From Saturday’s Argus Leader:
When she announced this spring that she intended to build an abortion clinic on the Pine Ridge reservation in defiance of the South Dakota Legislature's passage of a bill in March banning abortions, Oglala Sioux Tribal President Cecilia Fire Thunder drew her people into a controversy that has taken on national dimensions.
Now tribal members and the tribal council are making it clear they are uncomfortable with that, and that they do not unanimously support Fire Thunder's abortion stand.
On Tuesday, opponents of an abortion clinic at Pine Ridge will gather at the powwow grounds at 10 a.m. and march to a tribal council meeting to demonstrate their opposition.The council that day will take up two resolutions banning abortions on the reservation, and also might deal with claims that Fire Thunder violated tribal ordinances and should be removed from office.
Fire Thunder, who was suspended by the council for nearly three weeks earlier this year but successfully fought off an impeachment effort, could not be reached Friday for comment.
Kevin Woster also noted Fire Thunder’s lack of access:
Somebody asked me this week what ever happened to the idea by Oglala Sioux Tribe President Cecelia Fire Thunder to build a women’s health clinic featuring abortion services on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Newshound or not, I had to admit that I didn’t have a clue. I tried to find out a few weeks back, but Fire Thunder ignored a string of my telephone calls seeking her response to comments by a former tribal judge that such a clinic would violate tribal code.
I called every day for a week, both at her office and on her cell phone - which soon became useless because the mail box was full. Fire Thunder was in the office when I called at least a couple of times. And I left her messages on her voicemail before it filled up. She never called me back.
I left messages for her assistant as well. She never called me back, either.
I felt like an Argus Leader reporter trying to get through to the governor.
So where is the Argus Leader’s outrage the Fire Thunder is against open government? Are they afraid that they will harm their position on diversity?
Back to the Argus report. Looks like the Native Americans are planning a ban of their own:
Come Tuesday, Will Peters, a tribal council member representing the largest Oglala Sioux tribal district, Pine Ridge, said the council's judiciary and health and human services committees will introduce legislation banning abortions on the reservation.
"The pressure for the tribal council as an entity to weigh in on this has been very intense," Peters said.
Constituents and fellow council members are disturbed on several points, he said. Some are opposed to abortions. Some think Fire Thunder usurped council authority in announcing she would build a clinic and solicit donations for it.
And others are dismayed that the tribe has become the focus of a rabid anti-abortion campaign.
"We are very disturbed at what we view as negative press directed towards our tribe. Some of it has taken on a racial flavor I find appalling," including references to "the Sioux scalping their own," Peters said.
I think the "the Sioux scalping their own" is in reference to a Jill Stanek column I posted.
