North Dakota Human Rights Coalition

Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights

 

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The following PAUR report is also available on the NDHRC web site at http://ndhrc.org/Newsletters/PAUR%202005/071405.htm.

 

~North Dakota Human Rights Coalition~

PAUR Report

 

Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources

 

Visit our Website at www.ndhrc.org

 

July 18, 2005

 

 

Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!

 

In this week’s PAUR Report:

 

Announcements

1)   NDHRC Announces 2005 Annual Giving Program

2)   Press Release: DRC Asks Attorney General for Access to NDSU-Monsanto Contracts

3)   Documentary About Tennessee’s Medicaid Program

4)   White Ribbon Sign On Letter

5)   Call to Action: NCAA may OK Indian mascots

6)   North Dakota Fair Housing Council Changes Name to Fair Housing of the Dakotas

7)   Daughters of the Earth, Native American Artists Needed for Art & Craft Show, July 20, Dilworth, MN

 

Newspaper Articles

8)   The Forum (Fargo), Cheryl Bergian letter; Subjective values apparent in letter

9)   The Forum (Fargo), Amy Nell letter: Even monuments don’t tell the story

10) The Forum (Fargo), Tribal firm helps military

11) Bismarck Tribune, Students build a dream house

12) The Forum (Fargo), Michael W. Naylor letter: No reason Indians should be grateful

13) The Forum (Fargo), Other views: Letter reflects ignorance of American Indian ways

14) Bismarck Tribune, Suicides baffle officials

15) Bismarck Tribune, Eagles take shape to soar in city park

16) Bismarck Tribune, Labor commissioner named

17) Associated Press, Cass prosecutor McEvers named N.D. labor commissioner

18) The Forum (Fargo), American Indians, police meet to improve relations

19) The Forum (Fargo), Thomas A. Bowden letter: Reject proposal to apologize to Indians

20) Bismarck Tribune, Strong focus on civil rights

21) The Forum (Fargo), Assault victim’s parents suing Moorhead, school

22) Grand Forks Herald, Our Opinion: Congrats, GF, on housing award

23) The Forum, N.D. housing rehab assistance offered

24) Indian Country Today, Racial discrimination becomes traumatic

25) The Forum (Fargo), History rises: Low water exposes artifacts

26) The Forum (Fargo), Susan Rae Helgeland letter: Columnist misused mental health term

27) Grand Forks Herald, Homeland security can’t shield abuse of immigrants

28) Grand Forks Herald, Senate panel mulls Indian apology resolution

29) Sioux Falls Argus Leader, Indian’s proposal targets roots of mismanagement

30) Bismarck Tribune, A feather in Cowboy Hall’s hat

31) The Forum, Ellen Hauser letter: Won’t be returning to White Earth

32) The Forum, Carlos Torres letter: Cannot walk freely because of looks

33) Associated Press, Missing persons: Some say coverage ignores minorities who disappear

34) The Jamestown Sun, Festival to celebrate diversity

35) Grand Forks Herald, College Athletics: NCAA panel takes action on mascots but keeps ideas mum

36) Bismarck Tribune, Reform of Indian Trust management imperative

37) Bismarck Tribune, Indians lack access to legal services

38) The Forum (Fargo), Coming out stronger: An introduction to this special report

39) Grand Forks Herald, Housing for the Disabled: Hollering for housing

40) Bismarck Tribune, A fair, undiscriminating return

41) The Forum (Fargo), Elaine Kastrinos letter: Treatment at civic was rude, insulting

 

Events

42) July 2005 Native American Powwows in North Dakota

43) Climate Change Forum, July 19, MSUM, Moorhead, MN

 

Reminders

44) North Dakota Disabilities Advocacy Consortium Conference in Collaboration with MIG & NDMHA, August 29 & 30, Bismarck

45) Save the Date: 2005 North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, Thursday & Friday, October 27 – 28, 2005, Fargo

 

Please Note: The NDHRC distributes a weekly PAUR report to inform our members and friends about news, events, and other human rights related information around the state.  The opinions expressed within the articles are those of the authors and are not endorsed by the NDHRC.

 

New NDHRC members: as a membership benefit you have received an e-mail subscription of our weekly e-mail newsletter, the NDHRC PAUR Report.  If you would like to be removed from the PAUR Report mailing list, please send an email to humanrights@ndhrc.org.

 

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Announcements

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1.)     NDHRC Announces 2005 Annual Giving Program

 

The NDHRC kicks off its 2005 Annual Giving Program and we need your help.  The money received from our annual giving program will support our conference, education and outreach efforts and other essential work of the Coalition.  Our goal is to reach $7,500 by the end of 2005.

 

Here are ways to participate:

 

Donate:

Help strengthen our efforts and promote human rights in North Dakota with a contribution in the amount you choose.  Every dollar makes a difference.  

 

Gift Memberships:

It's a great way to celebrate the holidays and birthdays.  An NDHRC gift membership makes a real difference in the fight to end discrimination faced by our friends, neighbors, and ourselves in North Dakota.

 

Tribute Gifts:

Celebrating the wedding or commitment ceremony of a friend of family member?  Why not make it special with a donation in their honor to support NDHRC's work.  Each donation is acknowledged with a personalized card to the individual or couple — a reminder of how much you care about human rights.

 

Memorial Gifts:

Honoring a person's memory is a wonderful way to celebrate their life.  Memorial gifts also help family members through a difficult time.  You can preserve their legacies and support the work of the NDHRC.  Upon making a memorial donation, a family representative will be notified of the contribution you made in their loved one's name.

 

Your contribution will make an invaluable difference.  To participate in the program, visit our web site at http://ndhrc.org/AnnualGiving/2005AnnualGivingProgram.htm. 

 

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2.)     Press Release: DRC Asks Attorney General for Access to NDSU-Monsanto Contracts

 

Dakota Resource Council

P. O. Box 1095, Dickinson ND 58602-1095

(701) 483-2851; www.drcinfo.com

 

For Immediate Release—June 9, 2005           Contact Information: Dean Hulse 701-232-7997

 

DRC Asks Attorney General for Access to NDSU-Monsanto Contracts

  

BISMARCK- Dakota Resource Council yesterday asked for Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem’s help in gaining public access to NDSU Research Foundation (NDSURF) documents related to its contracts with biotech giant Monsanto.

 

“We believe North Dakotans deserve to know what type of research is being done at their land grant university,” said Dean Hulse, Fargo, DRC Chair.

 

NDSU was a partner with Monsanto in the development of Roundup Ready hard red spring wheat until Monsanto bowed to market pressures and suspended research in May 2004.

 

DRC submitted its request to NDSURF for the Monsanto documents on May 5.   Dale Zetocha, Executive Director of the NDSU Research Foundation, responded May 10, claiming NDSURF is not a public entity and therefore exempt from North Dakota’s Open Records Law. 

 

In its letter to Stenehjem, however, DRC points out that NDSURF’s mission is to support NDSU, and that its governance, finances, communications and research are all linked inseparably to NDSU.

 

“We are not interested in proprietary information,” Hulse concluded. “We simply want to know what type of commitments our public university is making to a private company on behalf of taxpayers. Is the NDSURF operating in the best interest of farmers and consumers or being unduly influenced by private, special interests?”

 

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3.)     Documentary About Tennessee’s Medicaid Program

 

This is out-of-state news, however it is relevant to North Dakota.  It's an example of what state governmental policies can do, and the Medical Assistance/Medicaid shortfall is possible in North Dakota, as has happened in Mississippi & Tennessee.

 

Forward freely.

 

This chilling 29-minute documentary, "323,000," is about the 323,000 who are now losing their health care under TennCare, Tennessee's Medicaid program.

 

It is the culmination of a 6-month investigation into the largest health care cuts in the history of

America.  In the course of the investigation and filming, documents were discovered that prove that the drastic nature of the cuts now are part of a bigger political strategy.*

 

*To understand the REAL issues with TennCare, the motives behind the cuts, the advocacy happening now, the people who will die from losing heart, anti-transplant rejection and other medications and those on respirators losing all their in-home care that keeps them alive, you MUST watch "323,000."

 

Click the link below to watch

http://www.tenncare.org/323000.wmv

 

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4.)     White Ribbon Sign On Letter

 

The following information addresses a national/south border problem, however there is the possibility of vigilantes moving their activities into ND.  The NDHRC has signed on to the letter in an effort to help keep them away.

 

NCLR is the National Council of La Raza.  More information on their work and projects can be viewed at: http://www.nclr.org/.

The following is from Cecilia Munoz, NCLR:

 

I’m writing to ask for your help in signing on to and circulating the attached letter. (If you can sign on, please send an email to signon@whiteribbon.org).  

 

Let me explain in more detail what this is about:  The nation is engaging in a vigorous debate about immigrants and immigration reform; while people of goodwill can have a variety of views on the policy issues, many of us are deeply concerned about the WAY the debate is taking shape, and the presence of bigotry, fearmongering, and even threats of violence.  While a lot of us are used to getting hate mail, many advocates, including NCLR and several of its affiliates have reported receiving threats that were sufficiently serious that they contacted the authorities.  We're getting reports that white supremacists are increasingly involved in the debate, and many of us are feeling a strong need to create the space for people with a variety of views on the issue to engage constructively in the debate, and to isolate those who are using fear, threats, and other divisive tactics.  

 

Several of NCLR’s affiliates, along with many other groups in Arizona responded to the Minutemen by handing out white ribbons, and calling for reflection and dialogue on the immigration debate as an alternative to facing off at the border.  Groups in other parts of the country are interested in doing the same thing; several local groups have asked their national partners to develop a national-level statement for a White Ribbon campaign.  A draft statement is attached.

 

We are reaching out to leaders in the faith, business, labor, civil rights, conservative and other communities in the hope of attracting a diverse group of signers.  Our hope is to publish the letter in early July in a national newspaper and to encourage local organizations to engage in similar efforts.  The only individuals and organizations whose names will appear on the letter are those who have agreed to sign on.  The letter will appear without letterhead; while NCLR is helping move the process along, we want to make it clear that it’s not an NCLR letter as much as it is a joint effort by a broad-based group of leaders.

 

PLEASE CIRCULATE THE ATTACHED SIGN ON LETTER TO YOUR NETWORKS. WE’RE ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO SIGN ON.  

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SIGNING ON, PLEASE SEND:  NAME, ORGANIZATION (if applicable) AND CONTACT INFORMATION TO: signon@whiteribbon.org

 

Thank you!

 

THE WHITE RIBBON CAMPAIGN

 

An Open Letter in support of a thoughtful, constructive, and respectful debate on immigration reform

 

The undersigned individuals and organizations, who hold a variety of views on the policy issues in the nation’s immigration reform debate, believe that:

·     The United States is a nation of immigrants, and the role of immigrants throughout our history, in our present-day life, and into our future is worthy of respect.

·     Even as we honor our immigrant heritage, most Americans acknowledge that the nation’s immigration system is broken and badly in need of reform.

·     The most eloquent and tragic testimony to the need for reform is the alarming number of deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border, which exceeds an average of one per day.

·     Most Americans recognize that migrants risk their lives – and too often lose them – so that they may work and contribute to the United States and to the well-being of their families.

·     The security interests of the United States offer a strong incentive to adopt well-functioning immigration reforms so that the nation’s immigration system is safe, orderly, humane, and fair.  Our immigration system must allow the government to thoroughly screen people entering the U.S. and to enforce reasonable immigration laws, while treating all migrants with dignity, fairness, and respect.

·     Americans have a moral imperative to engage in an immigration reform debate that moves us toward policy changes that effectively address these challenges.

·     Tactics like intimidation, violence, threats, and the spread of fear, hatred, and divisiveness are not conducive to the kind of rational, reflective debate that will produce solutions to these complex problems.

·     Americans of good will deplore these tactics in all forms, including the actions of individuals, commentators on the airwaves, and elected officials seeking to exploit community tensions.

 

Many Americans of good faith who hold a variety of policy views on immigration have begun to wear white ribbons as a call for prayer, reflection, and dialogue on this issue.

 

The White Ribbon Campaign is a demonstration of the values we share and our desire for constructive and thoughtful discussion to advance the immigration debate in a way that strengthens our country, rejects fear and hate, and helps Americans arrive at solutions to these complex problems.

 

Signed,

 

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5.)     Call to Action: NCAA may OK Indian mascots

 

Please forward.  Please respond

 

A CALL TO ACTION

 

Friends,

 

Between now and August 1, the National Collegiate Athletic Association must hear from Native Americans from throughout the country.  The voices of Native Americans who oppose the racial stereotyping and the denigration of Native People inherent in the use of Native American names and imagery as sports mascots must be heard.  All support is welcome.

 

The people to send your concerns to at the NCAA are:

 

Myles Brand, President  (e-mail: mbrand@ncaa.org)

Ron Stratten,  Vice President for Education Services and liaison to the NCAA Executive Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity  (e-mail: rstratten@ncaa.org)

 

The NCAA Executive Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity and the NCAA Executive Committee will be considering this issue during the first week of August.

 

E-mail addresses for Myles Brand and Ron Stratten are as indicated above.

 

The mailing address for the NCAA is:

 

National Collegiate Athletic Association
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222

 

telephone:  317-917-6222

fax:  317-917-6336

 

I would appreciate a copy of whatever you send.

 

Thank you,

 

Stephen Kaufman

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

 

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NCAA may OK Indian  mascots
Native American Times guest commentary
Louis Gray 6/29/2005


The NCAA's committee  studying the use of Indian mascots in college sports is getting ready to release  their findings in August and the rumor is that they are going to make  recommendations regarding use of Indian imagery but will stop short of a  ban.

The same sources say they have been influenced by the Florida Seminoles hearty endorsement of the objectification of their own image for one of the state's teams. To be exact, the Oklahoma Seminoles signed a resolution a long with the rest of the Five Civilized Tribes calling for and end to the use of Indians as mascots.

Not for nothing, but non-Indian's rabid respect held for the Florida Seminole would make the tribe's opposition an act of war.  They have one of the longest and most lucrative gaming arrangements in the nation, and much of it is contingent on a chummy relationship between the state capitol and the tribe.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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6.)     North Dakota Fair Housing Council Changes Name to Fair Housing of the Dakotas

 

The North Dakota Fair Housing Council has changed its name to the Fair Housing of the Dakotas.  Please update your contact information.  Address, phone, fax, email all remain the same.

 

The Fair Housing of the Dakotas (formerly the North Dakota Fair Housing Council) is a non-profit organization serving North and South Dakota.  The Fair Housing of the Dakotas was originally founded in 1995 as the North Dakota Fair Housing Council to serve the State of North Dakota.  In 2003, services were expanded to also include the State of South Dakota and its name was changed in 2005 to the Fair Housing of the Dakotas to reflect these duties in both North and South Dakota. 

 

The Fair Housing of the Dakotas' mission is to eradicate housing discrimination through community education; encouragement of public involvement; assistance to those experiencing housing discrimination; and support of individuals and organizations seeking equal opportunity in housing.

 

Please also visit our  web site at:  www.ndfhc.org for information on fair housing, including publications, links to civil rights groups in North and South Dakota and other information.  Contact us with any questions.

 

Amy Schauer Nelson, Executive Director
Fair Housing of the Dakotas
(Formerly the North Dakota Fair Housing Council)
533 Airport Road, Suite C, Bismarck, ND 58504
701-221-2530 or 1-888-265-0907  Fax:  701-221-9597
Email:  ndfhc2@btinet.net  Web:  www.ndfhc.org
(Serving North & South Dakota)

 

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7.)     Daughters of the Earth, Native American Artists Needed for Art & Craft Show, July 20, Dilworth, MN

 

Wanted: Native American Artists
 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2005
FROM 1 P.M. TO 6 P.M.

Daughters Of The Earth Invites Area Artists To Participate In A Native American Art And Craft Show/Sale to be held At The Walmart Parking Lot,
Hwy 10 East, Dilworth, MN

This Is A Fundraiser To Show The Artistic Talents Of Our Native American Community

For More Information, Call Mary At 218-331-0110

 

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Newspaper Articles

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8.)     The Forum (Fargo), Cheryl Bergian letter; Subjective values apparent in letter

 

Cheryl Bergian letter: Subjective values apparent in letter

The Forum – 07/14/2005

 

In response to the Thomas A. Bowden letter, of the Ayn Rand Institute, Irvine, Calif., in the July 2 Forum:

 

The Ayn Rand Institute purports to advance an theory of "Objectivism," in which "reality exists as an objective absolute - facts are facts, independent of man's feelings, wishes, hopes or fears." However, the subjective values of the institute are appallingly apparent in the letter: American Indians were living in "abject poverty, ignorance and superstition" prior to the European "conquest" of North America.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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9.)     The Forum (Fargo), Amy Nell letter: Even monuments don’t tell the story

 

Amy Nell letter: Even monuments don't tell the story

The Forum – 07/14/2005

 

In response to the Thomas Bowden letter printed on July 2:

 

This past weekend we celebrated the birth of our country, and during this time I visited the Whitestone Battlefield Memorial near Kulm, N.D. What is most striking about this memorial is its 30-foot stone column, built in 1909. On its cap is a bugler commemorating the deaths of 20 cavalry men who died while fighting the Yanktonai and Hunkpapa American Indians.

 

During this fight, the cavalry decimated somewhere between 200-300 American Indians, many of these being women and children. Not only did they murder these people, but they burned all of their supplies for the winter, including 500,000 pounds of buffalo meat, pots, hunting weapons, etc. Only a small pile of stones, built in 1942, standing waist high with a hardly readable plaque commemorates this tragedy.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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10.) The Forum (Fargo), Tribal firm helps military

 

Tribal firm helps military

By Patrick Springer

The Forum - 07/11/2005

 

PARSHALL, N.D. - A storage room in an office building in this reservation farming town is stuffed with an improbable inventory: reams of operating manuals for weapons systems and military vehicles.

 

The closet belongs to MHA Systems Inc., a company owned by the Mandan-Hidatsa-Arikara Nation, under contract with the Pentagon to convert paper records to digital documents.

 

The firm, launched with a $3.4 million defense contract awarded two years ago, has 25 employees who work in a sleek brick office building in this town of 981 dominated by towering grain elevators.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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11.) Bismarck Tribune, Students build a dream house

 

Students build a dream house
By Kayla Cogdill

Bismarck Tribune – 07/07/2005

 

Many college graduates don't have any real work experience in their chosen career field, but this is not always the case.

Seventeen students enrolled in construction technology at United Tribes Technical College put the finishing touches on an $80,000 house that took nine months to build. Now they are showing off their talents and waiting for somebody to make an offer and turn the house into a home.

Michael Matheny, primary instructor for the construction technology program, said he is pleased with the way the house turned out. He is even willing to compare the structure and finishing touches of the house to any other builder's house in town.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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12.) The Forum (Fargo), Michael W. Naylor letter: No reason Indians should be grateful

 

Michael W. Naylor letter: No reason Indians should be grateful
The Forum - 07/10/2005

 

In his letter to the editor (Reject proposal to apologize to the Indians, July 2), Thomas Bowden makes the absurd assertion that the conquering Europeans gave American Indians the great gift of Western civilization for which they should be grateful. What he failed to mention is that this wonderful "gift" was wrapped in paper with genocidal print.

 

It was an expensive "gift" for which American Indians paid with their lives, lands, and culture. Decimated by smallpox, they were the victims of the earliest documented use of biological warfare when Indian combatants in the Pontiac Rebellion were given blankets from the smallpox hospital at Fort Pitt. The "gift" had its desired effect.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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13.) The Forum (Fargo), Other views: Letter reflects ignorance of American Indian ways

 

Other views: Letter reflects ignorance of American Indian ways
By Prairie Rose
The Forum - 07/10/2005

 

The July 2 letter to the editor from Thomas Bowden of the Ayn Rand Institute, to reject a proposal from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs for the United States to apologize to American Indians is a reflection of a conqueror's mentality. He seems to perpetuate ignorance.

As a progressive leader in the Objectivist Movement, Ayn Rand was a seeker of truth, an entertainer of individualism who considered the facts before expressing substance. I challenge Bowden to consider the truth.

 

There is a mindset that American Indian techniques and way of life are inferior to one's own practices. However, this way of life, this Indian way of life reflects the compassion of humanity - a way of life that is grounded in respect and responsibility toward others. In the truest essence of who we are, we are for the people. We say "we are all related."

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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14.) Bismarck Tribune, Suicides baffle officials

 

Suicides baffle officials
By Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press Writer

Bismarck Tribune – 07/10/2005

 

WASHINGTON -- Surgeon General Richard Carmona has been quick to acknowledge a major problem with teen suicide in Indian Country. He also admits that current efforts to slow the deaths aren't working.

"I am proud to report that for the general population, the long-term trend in the United States has been toward a decline in the suicide rate," Carmona said at a congressional hearing in June. "I am troubled by the fact, however, that suicide in Indian country is not declining."

The statistics are grim: The suicide rate for American Indians and Alaskan Natives ages 15 to 24 is three times the nation's average, Carmona says. And it is estimated that there are 13 nonfatal attempts for every fatality.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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15.) Bismarck Tribune, Eagles take shape to soar in city park

 

Eagles take shape to soar in city park
By Kayla Codgill

Bismarck Tribune – 07/092005

 

As people walk around the mosaic, their reflection will show in the four different colors of mankind. When they look up from their reflection, they can peek into a nest and see a mother eagle taking care of her eaglets.

These are only some of the features of the sculpture the United Tribes Technical College students in the art and marketing department are constructing. The new sculpture will be placed in Sertoma Park in front of Dakota Zoo and is the second of six statutes UTTC and the Bismarck Parks and Recreation Department are creating.

The round mosaic is 20 feet in diameter and will have four columns of various heights with nests on top of them. In each nest there will be an eagle either in full flight, taking off, landing, or a mother and her babies. The eagles are being built to their actual size.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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16.) Bismarck Tribune, Labor commissioner named

 

Labor commissioner named
By Tom Rafferty

Bismarck Tribune – 07/09/2005

 

Gov. John Hoeven appointed Cass County prosecutor Lisa Fair McEvers to head the Labor Department on Friday, making her the second person to hold the position since Mark Bachmeier resigned in August 2004.

Fair McEvers, who has been assistant state's attorney in Cass County since 2001, will replace Leann Bertsch, who recently became the director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Bertsch was assistant state's attorney in Burleigh County before being appointed labor commissioner.

Hoeven said Fair McEvers' skills as a prosecutor and as a private practice attorney will help her lead the office.

 

"Whether it's handling human rights issues, labor issues, housing issues ... as well as the management skills that it takes in that office, I think she comes very, very well prepared," Hoeven said.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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17.) Associated Press, Cass prosecutor McEvers named N.D. labor commissioner

 

Cass prosecutor McEvers named N.D. labor commissioner
By Dale Wetzel
Associated Press - 07/08/2005

 

(Updated at 2:37 p.m.) BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven has chosen an assistant Cass County state's attorney as North Dakota's new labor commissioner. Lisa Fair McEvers is the second prosecutor that Hoeven has hired to run the Labor Department. The announcement was made today.

 

McEvers, 43, will succeed Leann Bertsch, who took over last week as the new director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Bertsch succeeded longtime corrections director Elaine Little, who took early retirement.

 

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to represent people in their disputes, to be able to help resolve those disputes, and to protect our citizens' rights, whether they be in the work force or whether they be in housing issues," McEvers said.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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18.) The Forum (Fargo), American Indians, police meet to improve relations

 

American Indians, police meet to improve relations
By Dave Forster
The Forum - 07/01/2005

 

Robert Hulst said he's been racially profiled by police three times in Fargo, and he's only lived in the city one year.

 

As a relatively light skinned member of the Spirit Lake Nation, he said he really worries about the treatment of darker skinned American Indians.

 

Hulst was one of about 20 people who gathered Thursday to improve relations between American Indians and police in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area.

 

"It's not good," Hulst told representatives of the Fargo, Moorhead and Dilworth departments. "There's some real problems underlying it."

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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19.) The Forum (Fargo), Thomas A. Bowden letter: Reject proposal to apologize to Indians

 

Thomas A. Bowden letter: Reject proposal to apologize to Indians
The Forum - 07/02/2005

 

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is debating whether the United States should formally apologize to Indians for a "long history of official depredations and ill-conceived policies." This proposal should be rejected.

 

Before Europeans arrived, the scattered tribes occupying North America lived in abject poverty, ignorance, and superstition - not due to any racial inferiority, but because that is how all mankind starts out (Europeans included). The transfer of Western civilization to this continent was one of the great cultural gifts in recorded history, affording Indians almost effortless access to centuries of European accomplishments in philosophy, science, technology, and government. As a result, today's Indians enjoy a capacity for generating health, wealth and happiness that their Stone Age ancestors could never have conceived.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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20.) Bismarck Tribune, Strong focus on civil rights

 

Strong focus on civil rights
By Kayla Cogdill

Bismarck Tribune – 07/02/2005

 

Some cultures think they are targeted by racial profiling, and their rights and property are at stake. To be able to protect themselves, they have to be pro-active and educate themselves and their families, those attending a workshop were told Thursday.

Almost 40 people gathered at the Skill Center Exhibit Hall at United Tribes Technical College for a civil rights workshop sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union of the Dakotas. Topics covered were searches and seizures, racial profiling, rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and discrimination in education, lending, housing and in places of business.

"You have to know your rights to protect yourself. If you know what your rights are, the less likely they'll be violated," said Rain Archambeau Marshall, workshop speaker from ACLU of the Dakotas.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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21.) The Forum (Fargo), Assault victim’s parents suing Moorhead, school

 

Assault victim's parents suing Moorhead, school
Amy Dalrymple
The Forum - 06/23/2005

 

A sexual assault case involving the Moorhead Sports Center has the School District and the city of Moorhead embroiled in a civil lawsuit.

 

The parents of a girl who reported she was raped at age 15 claim in the suit both government entities failed to protect their daughter.

 

The city and School District say they have no liability in the case.

 

In a related criminal case, Robert James Hersrud, 20, is charged with four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

 

<snip>

 

View full article here

 

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22.) Grand Forks Herald, Our Opinion: Congrats, GF, on housing award

 

OUR OPINION: Congrats, GF, on housing award
Our view: The city deserved the honor, which was bestowed last week by the U.S. secretary of housing and urban development.

Grand Forks Herald – 07/05/2005

Our view:

The city deserved the honor, which was bestowed last week by the U.S. secretary of housing and urban development.

 

What do you like most about living in Grand Forks? If you ask any resident that question, high up on his or her list will be the answer, "The lowcrime rate."

 

Remember that, and join in a salute to the city for its award-winning affordable housing efforts.

Grand Forks' push to help low-income families buy their own homes was nationally recognized last week, as the city and 13 other communities won a federal award. The Robert L. Woodson Award went to communites who have overcome bureaucratic barriers and are helping needy families move into decent and affordable homes, a Herald story reported.

 

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View full article here

 

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23.) The Forum, N.D. housing rehab assistance offered

 

N.D. housing rehab assistance offered
The Forum - 07/02/2005

 

The North Dakota Housing Finance Agency has $25,000 in Rehab Assistance Program funds available for single or multi-family properties occupied by low-income people with physical disabilities, according to a news release from the Industrial Commission of North Dakota.

 

Preference will be given to applicants making improvements that benefit individuals participating in the North Dakota Department of Human Services' Developmental Disabilities and Vocational Rehabilitation Division programs.

 

Applications must be received by NDHFA by close of business Aug. 12.

 

For an application or more information, call Warren Hintz at (701) 328-8080 or (800) 292-8621. Information is also available at www.ndhfa.org.

 

View online article here

 

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24.) Indian Country Today, Racial discrimination becomes traumatic

 

Racial discrimination becomes traumatic

By David Melmer

Indian Country Today – 06/20/2005

WASHINGTON - American Indians who have experienced racial discrimination and harassment but are denied justice in the court system may soon be able to claim they are traumatized by the effects of racism.

Racial harassment and discrimination may lead to trauma similar to post traumatic stress disorder.

Proving racial discrimination or harassment is difficult. ''Racism has been an integral part of our history. Racial harassment and discrimination are legally sanctioned,'' said Robert T.  Carter, Ph.D., a professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Carter was chosen to conduct a survey on the psychological effects of racism.

 

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View full article here

 

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25.) The Forum (Fargo), History rises: Low water exposes artifacts

 

History rises: Low water exposes artifacts

By Patrick Springer

The Forum – 06/27/2005

 

WINONA BAY, N.D. - Glenn McCrory saw remnants of his family's past scattered all around him on the site where his great-grandfather built a ranch back in frontier days.

 

Broken slabs of concrete marked the location of the house where his father and older sisters lived. The house was still standing when he was a child

 

McCrory, semi-retired from farming at 64, spied a piece of rusty metal lying on the ground near where the barn once stood, now overgrown with weeds and brush, and recognized it as a part from an old wagon.

 

"I suppose the government would call that artifacts now," McCrory said. "I better not pick that up."

 

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View full article here

 

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26.) The Forum (Fargo), Susan Rae Helgeland letter: Columnist misused mental health term

 

Susan Rae Helgeland letter: Columnist misused mental health term
The Forum - 06/26/2005

 

On Sunday, May 29, James Ferragut, contributor to The Forum's opinion and commentary pages wrote, "I've always been a bit schizophrenic about Fargo's north side versus south side history. Which is better? Which has the best neighborhoods? Who's got the best schools? Does one side really have to be better than the other?"

 

As executive director of the Mental Health Association in North Dakota, I feel compelled to object to Ferragut's utilization of schizophrenic as a description of Fargo's north side versus south side history. I talked to Ferragut and we decided that I should use this opportunity to bring a clearer understanding of the word schizophrenic to the readers of The Forum. I explained to Ferragut that he is not alone and in excellent company. I have heard several top news reporters and many others use the word schizophrenic inappropriately to describe a situation. I have even heard it said in sitcoms.

 

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View full article here

 

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27.) Grand Forks Herald, Homeland security can’t shield abuse of immigrants

 

IN THE MAIL

 

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Homeland security can't shield abuse of immigrants

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