Post by Okwes on Jun 21, 2006 20:20:15 GMT -5
New York Indian Tribes Rally
Posted by: "Victoria" bayareauk@yahoo.co.uk bayareauk
Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:33 am (PST)
New York Indian Tribes Rally to Support Native
Businesses
Thursday June 15, 11:16 am ET
biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060615/dcth031.html?.v=53
MASTIC, N.Y., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Native
American Business Alliance of Long Island today
caravanned from the Unkechaug Powwow Grounds (Mastic,
N.Y.) to the Shinnecock territory (Southampton, N.Y.)
to support its new grassroots effort to protect Indian
Nations' right to sell tax-free tobacco products.
"The faces you see here today are the faces of those
who depend on Native American Businesses," Unkechaug
tribal chief Harry Wallace said. "Without our
treaty-mandated right to sell tax-free tobacco, these
businesses -- these people -- will suffer. That is why
we are here today -- to defend our rights and to
defend our economic independence."
Members of Tuscarora, Seneca, Onondaga, Oneida,
Cayuga, Mohawk, Pequot, Narragansett and other
Nations, along with friends, neighbors and business
colleagues of the Tribes, rallied against the
politicians and wealthy special interest groups that
have passed legislation and filed lawsuits that
threaten to terminate centuries-old treaties
protecting the right of New York Tribes to sell
tax-free tobacco and other goods on their own
territories. With over 5,000 supporters thus far, the
Alliance is demanding that new legislation be enacted
to rescind this unjust act. The Alliance is also
urging New York citizens to call upon the convenience
stores and big chain supermarkets, asking them to drop
their lawsuits against these small Indian smoke shops.
Following the rally, supporters toured a
Shinnecock-owned small business, "Raindrop's Quick
Stop" on Montauk Highway.
"The politicians in Albany need to visit native
businesses like these so they can see that executing
this legislation will cripple the economy of New York
Tribes," said Rebecca Genia, of the Shinnecock Nation.
"Taking away the rights laid out in these
long-standing treaties would take away many people's
livelihood."
Income from Indian smoke shops helps Tribes pay their
own way, using some of the profits to fix schools,
churches, playgrounds and housing on reservations.
They also employ hundreds of tribal members with full
healthcare and retirement benefits and generate
economic activity for local, non-Indian businesses
that supply their stores.
New Yorkers can join the Alliance by going to
www.supportnativebusiness.com
<http://www.supportnativebusiness.com/> , where they can
sign a petition, write directly to state officials,
and get additional information.
The Native American Business Alliance of Long Island
represents the Nations and the Indian-owned stores of
the Unkechaug and Shinnecock Nations. We have formed
this coalition because without help from our friends,
neighbors and business colleagues, these stores will
be shut down -- ending a vital source of economic
activity. Visit SupportNativeBusiness.com for more
information.
Posted by: "Victoria" bayareauk@yahoo.co.uk bayareauk
Fri Jun 16, 2006 9:33 am (PST)
New York Indian Tribes Rally to Support Native
Businesses
Thursday June 15, 11:16 am ET
biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060615/dcth031.html?.v=53
MASTIC, N.Y., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Native
American Business Alliance of Long Island today
caravanned from the Unkechaug Powwow Grounds (Mastic,
N.Y.) to the Shinnecock territory (Southampton, N.Y.)
to support its new grassroots effort to protect Indian
Nations' right to sell tax-free tobacco products.
"The faces you see here today are the faces of those
who depend on Native American Businesses," Unkechaug
tribal chief Harry Wallace said. "Without our
treaty-mandated right to sell tax-free tobacco, these
businesses -- these people -- will suffer. That is why
we are here today -- to defend our rights and to
defend our economic independence."
Members of Tuscarora, Seneca, Onondaga, Oneida,
Cayuga, Mohawk, Pequot, Narragansett and other
Nations, along with friends, neighbors and business
colleagues of the Tribes, rallied against the
politicians and wealthy special interest groups that
have passed legislation and filed lawsuits that
threaten to terminate centuries-old treaties
protecting the right of New York Tribes to sell
tax-free tobacco and other goods on their own
territories. With over 5,000 supporters thus far, the
Alliance is demanding that new legislation be enacted
to rescind this unjust act. The Alliance is also
urging New York citizens to call upon the convenience
stores and big chain supermarkets, asking them to drop
their lawsuits against these small Indian smoke shops.
Following the rally, supporters toured a
Shinnecock-owned small business, "Raindrop's Quick
Stop" on Montauk Highway.
"The politicians in Albany need to visit native
businesses like these so they can see that executing
this legislation will cripple the economy of New York
Tribes," said Rebecca Genia, of the Shinnecock Nation.
"Taking away the rights laid out in these
long-standing treaties would take away many people's
livelihood."
Income from Indian smoke shops helps Tribes pay their
own way, using some of the profits to fix schools,
churches, playgrounds and housing on reservations.
They also employ hundreds of tribal members with full
healthcare and retirement benefits and generate
economic activity for local, non-Indian businesses
that supply their stores.
New Yorkers can join the Alliance by going to
www.supportnativebusiness.com
<http://www.supportnativebusiness.com/> , where they can
sign a petition, write directly to state officials,
and get additional information.
The Native American Business Alliance of Long Island
represents the Nations and the Indian-owned stores of
the Unkechaug and Shinnecock Nations. We have formed
this coalition because without help from our friends,
neighbors and business colleagues, these stores will
be shut down -- ending a vital source of economic
activity. Visit SupportNativeBusiness.com for more
information.