We still treat the Indians like they are retarded children...

...and that is the source of their problems.

Rapid City Journal: Beer blockade goes bust

WHITECLAY, Neb. — It was nearly a typical day in Whiteclay, Neb., as a planned beer blockade fizzled.

Instead, blockade organizers and Oglala Sioux Tribe officials agreed to try to find a way to stop the flow of beer onto Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, which has banned alcohol for many years.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sheridan County Sheriff Terry Robbins stood with eight of his deputies in Whiteclay. The extra manpower had been brought into the small town because officials had believed a large demonstration was taking place. About a dozen people arrived midday for the rally and blockade.

“We figured there would be large crowds because of news articles in the papers, but it was almost a normal day in Whiteclay,” Robbins said.

After arguing on a dusty road that serves as the Nebraska-South Dakota boundary, organizers of a proposed blockade and Oglala Sioux Tribe acting police chief James Twiss agreed to try to find ways to stop the flow of beer from Whiteclay to the reservation border north of town.

The agreement halted a planned two-month blockade aimed at preventing tribal members and others from bringing packaged beer bought at four Whiteclay stores onto the reservation. Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who planned the blockade and Twiss said they would try to meet — possibly as early as today.

Mark Vasina of Nebraskans for Peace, an activist group that has tried to end alcohol sales in the border town, said the day did not end like he expected it would but that he was pleased with the outcome.

“I think this is a success because we got a commitment from (Twiss) to deal with the problems of illegal alcohol sales,” Vasina said.

Due to time constraints, we now move to further action.

Although organizers and police went home buoyed by the day’s events, two Whiteclay grocers suffered a bad day for business.

VJ’s Market and Whiteclay Grocery officials said they took as much as a $5,000 dip in sales when Pine Ridge shoppers opted to avoid the hassle at the proposed march and blockade. Two women stood at cash registers at Whiteclay Grocery, waiting for customers who didn’t come.

“This is what happens when there’s a blockade: No one comes to buy groceries,” a clerk said, looking at the empty aisles.

V.J.’s Market owner, Victor Clarke, agreed.

“And we don’t even sell alcohol,” Clarke said.

Clarke employs eight people from Pine Ridge to manage and work at his store. He contributes to the Pine Ridge community and is a member of its chamber of commerce, but his business has been hurt by the recent marches as well as the four stores that sell beer and malt beverages.

“It kills our business, but what aggravates me is the intimidation factor that my customers have to go through when they come to my store,” he said.

Clarke said that there are probably 500 alcohol outlets within five miles of the entire reservation. No one is looking at those border towns that frame the dry reservation, he said. Shutting down Whiteclay wouldn’t stop the flow of alcohol onto the reservation, he said.

“Everyone — regardless of race, religion, color or creed — has a right to make their own choices in regards to their own life and what they do. It’s not up to the tribe, the Nebraskans for Peace or the police to make those choices,” Clarke said...

Amen to all that, Brother.

Hey, look over there, kiddies! It's Professional Indian Activist Russell Means!

Also at the scene was Indian activist and actor Russell Means, who pulled his pickup and trailer out from the road on the state line and stopped it across the road into the reservation, indicating that it had stalled.

After an officer approached Means’ pickup, there was some doubt it had mechanical problems.

“I’m not starting anything. I’ve got trouble here,” Means told a reporter. “I think it’s overheated.”

Within a few minutes, someone brought jumper cables, and Means’ pickup started. He then drove away.

Too bad Ward Churchill has not been fired yet. He could have given ol' Russ a lift.