Religious Freedom vs Property Rights
Whereas the religious practices of the American Indian (as well as Native Alaskan and Hawaiian) are an integral part of their culture, tradition, and heritage, such practices forming the basis of Indian identity and value systems; ;……… ;……… “Joint Resolution American Indian Religious Freedom”, approved August 11, 1978 (42 U.S.C. 1996),
Meade County has no zoning ordinances to regulate commercial venues.
The struggle to protect the serenity of Bear Butte from continual encroachment has ultimately developed into a religious freedom vs property rights issue.
There are two distinct stipulations that would disqualify a location or person from applying for an alcohol or liquor license in Meade County. These include, “not a suitable location” and/or “lack of character.”
In June 2008 at the Meade County Commissioners meeting, I questioned the Commission regarding the clarification on the “location” classification, and how they determined this qualification.
Commissioner Mallow responded that if the location was near a church or school, the application would potentially be denied.
My response was these locations are near a church, Bear Butte has been considered a church by Native people for thousands of years. Our church is the mountain and mother earth. It is where we go to pray and to seek guidance from the Creator. Our church is not in a building on a street corner, it is the mountain. It is a church, just as much as yours.
Commissioner Mallow’s only response was, “I will not debate religion with you, Bear Butte or this location does not qualify within the County guidelines of a church.” End of discussion. They refused to continue the conversation or provide a reasonable explanation for this ludicrous, insulting and racist statement.
Whereas the United States has traditionally rejected the concept of a government denying individuals the right to practice their religion, and as a result, has benefited from a rich variety of religious heritages in this country; ;……… “Joint Resolution American Indian Religious Freedom”, approved August 11, 1978 (42 U.S.C. 1996),
As a local resident, Meade County voter and a member of the Native American community, I feel our voice is never heard in these hearings. We continually ask for explanations for the basis of their rulings, only to be shunned or told they will not debate the issue.
Racism in these hearings is evidenced by statements from both the Commissioners and local residents, which are allowed without question. A statement from Jack Hoyle, a local resident in the June 2008 hearing “the Indians don’t own Bear Butte, they have no rights to it, and if they don’t like what’s going on, they can go somewhere else.” Jack Hoyle is the son of Pappy Hoyle, founder of the Sturgis Rally.
A hearing in 2007, Jack Hoyle responded to a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council and a elder with the statement, “stop complaining about the alcohol issue here, you have no rights here and you don’t live here, why don’t you go back to you own reservation and clean up the trash and the alcohol and stop complaining about something that has nothing to do with you.”
