Friday, August 23, 2019

Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum

If you don't know about Democracy Now!, a daily independent award-winning news program with Amy Goodman, you are missing out on the best news program in the country. Much of Thursday's episode shows what a real news program should be and what a real candidate forum should be. 

Have you heard about the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum in Sioux City, Iowa? The commercial news channels focus endlessly on the madness of the *resident, but the real issues faced by the real people rarely get national media attention. And real news about Native Americans and the racist genocidal history and current policies of our government is never on "the news."  

The forum was a two day event. Candidates answered questions from a panelists including youth, elders, and tribal leaders on issues including treaty rights, adoptions of Native children, tribal sovereignty, environmental racism, voter suppression, and the epidemic of murders of Native American women. What is particularly striking, if you've watched the commercial media's circus-like presidential "debates," is the difference in the quality of questions and questioners.

Please watch this half hour story including issues background; interviews with Native leaders, politicians, and organizers; and real discussions. You should watch. It's only half an hour. Here's part 1. (You can also find these at the DemocracyNow.org website.)


And here's part 2:

Then you can learn more about it at Indian Country Today's event site.

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