Action Call: BEAR BUTTE ISSUE MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER!

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

Kevin Woster:


Many years ago, the federal courts ruled that the Black Hills of western South Dakota had been taken illegally from the American Indian tribes –

As governor, would you consider transferring Bear Butte State Park land and management to a consortium of American Indian Tribes as a gesture of reconciliation from the state?

Mike Rounds, Republican candidate in 2006:


“I do not believe that Bear Butte State Park, and it is a state park,
should be transferred to a Native American tribe.

I’m not sure which Native American tribe you might suggest (that) you hold
that they are all sovereign.

SD Governors Discuss Bear Butte

Why is the Bear Butte issue more critical than ever?

Crossposted at Native American Netroots

From Protect Bear Butte:

(Seems only first link in bulletin is still working)

Contact us at [email protected]

—————– Bulletin Message —————–

From: NDN News

Date: Apr 23, 2008 10:17 PM

Hello Everyone,

Please forward this flier widely! If you can, print them out, distribute them, post them, whatever you can think of! Please help spread the word!
If you want it as a Microsoft word document, for easier printing, email me!

We appreciate all of your help and support to protect sacred sites!

Thank you!

In peace & solidarity,
(name not posted)

www. NDNnews. com
www. ProtectSacredSites. org
http://bearbutte. blogspot. com/  

“Providing news and information about Native American Issues & Causes”
“Helping to make a difference for our people in Indian Country, one day at a time.

What will you do today to help make a difference?”

“Our sacred lands are all that remain keeping us connected to our place on Mother Earth, to our spirituality, our heritage and our lands; what’s left of them.

If they take it all away, what will remain except a vague memory of a past so forgotten?”

Join our friends list on my space at http://www. myspace. com/ndnnews and
http://www. myspace. com/protectsacredsites
Also, join our yahoo group at Protecting our Ancestors & Sacred Sites

Protect Sacred Sites Indigenous People, One Nation is a grass roots organization, which works towards protecting our sacred sites across the country.

We are a local organization actively working on the Protection of Bear Butte, in South Dakota.

BEAR BUTTE ISSUE MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER!

SACRED SITES ARE WORTH THE FIGHT!

Greetings to all my relations,

I am writing to you today to alert you to the commercial desecration of land held sacred by nearly all the Plains American Indian Nations, Bear Butte.  This blatant disregard for the spiritual beliefs and traditional and cultural treasure of thousands of people is evidenced by the continuing and mounting presence of bars, clubs, strobe lights, a proposed stadium, and other venues of crass commercial entertainment.

A brief background:

Bear Butte is a sacred site located eight miles west of Sturgis, South Dakota. It is registered as a National Historical Landmark. Bear Butte is sacred to the Plains Tribes, many continue to travel to the mountain each summer to pray and hold their annual ceremonies. Instead of praying in peace, traditional people are forced to pray with loud music from bars, mufflers and flashing strobe lights over the mountain.

For the past few years there has been a continual encroachment of bars and venues heading towards the sacred mountain. In the summer of 2006, the massive two story bar opened just one mile from the mountain, called Sturgis County Line. Their goal is to have a 50,000 seat concert stadium and a RV park, in addition to the newly built two story bar. The owner of this location, Jay Allen has been disrespectful from the start. He initially wanted to call the location “On Sacred Ground” and erect an 80-foot Indian statue pointing towards the sacred mountain. Of course this was not viewed lightly, there has been a major battle to shut Jay Allen down, ever since.

There have been several developments since the summer of 2006, expansions are in progress and things are potentially getting worse. On April 14, 2008, Jay Allen announced a new partnership with a travel corporation from Boston, MA. In addition to this new partnership, they announced their plans to open the Sturgis County Line, year round. Biker rally events are NOW scheduled in June, July and August for the Sturgis Rally. So far, over a thousand bikers are scheduled to attend each event in June and July. The concert venue will be moving forward, by next summer they could have a 50,000 seat concert stadium, one mile from Bear Butte!  With this new year round expansion, it will virtually become impossible ALL summer, to pray in peace at Bear Butte.  This issue has escalated and is now, more critical than ever.

 We are continuing the struggle to Protect Bear Butte and hope you will join us in these efforts!  

What YOU can do to help!

Help us create awareness for the continual desecration of sacred sites, including Bear Butte.

Get actively involved! Take Action!

Help spread the word! The goal is to create public awareness across the country about desecration of our sacred sites! Being proactive and creating awareness, is one of the many ways, WE EACH can help to make a difference.

Join our Bear Butte Working Group! We need pro-active, dedicated people who are willing to help in this continual struggle.

 Email us to find out how YOU can help Protect Bear Butte!  

Talk with as MANY BIKERS as you can! Ask for their support on this issue, to not endorse Jay Allen’s Sturgis County Line.

 The motto is Bikers for Bear Butte!

Sign up for our email updates! We send out announcements, updates, action alerts, upcoming meetings, hearings and information about current status.

Contact us at [email protected]