North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Working to effect change so that all people in North Dakota enjoy full human rights |
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~North Dakota Human Rights Coalition~ PAUR Report
Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources
Visit our Website at www.ndhrc.org
December 17, 2003
Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!
In this week’s PAUR Report:
Announcements 1) Bismarck Human Relations Committee Information Available on the Web 2) NDHRC Web Site Calendar of Events for December
Newspaper Articles 3) Bismarck Tribune, Better identify real school problem 4) Grand Forks Herald, Coverage of Dru’s disappearance reflects America’s lingering racism 5) Grand Forks Herald, Letters from around country respond to Dru’s disappearance 6) Grand Forks Herald, Gender, not race, accounts for missing-person case differences 7) The Forum (Fargo), Forum editorial: West Fargo immigrant gets roses 8) Bismarck Tribune, This is the ‘compassion’ that kills 9) Bismarck Tribune, Standards, too
Events 10) Camp Wellstone Spaces Reserved for Native People and People of Color
Reminders 11) Nominations Sought for Fargo Human Relations Awards 12) North Dakota Progressive Coalition Hiring Full-time Community Organizer 13) Fargo-Moorhead Area Amnesty International Greeting Cards Signing, December 20, Fargo 14) Ford Foundation Program Recognizes Community Leaders 15) “Stolen Dreams” Open House, Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, Moorhead, MN 16) Sisters of the Presentation at Sacred Heart Convent Presents “Peace Studies” 2003 Series (Various Locations in ND and MN)
********************************************* Announcements *********************************************
1.) Bismarck Human Relations Committee Information Available on the Web
Information on the Bismarck City Committee on Human Relations can now be viewed on the North Dakota Fair Housing Council web site at http://www.ndfhc.org/HRC.htm.
In addition, NDFHC has also created a calendar of events at http://www.ndfhc.org/HR%20Calendar.htm. They have indicated holidays on the calendar to facilitate more conscious scheduling of events. If you know of a holiday or event that should be posted or any errors on the calendar, forward your comments to ndfhc2@btinet.net.
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2.) NDHRC Web Site Calendar of Events for December
Visit our December web site calendar for information on monthly statewide human rights related activities and events. We welcome your input and comments.
Please send us your news and events for the calendar to humanrights@ndhrc.org.
View the NDHRC web site here
********************************************* Newspaper Articles *********************************************
3.) Grand Forks Herald, MAILBAG: Missing people get unequal treatment
MAILBAG: Missing people get unequal treatment Grand Forks Herald – 12/7/2003
HOUSTON - I have read with great interest the story of the search for Dru Sjodin. My heart and prayers go out to her family.
I know that each day that passes it becomes more agonizing for them. I know the family appreciates all the efforts being made on Dru's behalf. The resources made available are overwhelming; to quote Grand Forks Police Chief John Packett, "$1 million in manpower, equipment and facilities. That alone is unprecedented for a community our size. So it's a major endeavor for us and reinforces the importance we place on it."
While I am grateful for the help they are receiving, I can't help but be amazed at the difference in this search and the search last year for Russell Turcotte.
If the amount of resources offered "reinforces the importance" placed on finding a loved one, finding Turcotte was unimportant to Grand Forks law enforcement.
When Turcotte went missing in July 2002, three months went by with little help from local law enforcement. It was at the family's request that Texas Equusearch, a nationally known and respected search team from Texas, traveled to Grand Forks in October 2002. Only then did law enforcers put forth any effort toward helping the search for Turcotte.
Why is one missing young person so important while the other was so ignored?
<snip>
View full article here
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4.) Grand Forks Herald, Coverage of Dru’s disappearance reflects America’s lingering racism
MAILBAG: Coverage of Dru's disappearance reflects America's lingering racism Grand Forks Herald – 12/11/2003
GRAND FORKS - Although there is nothing funny about the topic I'm about to address, I can't help but be amused whenever some folks try to rationalize away their prejudices.
The fact is, yes, there is considerably more attention being paid to the disappearance of Dru Sjodin than if she were American Indian (or any other ethnic minority, for that matter). As uncomfortable as the issue is, we learn nothing by ignoring or hiding from it. On the contrary, only by facing the reality of our weaknesses when situations such as this arise may we hope to grow toward each other as peoples of different groups.
I admit that the Russell Turcotte case was "different" because he was neither a member of the community nor a UND student, and so on. I agree that that's not a bad argument. And I might even be swayed by its logic if it weren't for one thing - one person, actually.
How many readers remember the name Francis Delabreau? For those new to the area since 1996, Francis Delabreau was an American Indian, UND Aerospace student who went missing in that year on the night of Nov. 17.
Even if you were here back then you still may not remember, because it took until Nov. 30 before his disappearance even was noted in the Herald - a brief paragraph buried on of the "Region" section.
<snip>
View full article here
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5.) Grand Forks Herald, Letters from around country respond to Dru’s disappearance
MAILBAG: Letters from around country respond to Dru's disappearance Racism explains case's national draw Grand Forks Herald – 12/9/2003
PHOENIX, Ariz. - In a Herald story Dec. 6, the question was asked as to why the Dru Sjodin case attracts more attention than the other missing girl cases.
Dru has attracted attention for the same reason that Jessica Lynch received more attention than the other Iraq War POWs. Like Jessica, Dru is attractive and white. Like fellow POW Shoshana Johnson, the other missing girls are not getting any attention because they are either minorities or do not fit the media's definition of attractive.
Dru and Jessica stories sell simply because the American media is racist and focuses only on people who look good for television. The fact that both had promising futures doesn't say much for the vast numbers of people who don't.
This is just another example of how the American media doesn't represent the public at large.
Andrew Gallagher
View online article here
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6.) Grand Forks Herald, Gender, not race, accounts for missing-person case differences
MAILBAG: Gender, not race, accounts for missing-person case differences Grand Forks Herald – 12/12/2003
GRAND FORKS - Doug McDonald is guilty of comparing apples and oranges.
The critical difference between the cases of Dru Sjodin and Francis Delabreau is not race but sex. I do remember the tragic Delabreau case and the coverage it got. But if Delabreau had been a blue-eyed, blond young man with a Scandinavian name, I honestly believe that the news coverage would not have been any greater.
Our society has completely different attitudes about women and children as compared to healthy young men. We consider women and children to be vulnerable, and when there is an obvious case that a young woman has been abducted, as happened with Dru Sjodin, the community goes all out to rescue them. That was true for Jeanna North, who was abducted and killed in Fargo in 1993, and Jacob Wetterling, who, while riding his bike near St. Joseph, Minn., in 1989, was taken by a man and hasn't been seen since.
Cases of women who were abducted in northern Minnesota in recent years also generated massive searches and news coverage.
Another critical difference between Sjodin and Delabreau is that there was immediate evidence that Sjodin was violently abducted while Delabreau went missing during a blizzard. Most of us have experience blizzards, and we know the smart thing to do is to find shelter, which is what Delabreau did. Unfortunately, the shelter was isolated and inadequate, which made it difficult to find him.
<snip>
View online article here
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7.) The Forum (Fargo), Forum editorial: West Fargo immigrant gets roses
Forum
editorial: West Fargo immigrant gets roses
<snip>
PRAIRIE ROSES: To Nedzad Halilovic of West Fargo whose hard work is paying off eight years after he escaped from war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina and came to the F-M metropolitan area. With the help of Dick Solberg, president of State Bank & Trust of Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo, who met Halilovic in their Kiwanis Club, he and his wife, Mirela, have a new home in West Fargo and a growing business. Halilovic, 25, a Bosnian Muslim who came from the city of Srebenica where an estimated 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men were executed in 1995, owns Ambassador Cleaning. He has 15 restaurant accounts and an equal number of employees. In his short time in America, he has learned English, earned a college degree, gained U.S. citizenship, started a business and bought his own home. He and his wife plan to branch out into home cleaning. She schedules jobs for the firm and also helps her husband clean. Nedzad and Mirela are the type of immigrants who made the United States of America the great country that it is today. Congratulations to the Halilovics.
<snip>
View online article here
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8.) Bismarck Tribune, This is the ‘compassion’ that kills
This is the
'compassion' that kills Bismarck Tribune – 12/8/2003
I cannot
help but respond to Paul Everson's Nov. 30 letter, "Christianity short in
letter." His personal attack and hate-filled diatribe against me and those like
me is so typical of Christian-bashers. Since when is proclaiming the truth about
our country hate speech, intolerant and venomous?
Does Everson
and those like him have no sense of decency? Do they really care? But they're
full of compassion, right? Denying people the truth is not compassionate. I have
a brother who's been fighting HIV for 18 years. Withholding the truth about
consequences from those who would engage in such a lifestyle is nothing short of
hypocrisy. Many, many times my brother has said, "All my friends are dead."
View full article here
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9.) Bismarck Tribune, Standards, too
Standards,
too Bismarck Tribune – 12/8/2003
Did I see
the stove calling the kettle black in the Nov. 30 Tribune? I refer to Paul
Everson's letter , "Christianity short in letter," accusing a previous writer of
giving Christianity a bad name. He proceeds to invoke the authority of Christ by
saying "Christ's love is unconditional" and paraphrases Jesus, "Let he who has
never sinned cast the first stone."
The Bible
does set certain standards to live by. And, as Christians, we aspire to meet the
spirit of those standards. At times we fail to do so; but to imply that we
should with open arms accept such behavior on an ongoing basis is to subscribe
to a morality in which there is no right or wrong.
View full article here
********************************************* Events *********************************************
10.) Camp Wellstone Spaces Reserved for Native People and People of Color
Super Camp Wellstone is already full! However, they are reserving spots for Native people and people of color. If you want to go, please contact the University of Minnesota Human Rights Center right away. There are also full scholarships available.
These special spots are for Indigenous and People of Color ONLY!!!!!
Camp Description
The upcoming "Super" Camp Wellstone will take place in the Twin Cities:
Friday, January 16, 2004 - Sunday, January 18, 2004
The 2.5-day training program introduces participants to winning grassroots political and electoral action. The Camps draw heavily from Paul Wellstone's distinctive approach to electoral and grassroots organizing, integrating elements of electoral politics, issue advocacy, and community organizing.
Camp Wellstone is designed for individuals interested in working on a political or advocacy campaign, becoming effective citizen activists, volunteers, leaders, or running for elected office.
Camp will run on the following schedule:
Friday 2:30 PM - 9:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Details regarding locations and final weekend schedule will be sent via email to all registered participants the week before the camp is to take place.
For more information contact the University of Minnesota Human Rights Center at humanrts@umn.edu, or at (612) 626-0041 or (888) HREDUC8.
********************************************* Reminders *********************************************
11.) Nominations Sought for Fargo Human Relations Awards
FARGO, N.D. (November 6, 2003) - The City of Fargo Human Relations Commission is seeking nominations for its Human Relations Awards. The awards will be presented at an annual event honoring the life, work and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 19, 2004.
Human Relations Award recipients will be selected on the basis of commitment to human relations, leadership by example in the area of human rights and creative and/or non-traditional methods to improve human relations. Three awards will be presented -- individual adult, individual youth and organization. To nominate an individual or organization, please answer the following questions and provide specific examples of the activities and/or programs the person or organization is involved in:
Nominations should be submitted no later than Dec. 22, 2003 to the Fargo Human Relations Commission, 200 N 3rd Street, Fargo, ND 58102 or e-mail at planning@ci.fargo.nd.us. For more information or a nomination form, please contact Dan Mahli at 476-4144 or dmmahli@ci.fargo.nd.us. The nomination form is also available on the City's website at www.cityoffargo.com/Planning/HRC.
The mission of the Fargo Human Relations Commission is to promote acceptance and respect for diversity and discourage discrimination.
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12.) Reminder… North Dakota Progressive Coalition Hiring Full-time Community Organizer
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT:
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13.) Fargo-Moorhead Area Amnesty International Greeting Cards Signing, December 20, Fargo
Fargo-Moorhead Area Amnesty International will be signing non-religious greeting cards for international political prisoners and human rights organizations, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2:00-3:30 p.m., at Nativity Catholic Church. Everyone is invited to send uplifting words to some very isolated people. Please stop by and enjoy cookies and hot beverages with us. Happy holidays!
For more information contact Reggie Windham, Group Coordinator, Fargo-Moorhead Area Amnesty International at 701-235-4265.
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14.) Ford Foundation Program Recognizes Community Leaders
Deadline:
January 6, 2004
15.) “Stolen Dreams” Open House, Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center, Moorhead, MN
"Stolen Dreams" (October 11, 2003? – December 22, 2003) is an exhibition of 70 contemporary photographs by occupational health physician Dr. David L. Parker. Dr. Parkers shows in very real, moving photographs that the issues of child labor is not one of the past, but one that is affecting the entire world community - including the United States.
"My project can never be completed" says Parker, "what exists is too vast to be seen or documented fully, but it is too important to ignore."
For more information about Stolen Dreams visit http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/gallery/intro.html.
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16.) Sisters of the Presentation at Sacred Heart Convent Presents “Peace Studies” 2003 Series (Various Locations in ND and MN)
Presentation Peace Studies has an excellent series of forum speakers for the coming year. Please mark your calendars and more information will be forthcoming this fall!
Jan. 23, 2004 - "What Is a Peace Church?" Dr. Gerald Schlabach, St. Thomas U., St. Paul Feb. 27, 2004 - "What Does My Faith Call Me to in Violent Times?" Panel of three: B'hai, Quaker, Muslim Mar. 26, 2004 - "Jesus against Christianity" Dr. Jack Nelsonp-:Pallmeyer, St. Thomas U., St. Paul April 30 & May 1, 2003 - "Receding Violence, Reseeding the Earth - Harmony in the Web of Life" Helen Prejean and Marya Grathwohl
View additional information here
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***Member Reminder*** Please keep us in mind for your group or church social action/social justice meetings! We’d be happy to provide a presentation at a meeting or provide newsletter articles for your organizations.
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Do you have a Program, Announcement, Update or Resource that you would like shared on our weekly PAUR report? If so, please send an email to AndreaDeegan@NDHRC.org and we will do our best to accommodate you.
If you are not yet a member of NDHRC, what are you waiting for? Sign up now! The membership form is available on line at http://ndhrc.org/membership_form_revised.htm.
Not getting the PAUR Report directly in your email? It's so easy to be added to the PAUR mailing list! Email HumanRights@NDHRC.org.
If you have received this email in error, or would like to be removed From the PAUR Report mailing list, please send an email to AndreaDeegan@NDHRC.org for immediate assistance.
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North Dakota Human Rights Coalition P.O. Box 1961 Fargo, North Dakota 58107-1961 Phone: (701) 239-9323 Fax: (701) 478-4452 Email: humanrights@ndhrc.org
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