Abortion-clinic proposal sparks hardball politics on Pine Ridge Indian Res

[NVMojo]

June 14, 2006

Oglala Sioux Tribe President Cecelia Fire Thunder says the tribal council can’t order her not to speak to the media.

“That’s a violation of my constitutional rights,” she said in an interview Tuesday.

The gag order is just one of the fights between the embattled tribal president and the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council.

Last month, the tribal council suspended Fire Thunder, pending an impeachment hearing, for proposing an abortion clinic on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and for allegedly raising money for the clinic.

She proposed the clinic in response to South Dakota’s new abortion ban, which has since been referred to a statewide vote in November. Fire Thunder said the new state law might not apply to a clinic on the reservation. She also suggested women from throughout the state could use it.

That proposal sparked protests.

more...

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2006/06/14/news/top/news01.txt

[Crayson]

1. Good woman!

That's what I call activism...

Good thinking Ms Fire Thunder!
She certainly lives up to her name!

After decades of discrimination it may turn out an advantage to be an excempt reservation.

I think they should do it.

Specially since they're Indians and closer to nature with a more normal approach to life and death than the catholic church.

[robbibaba]

2. I agree with you

but the new story is about the conflict with the tribal council, which is news to me. Bad news indeed.

[jwirr]

6. Many minorities consider abortion genocide.

[LaBanty]

3. This is Unfortunate

Fire Thunder is a very smart lady, if you do a little background reading on her. She was also in the health care field for years prior to becoming the tribe's president.

Originally, funds were being raised to build a Planned Parenthood on tribal land, since abortions have been outlawed in Fundie Fundie South Dakota. Obviously, PP would provide other services besides abortions - such as family planning and women's health. It sounded like a win-win situation, so I don't know why - exactly - the brakes have been put on the plan.

Many people from all over the US had supported the idea of a PP clinic on tribal land and many had sent donations voluntarily. If this is what the tribe is considering "soliciting" - it sounds to me like they've had it out for Fire Thunder for awhile.

Probably the Fundie Fundies of South Dakota have decided to make the tribes miserable if they go ahead and put a PP clinic on tribal land in defiance of their Fundie Fundie beliefs, and the tribe doesn't want to take the heat for it. Making Fire Thunder the scapegoat when this matter brought attention to the tribe, itself, was all too easy. They've basically hung her out to dry.

Chickenshit higher-ups and bullshit politics aren't exclusive to white people.

[donsu]

5. the men are probably just pissed that a woman is in charge and had

a good, positive idea. instead of complaining the men should stand with her.


we say 'when will americans wake up to reality'. how much has the tribes woken from their induced oppression coma?

[jwirr]

7. Besides my above post most reservations stay out of "other

people's" politics and they want "other people" to stay out of theirs. They would consider the donations from outside a threat to their sovereignty. They stay out of most issues that do not directly effect their own live on the res. Oh they vote in elections but it is because of the impact of federal law on their life. They could care less if some white woman cannot get an abortion.

[donsu]

8. do they care if a tribal woman can get an abortion?

nt

[LostinVA]

4. Lots of politics on Pine Ridge

I have several Lakota friends who live on the Rez. A cabal wanted Means in very, very much -- but many in the tribe see him as divisie... and also see Fire Thunder as being much more pro-education, pro-women, etc. Many people on the Council have it in for her merely because of this.

[Maat]

9. That makes sense.

Thanks for the perspective, LostinVA.

[NVMojo]

11. totally agree with LostinVA, I work for a tribal government & their

politics are rife with revenge and dissension over family ties and other things. It is true about the Russell Means group wanting her out. More then likely, she is being set up for a fall.

[Charlie Brown]

10. She is right. American Indians have the same rights as US citizens

as per the (Democrat-passed) Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, including the right to an abortion.

http://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/icra1968.htm