Post by Okwes on Oct 31, 2006 10:58:38 GMT -5
Candidate touts Native American roots; community asks 'Who?' Article
Last Updated:10/25/2006 08:23:05 AM MDT
www.sltrib.com/ci_4546899?source=rss
<http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4546899?source=rss> A Republican running
for the Utah House is touting his Native American roots and his activism
in the community on his campaign Web site, but some Native American
activists say they've never heard of him.
Jay Brummett is running against incumbent Rep. Mark Wheatley, a
Democrat, for the District 35 seat in Murray. On his Web site,
www.brummett.info <http://www.brummett.info/> , Brummett says he
is "proud of my entire ethnic heritage and strive to instill this pride
in my children." He goes on to say he has donated his "time, effort and
money" to working in his "ethnic community" by volunteering as a mentor
and detention center chaplin for Native Americans.
Brummett said he sticks by everything on his Web site.
"I have not made ethnicity an issue in this campaign," he said in a
phone interview last week. "All Americans should be proud of their
ethnic background - that's what makes America great."
Yet, several Native American community leaders said they're curious
to find out more about Brummett because they were surprised to hear
about one of their own running for office. E-mails questioning
Brummett's Native American ties and community involvement have been
circulating among the Native American community for several weeks.
"I'm one more person in the community - I've never heard of that
name before," said Dena Ned, who runs Salt Lake Valley's Native American
community center. "It would be interesting to see why that's coming up."
The No. 1 question Native American's have for Brummett is: "What
tribe are you from?" Utah is home to eight federally recognized tribes.
Brummett said in the interview he is of mixed blood from the Lakota
tribe on his mother's side and speaks Lakota "not as good as some and
better than others." Brummett, who was born in Salt Lake City but moved
away and returned in the late 1980s, said he visits Rosebud and Pioneer
Ridge reservations in South Dakota at least once a year to teach his
three children about their roots. He said he chooses not to be an
enrolled member for "a number of reasons" but declined to say why.
In the mid 1990s, Brummett filed a complaint as a "member of the
Lakota Sioux tribe" to the Utah State Tax Commission's Motor Vehicle
Division that ultimately resulted in a Utah Supreme Court ruling that
revoked license plates containing the word "redskin" in any form because
it was offensive to Native Americans.
But in a later interview, Brummett admitted he is not Lakota by
blood, but identifies as Lakota because he grew up learning about the
culture through his step-grandfather, a Lakota. He said his Native
American blood actually comes from his grandmother, a mixed-blood
Comanche.
"The life experiences I have are Lakota," Brummett said. "That's how
I affiliate."
Brummett, an Ogden city employee, said people questioning his ethnic
identity is a "meaningless issue" and would rather talk about education
and public safety. Conservative minorities in politics are often
"attacked" by their own communities because of their conservative party
lines, he said.
"As a Republican, there are a number of folks [Native Americans] who
will say I'm not known. They will decide on whether I'm Native American
enough," Brummett said. "I know who I am and what I am."
Native Americans interviewed for this story said they're usually
suspicious when people claim to be of native or of mixed blood.
"Sometimes, people say they're native when they're not because no
one ever checks it," said Ned, who's lived in Utah on and off since
1978.
Some Native Americans, who make up some 2 percent of the state's
population, said their community in Utah and nationwide is small enough
that they all have some connections to each other. They see each other
at powwows. They know each other through family friends. And they also
get to know non-Native Americans well who run in their circles.
Cal Nez, a graphic designer and Navajo activist in the Salt Lake
City area for some 35 years, said he's always looking for people,
especially "natives," for community and business opportunities. So he
was surprised when he read Brummett's Web site and had never heard of
him.
Harry James, who's been in the Salt Lake Valley for some 40 years,
is president of the Native American Association of West Valley, a group
that organizes the valley's largest annual pow wow. He said if Brummett
is concerned about native issues, why hasn't he organized a community
meeting or met with community members?
"Where has he been? No one really knows him," James said. "He's been
hiding all this time, why come out now?"
Forrest Cuch, the state's Division of Indian Affairs director, said
through a spokeswoman he does know of Brummett but declined to comment
for this story.
Last Updated:10/25/2006 08:23:05 AM MDT
www.sltrib.com/ci_4546899?source=rss
<http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4546899?source=rss> A Republican running
for the Utah House is touting his Native American roots and his activism
in the community on his campaign Web site, but some Native American
activists say they've never heard of him.
Jay Brummett is running against incumbent Rep. Mark Wheatley, a
Democrat, for the District 35 seat in Murray. On his Web site,
www.brummett.info <http://www.brummett.info/> , Brummett says he
is "proud of my entire ethnic heritage and strive to instill this pride
in my children." He goes on to say he has donated his "time, effort and
money" to working in his "ethnic community" by volunteering as a mentor
and detention center chaplin for Native Americans.
Brummett said he sticks by everything on his Web site.
"I have not made ethnicity an issue in this campaign," he said in a
phone interview last week. "All Americans should be proud of their
ethnic background - that's what makes America great."
Yet, several Native American community leaders said they're curious
to find out more about Brummett because they were surprised to hear
about one of their own running for office. E-mails questioning
Brummett's Native American ties and community involvement have been
circulating among the Native American community for several weeks.
"I'm one more person in the community - I've never heard of that
name before," said Dena Ned, who runs Salt Lake Valley's Native American
community center. "It would be interesting to see why that's coming up."
The No. 1 question Native American's have for Brummett is: "What
tribe are you from?" Utah is home to eight federally recognized tribes.
Brummett said in the interview he is of mixed blood from the Lakota
tribe on his mother's side and speaks Lakota "not as good as some and
better than others." Brummett, who was born in Salt Lake City but moved
away and returned in the late 1980s, said he visits Rosebud and Pioneer
Ridge reservations in South Dakota at least once a year to teach his
three children about their roots. He said he chooses not to be an
enrolled member for "a number of reasons" but declined to say why.
In the mid 1990s, Brummett filed a complaint as a "member of the
Lakota Sioux tribe" to the Utah State Tax Commission's Motor Vehicle
Division that ultimately resulted in a Utah Supreme Court ruling that
revoked license plates containing the word "redskin" in any form because
it was offensive to Native Americans.
But in a later interview, Brummett admitted he is not Lakota by
blood, but identifies as Lakota because he grew up learning about the
culture through his step-grandfather, a Lakota. He said his Native
American blood actually comes from his grandmother, a mixed-blood
Comanche.
"The life experiences I have are Lakota," Brummett said. "That's how
I affiliate."
Brummett, an Ogden city employee, said people questioning his ethnic
identity is a "meaningless issue" and would rather talk about education
and public safety. Conservative minorities in politics are often
"attacked" by their own communities because of their conservative party
lines, he said.
"As a Republican, there are a number of folks [Native Americans] who
will say I'm not known. They will decide on whether I'm Native American
enough," Brummett said. "I know who I am and what I am."
Native Americans interviewed for this story said they're usually
suspicious when people claim to be of native or of mixed blood.
"Sometimes, people say they're native when they're not because no
one ever checks it," said Ned, who's lived in Utah on and off since
1978.
Some Native Americans, who make up some 2 percent of the state's
population, said their community in Utah and nationwide is small enough
that they all have some connections to each other. They see each other
at powwows. They know each other through family friends. And they also
get to know non-Native Americans well who run in their circles.
Cal Nez, a graphic designer and Navajo activist in the Salt Lake
City area for some 35 years, said he's always looking for people,
especially "natives," for community and business opportunities. So he
was surprised when he read Brummett's Web site and had never heard of
him.
Harry James, who's been in the Salt Lake Valley for some 40 years,
is president of the Native American Association of West Valley, a group
that organizes the valley's largest annual pow wow. He said if Brummett
is concerned about native issues, why hasn't he organized a community
meeting or met with community members?
"Where has he been? No one really knows him," James said. "He's been
hiding all this time, why come out now?"
Forrest Cuch, the state's Division of Indian Affairs director, said
through a spokeswoman he does know of Brummett but declined to comment
for this story.