Post by blackcrowheart on Oct 31, 2006 10:11:36 GMT -5
Rally rouses Native American voters More than 600 attend speeches,
District 8 debate By Patti Zarling
<http://us.f279.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=pzarling@greenbaypressgazet\
te.com>
www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024/\
GPG0101/610240542
<http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024\
/GPG0101/610240542>
Joe Garcia, president for the National Congress of American
Indians, gets the crowd pumped up Monday during the Get Out The Vote
rally at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Ashwaubenon. Evan
ASHWAUBENON â€" Vaughn LaVelle, a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee
Tribe of Indians, traveled by bus Monday with her granddaughter to
attend the Get Out The Vote rally at the Radisson Hotel & Conference
Center. "Our tribe is a small tribe, and we need to make our voices
heard," she said. "I want people like my granddaughter to understand
that every vote counts." LaVelle was among more than 600 people who
attended the rally at the Oneida Tribe of Indians-owned hotel. The event
included rousing talks by Oneida tribal Chairman Gerald Danforth and Joe
Garcia, president of the National Congress of American Indians. The
event was capped by a two-hour debate for candidates running for the 8th
U.S. Congressional seat. Oneida leaders emphasized the rally was meant
to persuade Native Americans to pay attention to politics and head to
the polls on Nov. 7. "There's an opportunity here for us to have a
voice," said Ernie Stevens Jr., an Oneida activist and former first vice
president of the National Congress of American Indians. In 2004, he
said, Native American leaders set a goal of a million votes from "Indian
country." "We didn't tally the votes," he told the crowd to loud
applause. "But I'm sure it generated the largest voter turnout ever in
Indian country." Native Americans have an impact in the country, he
said, noting tribes, particularly those with gaming, contribute 600,000
American jobs. Seventy-five percent of those are held by nontribal
members. Gaming generated $22.6 billion in 2005, he said, pumping
$7.6 billion into the federal government and $2.2 billion into state
coffers. Local governments received $100 million through service
agreements, he said. "So if anyone ever asks you if Indian country is
paying its fair share, Indian country is paying more than its fair
share," Stevens said. Tribes are starting to realize that impact,
Garcia said. "Tribes in this country are stepping forward …
they're a more powerful force than ever," he said. Native Americans
must understand the process and be "up to snuff" on issues, Garcia said,
so members can relay their thoughts and concerns to government leaders.
"We all have to have that voice," he said. Hmong step forward
Elsewhere in the Green Bay area, other minority communities are taking
an informal approach to educating people about voting on Election Day.
For example, the Hmong community â€" through help from the League
of Women Voters â€" held a session last month where information was
made available on the candidates and voter registration. Wayia Thao,
president of the United Hmong Community Center in Green Bay, said a
local Hmong radio program on Saturdays has discussed some of the races,
and that voter information is available at the center. In anticipation
of possible language barriers on Nov. 7, Thao said, "We will try to see
if we can help get a bilingual person or a younger Hmong person to help
at the polls." Reaching more voters As for the Oneidas, spokeswoman
Bobbi Webster said she was pleased with Monday's turnout. "We've been
real vocal in saying we want people to vote," she said. "There are many
issues that are important to us." The tribe held a similar rally three
or four years ago, she said, but this one was more broadly based and
attracted far more people, she said. "We wanted to increase awareness
of the responsibility we have to make decisions," Webster said. "It's
important to know how the candidates stand on issues that affect the
tribe."
District 8 debate By Patti Zarling
<http://us.f279.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=pzarling@greenbaypressgazet\
te.com>
www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024/\
GPG0101/610240542
<http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061024\
/GPG0101/610240542>
Joe Garcia, president for the National Congress of American
Indians, gets the crowd pumped up Monday during the Get Out The Vote
rally at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Ashwaubenon. Evan
ASHWAUBENON â€" Vaughn LaVelle, a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee
Tribe of Indians, traveled by bus Monday with her granddaughter to
attend the Get Out The Vote rally at the Radisson Hotel & Conference
Center. "Our tribe is a small tribe, and we need to make our voices
heard," she said. "I want people like my granddaughter to understand
that every vote counts." LaVelle was among more than 600 people who
attended the rally at the Oneida Tribe of Indians-owned hotel. The event
included rousing talks by Oneida tribal Chairman Gerald Danforth and Joe
Garcia, president of the National Congress of American Indians. The
event was capped by a two-hour debate for candidates running for the 8th
U.S. Congressional seat. Oneida leaders emphasized the rally was meant
to persuade Native Americans to pay attention to politics and head to
the polls on Nov. 7. "There's an opportunity here for us to have a
voice," said Ernie Stevens Jr., an Oneida activist and former first vice
president of the National Congress of American Indians. In 2004, he
said, Native American leaders set a goal of a million votes from "Indian
country." "We didn't tally the votes," he told the crowd to loud
applause. "But I'm sure it generated the largest voter turnout ever in
Indian country." Native Americans have an impact in the country, he
said, noting tribes, particularly those with gaming, contribute 600,000
American jobs. Seventy-five percent of those are held by nontribal
members. Gaming generated $22.6 billion in 2005, he said, pumping
$7.6 billion into the federal government and $2.2 billion into state
coffers. Local governments received $100 million through service
agreements, he said. "So if anyone ever asks you if Indian country is
paying its fair share, Indian country is paying more than its fair
share," Stevens said. Tribes are starting to realize that impact,
Garcia said. "Tribes in this country are stepping forward …
they're a more powerful force than ever," he said. Native Americans
must understand the process and be "up to snuff" on issues, Garcia said,
so members can relay their thoughts and concerns to government leaders.
"We all have to have that voice," he said. Hmong step forward
Elsewhere in the Green Bay area, other minority communities are taking
an informal approach to educating people about voting on Election Day.
For example, the Hmong community â€" through help from the League
of Women Voters â€" held a session last month where information was
made available on the candidates and voter registration. Wayia Thao,
president of the United Hmong Community Center in Green Bay, said a
local Hmong radio program on Saturdays has discussed some of the races,
and that voter information is available at the center. In anticipation
of possible language barriers on Nov. 7, Thao said, "We will try to see
if we can help get a bilingual person or a younger Hmong person to help
at the polls." Reaching more voters As for the Oneidas, spokeswoman
Bobbi Webster said she was pleased with Monday's turnout. "We've been
real vocal in saying we want people to vote," she said. "There are many
issues that are important to us." The tribe held a similar rally three
or four years ago, she said, but this one was more broadly based and
attracted far more people, she said. "We wanted to increase awareness
of the responsibility we have to make decisions," Webster said. "It's
important to know how the candidates stand on issues that affect the
tribe."