Voices from the Flats – AFN Diary: Day 3
AFN Diary: Day 3. Stop the Bullying and Let’s Be Family Again!
By Elstun Lauesen
This morning the long list of Resolutions were considered by the delegates and the Chairman of the AFN Resolutions Committee, Trefon Angasan asked if there were other matters to be brought before the body. A young man from Ft. Yukon, Edward Alexander, who looks to be in his mid-20s, took to the microphone on the floor and made a motion to suspend the rules. Immediately another delegate seconded it. Mr. Alexander announced that he wished to introduce a resolution asking for certain changes to the status of ANCSA Corporations (See Day 2 Diary). The Resolutions Committee Chairman, ruled him out of order. Mr. Alexander protested the ruling and the Chairman deferred to the Parliamentarian, who ruled the motion out of order. Applause and hooting told the young upstart whose side the audience was on. He could pocket his radical notions for another day.
After the vote I talked to Edward. He told me that he had distributed copies of the resolution as directed yesterday. Today, however, he was informed that there was a ‘special chair rule’. When Edward asked what that ruling was, he thought that the official was referring to a ruling by the Chair. Oh, no, he was informed. The ‘special chair rule’ requires that the resolutions have to be on the delegate chairs 24 hours before discussion. Get it? Special ‘chair’ rule. Edward smiled at the irony: “This is a meeting about Village Survival and this is a Resolution that deals with it and they only care about winning.” This young leader—you know, the kind that the AFN leadership always talks about wanting to foster—was pushed aside with a mere swipe of the parliamentary pinkie.
The well-oiled machine strikes again.
Phil Kugzruk, is an Alaska Native supporter of Joe Miller. Mr. Kugzruk views AFN as a collection of special interests whose goal is to preserve corporate federal contracts and regional non-profit grants. Originally from Teller and now living in Fairbanks, Mr. Kugzruk is an articulate man who ably defends his support of Joe Miller. “Joe Miller is against governmental interference with Tribal affairs. Aren’t we supposed to be about ‘Self-Determination’?” he asks. Without missing a beat, he closes his argument. “How can we be ‘self-determined’ when our profession requires funding based on the ‘dependency’ of people?” I noticed a lot of agreement with Phil’s comment among the small crowd standing in the back of the Carlson Center.
The speakers, ironically enough, were talking about strategies for preserving federal program funding. It is not surprising that Mr. Kugsruk was part of the Tribal group that included several McAdams supporters. He pronounced himself in solidarity with a delegate supporting McAdams, Mike Williams, Chief of Akiak, when Mike expressed his feeling that the convention was being ‘railroaded’. Mr. Kugzruk asked me to quote him: “AFN is run like a Soviet politburo where control and preservation of power is the only goal.”
As I mentioned yesterday, an ad hoc group of Tribal leaders that organized around the principal of reforming the Alaska Native Claims Act met with Larry Echohawk, Undersecretary for Indian Affairs.
Their message must have been disorienting for the Undersecretary: AFN does not speak for the Tribes; AFN speaks for the corporations. It has become a matter of political dogma to speak admiringly the successes of ANCSA. And there is no question that by one set of measures ANCSA has been successful. Billions of dollars in revenues and assets have created a massive Alaska Native lever for capital formation in Alaska. Byron Mallot, former President of AFN and currently Senior Policy Fellow at the First Alaskans Institute, boasted about this in his introduction to Lisa Murkowski (Mr. Mallott, billed as “Special Speaker”, was originally scheduled to come after the Murkowski “Report” to the convention, but apparently needing a dose of rhetorical juice, Mallott replaced State Representative Reggie Joule in the final order of speakers).
“[ANCSA] was a bargain [between the Native People and congress] that these corporations will become engines to help grow the state and they have. Our corporations bring hundreds of millions into the state…[But,]there are two sides to every bargain. We as Native people wanted to be respected and understood and yes, held up and our children would be proud of who they were.” He framed his speech as a rebuttal to some unidentified detractors of the ANCSA Corporation. Joe Miller? Claire McCaskill? Tribal Critics? Perhaps all three. Whoever it was had apparently questioned the large office complexes in Anchorage owned by ANCSA Corporations and the persistent poverty of the shareholders of those corporations. Mallott would have none of it.
I will tell you what those buildings are: they are expressions of pride in Alaska. (applause)
I reported yesterday on the meeting between Tribes and Undersecretary Echohawk miles away from the AFN convention at a traditional meeting hall named after revered Athabascan Chief David Salmon who was a Gwich’in Elder and Episcopalian priest. Inside that beautifully constructed log building, about 40 Tribal leaders and observers told their stories of fear for the future.
“Our culture is tied to our land…” one emotional speaker told Echohawk. “ANCSA put our land into corporations. No corporation has ever outlasted a Tribe. Someday the shares of those corporations will be bought or traded or inherited until we do not know the ownership of the corporation. What about our land then? What about our future generations? What about our culture?”
Earlier at AFN, Bill Martin, Tlingit leader who is focused on the issue of epidemic suicide in the Villages, wondered aloud as to how many more of our young people have to die before we figure this out? Mr. Martin movingly discussed his own thoughts of suicide and described the hopelessness and isolation that one can feel in the Village when there are no resources or no one to talk to.
I think about all these things and one word comes to mind: “bully”.
There are all kinds of bullies in the world. There are playground bullies and workplace bullies and even family bullies. But all of these bullies have one trait in common: power. They are either bigger or there are more of them or they are richer or they have authority.
I think of the Tribal leaders who have legitimate concerns but had to leave a conference on Village Survival to have a discussion on the subject with someone who would listen to them. Oh, I’m sure Al Kookesh, Byron Mallott, or Julie Kitka, fine people all, would be shocked at the notion that they are bullies. But they are.
Witness the young man from Ft. Yukon who tried to get the collective voices of dozens of Tribal leader heard in the form of a Resolution at the convention. He was met with the special “Chair” rule. Witness the arrogance of the corporations “Standing Together” for Lisa Murkowski and the steamrolling of the Murkowski endorsement. Witness the outrageous manipulation of congress by the late Senator Stevens to grant the Corporations “Tribal status” in an earmark.
There has been lots of talk about ‘reforming’ AFN going around for years. In 2009, a resolution supporting AFN reform was passed. Pardon me if I’m underwhelmed. I think committees and paper yields dead trees and fat consultants (I am intimately familiar with the latter). What is really needed is quite simple.
Go to where the rivers meet. Pray for good weather and good will. Build a fire—a big one. Butcher a moose and eat together. Talk together. Become family again. Then let’s figure out how the Villages will survive!
qaÄaasakung, quyana, igamsiqanaghhalek, quyanaq, quyanaa, ‘awa’ahdah, tsin’aen dogedinh, mahsi’baasee’, maasee’, chin’an, tsin’ęę, thank you.
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Photo gallery of Day 3 of the Alaska Federation of Natives convention in Fairbanks, from Ronn Murray. Quyana to Elstun and Ronn for your excellent work, and for helping to bring the convention to the wider world.
Wow Elstun that was powerful! Thank you for saying in perfect language what many already know!
Hoo boy.
The Alaska Federation of Natives is walking a very fine line with its endorsement of Murkowski, and now either way, AFN has to pay taxes.
The other interesting bit – very clear undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Kevin Sweeney – Murkowski senior staff/campaign manager. Married to Tara Sweeney.
Tara Sweeney – AFN board member. Arctic Power board member. Prior Rural Affairs assistant to the Governor.
Who: Arctic Power
What: A lobbying group funded by the state of Alaska and by industry to push for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Alaska supports the drilling because it would create new jobs.
Latest Action: Arctic Power teamed up with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to push for the drilling amendment to the Senate budget resolution. The Teamsters’ top lobbyist, Jerry Hood, also sits on Arctic Power’s board of directors.
Money: About 70 percent of the group’s funds come from the Alaska state legislature. The legislature approved $1.1 million for Arctic Power’s lobbying effort in 2003. The state had given more than $8 million to the group during the previous 10 years. Note: several million more since this.
Anyway, we all know this stuff, don’t we? And there’s so much more…
Here’s my burning question of the day. Regarding Alaskans Standing Together and Murkowski.
From the FEC filings: “Under penalty of perjury I certify that the independent expenditures reported herein were not made in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, any candidate or authorized committee or agent of either, or any political party committee or its agent.”
When you are the principal figure in a commercial that’s about you, how is it possible for you to have been filmed if you were not “in cooperation, consultation, or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of”, the people making the commercial?
has there been an answer yet ? 🙂
A delegate need not acquiesce in the Chair’s or the Parliamentarian’s decision on a point of procedure. There’s a specific motion under Robert’s Rules of Order, “Appeal the Ruling of the Chair,” designed to take the issue to the entire assembly.
See: http://www.rulesonline.com/rror-04.htm
Great trifecta, Elstun,
Did you go to Quayana Alaska Thursday night and see my daughter co-hosting with Andy?
MS
Hi, Mark. No 🙁 I had a family event so I missed Quayana Alaska. I’m sure she was wonderful. It is archived, I believe.
Good comments here everyone. Thank you. Gunalcheesh.
“Go to where the rivers meet. Pray for good weather and good will.”
This reminded me of the tiny village in Ukraine where my grandmother was born. It’s name translated to ‘between rivers’.
This advice is applicable to all nations, cultures, religions and peoples. Perhaps if we all followed this advice a little more, the world would be a happier, more peaceful place.
Dyakooyu (‘thank you’ in Ukrainian)
From the Lakota:
Four Directions Prayer
(Stand facing South)
Great Spirit,
Thank you for this day,
for the breath and life within me,
and for all of your creations.
As I face South, I allow the spirit of All Possibilities to
wash over me.
Wherever I have fear or doubt, I trust that answers will
come.
Show me it is right for me to make decisions
with my heart, even if at times, my heart becomes hurt.
Help me to grow and nurture my self-worth in all ways.
(When you feel the expansion of all possibilities, turn to
face West.)
The West is the direction where the White Buffalo lives.
White Buffalo stands for strength, bravery and courage.
As you breathe in, allow the power and energy of the White
Buffalo spirit to wash over you and awaken your warrior
within.
(When you feel that powerful presence, turn to face the
North.)
The North is the direction where the black-tailed deer lives.
This is the direction of the spirit energy of humbleness and
humility.
As you breathe in, allow your soul and spirit to be touched
with humbleness,
knowing that all we are, and all that we have, comes from
the Great Spirit.
(When you truly feel touched with grateful humbleness,
turn to the East.)
The East is the land of the Eagle—the symbol for wisdom
and discernment.
I ask the spirit of the Eagle to be with me.
Sharpen my eyes and ears to hear your direction on my
path.
Guide my steps, my actions, and my every word.
(When you feel a deeper connection to the eagle’s
wisdom, turn back and face the South)
Great Father Spirit and Mother Earth,
Thank you for your beauty, and for all you have given me.
Help me to remember to love and feel compassion for all
creation.
Help me to walk my path with joy and love for myself, for
others,
for the four-legged, the winged ones, the plants and all
creation.
Remind me never to take from you more than I need,
and remind me to always give back more than I take
I love it. Thank you!
How very beautiful. Thank you Polly.
Thanks for sharing that.
Thank you, Polly.
Namaste
Miigwetch!
That’s great, Leenie, thank you…
“Go to where the rivers meet. Pray for good weather and good will. Build a fire—a big one. Butcher a moose and eat together. Talk together. Become family again.” `– Elstun Lauesen
W.O.W! Thank you, Elstun.
How simple! How profound! How absolutely necessary! And how sane!
Something I’ve noticed with the recent spate of retirements (forced or otherwise) of “the old guard”, is they all talk about “Then” and/or “Back when”. They all remember a time when they’d spend their days ‘formally’ fissing and fighting and arguing and holding their own against the opposition, but at the end of the day, they and their opposition would go have drinks and dinner together. Without fail.
It was in those ‘after hours’ times when the parties, the ‘sides’, got to know each other as friends and colleagues. When they forged friendships and earned each other’s respect as, basically, decent and caring human beings. It was during those ‘after hours’ times that each got to know the other and each became willing to at least listen to (and contemplate) what the opposition’s point was during the ‘formal’ hours.
We don’t seem to have that anymore. No one wants to ‘meet by the river’ — they are too busy catching the next flight home or fundraising or whatever, to forge honest and true friendships with the opposition. Think Ted Stevens or Ted Kennedy or any of the other ‘old guard’ would’ve been as effectual (and affectual) if they’d not?
Today’s mucky-mucks, from what I see, are so busy *being* important at doing things, that they forget what *is* important to get things done…and they wonder why they’re always at a stalemate or at loggerheads with others…why all the voices aren’t heard. Our Elders should know better than that.
How in the world can we raise our next generation of Elders — at the local- or national-level — if we don’t model how vitally important it is to “Go to where the rivers meet. Pray for good weather and good will. Build a fire—a big one. Butcher a moose and eat together. Talk together. Become family” ?beth.
@Beth: wise words. Thank you!
I am sad that Mr. Alexander chose to lie to you about the sequence of events that happened on Saturday. He approached me on Friday, in the afternoon, and asked what he needed to do to introduce the resolution. He was told that the resolution was too late to be considered for a suspension of the rules. An AFN rule adopted some time ago (it was not a “special chair rule”) requires resolutions be distributed to delegates 24 hours prior to the resolutions debate. He was informed about the reasons for the rule, which I repeated to the delegates when he chose to posture on Saturday by attempting to suspend the rules. Every other resolution sponsor followed the rules and submitted their resolutions on time. The resolutions were vetted by the resolutions committee, as required by AFN rules. They were distributed to the caucuses on Thursday which left them adequate time for consideration in their caucuses. By Saturday, many of the delegates had left the convention believing that their work considering resolutions had been done. Then Mr. Alexander brought what would have been an extremely contentious resolution to the floor. I explained that what he was doing was not fair to the other delegates, and a substantial majority of the delegates remaining applauded the decision of the chair in ruling the motion out of order. Those delegates included many village delegates.
Two thirds of AFN board members directly represent “Village and Tribal” interests. 12 board seats are elected by villages in each a region. 12 board seats are selected by the Non Profit corporations, whose boards consist of Village residents and are selected by their Villages. As for issues, Suicide was fully considered by both the AFN delegate, and the Elders and Youth Convention delegates. It was discussed on the floor and adopted unanimously. Mr. Martin is a widely respected former tribal President and Elder whose advocacy for addressing suicide in our Villages is passionate and accepted by the delegates. He is also credible because he tells the truth. His issue came from a tribal organization, was submitted on time, and debated fairly before its adoption. A majority of resolutions discussed at AFN were for issues important to tribal issues. No one is “bullied” to adopt or reject resolutions. My only regret is that I had considered Mr. Alexander as a young man who had leadership potential. But leadership requires that the leader be credible. Mr. Alexander took a step away from being credible with his statements to you.
While I usually would ignore this kind of name-calling and so forth, I think it speaks volumes that not only was the resolution bullied from the floor using parliamentary procedure, critics of me and tribes would use this forum to further castigate me and the intentions of our Tribe further. To set the record straight on a few issues regarding AFN 2010 let me be clear. Our tribe submitted the resolution on Thursday to the AFN body, our employees who did the submitting were told that they needed to have enough copies for the delegates. They were not told how to distribute them, hence the ‘chair rule’. They started handing them out at the door 24 hours in advance of the time to consider resolutions. Resolutions were handed out by three people for a significant portion of the day on Friday. At 5pm on Friday I was told that the resolution would not be considered because they weren’t placed on the chairs by 10am. I was surprised at this. We decided that we would put the resolutions on the chairs on Saturday morning to help the body be informed of our intentions. Since there were so few resolutions at AFN, we thought our resolution might be allowed because of the extra time. There was plenty of time to consider a fifteen minute caucus to discuss the resolution if the rules were suspended. So, calling me a liar that lacks credibility is not only poor form on your part sir, it is incorrect.
The logic being that even though the AFN board was stating that it was out of the order for the resolutions process, we would supply the resolutions and suspend the rules. To even suspend the rules the body must vote a 2/3 majority. We, the many Tribes that have already adopted the so-called ‘contentious resolution’ hoped that the body would at least get the chance to vote on suspending the rules. According to Roberts Rules, any rule that is not part of an organization’s constitution may be suspended, contrary to your parliamentarian’s ruling. Motions to Suspend the Rules are not debatable, nor can they be debated by the parliamentarian. Which you must’ve known, as many Tribal leaders in the audience surely did. Which is why repeatedly we heard various Tribal Chiefs state “there is a motion and a second on the floor!” “Out of order!”
Further, parliamentary procedure, per Roberts Rules, is not supposed to be wielded like a billy club to squash debate and altering points of view. It was designed to “bring order out of chaos,” and to help the body to progress to solve the problems that it has come together to deliberate. In this case “Village Survival”. Our resolution spoke to basic Village Survival themes in several different ways, and the ways that are the most important to Tribes.
1. The inclusion of all Tribal Members born after 1971 into Village and Regional Corporations.
“The mission of AFN is to enhance and promote the cultural, economic and political voice of the entire Alaska Native community.” Not just people born before 1971.
2. The recognition of our aboriginal hunting and fishing rights. Who finds it contentious that we be denied the ability to gather food to survive? That contentious person would deny us the major, and sometimes only food sources we have in the village.
3. The protection of our lands through the ability to place them into trust and establish Indian Country. All corporation lands were selected based on our proprietary Tribal Rolls and our heritage areas, we should be allowed to protect our lands from corporate sale and be allowed to protect our corporations from hostile activity by placing them under the tribal umbrella. If the corporations don’t want to sell the land without the consent of the Tribes why is this contentious? We aren’t suggesting that their economic ability to use such lands be completely suspended.
I think what is contentious is not allowing the Assembly to communicate. I think what is contentious is framing these issues as Tribes vs. Corporations. Our people are the same and so are their interests. Not allowing them to discuss these issues, to debate them, to work together? That sir, is not only contentious it has no place in our future. Whether you think I am a leader or not is irrelevant, my people have twice elected me to my position as the 2nd Chief of the largest Athabascan Village in Alaska, and my obligations are not only to them but to our country and to our future Tribal Members as well. I was also honored to be one of four nominees to be the Co-Chair of AFN this year. And, I was pleased with the way the meeting went in some regards, it cast light on outdated perspectives, and hostile intentions. I have no patience for these, we can, and must work together. Those of my generation don’t see the Corporate/Tribal divide, we see the opportunity to work together to make something better.
Lastly, I want to note one thing this story didn’t note. I was denied the traditional opportunity of candidates for Co-Chair to address the full body. While I was able to meet with the caucuses, I was told by AFN that each candidate would be given a few minutes to talk. In fact I requested it because it wasn’t on the agenda, I was told by an AFN employee that we would proceed and each candidate would be allowed a speech. Doesn’t it seem odd to you that I was denied the ability to speak? I know that what I was going to say might not’ve endeared me to corporations, but I feel like the people had a right to hear each of the candidates for the Co-Chair. A well respected Chief came to me after this ‘oversight’ and said “Well, some people here think Tribal Leaders should be seen and not heard.” I will be heard sir, and my generation and I are not going to go away, parliamentary procedure will not stop our people’s progress.
Bravo Mr. Alexander. It takes a lot of courage to speak out on an issue of this magnitude, I look forward to the day when the Tribal Leaders prevail.
Oooh! There it is!
“My only regret is that I had considered Mr. Alexander as a young man who had leadership potential. But leadership requires that the leader be credible. Mr. Alexander took a step away from being credible with his statements to you.”
The Native Bigshot spanking — typical, corporate classic, selfish, small-minded, conventional Western society punitive threatening response. I see now, a bully response!
~Happens all the time, every day in Native Country and village politics.~ We are well-trained to keep our mouths shut and go with the flow. Stupid people are rewarded with advancement. Creative intelligent people are a threat. Job skill most desired – compliance.
Got some feedback about your position, a complaint, maybe even a grievance? Yes, absolutely come to us. We wanna know. [We don’t plan to do anything different; it is, after all, our office. But we do need to identify you as ‘not a team player’.]
Remember this? There you go!
“…Many leaders are corporate tools, others have really good intentions but get fixed in the system (like any corporate job, anywhere, huh?), some are groomed for a leadership role and really have nothing intellectually and philosophically that differentiates them, and a handful are really very very fine. Superior in many ways. Noble. Generous of spirit and secure in integrity. Honorable. Committed. Hard working with no sense of entitlement.
Predictable bell curve – upper 10%.
The biggest dilemma – the white guys don’t know which ones are which.”
Dear “Guest”: Very apt observation. “…I considered Mr. Alexander as a young man who had leadership potential…” Patronizing moose-droppings! I might respond that I thought that Patrick Anderson had the potential of being a wise and worthy Elder but…naw…he’s just a bully like the rest.
Don’t feel bad about that “leadership potential” remark. Leadership is something you’re born with and grow into, not something that these guys can endow you with at their choosing.
Native organizations don’t develop leadership; they create administrators.
Leaders are not arrogant. They greet the least important person in the room, the same as the BigShot. Leaders are not lazy. They work harder than everyone else and are the first to pick up the shovel. Leaders are not superior. They need everyone else around them, everyone.
When I go into one of the Native organization offices, here’s how I evaluate their worth to me. I go to the kitchen or break room. I watch how it goes. I look to see what the senior-level people do. Do they clean up after themselves or do they expect staff to serve them?
Your views on leadership is partly correct in my opinion.
The two that I really like are ‘Leaders are NOT ARROGANT’ and most of all ‘they are NOT SUPERIOR’.
I would like to add that a REAL LEADER in a tribe DOES NOT LOOK DOWN on other people, they DO NOT BRING PERSONAL GRUDGES into a work situation, they DON’T accept a job and FAIL TO SHOW RESPECT to fellow co-workers or the administration that hired him/her.
I agree that some leaders are born with and grow into Leadership and then there are the posers that believe they are ‘born to lead’ because of family indoctrination or an inflated self-worth that gives them the belief they are better then others. Those are the ones that we need to be aware of in any educational, political or environmental setting because they give a good talk, but a leader? not so much.
I know that Mudflats and Mr. Lauesen are disappointed that AFN chose to endorse Senator Murkowski instead of Mr. McAdams, and are slamming its leadership as a result. The facts are that AFN has in excess of 160 tribes who are active members and propose actions through resolutions that deal with substantive resolutions of tribal problems. These same tribes sanction regional non-profits that do the same. The resolution Mr. Alexander chose to introduce did not address any of the serious problems facing tribes. It did not deal with Suicide, as the resolutions submitted by the Elders and Youth Conference and AVCP did. It did not deal with Subsistence, Language and Culture, Healthcare, or Children, as did other resolutions submitted by tribes and tribal representatives. It did not deal with marine mammal harvesting, crafts and barter of subsistence foods. It did not deal with the education of our children, energy issues or the high cost of transportation in rural Alaska. Instead, Mr. Alexander chose to battle head to head with the Alaska Native Corporations to achieve what he did, newsprint and blog attention. That is his choice, and in so doing he is following in the footsteps of the longstanding AITC leadership. He can choose this battle. But AFN will continue to work on the serious issues facing our tribes while he, as a word used by my kids describes well, “poses.”
Contrary to some of the comments made, there are many humble, intelligent and creative leaders at AFN who have spend much of their lives fighting an extremely difficult battle for Village Survival. They walk the halls of DC asking for the tools to provide solutions to the difficult issues tribes face, and are told no frequently. They understand the years and years of effort it takes to achieve a small increase in tribal operations funding, in suicide prevention and behavioral health services, in healthcare funding and programs for our Elders. They don’t grandstand, but do the work required including seeking support from statewide and local organizations. And I am proud to say that many of the young leaders we observe and choose to mentor select this route to leadership. It is not their “stupidity” that will reward them with advancement, but their passion.
@Patrick: Impugning my motives doesn’t change the facts: you and the leadership of AFN are bullies. Attacking anyone who raises uncomfortable issues, like the Leadership of the Tribal Leaders Summit is unworthy behavior that does not build a good working relationship. I’m sure you think of yourself as a kind, decent man, but what you did in shutting down discussion of the criticism of ANCSA is no different than punching someone in the face to get them to be quiet.
Edward: I am proud of you! You are challenging authority in a thoughtful, non-hostile way. You are being level-headed and I know you will continue to speak truth to Power: Miigwitch!
Patrick, sometimes a man has to do what he does just to get the issue heard. Maybe that was the man’s intent. The ANCSA corporations, like any other corporations, do what they must to survive. Anything that would constitute a threat to existing powers would, of course, not be heard. AFN really doesn’t speak for the tribes and the structure of the board bears that out. I would guess most of the non-profit boards are made up of tribal membership. However, once anything hits the AFN floor that identify melds with the whole board. I really would like to see an effective statewide tribal organization that would not have to compromise tribal priorities.
Sandra: I’m so grateful that you are around! Thank you!
Again, I stand proud for BOTH my corporations (I’m a shareholder in 4 now, two through inheritance, 2 as an original shareholder) AND my Tribal membership. But I also recognize that each have their own differing jurisdiction and uses. I support and use both. I live within the jurisdiction of my Tribe, and it is within me. But my grandparents land is controlled by my corporation, and I must have a say in it’s future. I take that responsibility very seriously, and will fight to preserve it. My corporation makes a great deal of money from it’s SBA 8 (a) contracting and I’m glad it does. It brings back to shareholders money for scholarships and protects our corporate trust permanent fund, as well as provides us with the financial strength to protect our lands, which unfortunately can be otherwise lost to bad investments. It’s not a perfect world, but those of us who engage in our Native civic duty do so out of pride in what we have accomplished, and the deep understanding that we need to stand together to protect what we have managed to retain. Nothing has been “given”, some has been returned. It is our sacred obligation to protect, through whatever governing means we can muster, with whatever legal jurisdictional paths we need, to do the right thing: Protect the land, protect our children’s future.
ADN is endorsing Murkowski in today’s edition. I’m having trouble logging into disqus comments. Don’t know if its my computer or traffic.
I’ve often wondered why the Native corporations aren’t stepping up to help the Villages with their billions of dollars. Answer: Corporate greed.
Not really Polly…
That is not what the Regional Corporations are set up to do- they are for profit organizations with the same responsibility to their shareholders as any other ( though they do have a special limited group of shareholders currently )- they cannot simply bestow $$s on specific villages or projects for them. They do endow , as other for-profits do, many philanthropic missions which assist their shareholders.
That is part of why it is important to distinguish between the Regional Corps and tribal governments when it comes to so many things- people incorrectly see the Regs as the overarching top of a hierarchy when the Regs are really just businesses.
The Regs tend to exploit that view when it serves them and they certainly have insinuated themselves into every corner of decision making that they can but please don’t forget they are merely businesses.
When the call comes from tribal governments we need to be able to hear it without this overlay of the Regs always in the way…
OK- I get it. Thank you for the clarification!!
I’m not saying there isn’t any corporate greed though… 🙂
Just saying too much attention is on Regs when attention belongs elsewhere… too often.
Thanx Pi. I have tried to promote this information but non-Natives either choose to ignore the realities here or think there is gain in continuing the myth.
Thanx to Saturday’s report from the Convention I learned about this earmark of Stevens’ to make the Corps Tribes. No excuse for my own ignorance, but where does that really stand at this time? Are Federal dollars for the Tribes being channeled to the Corps rather than the Tribes? Where can research this? Please advise and thanx.
Polly, you ask a legitimate question about why the Native Corporations aren’t stepping up “to help the villages,” and you deserve a serious answer. However that answer is not “corporate greed.” The responsibility of providing health services, building infrastructure and tribal governments is a federal trust responsibility. Alaska tribes avail themselves of the full panoply of federal Indian programs, just as the Lower 48 tribes do. Alaska tribes, like the Lower 48 tribes, can also engage in business ventures (although not gaming, but believe me it’s not all that profitable unless the casino sits at the offramp of a busy Interstate highway in the Lower 48) to supplement federal funds and do more for their members. Alaska tribes are eligible to participate in the 8(a) program on an equal basis with Alaska Native Corporations – some do. When the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act was created, the Native Corporations were given a different mission than the Lower 48 tribes. That mission was to invest the assets transferred under ANCSA (land and money) wisely and generate dividends for shareholders. I suppose it would be legitimate to pursue an amendment to ANCSA which would allow the shareholders to vote on foregoing the dividends and transfer a percentage of their profits to tribes in their region for local services. However, I would not be surprised if village shareholders voted that proposal down – they need the money to pay the heat bill.
ADN is just another corporation. So sad. But it’s been apparent from their articles and letters they have chosen to print and not to print for quite some time they were headed this way.
I was just going to ask that very same question.If the corporations have that kind of money why are the Alaskan natives in the small villages going hungry and without heat or cooking fuel?Your answer is correct greed. I saw it years ago i the reservations I visited and saw how some lived. The money did not go where it should have gone.And it still does not.
Those words..go to heart of communal wisdom..from all ages..and shall outlast blades of steel, power-point, and …corporations built of human devils club brush..: Go where the Rivers meet……..
Mr Lauesen-
Thank you for your reporting and insight on this year’s AFN convention.
I am thinking about the bully thing in the context you talk about …
To me, it seems like one of the status quo/obscurantic methods to hang on to a worldview .
Have to go think about it some more.
Pretty much anytime a worldview narrows enough to leave out too many of the people it is supposed to work for it is on it’s way out the door…
Yesterday we get a cardboard mailer about 6”X11” with an octogenarian on the front. The man ostensibly says, “Who can you trust to protect Social Security?” Silly me I expected Scott McAdams picture on the backside. The rage I felt when I saw the stubbled visage of our favorite teabagger was complete.
So, Social Security is now constitutional and all of the puffery was what, just something for his tea party backers? Does this mean he will also not be going after Medicare?
Now, I wonder if it is because he claims Veteran status, that those medical and other benefits haven’t been attacked as another “entitlement” program that needs to go.
This guy truly makes me sick, like his halfbacker, half Gov. nauseates me.
This guy is such a user, and hypocrite doesn’t begin to do him justice. There are many words and phrases that fit him but none are printable here.
The word I want most to fit to him is, LOSER!
Wouldn’t it be great if everyone who got those wrote “SCOTT, THAT’s WHO” across the front, and sent it back to Miller’s headquarters? What an opening.
Really funny! Great idea.
Thank you again for such an informative article. Man I wish I was there where I could buy me some hair combs.