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<blockquote type=cite cite>Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 16:30:49 -0500<br>
From: Sacred Heart <sacred.heart@mindspring.com><br>
Subject: [Native-American-Advocate] Oklahoma Indian Languages Need Your
Help<br>
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<br>
<br>
<br>
.....<br>
Dear friends of Indian languages,<br>
<br>
Oklahoma Indian languages need your help!<br>
<br>
A resolution is approaching a vote in the state legislature, which can
help <br>
protect Indian languages, and will put the state on record as supporting
<br>
their survival. The resolution (with the working title of Oklahoma
Indian <br>
Language Heritage Protection Act) was developed at the Intertribal
Wordpath <br>
Society, a nonprofit organization promoting the teaching, awareness, use,
and <br>
status of Oklahoma Indian languages. We first introduced it
last year, but <br>
it never made it to a vote. This year we have the firm support
of Senators <br>
Ted Fisher and Cal Hobson, and Representatives Opio Toure, Kenneth Corn,
and <br>
Bill Nations. It will be introduced soon, probably next week,
beginning in <br>
the Senate. We have requested it be brought to a vote on Wednesday,
May 16, <br>
but there is no guarantee of a specific date, since we are in the last 3
<br>
weeks of the legislative session. (Note: the Senate and the
House may vote <br>
on different days.). PLEASE CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR
<br>
IMMEDIATELY. Contact information is at:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/">http://www.lsb.state.ok.us/</a><br>
<br>
I've attached a copy of the resolution in WordPad format. Please
have a look <br>
at it. To my knowledge, no other state has passed anything like
this. It <br>
will be a good statement for our government to make; and it may help,
when it <br>
comes to getting languages taught in the schools, and in many other
ways.<br>
<br>
LeRoy Sealy and I visited the sponsors at the Capitol Wednesday. We
feel <br>
this has a good chance of passing. But we're asking all of you to
phone, <br>
e-mail, and/or visit your Representatives and Senators, ASAP. We're
told <br>
they will not get copies of the measure in advance (except the few we
have <br>
already visited). The clerk will read the resolution aloud, and it
will <br>
probably be voted on by acclamation. Please contact your
legislators <br>
Monday!! Explain why the measure is important to you, educate them,
and <br>
prepare them to vote affirmatively. The process is important: even
those who <br>
may choose to vote against (if any) need to know that support for Indian
<br>
languages is deep and wide. Ask them to notify you of the date of
the vote <br>
as soon as it is definite. Remember: lots of phone calls may
help ensure <br>
that this measure actually gets onto the agenda before the session
ends.<br>
<br>
Please forward this letter and the resolution to all your friends,
relevant <br>
lists, organizations, etc., all over Oklahoma. Please forward to
tribes you <br>
have e-mail addresses for (we don't have everyone's). And don't
forget those <br>
who don't have e-mail. Print out the resolution and post it where
others can <br>
see it, asking them to contact their legislators also. Indians,
<br>
non-Indians--everybody.<br>
<br>
One more thing. We had thought of arranging a rally on the Capitol
steps; <br>
but the final stages of the process are happening so fast, we're not sure
<br>
there's time, or that it's the best use of our time at this point.
What do <br>
you think? If there is interest out there, especially from tribal
<br>
governments or other organizations that have the time and staff power to
do <br>
some VERY quick networking, and bring busloads of supporters to the
Capitol <br>
(say, on Tuesday?), please contact me, and let's coordinate our
efforts. The <br>
publicity would be good for our cause, and a good turnout could influence
<br>
votes. The last I heard, there is no charge for the Capitol steps,
but you <br>
have to reserve them; and I don't know the availability next week.
<br>
<br>
Finally, if at all possible, come to the Capitol for the votes.
Let's fill <br>
the galleries. Take off work! This will be a historic
moment to witness. <br>
And, if votes are not recorded individually, we need many eyes to notice
who <br>
votes for, and who against. When I hear any further news
about the likely <br>
scheduling of the vote, I'll pass it on (could be anytime from this
Monday to <br>
May 25, the session's end).<br>
<br>
Thank you for your time and your help. Next month we can look back
on our <br>
efforts with pride.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Alice Anderton, Ph.D.<br>
Executive Director<br>
Intertribal Wordpath Society<br>
1506 Barkley St.<br>
Norman, OK 73071<br>
405-447-6103<br>
ToWordpath@a...<br>
http:www.ahalenia.com/iws<br>
<br>
- - - - - -<br>
<br>
OKLAHOMA INDIAN LANGUAGE HERITAGE PROTECTION ACT (draft)<br>
Senate Concurrent Resolution, By Ted Fisher, Cal Hobson (Senate); <br>
Opio Toure, Kenneth Corn, Bill Nations (House)<br>
<br>
AS INTRODUCED<br>
<br>
A Concurrent Resolution endorsing the Native American Language Act of
1990; <br>
encouraging the teaching and learning of Native American languages;
opposing <br>
artificial barriers to teaching and learning Native American languages;
<br>
urging measures to foster respect for Native American languages; and
<br>
directing distribution.<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, the Native American Language Act of
1990 (Public Law 101-477) <br>
enunciates the policy of the United States government to "preserve,
protect, <br>
and promote the rights and freedom of Native Americans to use, practice,
and <br>
develop Native American languages"; and<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, the state of Oklahoma is home to 39
tribes, members of which <br>
still speak 25 Native American languages. Until recently, Oklahoma
had more <br>
Native American citizens than any other state. Their histories,
cultures and <br>
languages together comprise a unique heritage that helps make our state
<br>
great; and <br>
<br>
WHEREAS, Native American languages are crucial
to the identity, <br>
self-esteem, and success of young Native Americans. Many
Oklahoma heroes <br>
have spoken Native American languages, and many Oklahoma youth would like
to <br>
have the connection of a shared language with these heroes; and<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, Native American history, culture, and
language are so <br>
interrelated that when a language dies, it takes with it literature, oral
<br>
history, song, and other important aspects of Native American cultural
<br>
heritage. The pressures of modern American culture as expressed in
<br>
television, radio, education, and public life have steadily decreased the
<br>
attention paid to Indian languages by some Oklahomans; and<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, our state values its great diversity of
culture, as evidenced <br>
by <br>
our slogan "Oklahoma - Native America". Native American
languages are just <br>
as sophisticated and just as enriching to the lives of their speakers as
are <br>
other languages; and<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, linguistic and pedagogical study have
demonstrated that the <br>
cherishing of a people's language of heritage in no way threatens the
status <br>
of the common language of most Oklahomans and of public discourse
in <br>
Oklahoma; and <br>
<br>
WHEREAS, one-third of all Oklahoma Native
American languages have <br>
already <br>
become extinct in our state, and the remaining ones are endangered;
and<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, the state of Oklahoma takes pride in
the history and culture of <br>
<br>
Native American people as expressed in their traditional languages and
<br>
considers those languages a treasured part of the heritage of our state
and <br>
of the individual tribes of our state; and<br>
<br>
WHEREAS, the state of Oklahoma seeks to
preserve, protect, and promote <br>
our Native American language heritage.<br>
<br>
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF
THE 1ST SESSION OF THE <br>
48TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING
THEREIN:<br>
<br>
THAT the Oklahoma State Legislature endorses and
supports the policy of <br>
the United States government enunciated in the Native American Language
Act <br>
of 1990 to "preserve, protect, and promote the rights and freedom of
Native <br>
Americans to use, practice and develop Native American
languages".<br>
<br>
THAT the Oklahoma State Legislature encourages
the teaching and learning <br>
of Native American languages at all levels of instruction.<br>
<br>
THAT the Oklahoma State Legislature opposes
artificial barriers to the <br>
instruction or learning of Native American languages and encourages all
<br>
education authorities to take all appropriate steps to promote and
encourage <br>
the instruction and learning of Native American languages.<br>
<br>
THAT the Oklahoma State Legislature urges the
Superintendent of Public <br>
Instruction to take appropriate measures to foster respect for Native
<br>
American languages and to vigilantly address any situations that may
occur <br>
where proper respect for Native American languages is not provided.<br>
<br>
THAT a copy of this resolution be distributed to
the Superintendent of <br>
Public Instruction and the Executive Director of the Intertribal Wordpath
<br>
Society.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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</blockquote><br>
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<br>
<br>
<font face="Poor Richard">David Gene
Lewis<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>Department
of Anthropology<br>
Graduate
student<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>University
of Oregon<br>
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