This picture cracks me up
7.15.2010
YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS SHOW!
Luther Cole is playing tomorrow at the Veranda Lounge from 9:00-11:30. If you missed his first St. Cloud show you really missed out and certainly don't want to blow it again!
C'mon out, support Luther and listen to some excellent music!
Interesting Article from High Plains Reader
White Earth Police State
By Jeff Armstrong
Contributing Writer
Patience is wearing thin on the White Earth Reservation, where tribal members submitted for the second time a petition to recall Erma Vizenor, Chair of the governing Reservation Business Committee (RBC).
Representing the 568 tribal residents of the reservation who have signed a petition to remove Vizenor, a group of about 30 Anishinaabeg gathered June 28 at the $25 million reservation headquarters, an incongruously lavish facility naturally shielded from the impoverished White Earth village below.
Their grievances were many and varied, from the arbitrary removal of children from their homes to police misconduct and alleged RBC corruption. What they had in common was the simple, if old-fashioned, notion that legitimate government requires the consent of the governed, which the RBC is intent on revoking. In particular, they maintain that the existing tribal police and court system is unconstitutional in the absence of a referendum vote. Vizenor’s recent statements opposing the assertion of off-reservation treaty rights only added fuel to the fire.
“They’re nothing but a business committee. We’re the sovereigns,” said Ray Bellcourt, a longtime tribal activist who once worked with Vizenor in the democratic reform movement known as Camp Justice.
Old and young, the petitioners came from all corners of the 1296-square-mile reservation to make their voices heard by a reservation government they say is neither willing to listen nor to brook dissent.
The first time they brought their petition, on April 22, Vizenor motioned for tribal police to remove a spokesman for the petition, Harvey Bonga. Tribal members instantly rose to their feet and stood down the White Earth officers, which also blocked Vizenor from adjourning the meeting. A YouTube video of the RBC meeting (http://tiny.cc/RBC-HPR), recorded in defiance of a posted ban on video recordings, has attracted nearly 2,000 viewers, presumably mostly White Earth members.
Forced to consider the petition, the RBC appointed a committee that invalidated more than 100 names on the basis that they printed, rather than signed, their names. Another 45 were stricken because the signatures were allegedly illegible. Since the Constitution of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT), of which White Earth is one of six constituent reservations, holds that recall petitions must be signed by 20% of all resident eligible voters, the petition itself was thrown out.
Like most tribal constitutions, the MCT’s does not provide for an independent judiciary or any other countervailing branch of government, effectively reducing judges to the level of tribal employees subject to being overruled, or even fired, by the RBC for not ruling as expected. In 1998, White Earth Chief Judge Anita Fineday told an MPR reporter that hers would in the future be an elected position, but no such vote has been held in the 12 years since.
Undaunted, perhaps enlivened by the confrontation with tribal police, Anishinaabe volunteers combed the reservation and quickly gathered the necessary signatures, this time replete with signatures, printed names, and enrollment numbers. Pat Scott of Naytahwaush, who canvassed door-to-door in his hometown, said White Earth employees were the only ones hesitant to sign the petition, a fear he said was quite justified given the widespread perception that a “blackball list” of political non-persons is circulated to all departments on the reservation by the RBC. Scott, who has degrees in business and carpentry, said he was most recently denied a job as a garbage collector.
On June 28 the tables began to turn, as the only ones showing signs of fear were the reservation elites and their hired guns. This time, the RBC met in closed session in a small room, agreeing to admit one person to represent the petitioners when the committee finished other business. After waiting in the halls outside for more than half an hour, however, the Anishinaabeg decided to rally their forces and enter the meeting room. They did so without interference from the tribal police or objection from the RBC, who by now were acutely aware of the limits of the absolute power they possessed on paper. Vizenor scurried across the hall for sanctuary from her determined constituents.
Outgoing Secretary Treasurer Franklin Heisler accepted the petitions, initialing each page. Heisler told HPR that the RBC would appoint a five-member verification committee with representation for the petitioners. Under the tribal constitution, the RBC has 15 days to set a hearing on the charges, at which time it can decide whether to remove Vizenor or schedule a recall election—an up or down poll on whether she should remain in office. If the RBC fails to act, as seems likely, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is constitutionally obligated to conduct a recall vote.
The outcome of such a vote would be unclear. Vizenor garnered some 66% of the vote in the 2008 elections, yet the 568 petition signatures alone constitute 2/3 of her reservation vote total of 782. While the results of a recall election would be uncertain, any failure of the BIA to uphold its constitutional duty out of misguided deference to tribal “sovereignty” would almost certainly exacerbate the political crisis on White Earth and compel the Anishinaabeg to resort to extraconstitutional means.
Vizenor told the Detroit Lakes Tribune that she would respond to the petition by initiating unspecified legal action against unspecified individuals. “It’s a malicious, personal, vendetta that has absolutely no basis at all,” said Vizenor. More ominously, she suggested that the RBC may raise the minimum number of signatures required beyond the 542 they used to reject the first petition - perhaps an implicit acknowledgement that the signatures are valid.
A fiery flyer announcing the June 28 event suggests the depths of the political crisis into which the RBC has plunged itself, originally by proposing to break away from the MCT and adopt a reservation constitution that would open enrollment to anyone with a trace of Anishinaabe ancestry. Referring to the denial of the first petition, the flyer states: “Erma made the statement that our signatures were forged[;] this is an act of desperation from a wom[a]n of despair. She also said she was not going to put money up to fight for treaty rights but she will take money to give up our treaty rights….We cannot allow any elected official to sell out our sovereignty at any price. If we keep allowing their regime to violate our constitutional bylaws there will be no future for our children.”
For now, a significant segment of White Earth is in a state of resistance, refusing to recognize the authority of reservation police and courts. The result, according to Harvey Bonga, is an anomalous situation in which the White Earth police target those who acknowledge them as legitimate officers. “If any of us tribal members recognize your authority, then you guys (tribal officers) really go after those people….They won’t attack the ones who know their rights. They never arrest me and I can ride around with no [license] plates and everything.”
For excerpts of the June 28 event, see: http://tiny.cc/RBC2-HPR
By Jeff Armstrong
Contributing Writer
Patience is wearing thin on the White Earth Reservation, where tribal members submitted for the second time a petition to recall Erma Vizenor, Chair of the governing Reservation Business Committee (RBC).
Representing the 568 tribal residents of the reservation who have signed a petition to remove Vizenor, a group of about 30 Anishinaabeg gathered June 28 at the $25 million reservation headquarters, an incongruously lavish facility naturally shielded from the impoverished White Earth village below.
Their grievances were many and varied, from the arbitrary removal of children from their homes to police misconduct and alleged RBC corruption. What they had in common was the simple, if old-fashioned, notion that legitimate government requires the consent of the governed, which the RBC is intent on revoking. In particular, they maintain that the existing tribal police and court system is unconstitutional in the absence of a referendum vote. Vizenor’s recent statements opposing the assertion of off-reservation treaty rights only added fuel to the fire.
“They’re nothing but a business committee. We’re the sovereigns,” said Ray Bellcourt, a longtime tribal activist who once worked with Vizenor in the democratic reform movement known as Camp Justice.
Old and young, the petitioners came from all corners of the 1296-square-mile reservation to make their voices heard by a reservation government they say is neither willing to listen nor to brook dissent.
The first time they brought their petition, on April 22, Vizenor motioned for tribal police to remove a spokesman for the petition, Harvey Bonga. Tribal members instantly rose to their feet and stood down the White Earth officers, which also blocked Vizenor from adjourning the meeting. A YouTube video of the RBC meeting (http://tiny.cc/RBC-HPR), recorded in defiance of a posted ban on video recordings, has attracted nearly 2,000 viewers, presumably mostly White Earth members.
Forced to consider the petition, the RBC appointed a committee that invalidated more than 100 names on the basis that they printed, rather than signed, their names. Another 45 were stricken because the signatures were allegedly illegible. Since the Constitution of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe (MCT), of which White Earth is one of six constituent reservations, holds that recall petitions must be signed by 20% of all resident eligible voters, the petition itself was thrown out.
Like most tribal constitutions, the MCT’s does not provide for an independent judiciary or any other countervailing branch of government, effectively reducing judges to the level of tribal employees subject to being overruled, or even fired, by the RBC for not ruling as expected. In 1998, White Earth Chief Judge Anita Fineday told an MPR reporter that hers would in the future be an elected position, but no such vote has been held in the 12 years since.
Undaunted, perhaps enlivened by the confrontation with tribal police, Anishinaabe volunteers combed the reservation and quickly gathered the necessary signatures, this time replete with signatures, printed names, and enrollment numbers. Pat Scott of Naytahwaush, who canvassed door-to-door in his hometown, said White Earth employees were the only ones hesitant to sign the petition, a fear he said was quite justified given the widespread perception that a “blackball list” of political non-persons is circulated to all departments on the reservation by the RBC. Scott, who has degrees in business and carpentry, said he was most recently denied a job as a garbage collector.
On June 28 the tables began to turn, as the only ones showing signs of fear were the reservation elites and their hired guns. This time, the RBC met in closed session in a small room, agreeing to admit one person to represent the petitioners when the committee finished other business. After waiting in the halls outside for more than half an hour, however, the Anishinaabeg decided to rally their forces and enter the meeting room. They did so without interference from the tribal police or objection from the RBC, who by now were acutely aware of the limits of the absolute power they possessed on paper. Vizenor scurried across the hall for sanctuary from her determined constituents.
Outgoing Secretary Treasurer Franklin Heisler accepted the petitions, initialing each page. Heisler told HPR that the RBC would appoint a five-member verification committee with representation for the petitioners. Under the tribal constitution, the RBC has 15 days to set a hearing on the charges, at which time it can decide whether to remove Vizenor or schedule a recall election—an up or down poll on whether she should remain in office. If the RBC fails to act, as seems likely, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is constitutionally obligated to conduct a recall vote.
The outcome of such a vote would be unclear. Vizenor garnered some 66% of the vote in the 2008 elections, yet the 568 petition signatures alone constitute 2/3 of her reservation vote total of 782. While the results of a recall election would be uncertain, any failure of the BIA to uphold its constitutional duty out of misguided deference to tribal “sovereignty” would almost certainly exacerbate the political crisis on White Earth and compel the Anishinaabeg to resort to extraconstitutional means.
Vizenor told the Detroit Lakes Tribune that she would respond to the petition by initiating unspecified legal action against unspecified individuals. “It’s a malicious, personal, vendetta that has absolutely no basis at all,” said Vizenor. More ominously, she suggested that the RBC may raise the minimum number of signatures required beyond the 542 they used to reject the first petition - perhaps an implicit acknowledgement that the signatures are valid.
A fiery flyer announcing the June 28 event suggests the depths of the political crisis into which the RBC has plunged itself, originally by proposing to break away from the MCT and adopt a reservation constitution that would open enrollment to anyone with a trace of Anishinaabe ancestry. Referring to the denial of the first petition, the flyer states: “Erma made the statement that our signatures were forged[;] this is an act of desperation from a wom[a]n of despair. She also said she was not going to put money up to fight for treaty rights but she will take money to give up our treaty rights….We cannot allow any elected official to sell out our sovereignty at any price. If we keep allowing their regime to violate our constitutional bylaws there will be no future for our children.”
For now, a significant segment of White Earth is in a state of resistance, refusing to recognize the authority of reservation police and courts. The result, according to Harvey Bonga, is an anomalous situation in which the White Earth police target those who acknowledge them as legitimate officers. “If any of us tribal members recognize your authority, then you guys (tribal officers) really go after those people….They won’t attack the ones who know their rights. They never arrest me and I can ride around with no [license] plates and everything.”
For excerpts of the June 28 event, see: http://tiny.cc/RBC2-HPR
7.14.2010
7.13.2010
Hang On St. Christopher
Just got home from the ride, had an absolute ball. If I didn't have to work I would turn round and do it all again. Had perfect weather the entire time, rode on wet roads for a little while in Pennsylvania but that was all.
Some of the highlights were the breakdown in Indiana that I mentioned in a previous post, the tail light/brake light/license place bracket falling off on I-80 in New Jersey and the interesting fix, a Grand Am's front tire blowing on I-90 about 5 feet from me and sending pieces of their front clip all over the road, getting lost in Newark, getting lost in NYC, getting lost in Gary, IN, getting lost in the Poconos and getting to see some family.
I was warned by a few people that riding in NYC would suck but I thought it was great. It's like an all out race the entire time, like running the gauntlet. Total blast! I totally recommend it. The Holland Tunnel and George Washington Bridge were cool too, the view of the city from the bridge is pretty spectacular.
Also, I learned that if you're ever in Toledo they apparently don't appreciate when you say "Holy Toledo" in reference to anything. Way to be super uptight about the name of your city Toledans, way to be. Jeesh.
I've gotta thank all the guys at McDaniel's HD in South Bend, IN again for getting me back on the road, Katie and Renee for letting me crash on their couches, Mary and Paul for dinner and Troy for building a super strong and tight motor. The bike ran like a raped ape the whole time and didn't burn so much as a drop of oil. I was really impressed since I was running long days of high speeds in 80-90 degree heat, but it did great.
All in all it was 2884 miles of total fun and I plan to do it all again without changing much except being able to spend more time riding in PA and not staying at a gross KOA. Those places are nasty.
Oh, and I managed to do the whole thing without so much as getting pulled over or falling down once (even though I'm convinced the roads in New Jersey were trying to kill me) and with a dirtbike tire on the rear of my bike!
This song came up on my iPod quite a few times on the trip. Felt appropriate: Tom Waits - Hang On St. Christopher
Some of the highlights were the breakdown in Indiana that I mentioned in a previous post, the tail light/brake light/license place bracket falling off on I-80 in New Jersey and the interesting fix, a Grand Am's front tire blowing on I-90 about 5 feet from me and sending pieces of their front clip all over the road, getting lost in Newark, getting lost in NYC, getting lost in Gary, IN, getting lost in the Poconos and getting to see some family.
I was warned by a few people that riding in NYC would suck but I thought it was great. It's like an all out race the entire time, like running the gauntlet. Total blast! I totally recommend it. The Holland Tunnel and George Washington Bridge were cool too, the view of the city from the bridge is pretty spectacular.
Also, I learned that if you're ever in Toledo they apparently don't appreciate when you say "Holy Toledo" in reference to anything. Way to be super uptight about the name of your city Toledans, way to be. Jeesh.
I've gotta thank all the guys at McDaniel's HD in South Bend, IN again for getting me back on the road, Katie and Renee for letting me crash on their couches, Mary and Paul for dinner and Troy for building a super strong and tight motor. The bike ran like a raped ape the whole time and didn't burn so much as a drop of oil. I was really impressed since I was running long days of high speeds in 80-90 degree heat, but it did great.
All in all it was 2884 miles of total fun and I plan to do it all again without changing much except being able to spend more time riding in PA and not staying at a gross KOA. Those places are nasty.
Oh, and I managed to do the whole thing without so much as getting pulled over or falling down once (even though I'm convinced the roads in New Jersey were trying to kill me) and with a dirtbike tire on the rear of my bike!
This song came up on my iPod quite a few times on the trip. Felt appropriate: Tom Waits - Hang On St. Christopher
7.12.2010
Please Follow
It'd be bitchin' if everyone could click on the follow link on the right side and add yourself. All you need is an email address and you're in. I wanna know if there are actually people reading this crap or if the same 9 people are just coming back a lot.
Hey thanks.
Jon Jon
Hey thanks.
Jon Jon
My trip has been an absolute blast so far. Since I have access to a fast computer and internet service at Renee's place I decided to upload a bunch of pics before I get home. I'll post a summary of the entire trip once I get back tomorrow some time. This should hold you over for now.
My first stop, somewhere in Wisconsin.
Sign at first campground, Indiana State Park
Jon Helm: tent setter-upper expert. I got it right on the second try, and this was after a long day so gimme a break
Cool house down the road from my first camp. Found it after getting lost leaving the state park and cruising around for a while
Had to break these out in Indiana. Two of my rear pulley bolts sheared. Got a hold of a dealer 25 miles away and had to limp the bike along the shoulder of I-90 the whole way there. Lost another bolt along the way so I got to the dealer with two bolts holding everything together.
The guys at McDaniel's HD were awesome! They (Nelson and Peter) worked super hard to work out a solution since I was going to need a new pulley and wheel since the hub was shot. They were able to get one off of a trade-in and the mechanic (I forgot his name but he was a super cool guy) hooked me up and did a great and fast job of putting everything back together. Everyone was trippin' out a bit on my bike, especially the dirtbike tire on the rear. Thanks again to everyone at McDaniel's HD in South Bend, Indiana!
The donor wheel
All shiny and new. Black rim in the front and chrome in the rear. Luckily I'm not picky about how that shit looks.
Made it to Katie's place in Cleveland
Me and Mary
Me, Mary and Paul
A picture of Sarah taking a picture
New York!
Ground Zero
I noticed this when I gassed up in New Jersey. I-80 was so damn rough that it busted off my tail light/license plate bracket. A couple of the bumps were big enough to hurt pretty bad. Since I knew I would have to be doing some riding at night I was going to need to get some kind of light back there.
The solution: flashlight, lens repair tape, duct tape, hose clamps and an orange pop. (orange pop isn't required, I just really like it)
The fix!
Camping in Big Pocono State Park in eastern Pennsylvania, I absolutely loved it here!
Sign at the entrance to the state park
Random riding pics from Pennsylvania on westward
Luckily this is the closest I got to any cops, just like the logo that Ohio troopers have
Finally in camp
Extremely tired somewhere in Indiana
Coming into Chicago
Renee's hard at work. She's a pretty big deal there, practically runs the joint.
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