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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~NDHRC PAUR Report~ Visit our Website at www.ndhrc.org
July 7, 2003
Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources
Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!
In this week’s PAUR Report:
NDHRC Announcements 1) Multicultural Social at the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Fall Conference, October 24, 2003, Fargo, ND 2) North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Service Opportunity, Deadline Friday, July 11, 2003!
Newspaper Articles 3) Brainerd Dispatch Article, Peace group barred from city parade
Events 4) 36th Annual Fort Totten Days Wacipi, July 24-27, Fort Totten, ND
Reminders 5) North Dakota Fair Housing Council Workshops, June 10 – July 16, North Dakota and Eastern South Dakota 6) North Dakota Protection & Advocacy Project, “Plan for Achieving Self Support Workshops”, August 4-7, 2003, Various Locations in ND 7) Summer Theological Conference, “In the Name of God: Religion and Violence in the Middle East,” July 21-23, 2003, Moorhead, MN
********************************************* NDHRC Announcements *********************************************
1.) Multicultural Social at the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Fall Conference, October 24, 2003, Fargo, ND
Join us on Friday, October 24th for an evening celebrating North Dakota’s rich and diverse cultures!
We’ll have a multicultural social on Friday evening to kick off our Fall Conference on Saturday, October 25 for the human rights network in North Dakota. The social will be a casual setting for a cross-cultural exchange designed to encourage collaboration and conversation, and promote understanding and respect for people from different cultures and communities in our area.
Please plan to join us for this social the evening before the Fall Conference.
And Don’t Forget to Save the Date!
NDHRC Fall Conference Saturday, October 25, 2003 Fargo
Ideas & suggestions for topics are welcome, contact Andrea at andreadeegan@ndhrc.org
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2.) North Dakota Human Rights Coalition Service Opportunity, Deadline Friday, July 11, 2003
Please forward freely.
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is looking for four (4) people to join the NDHRC Board of Directors. The NDHRC Board sets the policy direction of the NDHRC, including the goals and initiatives of the NDHRC. The NDHRC Board is supported in its work by the full-time Director and half-time Assistant Director. Information about the NDHRC is available at www.ndhrc.org.
The NDHRC is committed to the development of a Board of Directors which includes representation from across the state and from those most likely to experience discrimination, including people of color, people of diverse ethnic origin, people with disabilities, people of varying age, people of diverse religions, those who have been or are on public assistance, and people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The NDHRC encourages all who are interested in the Board of Directors to apply; consideration for selection will include the commitment to diversity in membership on the Board of Directors.
The NDHRC Board of Directors encourages all who are interested to join them in continuing to chart the course for the NDHRC. Please consider joining us in the development of a human rights network and cadre in North Dakota!
Time commitment:
Two-hour board meetings every other month by conference call
One-day in-person board retreat each year (travel to this meeting may be necessary & travel costs would be covered)
Participation in board committee(s) by telephone conference call (time commitment and duration of commitment would vary by committee)
Respond to e-mail communication from Director or Assistant Director as possible
Interested?
Return the "Application for NDHRC Board" to:
Cheryl Bergian Director North Dakota Human Rights Coalition P.O. Box 1961 Fargo, ND 58107-1961 (701) 239-9323 (701) 478-4452 (fax)
Deadline for consideration of application: Friday, July 11, 2003
********************************************* Newspaper Articles *********************************************
3.) Brainerd Dispatch Article, Peace group barred from city parade
Peace group barred from city parade
By
Mike O’rourke
7/3/03
The Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace was denied a spot in Friday's July 4 parade on the basis of safety issues, Community Action officials said today.
Nancy Cross, executive director of Brainerd Community Action, said her board made the decision on the basis of general safety after consulting with Brainerd Police Chief John Bolduc and City Attorney Tom Fitzpatrick.
"The police told us they were spread absolutely too thin," Cross said. She said the decision was not made haphazardly. Cross said Community Action offered to reserve a spot on the parade route where the coalition could display its signs but the peace group rejected that idea.
Larry Fisk, spokesman for the BACP, said the option of setting up a booth would not have given his group the same exposure and was not the same manner in which other groups were treated.
In a letter he faxed to Community Action and city officials Wednesday Fisk urged them to reconsider and raised the possibility of legal action.
"To deny responsible citizens the right to full and equal participation, because their organization has the word 'peace' in its title, and believes in peaceful solutions to human problems, makes a mockery of what the day and the celebration are supposed to be about: Freedom! The freedom of Americans in all our diversity of creed, color and opinion.
"Failure to promptly reverse your decision and allow the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace to march in the parade will result in the BACP seriously considering legal action against Brainerd Community Action and the city of Brainerd to remedy this injustice," his letter stated.
As of mid-morning Fisk said he had received no response to his letter and had not yet decided whether any legal action would be taken.
Attorney Ed Shaw said he had discussed the issue with Fisk but was not representing the group. He said his own opinion, while he was not a constitutional attorney and had not researched it, was that Community Action should be content neutral when it came to deciding on applications.
"I think the safety argument could be used to keep anything out that you want out," Shaw said. "If the people at the parade were that out of control then we probably shouldn't have it."
Sara Dunlap, a member of BACP and the wife of a retired, decorated Marine, said she disagreed with Community Action's decision.
She said the peace group supports U.S. troops and was not going to carry any inflammatory signs. Dunlap, a graduate of the Citizens Police Academy, will help police with traffic control, something she's done at the parade for about three years. She didn't think the coalition's entry in the parade would have incited any incidents.
City Attorney Fitzpatrick said police officials felt that with the size of the crowd and only 22 officers that law enforcement would be spread too thin to accommodate the peace group.
Other factors he noted were the patriotic fervor at the parade, the presence of military veterans and the fact that some parade observers tend to drink at the parade. He also said the peace group's application was late and security preparations were already in place.
Bolduc could not be reached for comment this morning.
Fisk said that while his group may have missed the original deadline, he was assured verbally that applications were still being accepted.
View full article here
********************************************* Events *********************************************
4.) 36th Annual Fort Totten Days Wacipi, July 24-27, Fort Totten, ND
Pow wow grand entry times are Thursday, 7pm; Fri, 1pm and 7pm; Saturday 1pm and 7pm; and Sunday 1pm.
Admission is free.
Singing and dance contests for northern, southern and straight categories.
Other events at the pow wow include basketball, softball, and a horse shoe tourney.
Contact the Devils Lake Hotel for room reservations.
********************************************* Reminders *********************************************
5.) North Dakota Protection & Advocacy Project, “Plan for Achieving Self Support Workshops”, August 4-7, 2003, Various Locations in ND
A Plan for Achieving Self-Support (PASS) is a way in which a person with a disability or blindness uses or sets aside income or resources to reach a work goal. For example, a person could set aside money for an education, a training program, to start a business or to purchase technology or a vehicle.
Any person who receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) because of a disability or blindness may have a PASS. In addition, a person who does not receive SSI because his or her income or resources are too high may use a PASS to become eligible for SSI.
People with disabilities interested in a PASS and professionals who provide support to them would benefit from attending this workshop.
The PASS workshop will be presented in four locations in North Dakota:
August 4, 2003 Bismarck, ND
August 5, 2003 Minot, ND
August 6, 2003 Grand Forks, ND
August 7, 2003 Fargo, ND
The deadline for registration is July 31st. To register or for more information contact Vickay Gross at vgross@state.nd.us, (701) 328-2950, (800) 472-2670 (voice), or 711 (ND Relay).
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6.) Summer Theological Conference, “In the Name of God: Religion and Violence in the Middle East,” July 21-23, 2003, Moorhead, MN
Religion clearly plays a role in the various conflicts in the Middle East. Exactly what the role is is not so obvious. More importantly, is there something about the monotheistic religions that dominate the region that stimulates, or at least provides sanction for, violence? Why does Western diplomacy consistently fail to address this key feature of Middle Eastern culture and political life?
Christianity is a tiny minority in the region, but its influence is enormous because of the power and influence of the United States. Does religion play a covert role in American policy? Is America engaged in a new Crusade in the Muslim world?
This conference is intended to shed some light on this very complicated situation-and to raise questions that the religious community needs to take very seriously.
For more information contact the CHARIS Ecumenical Center at (218) 299-3566 or email Vicki Juven at juven@cord.edu.
7.) North Dakota Fair Housing Council Workshops, June 10 – July 16, North Dakota and Eastern South Dakota
In 2003, the North Dakota Fair Housing Council (NDFHC) will sponsor a number of fair housing workshops across North Dakota and eastern South Dakota. The workshops will focus on: Learning what Federal and State Laws say about Fair Housing; learning about the complaint filing process; what’s illegal and what’s not; and more… They will be informative for tenants, users of housing services, non-profit organization and housing providers to learn how to end housing discrimination and what happens when discrimination occurs. Take home materials will be provided.
These workshops are open to the public and free of charge; however, seating may be limited. Please RSVP in advance to the NDFHC to ensure adequate seating and hand-outs. The following workshops have been scheduled to date:
Contact the NDFHC with any questions about the workshops or to register. Toll Free: 1-888-265-0907. Bismarck area: 221-2530.
For more information visit their web site 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 a member of NDHRC yet, what are you waiting for? Sign up now! On-line or by mail, it's all set at: http://www.ndhrc.org/membership.htm
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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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