Bad News about Bear Butte

( – promoted by navajo)

“We continue to believe that someone important someplace cares and will do something before our situation becomes impossible.” Fools Crow from “Fools Crow,” by Thomas E. Mails. p. 217

It’s gone from bad,

Please forward in its entirety.

Press release

Corporate America ~vs~ Sacred Sites

Decision on Bear Butte issue 7-1-08

written by: Tamra Brennan

On July 1st, 2008 the Meade County Commissioners voted 3 – 2 to approve Jay Allen’s liquor license, for the Broken Spoke Campground located at Bear Butte.

There were two separate issues discussed regarding liquor license applications. The initial license for Jay Allen, which was revoked on December 5, 2007, appealed in January, then remanded back to the Meade County Commissioners by Judge Bastian on April 14, 2008. Meade County Commissioners appealed the judges decision, in June the South Dakota Supreme Court, denied the appeal, again sending it back to Meade County Commissioners.

to worse.

The second issue was the new liquor license application filed by David Shoe, General Manager for the new investors Target Logistics, Broken Spoke Campground LLC.

Target Logistics has paid off all of Jay Allen’s outstanding debts for Broken Spoke Campground, LLC with the exception of one that is currently in litigation. They have dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, into this place already. Jim Seward attorney for Target Logistics also stated that Jay Allen still owns 30% of the stock, which contradicts everything that they have testified to previously, which was that Jay Allen is no longer involved. These people change their story at every hearing.

Target Logistics Corporation showed up at the hearing with 12-15 suits, including the CEO, various attorneys and military personnel. They spent a hour of the hearing testifying about military issues, and praising David Shoe, since he was previously involved in Blackwater, had been in Afganstitan and Iraq and apparently has secret service clearance, even today. They actually brought previous military personnel here to testify on behalf of David Shoe’s character, for a liquor license at a bar located at Bear Butte.

They used the war, they used the military service to gain sympathy and support from the Meade County Commissioners, to acquire the license.

Does anyone see the irony here? Can someone please explain what the military has to do with a bar, at a sacred site and what they are doing here?

The supporters for the Bear Butte issue were sitting listening to this testimony, wondering what any of this had to do, with Meade County and a bar at Bear Butte?

Several people stood up and questioned these statements and motives.

Jack Doyle, a local Meade County resident continually testifies against our side, and always includes disgusting and racist comments, stated “Indians do not own Bear Butte mountain, they are their as guests, if its not suitable for them they can go somewhere else.”

Another local, life long resident and Bear Butte supporter stood up and addressed the Commissioners and Target Logistics, stated she felt that Target Logistics was making a bad business decision, and they obviously had not done a business marketing analysis, that there have been two local campgrounds go bankrupt over this past two years, maybe they should go invest in one of the bankrupt campgrounds, there is one available in Whitewood. She received a huge applaud from the Bear Butte supporters.

I did record the hearing and will be cutting it down, it’s an hour and a half, once I get that done, I will be posting it on our new blog talk radio show. It should be up within the next day. I will send out a link, once it is up and running.

It will also be posted on our website

http://www.protectbearbutte

Because it was the appealed license that was approved, I am going to be doing some checking and see what actions, if any, that we can take next to appeal this decision.

Needless to say, this is simply another case of Corporate America ~vs~ Native American people and sacred sites, and we lost, yet again.

In peace & solidarity,

Tamra

http://www.NDNnews.com

www.ProtectSacredSites.org

www.protectbearbutte.com

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“Our sacred lands are all that remain keeping us connected to our place on Mother Earth, to our spirituality, our heritage and our lands; what’s left of them. If they take it all away, what will remain except a vague memory of a past so forgotten?”

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Two things stand out. The ignorance with racism,

Jack Doyle, a local Meade County resident continually testifies against our side, and always includes disgusting and racist comments, stated “Indians do not own Bear Butte mountain, they are their as guests, if its not suitable for them they can go somewhere else.”

and the fact they “used the military service to gain sympathy and support from the Meade County Commissioners, to acquire the license.”

Target Logistics Corporation showed up at the hearing with 12-15 suits, including the CEO, various attorneys and military personnel. They spent a hour of the hearing testifying about military issues, and praising David Shoe, since he was previously involved in Blackwater, had been in Afganstitan and Iraq and apparently has secret service clearance, even today. They actually brought previous military personnel here to testify on behalf of David Shoe’s character, for a liquor license at a bar located at Bear Butte.

They used the war; they used the military service to gain sympathy and support from the Meade County Commissioners, to acquire the license.

Does anyone see the irony here? Can someone please explain what the military has to do with a bar, at a sacred site and what they are doing here?

Racism and anti -Indian sentiments are a foregone conclusion, they allow the thieves to justify what they’re doing. But as for “what the military has to do with a bar, at a sacred site and what they are doing here?” It’s probably, you know, a secret.

Top Secret

 

1 Comment

  1. Two years ago I organized a large gathering on Bear Butte which stopped Allen for his first year. Now he has sold it and the threat remains. This fihgt has been going on for generations and it looks like it will still be there for my grandkids. Below is an organizing letter I sent out then.

    INTER-TRIBAL COALITION TO DEFEND BEAR BUTTE!

    Bear Butte is “Nowah’wus” to the Cheyenne Nation. It is “Mato Paha” to the Lakota and “Machu’ Pahe” to the Ponca. Across the Great Plains over thirty indigenous Nations acknowledge the sacredness of this Butte and it’s surrounding area. It is a mountain inhabited by spirits and spiritual powers that are well known to our people. For this reason Bear Butte is central to our ceremonial life as people of the Great Plains and is necessary for the continued health and well being of our people. All life on Bear Butte must be respected and defended. No people have a right to destroy or disrespect our sacred mountain.

    While we all as a people hold the entire Black Hills to be sacred, Bear Butte is under direct attack at this time and we are preparing to do our best to defend the sacred mountain again. We have learned of plans to build enormous biker bars and campsites all around our sacred mountain. In addition existing beer bars and concert venues are expanding and edging closer and closer into sacred grounds. Today one has dug outdoor toilets on the very slopes of the north side of our Sacred Mountain for their annual drunken binge! Over 600,000 motorcyclists are expected to attend the “Sturgis Bike Rally” in 2006 and they pay millions of dollars into the local economy of the people who claim to license and permit them on behalf of the public. Never since Custer discovered gold has our Mato Paha been threaten by such a combination of greed, government and legal adversity.

    Our struggle to preserve Bear Butte has lasted for centuries. In 1876 Chief Sitting Bull of the Hunkpapa Lakota gathered over 6,000 Indian people at the Butte to urge them to defend our sacred lands. Chief Crazy Horse spoke from the mountain to remind his people that the Paha Sapa is not for sale. In each year and decade since those days our people have engaged in efforts to save and protect the sacred mountain. In the early 1980’s Chief Fools Crow of the Oglala Lakota fought to save the mountain in the U.S. court system (Fools Crow vs. Gullet, 706 F.2d 856 [1983]). He lost after taking it all the way to the Supreme Court (464 U.S. 977 [1983]. Other traditional people have fought to save the mountain from treaty times until now.

    The ” INTERTRIBAL COALITION TO DEFEND BEAR BUTTE” is a group made up of the Tribes and their “Traditional Societies” who are joining together to unite our people and our Tribes to protect and defend our right to pray and have our ceremonies in peace. We are calling on all who value the heritage of our people and still practice the ancient ways of your tribes to join with us in defense of our ways. If you, your society and/or your Tribes want to join us, our invitation is open. In the traditional way of our people we know that our circle will begin small and grow as the people hear our words and respond to the threat. In the summer, at a time we will all decide, we will ask the people to gather in a “Great Inter-Tribal Gathering of the Nations” to sit in Council and decide what our people and their Nations can do to defend the Sacred Mountain.

    Our various Nations have acquired land for the ceremonial use of their people near Bear Butte. This land is an important part of our sovereign Nations because with it we preserve a link to the sacred mountain even though it has been taken from within our borders. We bought the land with the intention and right to utilize it in peace and quiet and this right predates the city of Sturgis, Meade County, the State of South Dakota, and in particular the “Sturgis Bike Rally”. We have a right to use our land for sacred purposes during the entire year without interference from the above named entities.

    Therefore we intend to ask our Nations and their Traditional Societies and People to preserve these rights by gathering together during the summer months of July and August upon our own sovereign lands at Bear Butte to convene a Council of Nations. As a people we will gather together to form a spiritual encampment as a place for our Societies to once again sing their ancient songs and renew their vows. Within our encampment we will ask our holy men and women to bless us with their ceremonies and prayers and give us guidance in our quest to defend our sacred mountain.

    In asking for the support of Tribal governments we do so with the knowledge that we the people will be the ones engaging in the effort. We ask our tribal governments to support us by passing official resolutions of support and providing material and financial support as you see fit. We also ask you to participate by naming a tribal liaison to interact with the coalition and provide input on behalf of the tribe. Each Tribe and Society will have a seat at the Council.

    Both as individuals and as an organization we continue our support for environmental organizations that are working to protect Bear Butte. The efforts of the “Defenders of the Black Hills” (an Indian-led coalition of environmental groups) and the “International Alliance to Save Bear Butte” (an Indian-led alliance of local people and concerned people worldwide) have taken the lead in organizing state and national opposition to the proposed developments around Bear Butte. It is our hope that we can work in harmony and support their efforts by adding our voice to theirs. In the future it may be our privilege to join them and the Tribes in further legal actions or in providing testimony in American political subdivisions and courts.

    As an inter-tribal organization we intend to concentrate on informing our own people and our Tribes about the danger infringing upon the sacred mountain and asking them and our traditional societies to use all their resources to defend Her. We believe our traditional spiritual ways can have a tremendous beneficial effect for the Sacred Mountain and we seek to help gather traditional people together to use those spiritual ways on our sovereign lands at Bear Butte. We are asking our traditional tribal societies to come add their prayers, songs and ceremonies to those of the other Nations so the powerful unity of our sacred ways can guide our steps. We ask you all to come sit in Council with us and join our growing Circle of traditional Indian people who are determined to save the “The Mountain that Teaches”.

    In beginning this effort we were advised by respected Elders to construct a traditional “Staff” which is to be blessed and dedicated to defending Nowah’wus. This sacred staff will be taken to the Tribes, respected Elders, Chiefs, Society Headsmen, Headswomen and Clan leaders to explain our message and to seek their help. In July the “Sacred Staff” will be taken to the Sacred Mountain to be placed in a “Ceremonial Tipi” and the Societies will begin to gather to prepare meeting grounds, ceremonial areas and campgrounds. Each Tribe and Society can move into camp on their own timetable during July to prepare themselves for the coming Council and Ceremonial Gathering. By the time the “Rally” begins in August we must be unified in a plan of action to peacefully and spiritually defend Nowah’wus, Mato Paha, our Sacred Mountain, BEAR BUTTE. For all our Relations.

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