“Happy” Native American Day? Hickey Says That Takes More Than Wishes
Published 2017-10-09 by
Cory Allen Heidelberger
South Dakota sorta-kinda observed its pioneering Native American Day today. Aberdeen took the day off school; Webster did not.
Native American Day, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, does not lend itself to the holiday frivolity and tacky capitalist excess typical of Columbus Day, Presidents’ Day, and Mothers’ Day. These two holidays invite historical discussion of entire peoples who have been denied full access to the American dream, not to mention our frivolity and capitalist excess.
Predictably, the SDGOP spin blog misses the importance of this holiday. Dakota War College posts a glib “Happy Native American Day from your friends at Dakotawarcollege.com“. When theologian and former Republican legislator Steve Hickey questions how many friends our Lakota brothers and sisters have on their side of the aisle and invites serious discussion of a White/Native Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Dakota, DWC censors Hickey’s comment while letting stand comments from comment-section regulars who say Indians need to “develop a sense of personal responsibility and pride in themselves” and then respond to complaints by tooting the Trump train whistle.
In my continuing (and unplanned) series today of posting dissenting voices within the Republican Party, I reprint Rev. Hickey’s comment in full:
Steve Hickey
Pat, I rarely detect any warmth from you and others on this side of the aisle toward SD natives. What does “happy Native American day” mean to you? Or maybe others can answer. Honest question. Don’t mean to jibe.
It’s my view SD’s greatest challenge is that we have third world living conditions within our borders, hopelessness and hurting people— and excuses… it’s a Federal problem, tribes are corrupt, personal responsibility, yada yada. Our national guard can go to Puerto Rico or wherever to help and that’s fine but where is good ole SD neighborliness toward natives?
We need a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to get the past on the table so we can deal with it properly and set out on a good future together.
Mickelson has the mantle and we need a leader like him. That what I tell him. I’ve asked him to start a Mickelson foundation for reconciliation and get those big donors in our state to invest in something that matters, not more stadiums. I was bummed he didn’t run for governor but maybe that day will come. I’ve told him no one will remember a governor who rides the waves of the economy in a certain decade but the governor who does who can be done to fundamentally change things for the better in relations with natives and quality of life for them will leave a legacy long long remembered.
My family is deeply vested in this matter and that’s why I won’t shut up about it. No other issue in the state is near as important unless we just don’t care that human beings are really suffering [Steve Hickey, comment on Native American Day, in response to and censored from Dakota War College, 2017.10.09].
I won’t presume to know the hearts of my Lakota neighbors, but I speculate that some might consider the happiest Native American Day would be the day we immigrants all go back to Europe. Absent that prospect, I suggest that, for now, a happy Native American Day in South Dakota is a day we spend speaking with our neighbors about our shared history, our not entirely willingly shared land, and our practical ideas for more equitable sharing.
Once again Pat Powers demonstrates his cowardice by deleting Rev. Hickey’s post, if you post anything thoughtful or thought provoking Powers will use his censorship powers.
Of the 4 or 5 posts on Powers post Rev. Hickey had the most challenging and intelligent, Powers of course leaves the posts that are most racist.
Every Native American, or Columbus Day for those still living in 1950’s, we basically have the same discussion.
There are those that refuse to recognize Native American Day just as they refuse acknowledge Black Elk’s Peak.
On multiple Facebook posts there are meaningless rants about who was actually here first while closing down any discussion of how evil Columbus truly was.
If South Dakotans can’t even acknowledge Native American Day or Black Elk’s Peak how will they ever come together in reconciliation?
Jake Kammerer
Ahhhh, good read on Native American Day!!! If only——!!!!! Thanks, Hickey!
mike from iowa
Just think if them Indians had Marlboro Barbie’s wisdom to make themselves smaller when whitey was trying to eradicate them. I’m guessing not many more would stillbe alive today after all them decades. But, who knew?
I also will not bother to give MB credit for trying to make Indians bullet proof. Steers try harder than that and make more biological sense.
Fair point, Roger. Hickey raised a valid point, made clear he wasn’t just being a wiseguy, not “jibing” but asking an honest question, and one entirely in the spirit of the post. I could try to cut Powers some slack and say maybe he just wanted a happy holiday post with no chance of raising hard feelings in the comment section, but Powers deleted Hickey’s sincere invitation to conversation while, as you rightly note, leaving the prejudiced blame-the-Indians comments that popped in.
Presidents’ Day, the Fourth of July, Veterans’ Day, and the other flag-waving holidays should invite honest, probing, challenging discussion of our history and our values. Native American Day should do the same… without the flag-waving.
Meanwhile, Senator Billie Sutton sends out this Native American Day e-mail:
Hau Mitakuyapi, Cante wasteya nape ciyuzapi, el Billie Sutton emaciyapi yelo. Hello relatives, with a good heart I shake your hand. My name is Billie Sutton.
Today, South Dakotans celebrate the proud, rich heritage of Native Americans. We honor the enduring contributions of Native Americans to our state.
Native American heritage is an inseparable part of our continuing journey in South Dakota to build a state based on shared values: the love of family; protecting our natural resources; honoring community; and providing for our children.
As governor of our great state, I will do everything in my power to ensure the people of our nine tribes have the education, economic opportunities and access to good jobs, health care services, quality housing, and state government partnerships they need – and deserve.
On the first Native Americans’ holiday, Governor George S. Mickelson told a crowd at Crazy Horse Memorial, “We can’t turn back the clock. We can only turn to the future together. What we can do as leaders, both Native American and white, is teach others that we can change attitudes.”
And instead of wrapping up his e-mail with another pitch for campaign cash, he provides a link to click to share his message on Facebook.
grudznick
Either Mr. C or that Troy fellow in the legislatures wrote that blog post for Mr. Sutton, but either way it was a good blogging.
I feel I might be attacked if I wished a happy holiday to anybody for anything, but I will tell you I enjoyed the parade. If the parade was not meant to be enjoyed, they should make that more clear right up front.
And to tie this post to Bob Mercer’s dire assessment of journalism in our state, the SDGOP spin blog at least mentioned Native American Day, while that Sioux Falls paper made no mention of the South Dakota holiday at all in today’s print edition.
Roger Cornelius
grudz,
Sorry to disappoint you, but I did not write Billie Sutton’s message. Unlike Kristi Noem, Billie is quite capable of writing his own posts.
grudznick
Mr. C, Billie did not write the beginning of that blogging. Or if he did, he plagiarized Senator Heinert. Pick one.
Great parade, though. I loved it.
Roger Cornelius
Imagine that, the “Sioux” Falls Argus Leader does not bother to mention their namesake.
jerry
Good for Mr. Hickey and a very good job to Mr. Billie Sutton for his fine words as well.
Chuck-Z
Pat has been busy deleting all sorts of comments today. I am so over that blog. Thanks Cory for posting Hickey’s comments, I would have missed them otherwise.
Steve Hickey
Thanks for posting my comments. When I saw his Hallmark Greeting on this state holiday I was genuinely wondering: would could “happy native american day from DWC” possibly mean to Pat Powers? Maybe one step up from Groundhog Day because it is actually a day off work?
I figured he’d delete that question in short order so I put some other comments there I thought he might keep. Maybe they were up an hour, at least long enough for Springer to chime in with tired talking points.
Money is not the fix, nor the starting place to mend the breach. Money is a highly valued commodity in white culture not native culture. They highly value honour. And we just don’t get that part. Go to one of their ceremonies and the first hour there are long and multiple honours bestowed on people, blankets, songs.
We certainly don’t honour our word, and we don’t honour what they honour. And one of those things is, land. Spare me the tired but-but-but about the mess they leave around their dwellings and protest sites. It is an irony but not a hypocrisy, but that too is understandable if one spends any time at all trying to wrap their mind around systemic poverty. I hope people will read up on Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, the first of 46 in the world was in S. Africa after Apartheid – we know more know that we did then and so outcomes have promise to be better long term. There is simply no way forward as good neighbours without a thorough and honest treatments of the past; real and perception.
It’s not okay native kids have no hope. We should care about any kids with no hope.
I once told Kevin Woster that if I ever ran for Governor, I’d give Bear Butte back as a gesture, and a starting point. There are various reasons the former won’t happen but I hold out hope that the latter might. A wave of healing and reconciliation and prosperity washing over South Dakota is something I can envision, something worth devoting ones life too, and certainly something that could be a model to scores of tense places around the world.
At present, native kids commit suicide, natives think the state steals native children, natives know the Church has raped children by the hundreds and the cover up extends to all branches of our government, and into our commercial and religious sectors, natives know the state sends militarised troops against native people to do the dirty work of oil companies, native young people know there is no justice in the courts or criminal justice system for them, natives know the state shines in economic ratings only because native unemployment is not even on the radar, natives know white farmers profit from government welfare on land that they don’t even own, etc..etc. etc.
All this and more gets set out of the table in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the facts and fiction and feelings get proper treatment. Attitudes and mutual suspicions and a whole range of other things must be put on the table.
The reason I name Mickelson is because his father’s concern was deemed genuine and the son holds the name and what that name means to others. It’ll take someone from the political right to soften attitudes over there. And there are tribal leaders who are emerging to lead in their settings.
I’ve been thinking about Bosworth out at Pine Ridge. I have zero regard for her and less for her husband. But she chose to spend herself at Pine Ridge, a self-banishment to our state’s Siberia, to our state’s Samaria. Good for her. Mixed in with all her craziness and conflicting motivations at least she went. Good for her.
OldSarg
POOF!. . . And Italian heritage no longer counts. It’s like renaming Harney Peak. Nothing changed but who you attack, like small dogs biting at one’s heel: Noises, petty and meaningless.
Italian heritage? I eat plenty of pizza and spaghetti.
Daniel Buresh
SOP for Pat Powers. I won’t even comment there anymore because he will remove any post I make that makes his position look bad and leave the ones that make him look good. He is the king of censorship.
mike from iowa
DB- you just now figured that one out? Italians tried to kill us all with tomatoes (nightshade family).
Jenny
Pastor Hickey, thank you so much for helping to fight racism in our state and for making a valiant effort to extend the olive branch to our Native Americans. Right now as I type this tears are welling up in my eyes as I think of the sadness and hopelessness that so many reservations experience. It’s people like you that give me hope for SD.
It hurts me so much that Native Americans die so young and yet nobody seems to care. I hope you and your family never give up fighting to build a better life for Native Americans.
Pat Powers has been busy deleting all sorts of comments today.
Daniel Buresh writes:
[Standard operating procedure] for Pat Powers. I won’t even comment there anymore because he will remove any post I make that makes his position look bad and leave the ones that make him look good. He is the king of censorship.
An anonymous commenter on the Powers blog writes:
that’s the path to victory – or more likely the path to do what Kurt Evans did to John Thune. She’s not a good campaigner but could pull enough votes to play spoiler in ’18.
http://jacobtlevy.blogspot.com/2002/11/rachel-dicarlo-at-weekly-standards.html
“The remaining 3,000 probably wouldn’t have voted for Thune in any event; and on net Evans helped Thune (first, by swinging his way those voters who could be swung; second, by keeping 3,000 of the other voters from voting for Johnson)… For the Republican commentariat to keep criticizing him for costing their guy the race is deeply unfair.”
Human Events, November 26, 2012:
“Did Evans spoil the race for Republican Thune in favor of Democrat Johnson, I asked? ‘No doubt about it,’ Thune shot back without hesitation.”
Once again Powers is arbitrarily removing some comments and leaving others in ways that seem defamatory. John Thune and Kristi Noem dishonor Christ by sponsoring that blog.
Once again Pat Powers demonstrates his cowardice by deleting Rev. Hickey’s post, if you post anything thoughtful or thought provoking Powers will use his censorship powers.
Of the 4 or 5 posts on Powers post Rev. Hickey had the most challenging and intelligent, Powers of course leaves the posts that are most racist.
Every Native American, or Columbus Day for those still living in 1950’s, we basically have the same discussion.
There are those that refuse to recognize Native American Day just as they refuse acknowledge Black Elk’s Peak.
On multiple Facebook posts there are meaningless rants about who was actually here first while closing down any discussion of how evil Columbus truly was.
If South Dakotans can’t even acknowledge Native American Day or Black Elk’s Peak how will they ever come together in reconciliation?
Ahhhh, good read on Native American Day!!! If only——!!!!! Thanks, Hickey!
Just think if them Indians had Marlboro Barbie’s wisdom to make themselves smaller when whitey was trying to eradicate them. I’m guessing not many more would stillbe alive today after all them decades. But, who knew?
I also will not bother to give MB credit for trying to make Indians bullet proof. Steers try harder than that and make more biological sense.
Fair point, Roger. Hickey raised a valid point, made clear he wasn’t just being a wiseguy, not “jibing” but asking an honest question, and one entirely in the spirit of the post. I could try to cut Powers some slack and say maybe he just wanted a happy holiday post with no chance of raising hard feelings in the comment section, but Powers deleted Hickey’s sincere invitation to conversation while, as you rightly note, leaving the prejudiced blame-the-Indians comments that popped in.
Presidents’ Day, the Fourth of July, Veterans’ Day, and the other flag-waving holidays should invite honest, probing, challenging discussion of our history and our values. Native American Day should do the same… without the flag-waving.
Meanwhile, Senator Billie Sutton sends out this Native American Day e-mail:
And instead of wrapping up his e-mail with another pitch for campaign cash, he provides a link to click to share his message on Facebook.
Either Mr. C or that Troy fellow in the legislatures wrote that blog post for Mr. Sutton, but either way it was a good blogging.
I feel I might be attacked if I wished a happy holiday to anybody for anything, but I will tell you I enjoyed the parade. If the parade was not meant to be enjoyed, they should make that more clear right up front.
Otherwise, I am for banning all holidays.
And to tie this post to Bob Mercer’s dire assessment of journalism in our state, the SDGOP spin blog at least mentioned Native American Day, while that Sioux Falls paper made no mention of the South Dakota holiday at all in today’s print edition.
grudz,
Sorry to disappoint you, but I did not write Billie Sutton’s message. Unlike Kristi Noem, Billie is quite capable of writing his own posts.
Mr. C, Billie did not write the beginning of that blogging. Or if he did, he plagiarized Senator Heinert. Pick one.
Great parade, though. I loved it.
Imagine that, the “Sioux” Falls Argus Leader does not bother to mention their namesake.
Good for Mr. Hickey and a very good job to Mr. Billie Sutton for his fine words as well.
Pat has been busy deleting all sorts of comments today. I am so over that blog. Thanks Cory for posting Hickey’s comments, I would have missed them otherwise.
Thanks for posting my comments. When I saw his Hallmark Greeting on this state holiday I was genuinely wondering: would could “happy native american day from DWC” possibly mean to Pat Powers? Maybe one step up from Groundhog Day because it is actually a day off work?
I figured he’d delete that question in short order so I put some other comments there I thought he might keep. Maybe they were up an hour, at least long enough for Springer to chime in with tired talking points.
Money is not the fix, nor the starting place to mend the breach. Money is a highly valued commodity in white culture not native culture. They highly value honour. And we just don’t get that part. Go to one of their ceremonies and the first hour there are long and multiple honours bestowed on people, blankets, songs.
We certainly don’t honour our word, and we don’t honour what they honour. And one of those things is, land. Spare me the tired but-but-but about the mess they leave around their dwellings and protest sites. It is an irony but not a hypocrisy, but that too is understandable if one spends any time at all trying to wrap their mind around systemic poverty. I hope people will read up on Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, the first of 46 in the world was in S. Africa after Apartheid – we know more know that we did then and so outcomes have promise to be better long term. There is simply no way forward as good neighbours without a thorough and honest treatments of the past; real and perception.
It’s not okay native kids have no hope. We should care about any kids with no hope.
I once told Kevin Woster that if I ever ran for Governor, I’d give Bear Butte back as a gesture, and a starting point. There are various reasons the former won’t happen but I hold out hope that the latter might. A wave of healing and reconciliation and prosperity washing over South Dakota is something I can envision, something worth devoting ones life too, and certainly something that could be a model to scores of tense places around the world.
At present, native kids commit suicide, natives think the state steals native children, natives know the Church has raped children by the hundreds and the cover up extends to all branches of our government, and into our commercial and religious sectors, natives know the state sends militarised troops against native people to do the dirty work of oil companies, native young people know there is no justice in the courts or criminal justice system for them, natives know the state shines in economic ratings only because native unemployment is not even on the radar, natives know white farmers profit from government welfare on land that they don’t even own, etc..etc. etc.
All this and more gets set out of the table in a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the facts and fiction and feelings get proper treatment. Attitudes and mutual suspicions and a whole range of other things must be put on the table.
The reason I name Mickelson is because his father’s concern was deemed genuine and the son holds the name and what that name means to others. It’ll take someone from the political right to soften attitudes over there. And there are tribal leaders who are emerging to lead in their settings.
I’ve been thinking about Bosworth out at Pine Ridge. I have zero regard for her and less for her husband. But she chose to spend herself at Pine Ridge, a self-banishment to our state’s Siberia, to our state’s Samaria. Good for her. Mixed in with all her craziness and conflicting motivations at least she went. Good for her.
POOF!. . . And Italian heritage no longer counts. It’s like renaming Harney Peak. Nothing changed but who you attack, like small dogs biting at one’s heel: Noises, petty and meaningless.
Italian heritage? I eat plenty of pizza and spaghetti.
SOP for Pat Powers. I won’t even comment there anymore because he will remove any post I make that makes his position look bad and leave the ones that make him look good. He is the king of censorship.
DB- you just now figured that one out? Italians tried to kill us all with tomatoes (nightshade family).
Pastor Hickey, thank you so much for helping to fight racism in our state and for making a valiant effort to extend the olive branch to our Native Americans. Right now as I type this tears are welling up in my eyes as I think of the sadness and hopelessness that so many reservations experience. It’s people like you that give me hope for SD.
It hurts me so much that Native Americans die so young and yet nobody seems to care. I hope you and your family never give up fighting to build a better life for Native Americans.
Daniel, I welcome your contributions to the conversation, assenting or dissenting. Help us figure things out.
“Chuck-Z” writes:
Daniel Buresh writes:
An anonymous commenter on the Powers blog writes:
I’d attempted to reply:
Once again Powers is arbitrarily removing some comments and leaving others in ways that seem defamatory. John Thune and Kristi Noem dishonor Christ by sponsoring that blog.
Happy belated Native American Day, Kurt.
Thanks, Roger. Happy belated Native American Day to you too.