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 Kristina Tunink in the Black Hills came 20 years later, not far squaw and negro. 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. claims over salary and hiring even if em- Today’s Highlight in History: On ployers never intended any harm. Fred On Twitter, the campaign was they really aren’t. They are talking Dakota, under the act of March 30, 1945, during World War II, the Korematsu, who’d challenged the World dubbed “patronizing,” “absurd” and “a instead about the myths, resentments, March 3, 1979. Soviet Union invaded Austria with the goal War II internment policy that sent Japa- load of crap.” On “The Nightly Show projections and suppositions by which Weekly Dakotian of taking Vienna, which it accomplished nese-Americans to detention camps, died with Larry Wilmore,” Rosie Perez said, they justify half-baked notions about established June 6, 1861. two weeks later. in Larkspur, California, at age 86. On this date: In 1135, the Jewish Five years ago: President Barack “I don’t want to be forced to have a who those “other” people are. Yankton Daily Press and philosopher Maimonides was born in Cor- Obama signed a single measure seal- conversation. Especially early in the You can’t wholly blame them. Who Dakotian established April doba in present-day Spain. ing his health care overhaul and making f-----g morning.” Some folks questioned can speak sensibly on a subject he 26, 1875. In 1822, Florida became a United the government the primary lender to the wisdom of calling for racial dia- doesn’t understand? And we’ve been Postmaster: Send States territory. students by cutting banks out of the pro- logue when your executive team has Leonard foiled in our quest to understand by address changes to Yankton In 1867, U.S. Secretary of State Wil- cess. The world’s largest atom smasher, liam H. Seward reached agreement with the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, all the rich cultural diversity of a GOP an institutional conspiracy of igno- Daily Press & Dakotan, Russia to purchase the territory of Alaska threw together minuscule particles rac- convention in Idaho. PITTS rance. Race is the rawest wound of 319 Walnut, Yankton, SD for $7.2 million. ing at unheard of speeds in conditions Starbucks says there will eventually the American psyche, but somehow, 57078. In 1870, the 15th Amendment to the simulating those just after the Big Bang. U.S. Constitution, which prohibited deny- Math teacher Jaime Escalante, who in- be more to the campaign, but what you can graduate high school without * * * ing citizens the right to vote and hold of- spired the movie “Stand and Deliver,” died we’ve seen so far has been epically bad — naive knowing who Emmett Till was or that Martin fice on the basis of race, was declared in in Roseville, California, at age 79. Morris at best, dumber than a sack of coffee beans at MEMBERSHIPS Luther King ever said any words other than “I effect by Secretary of State Hamilton Fish. Jeppson, a weapons test officer aboard worst. Give it this much credit, though: It came have a dream.” Race has done more than argu- The Yankton Daily Texas was readmitted to the Union. the Enola Gay who helped arm the atomic In 1909, the Queensboro Bridge, link- bomb dropped over Hiroshima, died in a out of an earnest conviction that the future ably any other social force to shape this coun- Press & Dakotan is a health of our country requires us to solve race. member of the Associ- ing the New York City boroughs of Man- Las Vegas hospital at age 87. try, yet somehow news media do not cover it, hattan and Queens, opened. One year ago: Four hours of talks In other words, Starbucks had good intentions. unless forced to do so by crisis or controversy. ated Press, the Inland In 1923, the Cunard liner RMS La- in Paris between U.S. Secretary of State Daily Press Association You may say that’s not much. You may note So here is what I’ve come to realize: Before conia became the first passenger ship to John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minis- that good intentions are the macadam on the and the South Dakota circle the globe as it arrived in New York. ter Sergey Lavrov failed to break a tense we can have a fruitful “conversation on race,” Newspaper Association. In 1955, “On the Waterfront” won the East-West deadlock over the crisis in road to hell. we need to first have education on race. We The Associated Press Academy Award for best picture of 1954, Ukraine. Actress Kate O’Mara, 74, best Me, I think we dismiss good intentions at our is entitled exclusively will not be a well nation or a whole one until we while its star, Marlon Brando won best known for her role in the 1980s soap op- own peril. cease to fear and begin to understand this force to use of all the local actor; in what was regarded as an upset, era “Dynasty,” died in southern England. Besides, Schultz’s biggest mistake was not news printed in this Grace Kelly won best actress for “The Harry Richard Black, 92, an artist who that has made us who and what we are. newspaper. Country Girl,” beating out Judy Garland created the “Mr. Clean” advertising icon, in having baristas write a trite slogan, but in And how dare we reject from that cause any for “A Star Is Born.” died in Kettering, Ohio. his failure to realize that much of the country good person who earnestly seeks the same end, * * * In 1959, a narrowly divided U.S. Su- Today’s Birthdays: Game show host is simply not equipped for the conversation even if his solution is as dumb as a slogan on preme Court, in Bartkus v. Illinois, ruled Peter Marshall is 89. Actor Richard Dysart he is inviting them to have. Last week, even as SUBSCRIPTION that a conviction in state court following is 86. Actor John Astin is 85. Actor-director a coffee cup? Yes, I recognize the limitations of an acquittal in federal court for the same Warren Beatty is 78. Rock musician Grae- “Race Together” was being lampooned, I spent RATES* 41 minutes I’ll never get back on the phone with good intentions. crime did not constitute double jeopardy. me Edge (The Moody Blues) is 74. Rock But they sure beat the heck out of the other (Payable in advance) In 1964, John Glenn withdrew from musician Eric Clapton is 70. Actor Justin a white, Jewish reader who had insisted she CARRIER DELIVERY the Ohio race for the U.S. Senate because Deas is 67. Actor Robbie Coltrane is 65. wanted to have the “conversation on race” I kind. 1-month...... $12.09 of injuries suffered in a fall. The original Actor Paul Reiser is 58. Rap artist MC have often said this country needs. It was not a 3 months...... $36.27 version of the TV game show “Jeopardy!,” Hammer is 52. Singer Tracy Chapman productive encounter. Leonard Pitts is a columnist for The Miami Her- hosted by Art Fleming, premiered on NBC. is 51. Actor Ian Ziering is 51. TV person- ald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132. Readers 6 months...... $72.53 In 1975, as the Vietnam War neared ality Piers Morgan is 50. Actress Donna She starts on a spiel about blacks and drugs. 1-year...... $133.09 its end, Communist forces occupied the D’Errico (TV: “Baywatch”) is 47. Singer I point out that only about 15 percent of drug may contact him via e-mail at lpitts@miamiherald. MOTOR ROUTE city of Da Nang. James Ruppert, 41, killed Celine Dion is 47. Actor Mark Consuelos use in this country is by blacks and that the vast com. (where available) 11 members of his family at his mother’s is 44. Actress Bahar Soomekh is 40. Ac- majority of dealers are white. There is a silence. © 2015, The Miami Herald 1 month...... $14.51 home in Hamilton, Ohio, on Easter Sun- tress Jessica Cauffiel is 39. Singer Norah day. Jones is 36. Actress Fiona Gubelmann She says this is something she had not known. 3 months...... $43.53 In 1981, President Ronald Reagan is 35. Actress Katy Mixon is 34. Actor Ja- 6 months...... $87.05 was shot and seriously wounded outside son Dohring is 33. Country singer Justin 1 year...... $139.14 a Washington D.C. hotel by assailant John Moore is 31. Actress Tessa Ferrer is 29. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MAIL IN RETAIL W. Hinckley Jr. Country singer Thomas Rhett is 25. Trade Zone In 2002, Britain’s Queen Mother Thought for Today: “We do not talk Pricing Concerns notice “Electric Rate Increase” that I received 1-month...... $16.93 Elizabeth died at Royal Lodge, Windsor, — we bludgeon one another with facts with my monthly billing statement, a customer outside London; she was 101 years old. and theories gleaned from cursory read- Angela Wiebelhaus, Yankton has a right to join with 24 other customers to file 3 months...... $50.79 Ten years ago: Under heavy protec- ings of newspapers, magazines and di- As a customer of NorthWestern Energy, I am 6 months...... $101.57 tion, U.S. first lady Laura Bush visited the gests.” — Henry Miller, American author a written objection to a rate increase and hold a 1-year...... $148.82 capital of Afghanistan, where she talked (1891-1980). concerned about the individual rate increase public hearing to determine if the rate increase MAIL OUTSIDE with Afghan women freed from Taliban that is planned to go into effect on July 1, 2015. should be allowed. RETAIL TRADE ZONE The increase to the typical residential cus- May we join together in several petitions to 1 month...... $19.35 FROM THE BIBLE tomer using an average of 750 kilo watt hour of reduce the amount of this increase to a more 3 months...... $58.05 power each month will be $16.76 per month, or acceptable level? about 56 cents a day. The South Dakota Public 6 months...... $116.09 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpass- According to my customer notice, it says a 1-year...... $186.33 Utilities Commission will determine the amount copy of the filing will be available at each of their * Plus applicable sales tax ing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Corinthians 4:7. Portals of of this rate increase. office locations, where you can request a copy to for all rates Prayer, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis. According to the information in the customer look at in person.