Oglala Sioux Tribe President stands up against SD abortion bill

Cecilia Fire Thunder, president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe at Pine Ridge, SD, says that she is going to stand up to Gov. Rounds' ban of all abortion in the state of South Dakota.


http://www.indianz.com/News/2006/013061.asp

:woohoo:

Way to go! I hope more NA nations do the same thing.

Of course, you know they will be attacked as purveyors of sin. Go to the reservation, gamble all your money and kill your child. It's coming. We're going to need to strongly back the NA nations.

I remember someone here at DU suggesting this.

This is going to be interesting. Good for her.

I hope this helps some women out.

decisions for less afluent women!

to control us!

Cecelia Fire Thunder (what a great name for a chief!), I salute you! :thumbsup:

You'll be helping so many women & girls, & the state can't touch you!

K&R

Can anyone find an email address for her? Otherwise, snail mail.

I *think* this is still correct:


Oglala Sioux Tribe
Box H
Pine Ridge, South Dakota 57770
(605) 867-5821
Fax: (605) 867-1373

I just called a friend on the Rez. She suggested making sure Ms. Fire Thunder's name is on it, and to put on teh letter that it's for the PP clinic....

THanks

Found a different address through some phone calls. Tested the fax number and it works. Posted at:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=725845&mesg_id=729156

Address changed a year or so ago.

Tribal Office

PO Box 2070
Pine Ridge, SD 57770-2070
Phone (605) 867-5821
Fax (605) 867-1449

If you want to mail donations to the reservation, you may do so at:

Oglala Sioux Tribe
ATTN: President Fire Thunder
P. O. Box 2070
Pine Ridge, SD 57770

OR: and this may be preferred, due to mail volume:

ATTN: PRESIDENT FIRE THUNDER
PO BOX 990
Martin, SD 57751

Enclose a letter voicing your support and explaining the purpose of the donation. Bear in mind, the Pine Ridge Res is poor, so do consider donating funds directly to the tribe as well as specifically for this effort.

For email contact, you can contact the president at:

firethunder_president yahoo.com (personal email)
cc:vbush oglala.org (her secretary and she asked that you be sure and add the cc for record keeping)

President Fire Thunder asked that checks be made out to
OST Planned Parenthood Cecelia Fire Thunder.

Cecelia Fire Thunder. Anyone else in?

but forgot the .01

Will write a check out tonight! :applause:

excellent!

the forgotten minority here on DU. Lakota are pretty much a patriarchal society, but even they have been wise enough to elect a woman to guide the tribe. Ah, that the United States could be so wise (and I am not advocating Hillary - her stance on Iraq seems to indicate that she forgot.), I hope that a number of you will consider reccomending this thread.

They attempted to impeach her but she and her supporters prevailed and won a vote of confidence.

A lot of corruption in Tribal Affairs and it's not just coming from the US Govt. and Corporations.

These kinds of political fights are par for course. As they are in DC.

Russel means more to people who do not live here than to people who do.

And absolutely DO NOT want him in charge for this reason -- they want someone more approachable and open... these are all people whose families have lived on the Rez since the Rez was there... some of them are people who were at Wounded Knee. They aren't FBI ass kissers.

think he's plastic. I agree. He's Mr. commercial Native American -- willing to sell entrance to sacred ceremonies, and only wants to be gawked at by admiring initiates.

I'm REALLY GLAD that Cecilia Fire Thunder is taking the stance she is taking. She's showing leadership and courage -- which is why she's in the position she's in.

:kick::kick::kick:

I think it was him, that beat his navajo wife, or girlfriend some years back. I'm pretty sure it was him, i will look into it...my wife and I are indian, and believe he is a plastic indian also...

http://www.aimovement.org/moipr/onrussellmeans.html

It's the second topic on that page....

I read his bio some years back but was a little upset when he came out against the jolly green smoke, and he CUT off his braids.

it's no more crazier than Congress!!!

After all, it was the BIA in DC that "misplaced" billions of tribal money, the Pentegon that can't find billions of money spent for defense and cannot account for money sent to Iraq, the FBI that has spent millions on computer systems that don't work and have purchased computers they can't find, Congress that passed a Bankruptcy Bill that screws citizens in favor of corporations (and remember when they were pushing that bill, reform of lending practices was going to happen to make the bill fair - and that has not yet been mentioned this term), DC that wants to sell off our national forest, ignored the warnings of scientists about global warming, we have a president who believes it is ok to push aside constitutional rights to privacy whenever he wants to.

We just had a Congressman resign for taking bribes and DeLay is still voting in Congress while being investigated.

It would take pages to list all of the other situations where money and favoriatism has taken priority over the needs and welfare of citizens.

With tribal politics a relative might get a favor or favorible job. In DC, the lobbyiest or the president's friend or friend of a friend or Halliburtion will. At least at the tribal level, EVERYONE will be debating and fighting out the issues at the community level and when enough feel the need, changes do get made at the next election. The people have been known to take over tribal offices until audits are done or votes recounted. Would be wonderful if citizens could have that kind of influence in DC.

Yippee!!!

I'm sending an email in support!

Tribal soverignty should work. Good.

:applause:

"Pine Ridge Reservation where the State of South Dakota has absolutely no jurisdiction."

"In your face South Dakota"!

Be strong in the face of opposition.

Or next door, or wherever, as long as they're on reservation lands. I think that would be a great thing.

AAAAAAND - they could keep the fundies totally off the land - no more harassing/threatening people coming and going from the clinic. What are the fundies going to do, harass every compulsive gambler? every busload of senior citizens bussing in for a day of gambling?

And one time only. The blood of warriors runs through their veins

to their culture. The Choctaw lost their ceremony by the brutal repression by the US government. Choctaws I know have been adopted into the Dakota tribe and are doing Dakota ceremony in Oklahoma now. I think if fundies tried to stop ceremony, or tried to stop this PP clinic, they will find that Native peoples won't stand for repression again.

out on Pine Ridge.

And, the next time your kids bitch about not getting that ipod...? Drive them through the Rez. Third World conditions...

Go Ms. Fire Thunder!!!

nt

to see if we can get direct contact info for Fire Thunder so that we can donate to this effort. I'll post the info when I get it.

jp

See:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=725845&mesg_id=729428

I was wondering when one of the tribes would do this. Should make for an interesting time-will the governor dare mess with tribal sovereignty?

And what an appropriate name: Cecilia Fire Thunder.
A courageous stand from a strong woman.

Hey Suffragette, hope all is well with you.
K & R

All is ok with me. Enjoyed the beautiful first day of spring. What a gift that was.
How are you doing?

:hi:

That was a beautiful day wasn't it? And now back to our regular programming.
:hi:

Found a pic of her
http://magis.creighton.edu/PhotoList.php?pageNum_rsSubCategories=0&totalRows_rsSubCategories=25&MainCategoryID=51&MainCategory=native&SubCategoryID=62&MediaID=161

Ooh, I would love to have that as an avator.

I have uploaded pics of myself in costume in the past.... just do it in "My DU"

happy 2 see this. Fighting terrorism since 1492!

What a brilliant idea....!!

:bounce: :bounce:

See: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x725845#729428

nice to hear some good news out of pine ridge

I'm from the UK, and I don't know anything whatsoever about the relevant laws. How much independence does this reservation have?

but bound by federal law. So it would take a fed law prohibiting abortion, and the Senate/Congress prefer to leave this area of law in the hands of the various state legislatures.

.....would be subject to tribal law.

I would pay to see that!

Fact is, tribal sovreignty is one of the murkier areas of law. It's all the murkiness of the law of international treaties plus all the murkiness of federalism. Some smart specialized lawyer will have to spend some time on it.

I think that's the Lakota war cry, or one of them - I went to a summer camp where we absolutely LIVED and love Indian history and lore. Now I know why - our Natives are gutsy folks.

the female to take on these white male hypocrites. And I say "hypocrites" because I think if they were pregnant from being raped and they would not be so eager to produce the result.


"Napoli suggested that if it was a case of “simple rape,” there should be no thoughts of ending a pregnancy. Letters by the hundreds appeared in local newspapers, mostly written by women, challenging Napoli’s description of rape as “simple.” He has yet to explain satisfactorily what he meant by “simple rape.”

The President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Cecilia Fire Thunder, was incensed. A former nurse and healthcare giver she was very angry that a state body made up mostly of white males, would make such a stupid law against women."

What a woman. Every state should have at least one!!!! This one will kick South Dakota's little cadre of woman-haters right in the teeth.

they settled in that area and built their sod houses. During the horrid cold and dark winters the men went crazy and killed their familes. Quite a lot of them too. Never happened in the Lakotas though. They were toasty warm by their fires with their loving families telling their stories. Why couldn't the white man handle it? Seems this trait still exists in the white man up there. I'm sure Wyoming (evil Cheney's state and where Matthew Shepard was murdered) and others states are pretty much the same.

But can't go next door to play the slot machines. I love it!

:D

:kick:

:thumbsup:

Found a pic here:
http://magis.creighton.edu/PhotoList.php?pageNum_rsSubCategories=0&totalRows_rsSubCategories=25&MainCategoryID=51&MainCategory=native&SubCategoryID=62&MediaID=161

Any attempt to stop this and there'll be a royal battle over what constitutes sovereign Indian land.

Good news!

K&R

I love you, DU.

:yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

Go Celia. Go Celia...

:woohoo:

Help Pine Ridge....they are helping us.

But if you want to help the people in another way, send a small check to the Pine Ridge Dialysis Center Project. You can make a real difference in the health of the people who live on Pine Ridge Reservation.

Pine Ridge Dialysis Center Project
attn: Brandy Wright, Director
PO Box 3013
Pine Ridge, SD 57770

Phone: (605) 867-5983

:kick:

This is a great idea. Thank you Cecilia Fire Thunder.

Perhaps tribes in other states will follow suit.

For standing up for women's rights! :applause: :applause: I bow to you kind people. :D

And what a fabulously appropriate name for such a gutsy woman!

Do you hear that, all you women-hating bastards?! Don't fuck with women's rights...we have Ms. Fire Thunder on our side!!! :bounce: Wa-hoo!!

:kick:

Too many extremely racist people out there -- including many people in power. It's very, very sad. And sometimes quite reminiscent of the South in the 60's.

for her courage and conviction.

:yourock:

A donation to both the tribe and PP is on the way with a heartfelt thank you.

You are excellent! Such a perfect answer. Such a perfect action!
You are my next donation for first, the clinic, and then the tribe.
Leadership like this should be rewarded! Dig deep DUers and send this to all your contacts so others may see, be inspired and help out!

Thanks for your support.

A new American hero. K&R

Give 'em hell, woman!

:yourock:

I'm pooped and going to bed, so wanted to kick this one last time.

I've provided contact info above so you can write her and applaud her bravery and/or send a donation.

I am asking you all to help get this story to progressive media and to your own email lists.

With all the trials of just living on the Pine Ridge or any other American Indian Reservation, I expect that President Fire Thunder will get some flack from folks within, who believe her time should be spent on issues more critical to tribal members and of course we know that the Religious Right and the Freepers won't be shy about making their views about her comment known.

I am really unsure about whether or not what she said about putting a clinic on her own land is feasible or if the legalities could be worked out. Montana v. United States, 450 U.S. 544 (1981) greatly limited the power of tribal courts' power over non-members, while also recognizing it's near exclusive power over the conduct of tribal members on tribal land, and the state's lack of power over the same and that just might give the legal interpretation she would need.

I did send a fax to Planned Parenthood to make sure they had seen her statement/interview, so that maybe they would reach out to her. But we need to reach out as well. Regardless of what happens in the end, I hope we can all make sure she "feels some love" from her sisters across this country who share her concern about each other and our daughters and granddaughters.

Goodnight friends.

peace,

Beth

:kick: for our hardworking sisters and brothers

in bringing this to our attention and in following up on address and additional info.
I've been passing the info on all day and will continue to do so.
President Fire Thunder deserves strong praise for her courageous stand and so do you for getting out the word on it.
:hug: to you

Since she's setting up the clinic on tribal land, specifically her own land, the state of South Dakota can't do anything to her.

I'm more worried about where she'll find a doctor who's (1) willing to perform a LOT of abortions and (2) willing to live in South Dakota, where they roll up the sidewalks after dark. Since this is probably going to be the only abortion clinic in the state, it's going to be very busy.

But it's still an interesting idea, and I wish her well.

And exactly zero of them will perform an abortion. They have to fly doctors in from (IIRC) Minnesota to South Dakota's soon-to-be-closed single abortion clinic.

The reason is simple: Because of the population of South Dakota (or lack thereof, depending on your worldview), no doctor could afford to specialize in abortion, like the doctor who does them in Fayetteville. (And in reality, he can't afford to specialize in it in this town; he has several clinics spread out throughout this end of the state that he rotates between.) And I guess they figure that if Doctor Jonathan Rolling Water sets up a clinic that does abortions among its other services, the fundies are gonna stand outside screaming at the pregnant women who come to his clinic for prenatal care "don't kill your baby." Which, of course, the fundies would DO, and the patients are only gonna put up with that shit for so long before they bail on the poor guy.

The only way I really see this working is if he can somehow manage to convince the fundies that he's a full-service OB/GYN.

Before you ask "what about Native American doctors who aren't Lakota?"...If I was a Native American MD, I'd practice among my own people. There's a definite sense of community in those nations, and very few of them are overrun with healthcare professionals. So let's see...we need a Lakota physician who will perform abortions. None of them will now, which means our heroine needs to either convert an existing one, find a liberal Lakota and send him to med school, or import a liberal doctor.

Maybe there's a doctor in Arizona or New Mexico who likes winter?

:kick:

That's really beautiful, brilliant news. :thumbsup: :bounce:

And it's going to come to pass. I love it.

:kick:

dp

Now that's definitely a better public service than a casino. ;)

One more excellent reason to admire and defend tribal sovereignty.

They are now FUCKED.

:woohoo:

:applause: :bounce: :woohoo: :applause: :bounce: :woohoo: :applause: :bounce: :woohoo:


Cecilia,

:hug: :loveya:

:yourock:

"Fire THunder" what an appropriate name!!!

... along with my donation.

I'm sure all the good wishes written here will mean a lot to her.

I know some feminist advocates in Omaha. I will also forward to them to see if they can organize backup support for her. If fundies protest, maybe this group can organize a counter-protest, that sort of thing.




Cher

state tribe jurisdictional issue.

"A former nurse and healthcare giver she was very angry that a state body made up mostly of white males, would make such a stupid law against women." This is what it all boils down to anyway: CHOICE for women or NO choice for women. And it's no coincidence that the majority of the assholes against a woman's right to choose are men!

And that more women than men are anti-choice. This has been the meme the last few weeks... by a clique of DUers... it's all OUR fault these laws are being passed, you know...

truly find abortion distasteful, after all, abortion is a procedure performed ONLY ON WOMEN. But saying there are more women that are anti-choice and approve of someone else making personal decisions about their healthcare, their bodies and their reproductive freedom? No fucking way.

stuff!

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/bushvideos/v/bushismtribal.htm

"Tribal sovereignty means that; it's sovereign. I mean, you're a — you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed as a sovereign entity. And therefore the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities." —President Bush, Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004

White RW guys with bad haircuts--always trying to control women, Blacks, Native Americans, the poor, the disenters, and children.

Now SHE is a strong leader. Thank you, President Fire Thunder!

I appreciate the welcome! :D I love this place...it is a haven of sanity for me in a red state!

Cecilia Fire Thunder sounds like a seriously strong human being. Good for her, and good for the women who won't have to face the choice between a forced pregnancy or a back alley butcher.

Women DIE when there is no access to legal safe abortions, and it sounds like Cecilia Fire Thunder recognizes that. She's willing to put it on the line to protect the women out there in South Dakota and THAT is a hell of a lot more than can be said about that legislature there (and in several other states.)

In Solidarity!


Laura

They aren't ten miles away from Minnesota. They aren't rich. They will actually have to obey this idiotic law. I think that most of the support, or maybe just acquiesence, to a law like this is from people who think that their kid, their relatives, their friends, will be able to get an abortion if they really, really need one, even if they have to fly to London for a week.

By Tom Lawrence
March 21, 2006


More...
http://www.rcweeklynews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2006/03/21/44206b2225b18

Also, FYI, a user at Kos had also called Tim Giago who did the first interview to confirm that President Fire Thunder had indeed made these statements.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/23/133656/438

The contact info I got was also confirmed by a LiveJournal user, kathrynt.

And there's not a DAMN THING THE RW WACKOS CAN DO ABOUT IT!:rofl::rofl:

Maybe THIS is what should happen in ALL states that ban abortion? Go to the reservations. Pay them to open clinics. Hell yes. That could work!:thumbsup:

If Cecilia can pull this off, Planned Parenthood could provide other important women's health services besides abortions - like family planning and reproductive health. They aren't solely devoted to abortions (but Fundies are solely devoted to reproduction at any cost - to produce more Fundies).

Leave it to a woman like Cecilia to think about this with any practicality in a state governed by Fundies! This is the most exciting news I've heard in awhile.

Let's hope Cecilia Fire Thunder stays safe and strong.

Here's how our president eloquently weighed in when asked about Tribal sovereignty:

"Tribal sovereignty means that; it's sovereign. I mean, you're a — you've been given sovereignty, and you're viewed as a sovereign entity. And therefore the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between sovereign entities." —President Bush, Washington, D.C., Aug. 6, 2004

Then it certainly sounds like the Tribe can do whatever it deems as appropriate, in matters of reproductive freedom, no?

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