Those of you who responded to the call for support in the resistance to the
Custer Monument at Washita have probably recieved a response from the
office of Governor Keating in Oklahoma. I have forwarded a copy of the
Governor's response to Clara Bushyhead at the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal
Offices in Concho, Oklahoma. She has passed it on to the Tribal Business
Committee. A response from the Tribes should be forth coming. I will post
any responses which I recieve from the Tribes. Let's hope that this is the
begining of an open dialog on the matter between the Tribes and Governor
Keating.
The letter from Keating has led a few people to have second thoughts about
their support of the petition to "Stop the Custer Monument At Washita". We
must keep in mind, however that we are dealing with politicians. These
people are masters at deflecting criticism and diffusing controversy. They
paint themselves to be benevolent patrons of the Cheyenne and Arapaho
Tribes. The Governor's letter says:
> There is a plan, however, to forge a partnership between the State of
> Oklahoma, the National Park Service, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho to acquire
> the battlesite and designate it as a unit of the National Park Service. The
> State, with my support, is considering a $250,000 appropriation to start a
> fund raising campaign to buy the land. In the meantime, Congressman Frank
> Lucas, who represents that area in Congress, has submitted an authorization
> bill that specifies the involvement of both elected and traditional
> leader of the Cheyenne in the planning process.
If this is true, then why weren't the Cheyenne representatives invited to
the meeting where these plans were formulated? And why, to this day,
haven't the Cheyenne Tribal representatives been informed of these
benevolent plans on their behalf? My guess is that the 250 letters of
outrage which have arrived at the Governor's computer in the last 5 days
have had a significant impact upon their thinking.
To further quote the Governor:
> I hope you will consider donating to the acquisition fund so we can
> preserve hollowed (sic) ground that has such meaning for all Americans.
The only thing "hollow" here is the ring of the Governor's statement. Be it
known by all, that your letters of support have all been forwarded to the
Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes in Concho, OK. These letters have meant a great
deal to the Tribal members. They have shown the Tribes that they are not
alone in their struggle for justice.
As you consider these issues, consider also that these Oklahoma politicians
are the same folks who are fighting the Return of Fort Reno, tooth and
nail. If you haven't sent a letter to President Clinton at
<president@whitehouse.gov> in support of the petition to "Return Fort Reno"
to the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, please do so. If you have sent one,
please send another. Make it a daily ritual. We must be strong and patient
and see this through to the end. Believe me,our letters are having an
impact. Please Cc all letters to <cheyarap@mind.net>
For more information on the Fort Reno petition, please see:
First Nations/First Peoples Issues
http://www.pobox.com/~jsd/firstnations.html
Peace,
Joseph Thompson
thompson@mind.net