2 1 rti -s .. I July 1, 1996
W 6ttMH I SMOKE SIGNALS
Clayton Lonetree, Ada Deer speak at NAJA conference
By Tracy Dugan
Have you ever done anything you regret
all in the name of love? Most people, when
asked this question, would answer affirma
tively. There are few of us who can't recall
a time in our lives when we were young
and in love, and made an embarrassing er
ror in judgement which now gives us cause
to wince at the recollection. But some mis
takes are more serious than others. That's
what the attendees of the Native American
Journalist's Association (NAJA) conference
learned about Clayton Lonetree.
Lonetree, (Ho-ChunkNavajo) was a
speaker at the conference along with Ada
Deer, Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs,
and actorcomedian Gary Farmer.
The Smoke Signals staff attended the con
ference, held in Bangor, Maine, which cov
ered a myriad of current issues pertaining
to Native American journalists, including
environmental protection, discrimination in
the media, Indian gaming, federal recogni
tion, and freedom of religion. But certainly
the most interesting and eagerly-awaited
session was "A Warrior Returns: Clayton
Lonetree Tells his Story."
Lonetree, 25, an ex-Marine convicted of
espionage, spoke before a large audience
for the first time since recently being re
leased from a
federal military
prison.
He was con
victed in 1987
ofspyingforthe
Soviet Union
while he was
serving as a
guard outside
the U.S. Em
bassy in Mos
cow.
While stationed in Moscow, Lonetree fell
in love with a Ukrainian interpreter who
allegedly persuaded him to sell military se
crets to the Soviet government. In March
of 1986, Lonetree was transferred from
Moscow to Vienna and gave himself up in
December of that year. He was court
martialed on 13 formal charges of espio
nage. The charges included: unauthorized
contact with foreign nationals; conspiring
i -
- .wHSr
Clayton Lonetree
with Soviet intelligence in Moscow and
Vienna; knowingly endangering U.S. secu
rity interests; disclosing the identities of
U.S. intelligence agents; and handing over
to the Soviets blueprints of the floor plans
of the Moscow and Vienna embassies.
Lonetree was paroled after serving eight
years in prison.
During his speech he said he does not
view himself as a villain or a hero. He said
his trial was a "farce, a show trial," and de
clined to give many specifics of his case.
Lonetree was paid $2,500 for the informa
tion he gave to the Soviets, which he spent
on gifts for his Ukraine love. Tribal veter
ans from Maine, scheduled to appear at the
Bangor Civic Center to protest on his be
half, failed to show.
After his speech, Lonetree told a local
Bangor news reporter, "I have made some
mistakes." He now plans to work as a car
penter, a trade learned during his prison sen
tence. The NAJA conference held other high
lights. Conference attendees were invited
by the local Penobscot Tribe to visit their
high stakes bingo center and reservation
located on Indian Island, where we were
served a traditional dinner of salmon,
moose, fiddleheads, corn chowder, and
clams. Ada Deer spoke at a luncheon the
next day.
Deer's speech, which she called "Indi
ans 101," was on the role and responsibil
ity Native journalists should play in mak
ing tribal issues a priority in the mainstream
media.
"Being Indian is more than just beads and
braids," she said. "The mainstream press is
doing a poor job of covering American Indi
ans. They need more of you, many more of
you. You are the voice of your tribes."
Deer, a member of the Menominee
Tribe, was appointed as the Assistant Sec
retary of Indian Affairs by President Clinton
in 1993, and is the first woman to hold the
position.
Other than the Penobscots, the Native
American Journalist's Association confer
ence hosts in Maine included the Maliseet,
Micmac, and Passamaquoddy tribes, who
graciously sponsored many events.
Chairman's Report: Opposition to Indian Gaming in Washington D.C.
By Mark Mcrcier
A recent letter dated June 12, 1996, (at right) signed by three House members urging
other members of Congress to support a bill they sponsored calling it the "Fair Gaming
Act" which, once again, shows that there are definitely some zealous opponents to Indian
gaming. This letter was distributed to the rest of Con
gress on the House side. As this letter suggests, it may
have been spurred by recent activity by tribes pursu
ing gaming in northern California, Representative
Herger's district. Although the letter is rife with de
liberate inaccuracies, such as their claim that the In
dian Gaming Regulatory Act exempts Indian gaming
from state law, it clearly shows that some members of
Congress have Indian gaming on their "hit list," so to
speak.
Although this bill isn't expected to go anywhere this
year, it demonstrates that there are some members of
Congress who will repeatedly try to do away with In
dian gaming or restrict it, when Congress reconvenes in January 1997. Looks like 1997
will be an active year for tribes doing gaming. (The letter at right is a reprint of a letter
sent to the colleagues of Representatives Solomon, Toricelli, and Merger in support of the
Fair Indian Gaming Act.)
- '
Dear Colleague:
Several weeks ago the pastor of the local church in Burney, a small rural community in
the Sierra Mountains of northern California, was horrified to discover that Native Ameri
cans had broken ground for a new casino across the street from his meeting house. Two
months earlier residents of Susanville, another small northern California community, ex
pressed their outrage at a city council meeting about plans by a local Rancheria to open a
casino in the middle of a residential community two blocks from an elementary school.
Most recently residents of Sutter County, California have voiced their strong opposition in
Sacramento and Washington to a joint venture between local Native Americans and a large
casino operator out of Nevada to build a full scale Las Vegas style casino in the middle of
their rice fields.
Reports like these are not unique to northern California. Since enactment of the Indian
Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, which effectively exempted Native American gaming
from state law, the industry has ballooned into a $3.5 billion enterprise with total wagering
exceeding $41 billion. Today the largest casino in the Western Hemisphere is owned and
operated by a small tribe in Connecticut. Not surprisingly, the fortunes made by Native
Americans in the East have caught the attention of tribes all over the country. In California
and elsewhere the rush is clearly on.
Small rural communities throughout the country will continue to be helplessly over
ridden by this relentless surge in Indian gaming until legislators on the state and national
level decide to act responsibly. We urge you to do your part by co-sponsoring H.R. 1512,
the Fair Indian Gaming Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Reps. Solomon and Toricelli.
H.R. 1512 in no way abrogates the right of Native Americans to use trust land for
traditional legal purposes. However, it helps reinstate the right of states and localities to
say "no" to casinos and other high stakes gambling establishments on Indian Lands if they
so choose. It restores self-determination to small communities, like Burney and Susanville,
that have seen long-established zoning laws and gaming ordinances ignored by tribal lead
ers and arrogant developers. Most importantly, it preserves the rights of parents and local
leaders to shape the communities in which they will raise their children and grandchildren.
If you would like to become a cosponsor of H.R. 15 12 or would like more information,
please contact Frank Petramale of Mr. Solomon's office at x5-5614 or Eric Shuffler of Mr.
Toricelli's office at x5-5061.
Sincerely,
Gerald Solomon Robert Toricelli WallyHerger
Member of Congress Member of Congress Member of Congress