Home On the Range - the NEW Homestead Act?!

A group of senators have come together to create a New Homestead Act (S. 602) with some very good intentions as rural populations shrink across the Great Plains and beyond - summary of bill below taken from Senator Dorgan's website where the bill is described as "Where history meets hope and opportunity". I understand where the hope and opportunity come from in these desperate and disappearing homesteader communities, but the history part I will get to in a minute.

I recently received a newsletter touting the overwhelming positive nature of the bill from a rural community economic development organization that will remain unnamed, with the hope, at this point, that their enthusiastic support of the bill was due to a lack of due diligence, cultural awareness and just plan naivete. I hope that their more aware friends and partners teach them a little about what this NEW act has for roots. Why do I say this? Back to the history....

A quick historical review of the ORIGINAL Homestead Act and its justifications and ramifications, clearly show it was a blatant (and eventually violent) move to take the manifest destiny in this country to a new level. Passed in 1862 and not repealed completely until 1976, it was the ultimate case of the pen (and paper) being mightier than the sword, although the sword had its day as well. To the point, land was given away to homesteaders in 160 acre parcels for them to farm and settle. Land that did not belong to the U.S. government, land that was protected by treaties, land that the Native people of this country were promised and was referred to as "unoccupied". This original act even led to land on reservations created after 1862 to be given away right from under the true owners through the sly use of allotments (see the Allotment or Dawes Act for another sordid chapter).

Oh, I understand that its water under the bridge and some will say that it was just part of what made the country come to be. And they would be correct. But at what cost?

So, I have a proposal, let's ask Senator Dorgan to add some very important language to what you see below. I have a few ideas about how to RENEW this act and I know there will be many more:

• How about recognizing that (some or all of) the land now with a questionable future due to out migration was taken from Native people in the first place and should be in part given back?
• How about recognizing the fact that Native people are not leaving their present reservations in droves, but populations are increasing and more land is an ethical solution that this act could support?
• How about about a wide variety of grant, scholarship, loan and investment incentives for Native business owners, students, homeowners, community members to match what is described below?
• How about the expansion of Native Individual Development Accounts to create savings, businesses and home ownership with a specific fund from land sales to private, public and tribal land owners?
• How about not using such a loaded name as the New Homestead Act? Didn't anyone do their research?

I understand that some people want to stay where their ancestor homestead families settled and are looking for creative ways to keep people, attract people, attract businesses and keep the place alive. But if the government can give incentives to a new wave of immigrants and adventurous Americans to bring them to these areas, we ought to be thinking of how we give back to the Native people it came from in the first place and create incentives to make it economically viable.

Contact Senator Dorgan, contact your senator, make your voice known. There should be NO New Homestead Act unless the tribes are part of the process. It is the right thing to do.

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Summary of S. 1093

I. New Homestead Opportunities for individuals who locate in high out-migration counties*
Repay up to 50% of college loans for recent grads who live and work there for 5 years (maximum of $10,000)
Provide a $5,000 tax credit for the home purchases of individuals who locate there for 5 years (or 10% of purchase price, whichever is lower)
Protect home values by allowing losses in home value to be deducted from federal income taxes
Establish Individual Homestead Accounts to help build savings and increase access to credit
individuals can contribute a maximum of $2,500 per year for up to 5 years
government can provide a match of 12.5-50% (depending on income)
tax and penalty-free distributions can be made after 5 years for small business loans, education expenses, first-time home purchases, and unreimbursed medical expenses
accounts can grow tax-free and all funds are available for withdrawal upon retirement

II. New Incentives for Businesses to expand or locate in high out-migration areas
Create Rural Investment Tax Credits to target investments in high out-migration counties
states receive $1 million of these credits per high out-migration county
they allocate these credits to businesses that move to or expand there
businesses use these credits to offset the cost of newly constructed or existing buildings
over a 10-year period, businesses can use these credits to reduce their taxes by as much as 80% of their total investment
Offer Micro-enterprise Tax Credits to aid small businesses in high out-migration counties
states may choose to allocate up to 20% of their total rural investment tax credit allocation to qualifying start-up or expanding micro-enterprises with five or fewer employees
micro-enterprises would use these credits to offset the cost of new funding needed for business expansion
micro-enterprises can use these credits to reduce their taxes by 30% of their qualifying new investment (limited to $25,000 lifetime).
Accelerate depreciation for equipment purchases tied to Rural Investment Tax Credit projects

III. New Homestead Venture Capital Fund to promote business development in high out-migration areas
Establish $3 billion venture capital fund to invest in businesses in high out-migration counties
the fund can guarantee up to 40% of private investments in existing business and start-ups, and up to 60% of such investments in manufacturing or high-technology ventures
the fund can take equity positions and extend credit to other approved entities
it can provide technical assistance to potential applicants
the federal government would invest $200 million per year for 10 years
states and private investors would be required to provide yearly match of $50 million each
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* A high out-migration county is defined as any non-metro county that has suffered net out-migration of at least 10% over the past 20 years

How Many More Motors in the Black Hills?

The hum and wine of motorized vehicles in the national forest will never go away completely. Nor should it, I guess. But we have enough roads and trails for motorized vehicles. More than enough. In fact, my vote is to reduce the number of motorized trails and roads and open up more for hiking and other activities. It is a well known fact that we have a more roads here than practically anywhere in the national forest system. Let's not fool ourselves into thinking that this proposed travel management plan that is backed by the motorized vehicle crowd is good for the health of the forest. Or fair to other users. It is not. We need to reduce the motorized roads and trails and let the hikers, mountain bikers, horse enthusiasts and others have their place...

Spirituality

This passage below was started as a poem of some kind, but it took on the form of something different. Something that may have started with the words here. I had these thoughts as I listened to a news story concerning yet one more tragedy brought on by the hatred of one religion, one people, against another and the continuous struggle for power that so often occurs. I hope (yes, and pray) that it will never come to this again in this country. I say again, because religion drove early conflict in this country, confining, destroying and marginalizing whole communities (immigrant and non-immigrant) along the way to create what is now this country. Some never recovered, but our country continued on its way to the whole that it is today. May it not be splintered by spiritual power struggles or a rewriting of our history to the exclusiveness of one religion. We are country of many peoples, creeds, religions and we should remain so. We are many things as a whole. What makes America an exclusive club that so many wish to join is that we are not exclusive. We are the sum of all our differences, we are the magic web of all that we have in common, because we are all human.

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Spirituality can and shall inform our lives, our ways, our laws, our decisions and indecision. But never shall it deform our common morals and laws to the strict code of one religion. Never shall it debase one human life in favor of another. Never shall it delineate another race, creed or standing in our society. And never, ever will it place one spirituality over another in our halls of justice, law and ethics.

(11 Oct 07)

Our Senator Johnson

"He's in." That is how the top of the fold story in the Rapid City Journal started. Good. I am pleased to see Senator Tim Johnson run again and it appears that his health is no hindrance, though as the race progresses I am sure much will be made of that, true or not. I hope that the people of South Dakota have enough sense to see through the smoke and mirrors that is sure to come when the opposing candidates begin their campaigns against Senator Johnson. It has already begun, if you will remember. And as of this writing the daily 'Quick Poll' at http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/ has 51% of 1291 web respondents in favor of Senator Johnson's decision to run for office, with 49% not in favor. I wonder, is that a true reflection of the general response to the Senator running, or just a reflection of the split of voters in the state? We'll see how the poll changes the rest of the night. We'll see how the election proceeds... we know the nay-sayers and haters will continue their attacks on Senator Johnson from now until election night. Stay tuned...

China

Sure, we have heard a lot lately about the foods and toys from China laden with a variety of toxins and tonics that have shocked the public. I think about my kids just like everyone else and wonder how bad it is. Or how bad it could get. We hear about journalists being detained for questioning the products at factories in China and being harassed on city street corners. It seems like something new is being recalled every day.

But is anyone really that surprised? This a 'developing democracy' but let's be real. This is a communist country with only a capitalistic veneer of democracy. A capitalism run by the factory bosses who listen to no one and the communist leaders meet in their politburo of lies.

These moments are rare lately, but I was proud of George Bush the Younger this week. He put a new face on the lies of China by standing proud next to the Dalai Llama of Tibet. As part of this week's celebration of the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Llama, President Bush met with the Dalai Llama, despite protests from China. China still occupies Tibet and the Dalai Llama reacted to the threats of 'grave consequences' with his usual calm, saying "that always happens."

I don't want to get carried away with boycotts on toys and other products, especially when there are American companies that are managing the production of some of those products that are entering our market. Perhaps they are the ones that need talking to, the ones that need a product boycott?

But there are other reasons to boycott Chinese products. Tibet, human rights abuses, press freedom, the list goes on. The Chinese government said there would be consequences if the Dalai Llama is so honored. What consequences? More poisonous toys sent to the world's children? More tainted food to the people of the world?

China continues to be a trading partner and ally of convenience for our politicians. But I don't think it is convenient to ignore the 'real' China. Not convenient at all.

Native Culture + Business Nature

An interesting take on culture and business in Native communities. Post your own thoughts.
Sarbloggy
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MARGE ANDERSON
Chief Executive, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Delivered to the First Friday Club of the Twin Cities, Sponsored by St. Thomas Alumni, St.
Paul, Minnesota, March 5, 1999

THE VALUE OF INDIAN CULTURE

Aaniin. Thank you for inviting me here today. When I was asked to speak to you, I was told you are interested in hearing about the improvements we are making on the Mille Lacs Reservation, and about our investment of casino dollars back into our community through schools, health care facilities, and other services. And I do want to talk to you about these things, because they are tremendously important, and I am very proud of them.

But before I do, I want to take a few minutes to talk to you about something else, something I'm not asked about very often. I want to talk to you about what it means to be Indian. About how my people experience the world. About the fundamental way in which our culture differs from yours. And about why you should care about all this.

The differences between Indians and non-Indians have created a lot of controversy lately. Casinos, treaty rights, tribal sovereignty - these issues have stirred such anger and bitterness.

I believe the accusations against us are made out of ignorance. The vast majority of non-Indians do not understand how my people view the world, what we value, what motivates us.

They do not know these things for one simple reason: they've never heard us talk about them. For many years, the only stories that non-Indians heard about my people came from other non-Indians. As a result, the picture you got of us was fanciful, or distorted, or so shadowy, it hardly existed at all. It's time for Indian voices to tell Indian stories.

Now, I'm sure at least a few of you are wondering, "Why do I need to hear these stories? Why should I care about what Indian people think, and feel, and believe?" I think the most eloquent answer I can give you comes from the namesake of this university, St. Thomas Aquinas. St.
Thomas wrote that dialogue is the struggle to learn from each other. This struggle, he said, is like Jacob wrestling the angel - it leaves one wounded and blessed at the same time. Indian people know this struggle very well. The wounds we've suffered in our dialogue with non-Indians are well-documented; I don't need to give you a laundry list of complaints.

We also know some of the blessings of this struggle. As American Indians, we live in two worlds - ours, and yours. In the 500 years since you first came to our lands, we have struggled to learn how to take the best of what your culture has to offer in arts, science, technology and more, and then weave them into the fabric of our traditional ways. But for non-Indians, the struggle is new. Now that our people have begun to achieve success, now that we are in business and in the headlines, you are starting to wrestle with understanding us. Your wounds from this struggle are fresh, and the pain might make it hard for you to see beyond them. But if you try, you'll begin to see the blessings as well - the blessings of what a deepened knowledge of Indian culture can bring to you. I'd like to share a few of those blessings with you today.

Earlier I mentioned that there is a fundamental difference between the way Indians and non-Indians experience the world. This difference goes all the way back to the bible, and Genesis.

In Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament, God creates man in his own image. Then God says, "be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of the heaven, and all living animals on the earth."

Masters. Conquer. Nothing, nothing could be further from the way Indian people view the world and our place in it. Here are the words of the great nineteenth century Chief Seattle: "You are a part of the earth, and the earth is a part of you. You did not weave the web of life, you are merely a strand in it. Whatever you do to the web, you do to yourself."

In our tradition, there is no mastery. There is no conquering. Instead, there is kinship among all creation-humans, animals, birds, plants, even rocks. We are all part of the sacred hoop of the world, and we must all live in harmony with each other if that hoop is to remain unbroken.

When you begin to see the world this way - through Indian eyes - you will begin to understand our view of land, and treaties, very differently. You will begin to understand that when we speak of Father Sun and Mother Earth, these are not new-age catchwords - they are very real terms of respect for very real beings.

And when you understand this, then you will understand that our fight for treaty rights is not just about hunting deer or catching fish. It is about teaching our children to honor Mother Earth and Father Sun. It is about teaching them to respectfully receive the gifts these loving parents offer us in return for the care we give them. And it is about teaching this generation and the generations yet to come about their place in the web of life. Our culture and the fish, our values and the deer, the lessons we learn and the rice we harvest- everything is tied together. You can no more separate one from the other than you can divide a person's spirit from his body.

When you understand how we view the world and our place in it, it's easier to appreciate why our casinos are so important to us. The reason we defend our businesses so fiercely isn't because we want to have something that others don't. The reason is because these businesses allow us to give back to others - to our People, our communities, and the Creator. I'd like to take a minute and mention just a few of the ways we've already given back:

We've opened new schools, new health care facilities, and new community centers where our children get a better education, where our elders get better medical care, and where our families can gather to socialize and keep our traditions alive.

We've built new ceremonial buildings, and new powwow and celebration grounds. We've renovated an elderly center, and plan to build three culturally sensitive assisted living facilities for our elders. We've created programs to teach and preserve our language and cultural traditions. We've created a Small Business Development Program to help band members start their own businesses. We've created more than twenty-eight hundred jobs for band members, people from other tribes, and non-Indians. We've spurred the development of more than one thousand jobs in other local businesses. We've generated more than fifty million dollars in federal taxes, and more than fifteen million dollars in state taxes through wages paid to employees. And we've given back more than two million dollars in charitable donations. The list goes on and on.

But rather than flood you with more numbers, I'll tell you a story that sums up how my people view business through the lens of our traditional values.

Last year, the Woodlands National Bank, which is owned and operated by the Mille Lacs Band, was approached by the city of Onamia and asked to forgive a mortgage on a building in the downtown area. The building had been abandoned and was an eyesore on Main Street. The city planned to renovate and sell the building, and return it to the tax rolls. Although the band would lose money by forgiving the mortgage, our business leaders could see the wisdom in improving the community. The opportunity to help our neighbors was an opportunity to strengthen the web of life. So we forgave the mortgage.

Now, I know this is not a decision everyone would agree with. Some people feel that in business, you have to look out for number one. But my people feel that in business - and in life - you have to look out for every one. And this, I believe, is one of the blessings that Indian culture has to offer you and other non-Indians. We have a different perspective on so many things, from caring for the environment, to healing the body, mind and soul. But if our culture disappears, if the Indian ways are swallowed up by the dominant American culture, no one will be able to learn from them. Not Indian children. Not your children. No one. All that knowledge, all that wisdom, will be lost forever.

The struggle of dialogue will be over. Yes, there will be no more wounds. But there will also be no more blessings. There is still so much we have to learn from each other, and we have already wasted so much time. Our world grows smaller every day. And every day, more of our unsettling, surprising, wonderful differences vanish. And when that happens, part of each of us vanishes, too. I'd like to end with one of my favorite stories. It's a funny little story about Indians and non-Indians, but its message is serious: you can see something differently if you are willing to learn from those around you.

This is the story: Years ago, white settlers came to this area and built the first European-style homes. When Indian People walked by these homes and saw see-through things in the walls, they looked through them to see what the strangers inside were doing. The settlers were shocked, but it makes sense when you think about it: windows are made to be looked through from both sides. Since then, my people have spent many years looking at the world through your window. I hope today I've given you a reason to look at it through ours.

Mii gwetch.

For Starters...

Welcome to Sarbloggy, aka Sarkozy-Sarbloggy, home to my first official blog as a citizen. No promises about content, timing or grammar, but it might get interesting.