Post by Okwes on Mar 7, 2008 14:06:46 GMT -5
NAJA Concerned over Martin Dismissal from One Feather
NORMAN, Okla. – The Native American Journalists Association expresses grave concerns about the recent "involuntary transfer" of Joseph Martin, the editor of the Cherokee One Feather, the tribally owned newspaper of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
According to a Nov. 1, 2007, memorandum to Martin, the transfer was initiated due to an alleged violation of the tribe’s Code of Ethical Conduct.
"By using your position you have been published in the Asheville Citizen-Times stating your personal opinion while citing your tribal position title along with your name on more than one occasion," the memo states.
"To say that an editor cannot express his opinion and put his name and title to it is antithetical to operating and honoring an independent press," Bryan Pollard, NAJA vice-president and editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, said. "One of the greatest responsibilities of an editor is to state an opinion about matters that affect your community, and to do so thoughtfully and judiciously. Being hired as an editor is not a gag order."
Tribally funded newspapers need the freedom of opinion and expression to cover issues important to their community, regardless of whether those papers are tribally owned and operated, said NAJA president Cristina Azocar (Upper Mattaponi).
"Tribal governments are not benefiting themselves or their people if they don’t adhere to free press protection," Azocar added. "The more people are able to express themselves through their tribal media, the stronger our tribes and therefore our tribal governments are. When tribal governments take that freedom of expression away, our governments begin to break down – benefiting no one."
The National Congress of American Indians passed a resolution (ABQ-03-042) supporting a free and independent Native press during the 60th annual NCAI session in Albuquerque, N.M., which specifically resolved that:
"The NCAI encourages Tribal Nations to ensure Freedom of the Press and develop those Media Policies so the rights of the People will not be abridged."
Although Martin said he wasn’t surprised by the administrative action, he is using this situation to start an independent newspaper for Eastern Band Cherokees. Martin can be contacted at n jmau1993@yahoo.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Created in 1984, NAJA works to support a free press throughout Indian Country, and encourages officials at the Eastern Band of Cherokees to resolve the issue in a way that protects the freedom of the press and preserves the integrity of the Cherokee One Feather, which is an essential source of news to its citizens.
If you have a chance to make life better for others and fail to do so, you are wasting your time on Earth. No matter what our station in life, we are here to serve, even if that sometimes means making the greatest sacrifice of all.
Sooner or later you are going to learn just as I did, that there's a difference between KNOWING the path and WALKING the path.
www.theupcn.com/
www.freewebs.com/yona-adatiya/
NORMAN, Okla. – The Native American Journalists Association expresses grave concerns about the recent "involuntary transfer" of Joseph Martin, the editor of the Cherokee One Feather, the tribally owned newspaper of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
According to a Nov. 1, 2007, memorandum to Martin, the transfer was initiated due to an alleged violation of the tribe’s Code of Ethical Conduct.
"By using your position you have been published in the Asheville Citizen-Times stating your personal opinion while citing your tribal position title along with your name on more than one occasion," the memo states.
"To say that an editor cannot express his opinion and put his name and title to it is antithetical to operating and honoring an independent press," Bryan Pollard, NAJA vice-president and editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, said. "One of the greatest responsibilities of an editor is to state an opinion about matters that affect your community, and to do so thoughtfully and judiciously. Being hired as an editor is not a gag order."
Tribally funded newspapers need the freedom of opinion and expression to cover issues important to their community, regardless of whether those papers are tribally owned and operated, said NAJA president Cristina Azocar (Upper Mattaponi).
"Tribal governments are not benefiting themselves or their people if they don’t adhere to free press protection," Azocar added. "The more people are able to express themselves through their tribal media, the stronger our tribes and therefore our tribal governments are. When tribal governments take that freedom of expression away, our governments begin to break down – benefiting no one."
The National Congress of American Indians passed a resolution (ABQ-03-042) supporting a free and independent Native press during the 60th annual NCAI session in Albuquerque, N.M., which specifically resolved that:
"The NCAI encourages Tribal Nations to ensure Freedom of the Press and develop those Media Policies so the rights of the People will not be abridged."
Although Martin said he wasn’t surprised by the administrative action, he is using this situation to start an independent newspaper for Eastern Band Cherokees. Martin can be contacted at n jmau1993@yahoo.com. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Created in 1984, NAJA works to support a free press throughout Indian Country, and encourages officials at the Eastern Band of Cherokees to resolve the issue in a way that protects the freedom of the press and preserves the integrity of the Cherokee One Feather, which is an essential source of news to its citizens.
If you have a chance to make life better for others and fail to do so, you are wasting your time on Earth. No matter what our station in life, we are here to serve, even if that sometimes means making the greatest sacrifice of all.
Sooner or later you are going to learn just as I did, that there's a difference between KNOWING the path and WALKING the path.
www.theupcn.com/
www.freewebs.com/yona-adatiya/