I recently ran across an interesting column written by prominent Native American journalist Tim Giago for the March 7, 1991 edition of the Christian Science Monitor headlined "Dances with Senators." Tim Giago was induced to get out of the Senate race by Senator Daschle earlier this spring. The Washington Post hinted that in exchange for Giago leaving the race, Daschle would "open dialogue on returning the sacred Black Hills to the tribes of the Sioux Nation."
At any rate, it's interesting to observe Daschle's rumored change of heart on the issue of the return of the Black Hills in light of Giago's above-mentioned 1991 article in the Christian Science Monitor. Excerpt from the Giago article:
In his 1986 race for a seat in the United States Senate, South Dakota's Tom Daschle campaigned with vigor on the Indian reservations of his home state. Mr. Daschle won by about 11,000 votes because the reservations, at least in those days, voted a straight Democratic ticket.One of the first appointments Daschle sought after winning the election was to the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs. In my opinion, Daschle has used this position to block legislation prepared by the tribes of the Great Sioux Nation aimed at getting a small portion of their sacred Black Hills returned.
Not only did he prevent the legislation from getting out of his committee, but he was instrumental in assisting an anti-Indian group calling itself the Open Hills Association in spreading misstatements about the proposed legislation, thereby effectively turning public opinion in South Dakota against it.
During the Democratic convention this summer, Senator Daschle told the Native American Caucus that "The way we get to a stronger America is to respect the treaties of America, that’s where it starts." Wouldn't it be interesting if an enterprising reporter here in South Dakota were to ask Tom Daschle what he meant by that comment?
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