount of state and federal funds that have been spent over the last one-hundred years and more to rob and deny Native American Indians of their language and culture.

Second, these same legislators have refused to adequately fund public schools on the Indian Reservations and in predominantly Native American Indian communities.

Third, none of these legislators have raised their voices to insist on the enforcement of affirmative action in hiring.

Fourth, how can children living in poverty expect to learn anything be it reading English or learning the very language their grandparents were beaten in school for speaking.

It is a disgrace to the human race that such vile politicians like Olson, Persell and Sailer have the unmitigated gall to go around boasting that one of the reasons they are entitled to the Native American Indian vote is because they have helped Native American Indian people secure wholly inadequate funding to re-teach Native American Indians their own language and culture that was beaten out of them by public school teachers and in boarding schools where the documented racist abuse was horrific.

In fact, what we have going here is the worst kind of racism because many times more money is going to be dished out to other communities and when we see how much more these racist politicians like Olson, Persell and Sailer are going to tell Native American Indians--- "Don't complain; you got yours." This is how this dirty racist political system has played people for years.

What DFL'ers Olson, Persell and Sailer refuse to address is the fact that it is much cheaper for the government and more lucrative for business profits to pay for language and culture, especially when part of the promotion is to promote Native American language and culture as part of the tourist and hospitality industries than for the government to put an end to racist unemployment and poverty and providing decent homes, quality educations and adequate healthcare.

Native American Indian language and culture is very important to restore; but, as part of a human rights agenda designed to bring full equality in employment, education, housing and healthcare.

Some people may view this token and completely inadequate tossing of money at a problem as "don't look a gift horse in the mouth." This is a shortsighted approach designed to prevent the kind of all-peoples unity needed to turn this country around.

Any country that can spend trillions of dollars on wars and militarization certainly can find the resources to provide Native American Indian peoples the lives with the dignity and human decency that comes with a real living wage job working in a healthy and rewarding working environment; after all, this entire system was built on the land and resources stolen from First Nation's peoples in the exact same violent manner their language and culture was stolen from them.

Mary Olson, John Persell and Brita Sailer have a lot of nerve waving around these inadequate funds for language and culture when they never lifted one finger or their voices to demand the development, implementation and enforcement of affirmative action on the Bemidji Regional Event Center when everyone knows that children living in poverty have a hard time learning anything and without a real living wage job, working people are destined to be poor.

I never saw a kid yet who could fill his or her belly on language and culture.

The Red Lake Nation pays Michael Meuers tens of thousands of dollars to advocate for the Red Lake Nation and what have the people received in return?

Check it out... Native language on the doors of Bemidji businesses for the tourists to look at while inside the owners have an unwritten sign:

No Native American Indians need apply for jobs here---

While below this same racist parasite living off the poverty of the Native American Indian people is scheming at a Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party Precinct Caucus Meeting trying to prevent a resolution in support of affirmative action from being approved, and is pulling strings to undermine the candidacies of Native American candidates for public office...

How come we don't see Michael Meuers standing with a group of Native American workers going to work on the construction of the Bemidji Regional Event Center holding a copy of affirmative action policies as mandated by President Lyndon B. Johnson's Executive Order #11246?

Check it out; anyone see any affirmative action policies anyplace as part of the planning process to develop this racist boon-doggle known so affectionately as THE BREC?

http://www.bemidjievents.com/plans.html


No one can say that Michael Meuers doesn't have any "pull" because the the Red Lake Nation Tribal Council hires him because of his "pull" in the Minnesota DFL...

PLUS...

Michael Meuers' wife sits on this racist, all white Bemidji City Council:

While Michael Meuers feeds his face, Native American Indian children go to school hungry and sick because their parents are victims of racist hiring practices enforced by the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party:

Hopefully the Minnesota DFL will choke on its own racism in the November Election.

Not one single Native American Indian sitting on the Bemidji City Council in spite of Bemidji's large Native American Indian population.


Not one single Native American Indian sitting in the Minnesota State Legislature in spite of Minnesota having one of the largest Native American Indian populations in the Nation--- a Nation, and its resources, stolen from First Nations peoples...

And, a government that won't obey its own laws and enforce affirmative action.


Welcome to Bemidji where Native Americans are disenfranchised from the political process and denied the jobs they are entitled to...


Welcome to Bemidji the most racist community in America.

Many people wonder how such systemic and institutionalized racism can exist in Bemidji, Minnesota.


The fact of the matter is that people are not learning the real history of this area.


This collection of post cards is a reflection of what students in schools are learning... of Bemidji, a resort and tourist community.


What is not being displayed for the present generation and the tourists to see is Lake Bemidji as it was inhabited by Native American Indians who were driven from their homes to make way for this tourist and resort community to be established... are there no pictures appropriate for display at the tourist center or on post cards depicting how the removal of an entire people from their homes and deprived of their livelihoods based upon what Nature had provided was accomplished?


People like Mary Olson, John Persell and Brita Sailer now want to make people think they have done some great deed for Native American Indians in securing this pittance of funding to help restore the language and culture destroyed by another "culture."

I'm wondering if some funding shouldn't be allocated to teach us all about the real "hidden" and "dark" history of how systemic and institutionalized racism created Bemidji, Minnesota--- the most racist city in the United States of America where the politicians really believe they can flagrantly violate the laws of the land in depriving Native American Indians of the jobs they are entitled to.


On the very land at the shores of Lake Bemidji where the Bemidji Regional Event Center is nearing construction, it wasn't that long ago Native American Indians were forced to leave their homes as this land was stolen out from under them... now, again, another form of racism is being carried out in depriving Native American Indians of their rights and livelihoods.


Shouldn't we have a series of post cards depicting the racist history and present of the City of Bemidji? Maybe then affirmative action would be enforced as required by law.

Irene Folstrom arrested for drunk driving; Did John McCarthy of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association pull political strings to get Folstrom off light?

Published March 31 2010

Irene Folstrom, former Bemidji candidate, pleads guilty to with DWI refusal to test
The day after she was scheduled to appear on Sunday’s CBS Early Show for yet another media interview on her college years relationship with pro golfer Tiger Woods, Irene Folstrom Masayesva was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
By: Molly Miron, Bemidji Pioneer

The day after she was scheduled to appear on Sunday’s CBS Early Show for yet another media interview on her college years relationship with pro golfer Tiger Woods, Irene Folstrom Masayesva was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

Folstrom, 35, of Bemidji, pleaded guilty Wednesday, March 31, in Beltrami County District Court before Judge John Melbye to gross misdemeanor third-degree DWI – refusal to submit to chemical test.

In an interview last week concerning the upcoming publication of her book, “Phoenix,” in which she recounts her battles with depression and other life challenges, Folstrom said “even though I rose from the ashes, I definitely had a dark period in my life, about two years ago.”

Folstrom said some of her problems arose after she ran unsuccessfully for state Senate in 2006 and mayor of Bemidji in 2008.

As it happens, Folstrom said Wednesday, she did not participate on the CBS Early Show as announced.

“They wanted pictures of me and Tiger together,” she said.

She said she drew the line on that request because it’s part of her private life.

Woods’ Thanksgiving night crash and ensuing discovery of many extramarital affairs demanded that someone who knew him step forward in his defense, Folstrom said last week in an interview. She spoke supportively on his behalf from her relationship with Woods when they were boyfriend and girlfriend during their college years at Stanford University.

“No one was speaking out, and I guess I became the sacrificial lamb because I probably knew him the best,” she said during last week’s interview.

According to the criminal complaint against Folstrom:

At 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 29, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a vehicle that was being driven in a dangerous manner on Roosevelt Road, nearly hitting an oncoming vehicle and nearly running into the ditch. A witness described the vehicle and reported the license number.

A Beltrami County deputy made a traffic stop at the intersection of Little Norway Avenue and Roosevelt Road Southeast. The deputy identified the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle as Folstrom. She provided a driver’s license, which was expired. The deputy observed the strong odor of alcohol from Folstrom, watery eyes and slurred speech. She said she had drunk alcohol the night before in Cass Lake.

Folstrom failed field sobriety tests and was taken to the Beltrami County Law Enforcement Center. The deputy administered the Implied Consent Advisory, and Folstrom was given the opportunity to consult with an attorney. The deputy took her to the Intoxilyzer Room where she failed to comply with instructions and provided “deficient samples” of her breath. The deputy offered her the opportunity to provide a blood or urine test. Folstrom said she understood but refused further testing.

Although her license was expired, a check showed that Folstrom has no prior convictions or alcohol-related loss of license.

The maximum sentence for third-degree DWI – refusal to test is one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

Folstom’s attorney, Jason Pederson of Bemidji, said his client was sentenced to the three days she served in the Beltrami County Jail with no additional time imposed. She must serve three years of unsupervised probation, pay a fine of $500 with $500 stayed, undergo chemical dependency evaluation and follow recommendations and complete other standard probation conditions.

Pederson said Folstrom is going through a extremely taxing time in her life, but she takes full responsibility for her offense.

“She accepted responsibility from the day it happened and from her first court appearance was very forthcoming about her guilt,” he said.

mmiron@bemidjipioneer.com

A level playing field... from genocide and slavery to justice

A great story about a family's visit to Cuba that might have some relevancy to northern Minnesota when it comes to affirmative action and "level playing fields"

Brad (Editor Bemidji Pioneer);

This story below provides a little different take on affirmative action than what Irene Folstrom alluded to in conversation with you. I thought you might be interested in this.

Maybe it’s time for the Bemidji Pioneer to do a similar story about a family or two on the Indian Reservations to find out if affirmative action has a role to play in the Bemidji area. You obviously let Irene Folstrom be the voice in opposition to affirmative action; now let’s hear from some families living in poverty whose people had their land and resources stolen out from under them through a campaign of murderous genocide that included hanging and shooting people and burning them out of their homes as the remaining survivors were encircled with guns and canons pointing at them while members of their families dangled from the hangman’s noose as all the good Christian people gathered for a picnic to watch as the treaties were “read,” “negotiated” and “signed.”

In my opinion you did a great disservice in publishing your interviews with Irene Folstrom as if her having screwed Tiger Woods now qualifies her to speak on these topics like affirmative action; after all, had she not screwed Tiger Woods you would never have sought out her opinion about anything and even when you sought out her opinion you allowed her to write the story since you never pressed her for any facts or explanations.

Why don’t you go take a ride around the reservations asking people if they think they are ENTITLED to jobs where they spend their money and what they pay their taxes to support--- jobs at the Bemidji Regional Event Center come to mind.

I’m really wondering why the Bemidji Pioneer has never editorialized in support of the need and necessity for the City of Bemidji to have had an affirmative action policy developed, implemented and enforced for the BREC since anyone who even takes the time to read Executive Order #11246 understands that it was created for just such public works projects as the BREC. Maybe the question should be asked another way: If not for projects like the BREC why was Executive Order #11246 ever signed by President Lyndon Baines Johnson?

It is just mind-boggling, that instead of writing a Bemidji Pioneer editorial against affirmative action, yourself; you used Irene Folstrom to carry your message in opposition to affirmative action for you.

Come on, Brad; have the courage to place the views on affirmative action of the Bemidji Pioneer in writing right on the Editorial Page for all to see.

Does the Bemidji Pioneer really believe that a bunch of racist and bigoted politicians should be allowed to pick and choose upon their whim when the law of the land should be enforced or not enforced? Or don’t you think Executive Order #11246 is the law of the land… here we have Judge John G. Melbye having asked the Plaintiff suing over lack of enforcement of affirmative action what law there was making it mandatory to require an affirmative action program to be created, administered, monitored and enforced when he is looking right at Executive Order #11246.

If there has ever been a time that Executive Order #11246 should be enforced on any project in Bemidji, Minnesota, certainly, any person with an ounce of common sense would have to conclude that affirmative action should be enforced on this massive public works project because if it isn’t required to be enforced on the BREC, we know its enforcement will never be required on any project in Bemidji or Beltrami or surrounding counties.

Maybe you should ask Irene Folstrom to tour the Bemidji Regional Event Center with you and have her explain what she thinks of no Native American workers (and 95% of the Native American Indian population is working class even though 65% to 80% are presently without jobs.

Come on Brad; Irene Folstrom has announced her candidacy using her claim to fame that she screwed Tiger Woods just like a lot of his other satisfied girlfriends and you don’t even question her about her statements in opposition to affirmative action? Here you have this 2012 candidate before you and you don’t ask her opinion as to how she thinks the playing field should be leveled without affirmative action? If you don’t want to put these questions to Irene Folstrom, maybe you should put these questions to her good friend the sitting state senator, Mary Olson or representative John Persell.

By-the-way; how does it come to be that the Bemidji Pioneer has its top reporter available to go out to interview Irene Folstrom who voices her opinion about affirmative action, but a reporter isn’t available to cover what is very likely the biggest and most important civil rights and human rights case that will ever be heard in Beltrami County Courts and that case involves affirmative action--- the very issue you allowed a person to comment on who claims she will be running for public office in 2012. Come on Brad, how damn stupid do you think the readers of your newspaper are that they do not wonder why they are not hearing about the most important civil action to be brought before a Beltrami County District Court Judge because the reporter is covering the story of a woman who thinks her having been satisfactorily screwed by Tiger Woods is more important news to print than this court case that will determine whether or not an entire race of people who have been discriminated against for hundreds of years is now entitled to jobs at the Bemidji Regional Event Center their taxes and purchasing power have created?

Brad, check out the story below which concludes with this: “The early U.S. economy so relied on slavery that it fueled a boom, making America an attractive destination for immigrants, they maintain.” I sometimes wonder if this economy would ever have developed at all had not the land and resources been stolen out from under First Nation’s Peoples. Slavery was one of the crimes against humanity that enabled this country to become the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the face of the earth--- but, we both know there was and continues to be an even greater crime against humanity and there you sit in a newspaper office right on top of this greatest crime story of all and you are out interviewing Irene Folstrom who intends to run a political campaign based upon her “tell all experiences” with Tiger Woods who just happens to be one of the most lucrative investments of the Indian Gaming Industry whose clients continue to profit from this horrendous crime against humanity--- it wasn’t John McCarthy that encouraged you to cover the Irene Folstrom/Tiger Woods story instead of the real story playing out in Judge John Melbye’s Beltrami County Courtroom, was it?

Irene Folstrom was happily screwed, so we hear from you; what you aren’t telling us about is all the carnal details about who is getting f&^*#@.

Alan L. Maki


By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer March 31, 2010

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100331/ap_on_bi_ge/cb_cuba_slave_trading_family


LA MADRUGA, Cuba - James DeWolf Perry VI's great-great-great-great-great-grandfather used African slaves to grow coffee on this rocky hillside outside Havana, and to him its thorny weeds and small sugar plots feel haunted.

"Do you feel the ghost of James DeWolf out here?" asks Katrina Browne, Perry's distant cousin.

"Yes," he replies, drawing out the word in a long, awkward breath.

Both are descendants of the DeWolfs of Bristol, Rhode Island, who became the biggest slave-trading family in U.S. history, shipping well over 11,000 Africans to the Americas between 1769 and 1820. It was a business that made the family patriarch, James DeWolf, America's second-wealthiest man.

The cousins came to Cuba this week as part of a visit by the U.S. replica of the 19th-century slave ship Amistad - which on Wednesday wrapped up a 10-day educational mission to the island.

For Perry and Browne it's been a journey into their family's troubling past that is far more personal than scouring genealogy records or government archives.

Between 1790 and 1821, more than 240,000 enslaved Africans were brought to Havana, according to customs data, including the 53 captives who rebelled aboard the original Amistad in 1839, seizing the ship and sailing up the U.S. East Coast. The Supreme Court eventually granted them freedom - an inspiring end to a shameful chapter in America and Cuba's shared history.

Perry and Browne visited the sugar-growing, cattle-raising town of La Madruga, 30 miles southeast of the capital, hoping to find vestiges of what was once a family plantation called "Mount Hope."

"To gaze at these hills, to be in his fields, on the land that was his holdings, it's another way to make a tangible connection," Perry, a Harvard University Ph.D. candidate concentrating on the Rhode Island slave trade, said of James DeWolf.

"There's no hiding the reality when you see the land."

Browne, who made a documentary of her ancestors' rum-for-slaves business, noted how the royal palm trees swaying in the hot breeze matched drawings in the diary of one of the family's overseers.

"It's sheer evil," she said.

Some of what likely encompassed Mount Hope is now land controlled by Cuba's armed forces. But a dusty back road, deeply rutted by tractors and horse-drawn carts, leads to stony highlands described in family records.

There isn't much there now, apart from scarecrows guarding cane fields and banana trees, and an occasional cow. A nearby village is known today as "La Esperanza," or "Hope," though locals are unsure whether the name has anything to do with the DeWolfs.

James DeWolf owned Mount Hope until his death in 1837. He represented Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate, and though the state outlawed the slave trade in 1787, it continued to profit enormously for decades afterward - belying the popularly held belief that slavery was strictly a southern phenomenon.

Most of the DeWolfs' African captives were sold at auction in South Carolina or Havana. If prices in the U.S. fell, the family would work the slaves on at least five Cuban plantations producing coffee, sugar and molasses until they could fetch higher prices.

Perry said the Cuban operations were a key source of income, but mostly served as a side business to stoke the DeWolfs' U.S. slave trade operation.

The U.S. banned the slave trade in 1808, but Browne said family letters indicate the DeWolfs continued dealing in African captives until the 1840s by going through Cuba. They also got help from a DeWolf brother-in-law, who served as a customs inspector in Bristol - thus ensuring family slave ships continued to come and go.

Browne wrote, co-directed and co-produced "Traces of the Trade," a 2008 documentary detailing how her ancestors used a Bristol distillery to make rum, which they traded for African captives.

She learned of the DeWolf past 14 years ago, when her 88-year-old grandmother compiled a family history. Browne began digging and found she had been exposed to her family's ugly secrets as a child. A favorite family nursery rhyme "Adjua and Pauledore," she discovered, was really about child slaves James DeWolf gave his wife for Christmas one year.

"Everything I learned just got worse and worse," she said, "and flew in the face of my image of my family as good, sensible northerners."

For her documentary, Browne contacted 200 DeWolf descendants. In 2001, she, Perry and eight other cousins retraced the so-called "Slave Triangle,"
traveling from Rhode Island to the coast of Ghana and then to Cuba.

While on the island, they used machetes to hack through jungle south of Havana, reaching ruined walls and other relics of another family plantation called "Noah's Ark."

For that trip, Browne hired a Cuban producer who put together a film crew, obtained necessary government permits and scouted locations.

This time, the communist government was even more cooperative - as it often is on U.S. historical projects, especially those exploring unsavory aspects of America's past.

Authorities granted Browne and Perry special access to archives, and the pair was featured on state television. That support helped them search customs books for records of Bristol-registered vessels at Cuba's National Archives and to screen her documentary. When shown the film, some Afro-Cubans choked back sobs.

Perry and Browne, both 42, say they did not inherit proceeds from the slave trade because family records indicate James DeWolf's immediate descendants squandered the fortune within two generations.

"To that, I say, 'Thank goodness.' I would not want to find out that I grew up wealthy because of that," Perry said.

Still, he said there is no doubt his family name and roots opened educational and professional doors. Other branches of the family did receive large inheritances, and establishing whether any of DeWolf's thousands of descendants got slave proceeds is difficult.

Browne said 140 of the 200 relatives she contacted for the documentary didn't respond. Many who did expressed concerns, including worries activists might demand reparations.

Browne supports payments to Americans of African descent to "level the playing field," not "out of guilt, but grief," though she is not in favor of cutting personal checks to individuals.

"The idea is 'repair'," she said. "And that is best done through more systemic efforts - public and private - to help people access the American dream."

While both she and Perry have worked to uncover their family's role, they say no Americans - even those whose descendants came to the U.S. after slavery was abolished - should feel unaffected. The early U.S. economy so relied on slavery that it fueled a boom, making America an attractive destination for immigrants, they maintain.

"None of us," Perry said, "are untouched by the legacy of slavery today."


Alan L. Maki
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

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