Colorado AIM calls for picket of Rocky Mountain News, Monday morning, November 21, 10 am
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
20 November 2005
Contact: 303/832-2544 - Colorado AIM
• Colorado AIM, Allies Condemn Rocky Mountain News for last week’s racist, anti-Indian attack against Vine Deloria, Jr.
• Demands include firing of editor Vincent Carroll, Apology to Deloria family, Review of news and editorial policy regarding American Indian issues.
PICKET AT ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
400 West Colfax, Denver
10 am, Monday, November 21, 2005
On Friday, November 18, Vine Deloria, Jr., the most revered and accomplished American Indian philosopher, writer and human rights activist in the United States, was laid to rest and memorialized in Golden, Colorado. That very morning, Vincent Carroll, editorial page editor of the Rocky Mountain News, continued the paper’s nearly 150 -year record of anti-Indian and racist reporting and editorializing by ridiculing and demeaning Deloria’s scholarship and reputation.
In his trademark callous and heavy-handed style, Carroll disrespected not only Deloria’s grieving family and friends, but the entire American Indian community of the United States. Carroll reduced Deloria’s forty years of scholarship and leadership to a dismissive and pejorative label of “wacky” (RMN, 11/18/05, page 46A -- see blog post below for November 18). Carroll’s column is consistent with his racist predecessor, News founder, William Byers, who called for the Cheyenne, Arapaho and Ute peoples “to be wiped from the face of the earth.” The News’ incitements led directly to the slaughter of hundreds of Cheyenne and Arapaho children, elders, and women at the Sand Creek Massacre in November, 1864. The News has never apologized for its role in the massacre.
Vince Carroll should be fired from the Rocky Mountain News (RMN).
Call RMN publisher John Temple: 303-892-5102 editor@RockyMountainNews.com
5 Comments:
Should the demand be for a PUBLIC apology that is printed in the Rocky Mountain News? I assume that this is what was intended, but the folks at the Rocky are so dense that they might need it spelled out for them. Also, another example of the Rocky's anti-Indian rhetoric was an article it published in 1934, titled "Skin of Indian Makes Rare Book Binding" (regarding a book on the history of Christianity donated to Iliff School of Theology in 1893, and which was bound in the skin of an Indian). The conclusion of the article described the cover of the book -- the skin of the slain Indian -- as a "priceless vestment for the teachings of brotherly love." Not much has changed in the Rocky's editorial position toward American Indian peoples. The evidence keeps stacking up....
Does CO AIM have a link to the demands issued to John Temple on Monday (11.21.05)?
It appears Colorado ''AIM'' is using the article to galvanize Ward Churchill's situation and calling for similar action that is directed toward wannabe indian Ward Churchill
>It appears Colorado ''AIM'' is using the article to galvanize Ward Churchill's situation and calling for similar action that is directed toward wannabe indian Ward Churchill<
It appears you are using Ward Churchill as a red herring in a pathetic attempt to distract attention away from a legitimate case of anti-ndn bias.
Here's how it works.
Native people say that the Black Hills were stolen and you run around braying that Ward Churchill agrees with that position so, therefore, the assertion must be false; even though it's a matter of historical fact.
Native People say that the Treaty of Ruby Valley was violated by the U.S and you respond by blathering that Ward Churchill agress with claim so, therefore, the claim must be false; even though it's a matter of historical fact.
In this instance CO AIM, and native people in general, recognize that the RMN helped to incite the Sand Creek Massacre and you respond in the predictable way.
I'll let you in on a little secret. Most indian people don't listen to right wing radio and grassroots native people will almost always side with a native organization when their enemies are angry white men.
In essence, your audience and allies have always been enemies of native peoples and native people understand that. No self-respecting Native Person is going to defend Vince Carroll for his ridiculing of Vine Deloria. To them, Vince Carroll will always be the racist white guy who made fun of a revered Native leader on the day of his funeral.
So, as you scream around in your little wingnut echo chamber, keep in mind that native organizations like CO AIM are still recruiting and advancing their goals.
Vine Deloria should never be mentioned in the same breath with Indian Wannabe Ward Churchill. It dishonours Vine's achievements, writings,scholarship, and more importantly as a Lakota Indian.
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