Week of Janurary 17

click on the headers below:


In Memoriam: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Civil Rights Trial in Islip Federal Court


Congressman Tim Bishop and Shinnecock Nation


Love Song for Susan Blake

Peace & Justice Calendar

Suffolk Peace Vigils

WPKN/WPKM East End Programs for download updated Jan 13

East End Ink - Kathy Engel reads from "Ruth's Skirts" on the first
East End Ink - Thursday Jan 17 at 12 Noon
on WPKN 89.5 / WPKM 88.7 or streaming on-line here

Links: Recommended Reading

US Fatalities in Iraq

Counter Recruiting Schedule

Alternative Media


Democracy Now!

Non-corporate news hour with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez:
on Riverhead/Southampton/Southold/Shelter Island Channel 20:

New Schedule Starting Monday October 1:

Monday 6:30 am
Tuesday 11 pm
Wednesday 7 pm
Thursday 6 pm
Friday 9 pm
Saturday - 9 pm

Also on WUSB 90.1 FM 5pm Mon-Friday and East Hampton LTV Ch 20

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For more Information on Peace Activism on LI

see North Fork People of Conscience at www.nfpofc.blogspot.com

see Suffolk Progressive Vision at www.spv.active.ws

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The East End Report is compiled by Tony Ernst.

Send corrections or comments to eastendreport@yahoo.com

Email subscribers may un-subscribe: reply with "Don't Send" to eastendreport@yahoo.com

In Memoriam: Martin Luther King Jr.

“A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on
military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching
spiritual death.”—– Martin Luther King Jr.

Civil Rights Trial in Islip Federal Court Resumes Tues.

UPDATED Thursday Jan. 17

The case of Malry Tardd who accuses Brookhaven National Laboratory
and some of its employees of racial discrimination and retaliatory behaviour continues next Tuesday in Islip at 9:30 am at the Central Islip Federal Courthouse, Room 1020 (Judge Spatt).

Lucius Ware of the Eastern Long Island Branch of N A A C P writes:

The long history of complaints of racial taunting, discrimination, and hate crimes at BNL has finally reached the trial level in the federal court system.

Attorney Frederick Brewington is conducting the case for our member Malry Tardd. Malry Tardd is suing the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Mr. Brewington is showing the judge and jury some of the outrageous acts of attempted intimidation and discrimination as well as acts of hatred at BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL LABORATORY in violation of Mr. Tardd's CIVIL RIGHTS.

A number of us plan to attend the trial on Tuesday as court observers. Please join us for at least an hour or two in the morning or in the afternoon. Let us know (yes or no) if you will/will not attend by e-mail (elibnaacp@aol.com) or telephone the office at (631) 287-7346.

I believe that Martin would say, "If you can't go, send somebody!"

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The Federal Court Building which is off Southern State Parkway in Islip.

The case was described in this Newsday article of January 11.

TIME :9:30-4:00 M-Thursdays
Judge Spatt Rm 1020

Congressman Tim Bishop and Shinnecock Nation

The subject of Federal recognition for the Shinnecock Indian Nation was among the topics discussed by Congressman Tim Bishop of New York's 1st District in a meeting with constituents Monday night in Southampton.

In answer to a question about whether he could help achieve federal recognition for the Shinnecock, the Congressman said he was unable to help the process. The Congressman said
"there are only two ways that recognition can be granted. One is through the executive branch.. that is to say the Bureau of Indian Affairs within the Department of interior and the other is through legislative action.

I believe only two tribes in our history have been recognized through legislative action; that is a member of Congress prepares a bill, submits it and the congress votes on it and passes it and the President signs it."

Mr. Bishop said that as a Congressman he is unable to do anything to speed up the bureau's process, expected to take years. Bishop said he met with New York Governor Elliot Spitzer on behalf of the Tribe.

"I met with the Governor on Friday moring and advocated .... for their application for the video lottery terminals at Aquaduct, someting that the Tribal Trustees asked me to do, i did it."
Mr. Bishop repeated his opposition to gambling proposed by the tribe on Westwoods, the tribal land outside the reservation:
"I wanted to try to walk a line between helping the Shinnecock achieve what any reasonable person would want them to achieve which is economic self-sufficiency, but protect eastern Long Island from gambling because I believe that gambling would forever damage a place that we all love."
Congressman Bishop said he thinks the recent federal court decision regarding use of the Westwoods land puts "gambling off the table"

In response, a statement issued Tuesday by the Shinnecock Tribal Trustees says, in part:
"We applaud the Congressman's assistance in regard to the aspirations of the Shinnecock Indian Nation for federal recognition and his intercession on our behalf with Governor Spitzer, but we also are obliged to clarify the record by pointing out that pursuant to the Federally Recognized Tribe List Act of 1994 federal recognition of an Indian tribe also may be achieved through a federal court judgment.

This type of acknowledgement is exactly what happened in the case of the Shinnecock in 2005, when United States District Judge Thomas C. Platt held that the Nation is an Indian tribe as a matter of federal law. "
The Trustees said
"A statement of support by Congressman Bishop for listing of the Nation as a federally recognized tribe would be consistent with the sort of support other members of Congress have provided to tribes in their districts"

and the Trustees said that such support would
"go a long way towards inducing the Department of the Interior to grant the Shinnecock Nation the status and access to federal assistance in health, education and economic development that we urgently need. "

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from a report filed for WPKN News heard Monday-Friday at 89.5 Bridgeport and 88.7 Montauk at 6:30 pm following Pacifica's "Free Speech Radio News".


The following is the full text of the Shinnecock Trustees response:

"We applaud Congressman Bishop's assistance in regard to the aspirations of the Shinnecock Indian Nation for federal recognition and his intercession on our behalf with Governor Spitzer, but we also are obliged to clarify the record by pointing out that pursuant to the Federally Recognized Tribe List Act of 1994 federal recognition of an Indian tribe also may be achieved through a federal court judgment.

This type of acknowledgement is exactly what happened in the case of the Shinnecock in 2005, when United States District Judge Thomas C. Platt held that the Nation is an Indian tribe as a matter of federal law.
That decision has advanced the Nation's place of honor and respect among other Indian nations throughout the country and created a right for it to be listed as an Indian tribe by the United States Department of the
Interior. A explicit, written statement of support by Congressman Bishop for listing of the Nation as a federally recognized tribe by the Department of the Interior would be very welcome indeed and consistent with the sort of support other members of Congress have provided to tribes in their districts, Modesty is admirable, but we respectfully suggest that
political support from members of the legislative branch is not irrelevant and is practically influential. Indeed, we believe that Congressman Bishop's support for the Nation's federal recognition would go a long way towards inducing the Department of the Interior to grant the Shinnecock Nation the status and access to federal assistance in health, education and economic development that we urgently need."


Love Song for Susan Blake: A Life Celebration

Susan June Blake, the founder of PeaceSmiths, died on October 2, 2007. For three decades, she was a community organizer who led vigils protesting the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, inhumane treatment at the Nassau County jail, and the onetime proposed Shoreham nuclear power plant.

With music, song and poetry the late Susan June Blake of Amityville, peace and justice activist, will be remembered at 2:00pm, Sunday, January 20th.

There will be a reception from 2pm to 3pm followed by the program from 3pm until 6pm.

The event, "Love Song for Susan Blake: A Life Celebration" is being held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, 48 Shelter Rock Road in Manhasset.

The event is hosted by PeaceSmiths and by Susan's family. More information can be found at www.peacesmiths.org or by calling the PeaceSmiths hotline at (631) 798-0778. Please contact Kimberly or Ian Wilder if you would like to help with decoration, food preparation, or logistics. The Wilders can be reached at (631) 422-4702 or e-mail peacesmiths@yahoo.com .