[Peace-discuss] [prc-l] UI Board passes outrageous "Chief" resolution -- take action!!

[Brooke Anderson]

>Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2004 16:01:35 -0500 (CDT)
>From: "Progressive Resource/Action Cooperative" <prc at prairienet.org>
>To: prc-l
>Subject: [prc-l] UI Board passes outrageous "Chief" resolution -- take
>	action!!
>
>
>Dear friends,
>
>The University of Illinois Board of Trustees met today in Chicago. As  you
>know, Trustees Carroll (supposedly anti-"Chief") and Sodemann  (very
>pro-"Chief") put forward a resolution calling for "a consensus  conclusion
>to the matter of Chief Illiniwek." The resolution was
>fundamentally pro-"Chief," extolling the virtues and history of
>"Chief Illiniwek," aiming to placate protestors, not at all deviating
>from current Board policy, and indefinitely stalling a Board decision.
>
>In protest, yesterday dozens of activists from multiple organizations
>from Champaign-Urbana travelled up to Chicago to join the Chicago  Native
>American community in solidarity against the "Chief." The
>protest - organized by the Native American Educational Services
>College - began at Truman College, and concluded with a march to the
>American Indian Center to protest the Board (who was having dinner at  the
>AIC). The protests denounced the Carroll/Sodemann resolution and  called
>on the Board to immediately eliminate "Chief Illiniwek."
>
>This morning, at the Board of Trustees meeting, three white students  and
>former Trustee, Susan Gravenhorst, spoke in favor of "Chief
>Illiniwek." They spoke of how the "Chief" unified a diverse student  body
>-- much to the disbelief of the scores of students, alum, and  community
>members of color and their allies who attended the meeting  to tell the
>Board how racially divisive and hostile the "Chief" is.  Also speaking
>were Leonard Malatare of the Native American
>Educational Services College and Kim Cook of the Illinois Native
>American Bar Association, both of whom called for the immediate
>removal of "Chief Illiniwek" and decried the suggestion of
>compromising on racism.
>
>Following the public comment session, Trustees Carroll and Sodemann
>introduced their "consensus conclusion" resolution and were drowned  out
>by anti-"Chief" activists chanting "1-2-3-4, Who is Carroll
>working for?  5-6-7-8, Selling out supports hate." The trustees could
>barely finish reading their resolution, as protestors held their
>fists up in the air. Following the reading of the resolution, Student
>Trustee, Nate Allen, offered two amendments to the resolution -- one
>which would have put a timeline on the process, the other of which  called
>for an immediate YES or NO vote on the "Chief." Both
>amendments were easily defeated. As the Board voted in support of the
>Carroll/Sodemann "consensus conclusion" resolution, protestors
>drowned out the roll call vote with chants of "Your stinking
>resolution is no type of solution." Only UIUC Student Trustee Nate  Allen
>voted against the resolution.
>
>Anti-"Chief" protestors then collectively confronted Board members,
>calling them out on their broken promises and lies. The Board then  went
>into Executive Session and left the room.
>
>With this "consensus conclusion" resolution, the Board hoped to quiet  and
>pacify the anti-"Chief" movement and quell protests. They hoped  that we
>would see it as a step forward and a reason to hold off on  further
>protests. They could not have been more wrong! The resolution  that passed
>is nothing but an ode to "Chief Illiniwek," an attempt to  silence Native
>peoples and their allies, and is a lie. The passage of  this resolution
>will only strengthen our resolve and bring more
>people into the struggle against racism at the University of Illinois.
>
>------------------
>TAKE ACTION NOW!!!
>------------------
>
>We are asking for your help in sending a loud and clear message to  the
>Board that their resolution is outrageous, racist, and
>unacceptable and that you will personally re-double your efforts to
>eliminate to "Chief Illiniwek." Please contact the Board of Trustees  at
>mthompsn at uillinois.edu or at (217) 333-1920. In your message,
>please touch on the following points:
>
>    -- the resolution is racist, insulting, and unacceptable
>    -- we are saddened and shocked by Trustee Carroll's broken promises --
>we appreciate Nate Allen's strong opposition to the resolution -- in
>passing this resolution, they have only furthered your resolve -- the
>Boards needs to exercise leadership and eliminate the "Chief"
>
>Please copy all email messages to the Board to the PRC at
>prc at prairienet.org, so that we can keep track of the number of people  who
>take action.
>
>Needless to say, we will be doubling our efforts to eliminate "Chief
>Illiniwek" and will be providing everyone with more information soon
>about what you can do to help, and about upcoming actions. And, of
>course, if you have ideas or would like to participate, please email  the
>PRC (see below).
>
>Thank you for your continued support!!!
>
>To let us know that you contacted the Board, for more information or  to
>volunteer, please contact PRC at prc at prairienet.org.
>
>Sincerely,
>The PRC
>
>p.s -- the text of the resolution is available on the PRC website:
>         http://www.prairienet.org/prc/
>
>p.p.s. -- for more coverage of the Board meeting, check out the following:
>
>http://www.news-gazette.com/story.cfm?Number=16196
>
>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4215884,00.html
>
>http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/Illinois+State+News/EC84CFA5B600B2E186256EB6005670F3?OpenDocument&Headline=University+of+Illinois+dodges+yes-or-no+vote+on+Illiniwek
>
>http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-chief17.html
>
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-- 
**************************************
Brooke Anderson
Champaign County Health Care Consumers
44 E. Main St., Suite 208
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone = (217) 352-6533, x 17
Fax = (217) 352-9745
Email = brooke at shout.net
**************************************