Now 160 Years Later, Harney Is Under Fire
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Monday, 3.30.15 ON THE WEB: www.yankton.net views VIEWS PAGE: [email protected] PAGE 4 PRESS&DAKOTAN The Press Dakotan THE DAKOTAS’ OLDEST NEWSPAPER | FOUndED 1861 Yankton Media, Inc., 319 Walnut St., Yankton, SD 57078 CONTACT US OPINION OTHER VIEWS PHONE: (605) 665-7811 (800) 743-2968 NEWS FAX: A Welcome Idea (605) 665-1721 ADVERTISING FAX: (605) 665-0288 For Congress WEBSITE: www.yankton.net OMAHA WORLD-HERALD (March 20): Chuck Hagel, a Republican, ––––– did it. So did Ben Nelson, a Democrat. As did Democrats Bob Kerrey SUBSCRIPTIONS/ and Jim Exon. CIRCULATION During their service in the U.S. Senate, those Nebraska lawmakers Extension 104 often gave their party chieftains the same message: Don’t count on [email protected] me to always vote the party line. Issues are too complicated for that. CLASSIFIED ADS I’m voting my own mind. Extension 108 In the U.S. House, Rep. Brad Ashford has begun his congressional [email protected] career on the same path. The 2nd District’s new congressman took an NEWS DEPT. independent stance in the first weeks of the new Congress by voting Extension 114 with the Republican majority to pass six of seven bills opposed by Capitol Notebook [email protected] most of Ashford’s fellow House SPORTS DEPT. Democrats. During their service in Ashford’s office says his is Extension 106 the U.S. Senate, those one of the most independent [email protected] records in the House so far — Now 160 Years Later, ADVERTISING DEPT. Nebraska lawmakers voting with the Democrats 73 Extension 122 often gave their party percent of the time (when the [email protected] chieftains the same party-line average is 93 percent) BUSINESS OFFICE — and that 30 of his 39 bills Harney Is Under Fire Extension 119 message: Don’t count include Republican co-sponsors. [email protected] He has been criticized by BY BOB MERCER Black Elk said he was at the Battle of the NEW MEDIA: on me to always vote some Democrats for some of his State Capitol Bureau Little Big Horn / Greasy Grass on June 25, 1876. Extension 136 the party line. Issues votes, particularly in support of A large confederation of tribal warriors wiped [email protected] the Keystone XL pipeline. And, out Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his are too complicated as the World-Herald’s Joseph PIERRE — South Dakotans will be asked COMPOSING DEPT. in the coming weeks to look at their past and Seventh Cavalry troops. Extension 129 for that. I’m voting my Morton reports, he’s catch- participate in a political decision unlike any of Black Elk further said he was at Wounded [email protected] ing partisan heat for not being recent times. Knee on Dec. 29, 1890. Seventh Cavalry troops own mind. as aggressive as many other * * * The state Board of Geographic killed more than 200 men, women and congressmen in trying to raise Names wants to change the name of children from various tribes, and 25 MANAGERS campaign cash. Harney Peak. At 7,242 feet, the moun- U.S. soldiers died. Gary L. Wood His approach shouldn’t come as a surprise, though. taintop is the highest point in South The subsequent book published Publisher Ashford was known for his independent-mindedness during his Dakota and in the Black Hills. in 1932 by Neihardt was “Black Elk years in the Nebraska Legislature. At times he’s been a registered Speaks.” Among the stories told were Michele Schievelbein The peak’s namesake is General Wil- Republican or independent. He has long been outspoken in his sup- liam S. Harney. Black Elk’s visions while atop Harney Advertising Director port for the Legislature’s nonpartisan culture and the way it promotes Harney led U.S. military forces in Peak. Tonya Schild practical policy-making. decades of campaigns against native And now, more than 80 years later, Business Manager Our dysfunctional Congress would benefit greatly by having fewer American Indian peoples in parts of the we face questions. partisan stalwarts and a greater number of energetic independent Midwest and parts of the West. Do we want to remove Harney’s Michael Hrycko thinkers. In 1855, at Ash Hollow in what is Bob name? Do we want the peak to carry Circulation Director Such lawmakers prod their respective parties to stop and look now Nebraska, he met with Little Thun- Black Elk’s name? Tera Schmidt beyond simple talking points. These independent thinkers encourage der, a leader of a Brule band that was MERCER Or do we want another name alto- Classified Manager their colleagues to pull back from extreme positions and work toward attacking wagon trains on the Overland gether? practical consensus-building. Trail. The state board’s five members Kelly Hertz They also remind the Republican and Democratic establishments While they talked, Harney’s soldiers are said meet Tuesday afternoon in Pierre. The board Editor that if a party intends to be a competitive national party, it needs to to have surrounded the band and then attacked. plans to take written comments through May James D. Cimburek provide room for moderates. What’s the fastest-growing political af- The deaths totaled 136 Brules and 13 U.S. sol- 1 and to have field hearings to receive public Sports Editor filiation in Nebraska? Independents, who now account for 20 percent diers. comments. of registered voters statewide, with Republicans at 48 percent and During the same period, Harney’s forces re- Those meetings will be at Martin on April 28; Beth Rye Democrats at 31 percent. portedly were the first U.S. military to enter what Custer on April 29; Rapid City on April 29; Flan- New Media Director Our nation is well served when members of Congress, Republican is now South Dakota. dreau on May 5; and Pierre on May 6. or Democrat, search for common ground and common-sense solu- They originally quartered at Fort Pierre and The Legislature began the process of remov- Kathy Larson ing offensive names in 2001 and formally created Composing Manager tions rather than promoting the idea that politics should be a zero- established Fort Randall. sum, win-at-all-costs game. The Custer expedition and discovery of gold the board in 2009. All of those changes involved squaw and negro. Kristina Tunink in the Black Hills came 20 years later, not far District Manager from what is Harney Peak. It seems likely the Legislature will want to say That the highest point would be named for something about Harney Peak. Its 2015 regular * * * OUR LETTER POLICY the first general seems too clear for coincidence. session ends on Monday, March 30. DAILY STAFF The proposed replacement name for Harney As for Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s position? The PRESS & DAKOTAN invites its readers to write letters to the editor. “The governor knows the board will carefully Melissa Bader We ask that a few simple guidelines be followed: Peak is Black Elk Peak. Cassandra Brockmoller Black Elk was a medicine man on the Pine consider all of the public input and he trusts l Please limit letters to 300 words or less. Letters should deal with a single Ridge Indian Reservation who told his story in them to make a good decision,” spokeswoman Brandi Bue subject, be of general interest and state a specific point of view. Letters are Rob Buckingham 1931 to writer John Neihardt, through a Lakota Kelsey Pritchard said. Caryn Chappelear edited with brevity, clarity and newspaper style in mind. interpreter who was Black Elk’s son Ben. Randy Dockendorf l In the sense of fairness and professionalism, the PRESS & DAKOTAN Jeannine Economy will accept no letters attacking private individuals or businesses. Jordynne Hart l Specific individuals or entities addressed in letters may be given the Jeremy Hoeck opportunity to read the letter prior to publication and be allowed to answer the Racism And A Cup Of Coffee Sarah Lynde letter in the same issue. Shauna Marlette l Only signed letters with writer’s full name, address and daytime phone BY LEONARD PITTS JR. We move on to the fact that Jews were foot Robert Nielsen Tribune Content Agency soldiers and financiers of the Civil Rights Move- number for verification will be accepted. Please mail to: Letters, 319 Walnut, ment, so she is offended that black people never Diana Smallwood Yankton, SD 57078, drop off at 319 Walnut in Yankton, fax to 665-1721 or Cathy Sudbeck Am I the only person in America not making attend Holocaust remembrance services. She Sally Whiting email us at [email protected]/. fun of Howard Schultz? has no statistics to prove this, but insists her ob- JoAnn Wiebelhaus The Starbucks CEO bought himself a ton of servation is valid based on her lived experience. Brenda Willcuts ridicule recently when he attempted to jump- I point out that her lived experience is in Tucson, * * * IN HISTORY start a national dialogue on race by having ba- which has a black population of maybe 17. Published Daily ristas write the words “Race Together” And so it goes. By The Associated Press repression and urged greater rights. The on customers’ cups of Cinnamon Dolce What it illustrated for me, and not Monday-Saturday Today is Monday, March 30, the 89th Supreme Court ruled that federal law al- Light Frappuccino Grande or Caffe for the first time, is that often, when Periodicals postage day of 2015. There are 276 days left in the lowed people 40 and over to file age bias Misto Venti with extra coconut. people think they’re talking about race, paid at Yankton, South year.