How's this for irony? Senator Brownback (R-Kansas) reveals that he received over $42,000 from Jack Abramhoff. Brownback, you may remember is the senator from Kansas who sponsored a resolution of apology for Native Americans for the years of mistreatment and broken covenants from the US government. Abramhoff stands accused of defrauding several tribes of over $82 millon. He currently is working out a plea with the Department of Justice that may implicate several members of Congress.
Senator Brownback says he will donate the money he received in 2002 from a PAC to a charitable cause.
I have a suggestion Sam- How about a worthy Native American charity?
Sadly I still can't support SJ 15
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Monday, December 05, 2005
racial reconciliation
just got done reading another blog about racial reconciliation and Christianity and once again the native people of this continent were overlooked in the discussion. why? is it because if names for your people are used as mascots for sports teams you aren't real? is it because there aren't very many of us? it is because mainstream america thinks we have casino money and are rich?
i just don't get it...
i just don't get it...
Friday, October 21, 2005
when the wind blows
The contrary winds may blow strong in my face, yet I will go forward and never turn back.
Teedyuscung (Delaware )
there is a story about buffalo that an Indian man i know tells. he says in his story that the buffalo are not like the white man's cattle- when the storm comes they scatter and turn away moving their heads away from the strength of the wind so that they can breath better. but the buffalo- when they see the storm approach, they turn and face it. they lower their heads and stand their ground. gathering in formation and the strongest get out in front and the weakest in the rear. some of them even paw at the ground as if to fight.
Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground...
Teedyuscung (Delaware )
there is a story about buffalo that an Indian man i know tells. he says in his story that the buffalo are not like the white man's cattle- when the storm comes they scatter and turn away moving their heads away from the strength of the wind so that they can breath better. but the buffalo- when they see the storm approach, they turn and face it. they lower their heads and stand their ground. gathering in formation and the strongest get out in front and the weakest in the rear. some of them even paw at the ground as if to fight.
Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground...
Monday, October 17, 2005
S.J. 15 Resolution of Apology to the Native Peoples
Dear Mr. Brownback:
No... I will not support your initiative.
I will not:
· Join your circle of prayer
· Contact my state senators and representatives to urge their support for this resolution
· Join your coalition
· Send you money to support your cause
· Use my influence to encourage others to do any of the above
“Why?” you ask. I will tell you that.
Your apology reads: “Whereas officials of the United States Government and private United States citizens harmed Native Peoples by the unlawful acquisition of recognized tribal land and the theft of tribal resources and assets from recognized tribal land…”
And today’s newspaper reads: “Twin investigations of Abramoff by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and a multi-agency federal task force appear likely to tar a host of lawmakers… allegations against DeLay and nearly a dozen other lawmakers…House Administration Committee Chairman Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio), a DeLay ally, is facing questions about ties to Abramoff... And Rove allies have also been entangled in the Abramoff investigation. One is Ralph Reed, the former Christian Coalition leader who has struggled…to shake off suggestions that he received Indian gambling money to mount a lobbying effort against rival casinos.” Washington Post October 14th
Last month’s feature was a typical report on U.S. Government and Indian interaction: “Federal officials are investigating how National Archives documents of interest to Indians suing the Interior Department were found discarded in a trash bin and a wastebasket...Taken together, the two dumping incidents "may be intentional acts aimed at unlawfully removing or disposing of permanent records from the Interior Department…Congress found problems in 1994 with Interior's administration of 260,000 Indian trust accounts containing $400 million. Two years later, Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Indian tribe and others filed suit. They allege the department cheated about 500,000 Indians out of more than $100 billion, by mismanaging oil, gas, grazing, timber and other royalties from their lands dating to 1887. AP September, 21st
The apology says: “Whereas this Nation should address the broken treaties and many of the more ill-conceived Federal policies that followed, such as extermination, termination, forced removal and relocation, the outlawing of traditional religions, and the destruction of sacred places…”
And yet today the newspapers read: “A federal judge will decide whether wastewater will be used for snowmaking on San Francisco Peaks, a site sacred to American Indians…For Navajos, the peaks, ''Dook'o'sliid,'' are one of the four sacred mountains. For Hopi, the peaks are ''Nubatukyaovi,'' home of the Katsina spirit messengers and the source of rain and hope. For Hualapai, it is the place of creation and for 14 area Indian tribes, the peaks are a place of prayer, ceremony and medicine gathering. Arizona Indian tribes went to federal court in October, seeking protection of the sacred mountain, arguing that Coconino National Forest Service violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other land and cultural protection laws. ''There was no good-faith effort in dealing with the tribes,'' Howard Shanker, attorney for Indian tribes, told the federal judge during hearing arguments on Oct. 6.” Indian Country Today October 14th
I could go on…but it is depressing. Sorry, but NO. I won’t be supporting #15.
True reconciliation and apology means a change of thought and action.
What I will do is continue to pray and work for true reconciliation and forgiveness between our peoples, replete with new mindsets and behaviors. To do otherwise is to give you false hope of reconciliation. I believe that you are a man who wants the real thing.
Let's pray and work together for this and not words without weight.
Sincerely,
Anita Miller Hensley
Stockbridge Munsee Band of the Mohican Nation
No... I will not support your initiative.
I will not:
· Join your circle of prayer
· Contact my state senators and representatives to urge their support for this resolution
· Join your coalition
· Send you money to support your cause
· Use my influence to encourage others to do any of the above
“Why?” you ask. I will tell you that.
Your apology reads: “Whereas officials of the United States Government and private United States citizens harmed Native Peoples by the unlawful acquisition of recognized tribal land and the theft of tribal resources and assets from recognized tribal land…”
And today’s newspaper reads: “Twin investigations of Abramoff by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee and a multi-agency federal task force appear likely to tar a host of lawmakers… allegations against DeLay and nearly a dozen other lawmakers…House Administration Committee Chairman Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio), a DeLay ally, is facing questions about ties to Abramoff... And Rove allies have also been entangled in the Abramoff investigation. One is Ralph Reed, the former Christian Coalition leader who has struggled…to shake off suggestions that he received Indian gambling money to mount a lobbying effort against rival casinos.” Washington Post October 14th
Last month’s feature was a typical report on U.S. Government and Indian interaction: “Federal officials are investigating how National Archives documents of interest to Indians suing the Interior Department were found discarded in a trash bin and a wastebasket...Taken together, the two dumping incidents "may be intentional acts aimed at unlawfully removing or disposing of permanent records from the Interior Department…Congress found problems in 1994 with Interior's administration of 260,000 Indian trust accounts containing $400 million. Two years later, Elouise Cobell of the Blackfeet Indian tribe and others filed suit. They allege the department cheated about 500,000 Indians out of more than $100 billion, by mismanaging oil, gas, grazing, timber and other royalties from their lands dating to 1887. AP September, 21st
The apology says: “Whereas this Nation should address the broken treaties and many of the more ill-conceived Federal policies that followed, such as extermination, termination, forced removal and relocation, the outlawing of traditional religions, and the destruction of sacred places…”
And yet today the newspapers read: “A federal judge will decide whether wastewater will be used for snowmaking on San Francisco Peaks, a site sacred to American Indians…For Navajos, the peaks, ''Dook'o'sliid,'' are one of the four sacred mountains. For Hopi, the peaks are ''Nubatukyaovi,'' home of the Katsina spirit messengers and the source of rain and hope. For Hualapai, it is the place of creation and for 14 area Indian tribes, the peaks are a place of prayer, ceremony and medicine gathering. Arizona Indian tribes went to federal court in October, seeking protection of the sacred mountain, arguing that Coconino National Forest Service violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and other land and cultural protection laws. ''There was no good-faith effort in dealing with the tribes,'' Howard Shanker, attorney for Indian tribes, told the federal judge during hearing arguments on Oct. 6.” Indian Country Today October 14th
I could go on…but it is depressing. Sorry, but NO. I won’t be supporting #15.
True reconciliation and apology means a change of thought and action.
What I will do is continue to pray and work for true reconciliation and forgiveness between our peoples, replete with new mindsets and behaviors. To do otherwise is to give you false hope of reconciliation. I believe that you are a man who wants the real thing.
Let's pray and work together for this and not words without weight.
Sincerely,
Anita Miller Hensley
Stockbridge Munsee Band of the Mohican Nation
Sunday, October 16, 2005
kingdom now or to come?
i am reading a book the presence of the future by george ladd. it's about one of my favorite subjects: the kingdom of God. i have heard so many messages lately that have me a little concerned. many are preaching that we are already in eternity, so we should start thinking and acting like it. in other words the kingdom is here- go in and possess your land. the emphasis is primarily personal and seems to give the impression that we will overcome all here now in this earth and we will transform it into a glorious place for the King to come back to.
sounds good. sounds american. "if i build it- he'll come"
as i have been reading the word i am stuck by the scarcity of times that God uses human ability to advance his kingdom. it seems the opposite is true. it seems he uses our inabililty to his advantage. my eloquence to present his truth may actually hinder his purposes, as i lean on that and not on him.
in acts, right after the disciples have seen Jesus, they question him again about the timing of the kingdom asking him, "Lord, at this time will you restore the kingdom to Israel?" and Jesus tells them the timing is not for them to know, but they are to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come to them. i think he is still saying the same thing today...
"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
sounds good. sounds american. "if i build it- he'll come"
as i have been reading the word i am stuck by the scarcity of times that God uses human ability to advance his kingdom. it seems the opposite is true. it seems he uses our inabililty to his advantage. my eloquence to present his truth may actually hinder his purposes, as i lean on that and not on him.
in acts, right after the disciples have seen Jesus, they question him again about the timing of the kingdom asking him, "Lord, at this time will you restore the kingdom to Israel?" and Jesus tells them the timing is not for them to know, but they are to wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to come to them. i think he is still saying the same thing today...
"My thoughts are completely different from yours," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Saturday, October 15, 2005
love = acceptance?
i spent the morning with my friend. she had just returned home from the reservation and we spent most of our time getting in and out of the car (garage sales) and talking. we had a good discussion that reminded me a lot of what i am struggling with in church issues. she wanted to know why we seem to put conditions on the people we love i.e. i love you but if you are homosexual i can't support that part of your life and won't go to your wedding. She asked if you really love someone, don't you have to really accept all of them? she wanted to know if we weren't demanding them to follow our beliefs to really have our love. i told her that i thought there was a difference between loving someone and accepting all their beliefs.
i am having a hard time with some of the things that i used to believe. i find myself moving towards more traditional beliefs and away from a very generous orthodoxy that i have been walking in for several years. and in the process, really having a hard time loving people (Christians) whose beliefs i can no longer accept.
it makes me think of the passage in traveling mercies by anne lamott. she is on a plane with a right wing christian who is reading a popular christian book that she has just described in a book review as "hard-core right-wing paranoid anti-Semitic homophobic misogynistic propaganda." he sees her cross necklace and asks her if she too is born again. i hold my breath as i read her answer, finally she says "yes."
would that i would have the grace to say the same.
My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father--that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.
i am having a hard time with some of the things that i used to believe. i find myself moving towards more traditional beliefs and away from a very generous orthodoxy that i have been walking in for several years. and in the process, really having a hard time loving people (Christians) whose beliefs i can no longer accept.
it makes me think of the passage in traveling mercies by anne lamott. she is on a plane with a right wing christian who is reading a popular christian book that she has just described in a book review as "hard-core right-wing paranoid anti-Semitic homophobic misogynistic propaganda." he sees her cross necklace and asks her if she too is born again. i hold my breath as i read her answer, finally she says "yes."
would that i would have the grace to say the same.
My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father--that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.
Friday, October 14, 2005
kshachchen
kshachchen- the mohican word for wind.
this is a time of changing winds; we are in transition in so many areas of our lives-esp the church. for me at least, it is easy to become disoriented and discouraged. esv, tniv, nkj or message? emergent or reformed? Jesus or Creator? hymns or U2? mclaren or grudem?
tribal tradition says in times like this we look to the east which speaks of new light and new beginnings.
I look up to the mountains-- does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth!
this is a time of changing winds; we are in transition in so many areas of our lives-esp the church. for me at least, it is easy to become disoriented and discouraged. esv, tniv, nkj or message? emergent or reformed? Jesus or Creator? hymns or U2? mclaren or grudem?
tribal tradition says in times like this we look to the east which speaks of new light and new beginnings.
I look up to the mountains-- does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth!
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