Louise Erdrich’s new novel Shadow Tag was released today.
H/T The Millions
Author: Kate Fort
A Friend of TurtleTalk in NY Times
Prof. Stephen Gasteyer wrote this letter to the editor in response to a David Brooks column about Haiti:
To the Editor:
David Brooks should be congratulated for stating that greater attention to poverty reduction is needed. He is also correct that systemic poverty reduction will result neither through small, nongovernmental efforts alone nor neoliberal macroeconomic policies. There is a growing body of development research now focusing on the importance of cultural change.
But I take issue with his call for more paternalism. United States foreign policy in Haiti has been nothing if not paternalistic. Over the last 20 years the United States has ousted, reinstated, then ousted again Haiti’s leadership. We have consistently worked with international financial institutions to impose neoliberal governance — leaving the Haitian government impotent before the earthquake, and largely invisible since.
Paternalist cultural development policy has led to some of our most shameful legacies (like Indian boarding schools). Cultural change must be locally led to have positive effects — not based on self-righteous proclamations.
Stephen Gasteyer
East Lansing, Mich., Jan. 18, 2010
The writer is an assistant professor of sociology at Michigan State University.
ESPN Article on Haskell Basketball
H/T Indianz.
From ESPN.com (see photos at ESPN.com):
Originally Published: January 13, 2010
Haskell offers haven for hidden talent
Native American players continue to strive for recognition outside the reservation
By Dana O’Neil
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The bus bounced along the highway from Eagle Butte, S.D., to Lawrence, Kan., covering the almost 700-mile trip in about 16 hours.
Folded into one of the seats, 6-foot-10 Terrance Little Thunder tried to make himself comfortable enough to relax.
It was no use. He was far too preoccupied to rest. Every time the bus stopped, Little Thunder scrambled in his seat to make sure he hadn’t lost the worn-out scrap of paper stuffed in his pocket.
When Terrance Little Thunder left South Dakota on a bus, he had little else but a piece of paper with a coach’s number on it.
Before he left his home on the Lakota Nation reservation, Little Thunder had scratched a phone number on that piece of paper.
If he lost the paper, he lost the number.
If he lost the number, he lost his last shot at a future.
He was 29 and out of chances.
“All I had was a little bit of money and that piece of paper with Coach’s number on it,” Little Thunder said. “I held onto that thing so tight, man. I wasn’t about to lose it.”
MSU’s Nick Reo Quoted in Indian Country Today
From yesterday’s Indian Country Today, Nick’s quote is after the jump:
GOP leader continues ‘honest injun’ controversy
MSNBC commentator uses ‘off the reservation’
By Rob Capriccioso
Story Published: Jan 13, 2010
Story Updated: Jan 13, 2010
WASHINGTON – Instead of apologizing without condition for using a racist term, the top GOP leader parsed his own words, while calling on another politician to step down for using racially offensive words.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele encountered criticism after his Jan. 4 appearance on the Sean Hannity Fox News program for using the phrase “honest injun” to punctuate a point he was making about conservative ideals.
Several Native American leaders, including the Native American Journalists Association and congressional advocates, noted that the term is racist, and said Steele should apologize. Continue reading
Gaming on Newly Acquired Lands Rule Apparently Not Submitted to GAO
A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report detailed the number of agency rules which were not passed on to the Government Accounting Office (GAO). Hat tip, Constitutional Law Prof Blog. The report concludes that over 1,000 rules over the past 10 years had not been submitted to the GAO. The reason for this requirement, according to the CRS report is as follows:
Agency regulations generally start with an act of Congress, and are the means by which statutes are implemented and specific requirements are established. Therefore, Congress has a vested interest in overseeing the regulations that agencies issue pursuant to those statutes. Because congressional authority over agency rulemaking was believed to have waned in recent decades (while presidential authority over rulemaking had increased), the CRA was enacted in an attempt to reclaim a measure of congressional control.107 Although Congress can learn about the issuance of agency rules in many ways, the requirement in Section 801(a)(1)(A) of the CRA that agencies submit all of their final rules to GAO and Congress before they can take effect helps to ensure that Congress will have an opportunity to review, and possibly disapprove of, agency rules.
Curious, we decided to try to find out if the recent advisory letter turned rule regarding gaming on newly acquired trust lands (with the 25 mile radius or near a “significant number of tribal members” requirement) was one that hasn’t been submitted to the GAO pursuant to the Congressional Review Act. It appears it is. 25 CFR 292, “Gaming on Trust Lands Acquired After October 17, 1988” does not come up in a search of the GAO’s database Federal Rules Database.
From ICT: Brendan Johnson Appointed Head of DOJ Committee
With an extensive quote from Prof. Fletcher:
Johnson to head Native DoJ committee
By Rob Capriccioso
Story Published: Nov 23, 2009
Story Updated: Nov 23, 2009
WASHINGTON – With a non-Native picked to lead the U.S. Department of Justice’s Native American Issues Subcommittee, some are taking the opportunity to highlight the importance of Indian inclusion within the national legal scene.
It was announced the week of Nov. 16 that Brendan Johnson, the U.S. attorney for South Dakota, was chosen by the Obama administration to head the committee, which is made up of federal prosecutors who serve in jurisdictions with large numbers of Indians.
The newcomer to the national scene was confirmed to his top lawyer position in October. He is the son of Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota, a longtime advocate of Native American issues on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Those who know the younger Johnson expect him to continue on his father’s path while leading the committee, which is intended to advise Attorney General Eric Holder on public safety and legal issues in Indian country.
Talk on Cherokee Syllabary at MSU
Tuesday, November 24th at 11am. 116H Erickson Hall, MSU
Here are the details:
Michigan Indian Legal Services Newsletter
Here is a copy of the Fall 2009 MILS newsletter:
Tribal Nations Conference Today at White House
From the White House press release:
WASHINGTON – On Thursday, November 5th, 2009, President Obama will host the White House Tribal Nations Conference. As part of President Obama’s sustained outreach to the American people, this conference will provide leaders from the 564 federally recognized tribes the opportunity to interact directly with the President and representatives from the highest levels of his Administration. Each federally recognized tribe will be invited to send one representative to the conference.
President Obama said, “I look forward to hearing directly from the leaders in Indian Country about what my Administration can do to not only meet their needs, but help improve their lives and the lives of their peoples. This conference will serve as part of the ongoing and important consultation process that I value, and further strengthen the Nation-to-Nation relationship. “
NPR’s Morning Edition:
“November 5, 2009 from WPR
President Obama meets with hundreds of Native American leaders when he hosts the White House Tribal Nations Conference Thursday. The event is for federally-recognized tribes. With that recognition, tribes are eligible for economic assistance, land, housing grants and other government benefits. The Brothertown Indians of Wisconsin had their application for formal recognition rejected, but they are appealing.”
From Indianz.com:
Other administration officials expected to attend are: Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Deputy Attorney General David Ogden, HUD Deputy Secretary Ronald Sims, DHS Deputy Secretary Jane Lute, Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli, and Indian Health Service Director Dr. Yvette Robideaux The tentative schedule follows:
9:00–9:30 – Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:30–10:40 – Interactive Discussion with President Obama
10:45-12:15 – Interactive Discussion with Administration Officials
12:15–1:45 – Lunch
1:45-3:00 – Interactive Discussion with Administration Officials
3:15-4:45 – Interactive Discussion with Administration Officials
4:45-5:20 – Closing Remarks
NALSA Panel Event: Tribal Judges
MSU NALSA is hosting a panel of tribal judges on Wednesday, November 11 at 4:30 pm in the Castle Board Room. Hon. Michael Petsokey, Hon. Holly Thompson and Hon. Matthew Fletcher will be talking.
Food and drink will be served.
Turtle Talk 
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