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~North Dakota Human Rights Coalition~

PAUR Report

Programs ~ Announcements ~ Updates ~ Resources

Visit our Website at www.ndhrc.org

March 25, 2004

Hello members and friends of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition!

In this week’s PAUR Report:

Announcements

1)   Press Release: UND denies request by UND American Indian law students to have traditional drum perform at School of Law’s 2004 graduation

2)  Conference Registration and Information Now Available Online, Building Racially Inclusive Communities Conference, May 6-8, Fargo

3)   NDHRC Still Accepting Applications for Paid Summer Internship

Newspaper Articles

4)   The Forum (Fargo), N.D. Labor Department sued: Lawsuit claims agency failed to properly handle discrimination complaints

5)   Bismarck Tribune, Group says it is suing the Labor Department

6)   Grand Forks Herald, UND Law School Graduation: Students protest ban of native drummers

7)   Grand Forks Herald, The Forum, Bismarck Tribune and Associated Press letters and articles regarding gay marriage

8)   Bismarck Tribune, Order in the courthouse?

9)   Bismarck Tribune, BHS locker vandalism brings complaints

10) The Forum (Fargo), Attorneys tell state to suspend McGuire

11) Minot Daily News, Social disorders aren’t permanent

12) The Forum (Fargo), John M. Jorgensen letter: Cowardice, bigotry at Ben Franklin

Events

13)  Woman’s Fund Features Presentation by Mavis Nicholson Leno, April 3, Fargo

14)  Uniting for Equality Collaborative Housing Summit, March 27, Moorhead, MN

15)  Nonviolent Peaceforce to Present on MSUM Campus, April 23, Moorhead, MN

Reminders

16)  Deadline Extended for Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership Development Institute, May 23 – 27, 2004, Moorhead

17)  Documentary Examines Native Sports Mascots and Stereotypes

18)  Greater North Dakota Association Seeking Community Leadership Award Nominations

19)  MSUM Women’s Studies Program, Women’s History Month, March 2004

20)  Pride Collective Discrimination Survey

21)  Registration for Town Hall Meeting, “Within Our Grasp:  Building a Better Bismarck Through Diversity, April 6, Bismarck

22)  Building Bridges: Understanding Community Crisis, April 2 – 3, Bismarck

23)  Knowing & Understanding Your Rights is the First Step in Receiving Equal Rights

24)  UND (Grand Forks) Forums Focus on American Indian Experience

25)  Principles of Community Organizing Training, April 24-27, 2004, Fargo

26)  Sisters of the Presentation at Sacred Heart Convent Presents “Peace Studies” 2003 Series (Various Locations in ND and MN)

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Announcements

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1.) Press Release: UND denies request by UND American Indian law students to have traditional drum perform at School of Law’s 2004 graduation

CONTACT:

Cindy Gillis (218) 791-0669

or

Monique Vondall (701) 215-0834

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23, 2004

The University of North Dakota Office of the President has denied a request by a group of American Indian law students from the University of North Dakota School of Law to have a traditional drum group perform an honor song for the Class of 2004.  This decision came despite the fact that the UND School of Law’s Class of 2004 Graduation Committee and Interim Dean Candice Zierdt approved this request.

Therefore, a protest is being scheduled for Wednesday, March 24, 2004 beginning outside of the law school on the UND Campus.  The group will gather at 8:30 a.m. and march along University Avenue to Twamley Hall in protest of the decision, which was delivered to the Dean’s Office via Vice-President of Student Outreach and Affairs, Bob Boyd, who indicated it came from the President’s cabinet.

Although the University of North Dakota claims to be a premier institution for Native Americans and welcomes diversity, there is a strong disconnect between the University’s policies and the University’s actions.

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2.) Conference Registration and Information Now Available Online, Building Racially Inclusive Communities Conference, May 6-8, Fargo

Join educators, policy makers, social service practitioners, community activists, and concerned citizens from around the Upper Midwest to learn about regional efforts to combat racism and to share resources and information on effective anti-racism strategies.

To register for the conference, visit: http://www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/wilkins/

For more information contact Char Voight at the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice, 612.626.9496 or cvoight@umn.edu.

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3.) NDHRC Still Accepting Application for Paid Summer Internship

Position Announcement

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition seeks applicants for a summer intern to interview individuals in North Dakota who have experienced discrimination and to document those experiences, with a focus on people in the gay/lesbian/transgender bisexual community, people of color (including Native Americans and New Americans) and people with disabilities.

This is a full-time summer internship for an undergraduate college student, 40 hours per week, $8.75 per hour.  Information about the internship and application information is

available at http://ndhrc.org/Annoucements/2004%20NDHRC%20Internship%20Position.htm.

North Dakota Human Rights Coalition

P.O. Box 1961

Fargo, ND 58107-1961

(701) 239-9323

(701) 478-4452 (Fax)

humanrights@ndhrc.org

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Newspaper Articles

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Below are two newspaper articles on the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition class action lawsuit.  News coverage of the March 23, 2004 press conference included WDAY (Channel 6) & Fox (Channel 10).  ND Public Radio has also requested to interview NDHRC’s Director, Cheryl Bergian regarding the case.

View the March 23, 2004 press release here

4.) The Forum (Fargo), N.D. Labor Department sued: Lawsuit claims agency failed to properly handle discrimination complaints

N.D. Labor Department sued: Lawsuit claims agency failed to properly handle discrimination complaints
By Mary Jo Almquist
The Forum - 03/24/2004

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition is suing the state Department of Labor for failing to properly handle discrimination complaints.

The Human Rights Coalition, a nonprofit organization, filed a class-action lawsuit Tuesday in Cass County District Court, claiming the Labor Department is not enforcing the state Human Rights Act.

“This lawsuit is all about getting the commissioner of labor -- Mark Bachmeier -- to do his job,” said Mark Schneider, North Dakota Human Rights Coalition attorney and a Fargo resident.

Once a discrimination complaint is filed and investigated, the Department of Labor must decide if discrimination may have occurred. When “probable cause” is found, the issue should go to an administrative law judge for a ruling.

The lawsuit claims the Labor Department hasn’t fulfilled its obligation to take “probable cause” complaints to an administrative hearing.

No cases have gone to an administrative hearing since that requirement was added to the law in 2001. Most get settled before reaching that point, Bachmeier said.

But Schneider said the Labor Department has failed to act on a number of complaints to determine if there’s probable cause.

<snip>

View full article here

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5.) Bismarck Tribune, Group says it is suing the Labor Department

Group says it is suing the Labor Department
By Dave Kolpack, Associated Press Writer

Bismarck Tribune - 3/24/2004

FARGO -- Labor Commissioner Mark Bachmeier has done a poor job of investigating discrimination complaints, a human rights group says.

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition announced on Tuesday that it is filing a lawsuit in East Central District Court, alleging Bachmeier has refused to determine whether many of the complaints have probable cause to move forward.

"This is all about getting the commissioner of labor to do his job," said Mark Schneider, lawyer for the coalition.

Bachmeier said his office investigates all complaints that are timely and meet basic criteria.

"My reaction (to the lawsuit) is that we have and continue to take our human rights responsibilities very seriously," Bachmeier said. "The record would bear out that we have been successful."

The group is not asking for money, but wants Bachmeier to enforce the North Dakota Human Rights Act, Schneider said. Without a probable cause determination, a complaint cannot receive an administrative hearing, he said.

The coalition made similar allegations against the Labor Department last year. It has pushed for a separate statewide Human Rights Commission.

<snip>

View full article here

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6.) Grand Forks Herald, UND Law School Graduation: Students protest ban of native drummers

UND LAW SCHOOL GRADUATION: Students protest ban of native drummers

UND may reconsider and allow Lakota ceremony at law school graduation
By David Dodds, Herald Staff Writer
Grand Forks Herald – 3/25/2004

Mike Grant's cry shook UND's Twamley Hall with a start at 8:49 a.m. Wednesday.

Morning business at the school's main administrative headquarters briefly paused as Grant, an American Indian student of Omaha heritage, belted out a traditional "family song" as a way to call attention to what he views as a wrong done to UND Law School's 2004 graduating class.

March 10, UND's administration rejected a request by the class' Graduation Committee and the interim dean of the law school, Candace Zierdt, to have an honor performance by American Indian drummers at the law school's May 15 ceremony.

Grant was one of about 30 UND student and faculty protesters who wore red armbands for unity on a short march from the law school steps to the first floor of Twamley. In his family's native language, Grant called out a personal challenge to school President Charles Kupchella.

"I just called him down for you guys," Grant told the gathering crowd. "I'm really sorry he did this to you."

<snip>

View full article here

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7.) Grand Forks Herald, The Forum, Bismarck Tribune, and Associated Press letters and articles regarding gay marriage

<snip>

Gay marriage goes against God's plan

Grand Forks Herald – 3/14/2004

WARROAD, Minn. - Why are we the people voiceless? We should have the right to decide on issues concerning the morality of our country. This is America, not Sodom and Gomorrah.

God created a man and a woman to be together in love and to fill this Earth with children. Marriage is sacred and only between one man and one woman. No man can give birth to a child. No woman can become pregnant without a seed from a man.

Our society has lost respect before God - starting with taking God's law out of the courts, God's name out of the country and out of the schools. We the people of the United States are not gay; only a small percentage like to be intimate with the same sex. The majority will oppose same sex marriage.

Children will suffer; they have no understanding of an upside-down world. If God wanted same sex marriage, he would have told us so. Look at the animals: If a male dog comes too close to another male dog, there will be a big fight. Are we lower than animals?

<snip>

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God sees nothing good about gay unions

Grand Forks Herald – 3/14/2004

McVILLE, N.D. - David Rittman's viewpoint Herald deserves a response.

To think that one who poses as a preacher of the Gospel can do so good a job of cooperating with evil.

Rittman refers to Chicken Little as thinking the sky is falling and uses that term to describe those who have sound judgment about same-sex unions. He goes on to say he legally is not obligated to tell you the truth, but morally is obligated to do so. Isn't that a strange statement for Rittman to make when he ignores the morality of Sodom and Gomorrah?

When will we realize that man with man and woman with woman is a horrible abomination to God? Shouldn't a preacher preach the word and tell the truth?

The sky didn't fall on Sodom and Gomorrah either, but fire and brimstone fell, and that took care of the cities on the plain. There is no reason God will be kinder to modern Sodomites.

Arthur Knudson

View previous two articles here

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James Leahy column: A walk through marriage ruling in Massachusetts
The Forum - 03/13/2004

On April 11, 2001, 14 individuals filed legal action in a Massachusetts court against the Department of Public Health. These individuals had all been refused marriage licenses because each applicant intended to marry a person of the same sex.

When the lower court refused to order the department to issue licenses, the plaintiffs appealed to the Massachusetts Supreme Court which reversed. This court, however, stayed entry of judgment for 180 days to give the Legislature time to take action commensurate with the court’s decision.

The plaintiffs had argued that the refusal to issue marriage licenses denied them equal protection of the law and due process of law both of which are guaranteed by the state’s Constitution.

Three justices agreed in an opinion written by the chief justice, hereafter referred to as the court. One justice agreed that the plaintiffs were denied equal protection of the law. He, therefore, concurred in the court’s decision.

Three justices did not believe that the plaintiffs were denied any constitutional rights and therefore dissented.

<snip>

View the full article here

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Other views: Focus gay marriage debate on equality under the law
By Stashenko Hempeck
The Forum - 03/13/2004

The recent actions by the Massachusetts Supreme Court and Mayor Newsom of San Francisco have helped vault the issue of gay marriage back into the national headlines.

The Massachusetts action prompted a response from conservatives here in Minnesota that mimics those of activists of the same persuasion on the national level, namely, an attempt to enshrine marriage within our state constitution as only between a man and a woman.

Historically speaking, the state does indeed have power over marriage. The authority to grant the institution of marriage was inherent in all the colonial governments and, when independence from Britain was achieved, this was transferred to all state governments.

What must be noted here however, is that marriage was initially (and still is) defined as a social union sanctioned by the state(s), who then often chose to sublet that power to churches, ministers, etc. But states never entirely gave up that power, or else no justice of the peace would have ever been able to perform a marriage ceremony. Many states extended that power to couples themselves by deeming that if they managed to live together for say, seven years, that they would then be considered legally married in the eyes of the state.

The institution of marriage encompasses many areas: sex, property, inheritance rights, power of attorney, etc. Though I certainly cannot speak for them, I suspect many gay and lesbian couples would accept having marriage defined as between one man and one woman if they were to receive an equal treatment under the law, i.e., a civil union. The problem, of course, is that this country tried separate but equal once before, in relation to whites and blacks, and the policy failed.

The fundamental and underlying principle, then, is that gay and lesbian couples are simply asking for the freedom and equality under the law that now exists for heterosexuals. Allowing them to marry will not result in any loss of rights for heterosexuals, nor will it force heterosexuals to become, or “act like” homosexuals.

<snip>

View full article here here

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Nathan Adams letter: Marriage is between a man and a woman
The Forum - 03/13/2004

After hearing about the recent circus in San Francisco on every news channel and newspaper, I wondered how people could advocate expanding the institution of marriage to include homosexuals.

Marriage is defined as the union between one man and one woman, so why should that definition be changed to mean something it doesn’t? Should I be able to call Webster’s and tell them to make “immoral” mean “pure”?

Not only is homosexuality unnatural, but if you are a person of religion, it is condemned. Or at least it was, until the same people who are trying to change the meaning of marriage decided that the passage in the Bible that condemned homosexuality was only referring to abusive homosexual relationships, and thereby stating that being gay was acceptable to God.

While you do have to give these people credit for being able to manipulate the English language, the majority of Americans who support a ban on gay marriage should not be forced to succumb to the will of the outspoken minority.

Nathan Adams

West Fargo

View online article here here

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Bismarck Unitarians vote to welcome gays, lesbians

By Karen Herzog

Bismarck Tribune – 3/17/2004

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship here recently became a welcoming congregation -- welcoming to gay, lesbian and transgendered people -- and has actually grown since then, said member Don Morrison. Not just same-sex families, but heterosexual people have joined the congregation, he said.

The process of becoming a welcoming congregation took a year of discussions and workshops, he said, resulting in a proposal submitted to and approved by the Unitarian Universalist Association.

At its annual meeting, voters unanimously approved welcoming status, making it one of 400 UU welcoming congregations nationwide, and joining Fargo-Moorhead in North Dakota, Morrison said.

Of the charges brought against two Unitarian clergy in New York this week for performing same-sex marriages, Morrison called the move "a frightening trend, that authorities would go to such lengths to prevent people from living a loving life."

Unitarian Universalists have been performing same-sex ceremonies for more than 30 years, he said, including a few in Bismarck, he said.

People don't usually come to the Unitarians to get married, but become part of the UU community first, he said.

<snip>

View full article here

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Gay marriage producing legal chaos in U.S.
By David Crary
Associated Press

In courtrooms and state capitols nationwide, opponents and supporters of gay marriage have embarked on a collision course, pursuing lawsuits and legislation so deeply at odds that prolonged legal chaos is likely.

One plausible result: a nation divided, at least briefly, between a handful of states recognizing gay marriage and a majority which do not.

The most clear-cut option for averting such chaos is a federal constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. However, despite support from President Bush, the amendment is given little chance of winning the needed two-thirds support in both the House and Senate this year.

Without it, experts say, the rival sides are likely to litigate so relentlessly that the U.S. Supreme Court will eventually be compelled to intercede and clarify whether a legal same-sex union in one state must be recognized in other states.

"It's going to be complicated for many years - we're going to have some free-marriages states, and some that are not," said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"This is not a new situation in our country," Foreman added. "We have had a hodgepodge of laws on different social issues. Invariably, we come to widespread consensus, and that's going to happen to this issue."

For now, though, consensus seems distant as two contrasting legal offensives take shape.

<snip>

View full article here

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8.) Bismarck Tribune, Order in the courthouse?

Order in the courthouse?

By Lauren Donovan, Bismarck Tribune

Bismarck Tribune – 3/13/2004

WASHBURN -- An old lady in a new dress is still an old lady, lovely though she may look.

That's sort of the situation at the McLean County Courthouse in Washburn, where a $1 million renovation project resulted in a modernized addition with an elevator opening into a century-old structure.

The project is in its final days and it already means that one courthouse employee who uses crutches can get around the building like never before.

Donna Nelson, the courthouse receptionist, had filed suit under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The federal government gave the county until Feb. 1 to provide access or face consequences.

The elevator was running up and down between floors three days ahead of the deadline. The rest of the work -- reconfiguring offices and hallways and building a third floor above an annex building to accommodate the elevator -- is just about done.

The whole project has been a long haul for McLean County, which started looking at an elevator years ago.

Les Korgel, county treasurer and the man in charge of county handicap compliance, said the project bears a striking resemblance to plans the county looked at 15 years ago.

Instead of proceeding then, the county ended up tangling with historical preservation interests and eventually -- as the result of a legal opinion -- presented the idea of a new floor-level building to county voters, who turned it down flat.

<snip>

View full article here

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9.) Bismarck Tribune, BHS locker vandalism brings complaints

BHS locker vandalism brings complaints

By Deena Winter

Bismarck Tribune – 3/17/2004

Police and school officials are looking into complaints they've received from a Bismarck family who is unhappy with the way they investigated a vandalism at Bismarck High School, in which a 17-year-old student's gym locker was filled with human feces.

Peter and Connie Neigum don't like the way school and police officials responded to the vandalism targeted at their adopted son, who is black, in what they believe was a hate crime. They suspect police and school officials dragged their feet on the investigation because the suspects were BHS wrestlers -- who won the state Class A tournament in February -- and have filed complaints with both the police department and school district.

But police and school officials say they took the incident seriously and investigated it fully but were unable to determine who was responsible for vandalizing the locker. They are now looking into the Neigums' complaints about the way their investigations were conducted.

Peter Neigum said police and school officials were slow to respond to the incident, and he suspects maybe someone was trying to put off the whole thing until after the wrestling season.

"It's a shame, the way it was handled," he said. He said one official told him to "let it go."

The Neigums have taken their case to the city's newly formed Human Relations Committee, which assisted the family in filing complaints with the school and police department. In their written complaint, they said they had no evidence to prove who did it.

<snip>

View online article here

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10.) The Forum (Fargo), Attorneys tell state to suspend McGuire

Attorneys tell state to suspend McGuire
By Dave Forster
The Forum - 03/17/2004

The attorney who filed misconduct charges against Judge Michael McGuire has recommended the state suspend the judge without pay for three months.

The seven women who accused McGuire, 62, of wrongdoing in the Cass County Courthouse want a harsher punishment.

Their attorney, Ron McLean of Fargo, asked for a one-year suspension in a brief to Paul Jacobson, the North Dakota Judicial Conduct Commission’s disciplinary counsel and the attorney who is prosecuting the case. McLean also asked that the state suspend McGuire’s license to practice law in North Dakota until he complete a sexual harassment sensitivity class.

On March 5, Jacobson questioned the women for several hours of testimony against McGuire during a public hearing at Fargo’s Holiday Inn. The 14 charges include accusations that McGuire touched a secretary’s cheek, referred to a computer mouse as a testicle and asked a clerk to sleep with him.

McGuire has denied the more serious charges and said the others came from incidents the women spun out of context to make him look bad. The most charges came from a vengeful clerk who was upset that McGuire didn’t promote her, said Mark Condon, McGuire’s attorney.

Condon asked the four-member disciplinary panel who held the hearing to dismiss each charge. The panel, which will pass its recommendation to the State Supreme Court for a final ruling, asked both sides for final arguments and a recommended resolution by last Friday.

<snip>

View full article here

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11.) Minot Daily News, Social disorders aren’t permanent

Social disorders aren't permanent
Marilyn Schoenberg
Hebron

Minot Daily News – 3/16/2004

Why should we care about the March 4 news of overcrowding in North Dakota prisons? Most people I know seem glad to have those 1,300 annoying or dangerous monsters put away and forgotten.

I, for one, think we should care for two reasons. First of all, we are commissioned by our creator to love and serve each other. Secondly, locking up the dangerous and delirious is breaking the bank. The last figure I heard was $20,000 to keep someone in prison for a year. It can cost up to $70,000 or more a year for nursing home care with Medicare and Medicaid. A basic bed in the State Hospital in Jamestown is $310.32 per day, which equals $9,309.60 a month or $111,715.20 a year. Most of these expenses end up in the lap of the American taxpayer.

If we want to save taxpayers' money spent on care and containment, we are all going to have to become more responsible - for ourselves and to others. In my opinion, there are two problems preventing us from fulfilling Christ's Great Commission. First of all, we have become hedonistic and materialistic as a society and don't seem to want to be bothered with bothersome people. Secondly, most care of the weak, the sick, the disabled, deficient or deviant is done by paid workers and those workers will fight for their jobs because that's their survival. Paid workers are disinclined to share the care of their charges with family, church or community members.

<snip>

View full article here

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12.) The Forum (Fargo), John M. Jorgensen letter: Cowardice, bigotry at Ben Franklin

John M. Jorgensen letter: Cowardice, bigotry at Ben Franklin
The Forum - 03/17/2004

I’m ashamed at the cowardice and bigotry displayed by Ben Franklin Principal Shane Martin. In banning a gay North Dakota State University student from participating in the school’s letter-writing program, he has taught his entire school a lesson in homophobia and intolerance.

As a gay male writing to a girl, what was the “sexual connotation” that Martin spoke of? If the letter had been written by a college-age female would he have made the same decision? It seems to me that this was one young person writing to another young person about shared interests. The student made reference to his sexuality as a point of establishing common ground.

Martin is a person we entrust to shape the minds of our children and to shape the policies that affect the way they learn. As the father of a Fargo first grade student, I certainly hope that my son isn’t being taught to be prejudiced and reactionary.

I’m sad to see this kind of narrow-minded policy in our city at a time when we are looking to attract new businesses and residents. Our more forward-thinking civic and business leaders have fought hard to portray our city as being progressive and to celebrate its diversity. This sort of backwards thinking only serves to undo much of the progress we have made. I hope the Ben Franklin parents will see that this girl was only in danger of having a better understanding of the world.

John M. Jorgensen

Fargo

View online article here

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Events

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13.) Woman’s Fund Features Presentation by Mavis Nicholson Leno, April 3, Fargo

The Woman’s Fund invites you to attend another exciting presentation by a woman who is making a difference!

Mavis Nicholson Leno is currently the chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Campaign to Help Afghan Women and Girls. She is the United States’ most outspoken critic of the Taliban’s horrific treatment of women.

The activist wife of TV personality Jay Leno, Mavis is a proven leader in women’s rights and philanthropy. Join us as the Women’s Fund connects women and girls to greater influence, education and opportunities!

Saturday, April 3, 2004 - 10:00 A.M.

Fargo Theatre

$25 – Adult & $10 - Student

Box Office Hours 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. or

Call 701-235-4152 for more information

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14.) Uniting for Equality Collaborative Housing Summit, March 27, Moorhead, MN

You are Invited To Participate in the March 27th Housing Summit

The Uniting For Equality Collaborative (UFE) will be holding a Housing Summit the afternoon of Saturday, March 27, 2004, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.at the Presbyterian Church of Moorhead, 2900 5th Street South, Moorhead, Minnesota.

The State of Housing in Moorhead is dependent upon the willingness of concerned individuals to participate in the solution generating process. The public is cordially invited to attend.

The event is free of charge and on site child care will be provided.

The Summit aims to bring together city leaders, developers, bankers, seniors, those with disabilities, families, singles, and everyone affected by housing conditions and developments in Moorhead.

Break Out sessions will be held and will deal with subjects such as: Student Housing, Public Subsidized Housing, Home Ownership, Obstacles to Housing, Work Force Housing, Living Wage, and Senior Housing.

Open discussion will generate innovative and creative solutions resulting in concrete proposals. The proposals that emerge will be moved forward in the community.

Topics covered in the break out sessions will include Student Housing, Public Subsidized Housing, Home Ownership, Obstacles to Housing, Work Force Housing, Living Wage, and Senior Housing.

Please feel free to invite colleagues, students, clients, friends, or family.

If you have any questions, or would like to become more involved, please call Gwen or Lysa at 236-5434, or log onto our web site, www.pepp.org/ufe.

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15.) Nonviolent Peaceforce to Present on MSUM Campus, April 23, Moorhead, MN

Nonviolent Peaceforce to Present on MSUM Campus

The mission of the Nonviolent Peaceforce is to facilitate the creation of a trained, international civilian nonviolent peaceforce. The Peaceforce is sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights, thus creating the space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, enter into dialogue, and seek peaceful resolution--the Nonviolent Peaceforce represents the next step in positive action for a more peaceful world.

Patricia Keefe, J.D. who has been on the staff of the St. Paul office of the Nonviolent Peaceforce since it began in 2000, will speak at Minnesota State University Moorhead on Friday, April 23rd at 4 p.m. in the Glasrud Auditorium.

The presentation will focus on the effectiveness of nonviolent movements, the development of the Peaceforce and how the Peaceforce is implementing nonviolent actions in Sri Lanka, its first project. Sri Lanka has been engaged in civil war for the past 20 years. The Peaceforce is working with local partners there to support a cease fire agreement and to enable peace to return to that island country.

This presentation is being sponsored by Stop the Hate and the Visiting Scholars Committee.

For more information on the Nonviolent Peaceforce movement, please refer to www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org.

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Reminders

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16.) Deadline Extended for Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership Development Institute, May 23 – 27, 2004, Moorhead

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 30, 2004!

The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition has been participating in the planning meetings for this event.  One of the goals of the Coalition is to increase the diversity of representation in state and local government in North Dakota, including increasing the number of women, people of color, people with disabilities, and openly gay people.

Are you interested in developing public leadership skills?  Or do you know of a woman who you would encourage to explore public leadership?

The Tri-College NEW (National Education for Women) Leadership Development Institute will be held on May 23 - 27, 2004 at Minnesota State University Moorhead, in Moorhead, Minnesota.  The institute is an intensive five-day residential program designed to teach participants about the diversity of women's participation in politics, connect participants with women leaders, and cultivate participants' leadership skills.

Approximately 40 women will be selected to participate at no cost to the participant.  Any woman who is interested in politics, leadership, public service, or community service, and has a desire to develop her own leadership skills are encouraged to apply.  Both college students and non-students will be accepted; you do not need to be in college or involved in formal political roles, or consider yourself a leader now, to be considered.

More information and an application form is available at http://appserv.mnstate.edu/whitede/conference/.  Applications will be accepted until March 30, 2004.

Please forward freely.

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17.) Documentary Examines Native Sports Mascots and Stereotypes

"If The Name Has To Go..."

The 24 minute personal documentary examines Native sports mascots and the stereotypes from which they emerged.  The documentary begins with the director's own personal struggle with identity and dignity while growing up surrounded by caricatures of Indians.  The second part takes place at the University of North Dakota, where anti-Native hate speech, and Indian team mascots and local politics have created a hostile environment for Native students and activists.  The documentary concludes with an examination of Suzan Shown Harjo's ongoing struggle with the Washington D.C. Football team's name.  The film asks the question:  Are Indian mascots the next step in assimilating Native Americans.

The director produced the film to be used as a tool for activists, and is writing the grant to send a copy of the documentary to every school that uses Indians as mascots.  The director is looking for additional information to help in the distribution of the film.

Here are some of the questions:

 
1.  What person at the schools will most likely view the video?  I wanted to send the video to the school principals with a letter trying to convince them as educators to view it. 
2.  Does anyone know of where I can get a list of the schools that use Indians as mascots?
3. If you would like a copy, I can send you one, for $10.  Send me your address again.

Thanks everyone for your help and support. 

QuietCoyote Video Productions
202-210-2212

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18.) Greater North Dakota Association Seeking Community Leadership Award Nominations

Nominations are being solicited for GNDA's 2004 Community Leadership Awards. This award recognizes community leaders who contribute to their communities making North Dakota a better place to live, work and be in business.

In the late 1980s, GNDA created the Community Leadership Award to recognize people at the local level who are making their communities better places to live. Individuals who receive this award have a long history of sharing their talents and time above and beyond the demands of jobs and family in order to help their communities and the state prosper. Since its inception in 1986, 252 people have received this distinguished award. For a list of prior recipients, please e-mail gnda@gnda.com.

Any individual, business or organization may submit nominations for award recipients. No more than one award will be presented in each community.

A description of the criteria and a nomination form can be found at www.gnda.com. The nomination deadline is April 15, 2004. For questions regarding the GNDA award programs, please call 800-382-1405 or e-mail gnda@gnda.com.

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19.) MSUM Women’s Studies Program, Women’s History Month, March 2004

All events are free and open to public.

For more information on Women’s History Month Events go to www.mnstate.edu/women

or contact Laurie Blunsom, Director of Women’s Studies, at 218.477.4606, blunsom@mnstate.edu

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20.) Pride Collective Discrimination Survey

The Pride Collective has developed a survey to gain more detailed information about discrimination that members of the GLBT community may or may not have experienced here in the Fargo-Moorhead area.  We are hoping for a large number of responses and from a wide variety of points of view.  You do not need to feel that you have experienced discrimination to complete the survey.  In order to speak more effectively on behalf of our local GLBT community, it's important that we have a representative sampling of people's opinions.

You can find the survey at www.pridecollective.com/survey.cfm.  There is also a large graphic link on the main page of the Pride Collective site.  Please be assured that your answers are completely anonymous.  We are collecting no identifying information.  In fact, when the responses are mailed to the Pride Collective, my personal address is used as the default sender.

The survey takes only a few minutes to complete.  Your responses will be greatly appreciated.  The results will be compiled, and a summary will be presented to the Fargo Human Relations Commission, the Moorhead Human Rights Commission, and local media outlets.

At this time we are asking only residents of the greater Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area to respond.  In the very near future, a similar survey for all North Dakota residents will be on the website of Equality North Dakota.

Thank you in advance for your participation in the survey.  If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail webmaster@pridecollective.com.

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21.) Registration for Town Hall Meeting, “Within Our Grasp:  Building a Better Bismarck Through Diversity, April 6, Bismarck

View the Town Hall Meeting registration information here.

This workshop is sponsored by the City of Bismarck Human Relations Committee and the North Dakota Fair Housing Council through a U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development grant.

The mission of the City of Bismarck Human Relations Committee is to protect and promote the personal dignity of all Bismarck citizens and eliminate any discriminatory barriers that prevent them from reaching their full human potential. They seek to make education and compliance a meaningful and visible strategy as they work to recognize the value of a diverse community. For more information, visit: www.ndfhc.org/HRC.htm

The mission of the North Dakota Fair Housing Council is to provide support, encouragement and assistance to those seeking equal access to housing in North Dakota and eastern South Dakota. For more information, visit: www.ndfhc.org

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22.) Building Bridges: Understanding Community Crisis, April 2 – 3, Bismarck

Building Bridges: Understanding Community Crisis

April 2-3, 2004

Doublewood Inn, Bismarck, ND

Conference Objectives

To present the biological and neurological basis for brain disorders as it relates to behavior while interacting in the community.

To provide information on the Crisis Intervention Team Model involving law enforcement officers, mental health providers, family members and consumers of mental health services.

To foster collaboration of community partners in addressing inappropriate incarceration of individuals with brain disorders.

To investigate the purpose, principles and roles of Assertive Community Treatment teams which provide an evidence-based practice for outreach-oriented delivery of services to people with severe and persistent brain disorders.

To explore the treatment of a person’s traumatic experiences using the EMDR method.

Intended Audience

Law Enforcement Officers, Social Workers, Attorneys, Psychiatrists, County & State Correctional Employees, Psychologists, Judges, Professional Counselors, County Commissioners, Nurses, Legislators, Physicians, Families, Consumers of Mental Health Services

Clergy, Addiction Counselors

Persons who have been incarcerated

Any person interested in brain disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, traumatic brain injuries (TBI), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), schizophrenia and others.

For more information contact Janet Sabol at 701-527-4936 or email at jsabol@srt.com.

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23.) Knowing & Understanding Your Rights is the First Step in Receiving Equal Rights

Learn how to attain your rights

1st Thursday of Each month 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Wesley Center

109 9th St. South Fargo

North Dakota Human Rights
Fargo Human Relations
Peoples Diversity Forum
And Indigenous Leaders

Special Guest Speakers (to be announced)
will provide Information about Indigenous Rights and other related topics

For more information contact:
Kathy Kulesa, Director, Human Rights Division 1-800-582-8032

All are welcome, please share this information.

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24.) UND (Grand Forks) Forums Focus on American Indian Experience

Beginning in January and leading up to the 35th annual University of North Dakota Indian Association powwow in April, UND has scheduled a series of book discussions and forums on the topic of "Exploring the American Indian Experience."

The events, sponsored by UND's American Indian Programs Council and a number of campus and community entities, are free of charge and open to the public.

The schedule:
April 1: Community forum, 7 to 9 p.m. in the Chester Fritz Auditorium. Brian Gilley, assistant professor of Indian studies, and Russ McDonald, associate research director of the National Resource Center on Native American Aging at UND, both of whom will be involved in the UNDIA powwow on April 2-4 at the Hyslop Sports Center, will explain the role of tradition in modern powwows. Dancers and musicians will perform and explain the significance of various aspects of the powwow and of American Indian dancing.

More information about the events and the availability of the Starita book is available at www.conted.und.edu/AIE.

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25.) Principles of Community Organizing Training, April 24-27, 2004, Fargo

The Dakota Resource Council invites you or anyone you know would be interested to attend the Principles of Community Organizing (POCO) training, which will be held in Fargo on April 24 - 27, 2004.  Please register online at http://www.worc.org/development/pocotraining.html.

Also more information on the POCO training can be viewed at the above link or by contacting the Fargo Dakota Resource Council (DRC) office at 701-298-8685.

The Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) will be presenting the POCO training. The Dakota Resource Council is a member of WORC.

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26.) 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! 

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.

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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