Federal Judge Limits Delay on Shinnecock Recognition

On Wednesday, July 21 a federal judge set limits on a delay in Federal Recognition for Long Island's Shinnecock Indian Nation.

Judge Joseph Bianco gave the federal Department of Interior 10 days to write to him with a final date for approval of the federal recognition of the Shinnecock. Bianco says if the agency fails to do this he will set his own schedule for action to be taken by September 24^th. Speaking outside the court house in Islip, Senior Shinnecock Trustee Lance Gumbs, says the delay is hurting the tribe:

“We have health care, education, all the essential elements that make up a community have now been delayed once again because of this frivolous claim.  This group didn’t get formed until after our final decision came down and here we are now having to wait an additional 2 months...”

One of two groups that filed challenges to federal recognition of the tribe is the Connecticut Coalition for Gaming Jobs.  That group, whose members are not named, claims that federal recognition of the Shinnecock will result in Connecticut's two Indian-run casinos losing money. They allege that the Bureau of Indian Affairs failed to acknowledge that casino developers were backing the Shinnecock and that this compromised the integrity of the tribal structure. Gumbs does not buy those arguments:

“They’re talking about preserving 27,000 jobs in Connecticut. They’re talking about Connecticut’s taxes.  What about New York’s taxes?  What about New York’s jobs? We had the ability to provide jobs here on Long Island.  We had the ability to help out with the budget. Connecticut essentially threw us under the bus by saying ‘protect theirs, forget about New York’. ”

The Shinnecock filed for recognition in 1978 and again in 1998. In 2007 Judge Bianco had ruled that the BIA's delay was unreasonable. That ruling led to the BIA recognizing the Shinnecock in June. The judge says an open-ended BIA process for acting on the challenges constitutes another un-reasonable delay. 

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This report was prepared for WPKN 89.5 Bridgeport and WEER 88.7 Montauk (East End Radio).

Thanks to WPKN News Director and WSHU Connecticut Capitol Reporter Ebong Udoma.

Monday July 5: Tea Party at Southampton Independence Day Parade?

The group Organizing For America say that members of the "Tea Party" activist group have threatened to harass U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop at this year's Independence Day parade which will be held on Monday July 5.  Marchers as usual assemble on streets running south from the railroad station.  The OFA are asking for counter-demonstrators in support of Mr. Bishop who will be running for re-election against a Republican candidate - who to our knowledge has yet to be selected.

sent from Organizing  For America:

Southampton Parade on July 5th targeted by Tea Party
Can we be bigger, better, louder (and smarter) than the Tea Party?  YES WE CAN!

On Monday, July 5, the Tea Party is going to try to embarrass Congressman Tim Bishop by showing up in large numbers to boo him at the annual Parade in the Village of Southampton.  We need you and other east end volunteers to come to the parade and show your support for Mr. Bishop.  Learn more about the Tea Party's plans for the Southampton Parade on their website:   

http://www.meetup.com/CSA-1776-Meetup-Group/calendar/13879325/?from=list&offset=0

check it out!

The press loves to report on this type of event.  Bishop supporters outnumber Tea Party supporters but if we remain the silent majority and don't show up, the media and the public won't know that.  What if a Tea Party candidate wins Mr. Bishop's seat in Congress?  What will happen to the East End?

Sunday July 4: East End Women in Black Vigil to End the Gaza Blockade

Sunday July 4 at 5pm
Monument at Ocean Road and Rte 27 in Bridgehampton.

Israeli government says they are easing the blockade but
news reports indicate that no significant change has occurred.
Vital agricultural and construction needs are still blocked.

See Free Speech Radio News;

The Guardian: Editorial - Gaza State of Siege
The real shortages in Gaza – medical instruments, aluminium, steel and cement – may not be addressed. A blockade that the US, Britain and the EU all insist is "unacceptable and unsustainable" could thus be set to continue.

Afghanistan: Going Through the Tragic Motions

Dear Tim Bishop: 

I just read your statement to the House re the death of Lt. Theinert. It is time to acknowledge that the war in Afghanistan is an immoral war, a war that has no justification other than to line the pockets of those who are profiting by it. They do not include the friends and neighbors of that innocent soldier. We are all culpable in his death. I urge you to call for the end to this folly!

 sincerely, Tony Ernst

 Democratic voter from Southampton 

Bob Herbert in the New York Times: 


There is no good news coming out of the depressing and endless war in Afghanistan. There once was merit to our incursion there, but that was long ago. Now we’re just going through the tragic motions, flailing at this and that, with no real strategy or decent end in sight.... more 




East Hampton Star: Shelter Island Soldier Remembered

WEER Sunday Evening Lineup: 88.7 FM Montauk- East End Radio

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* WEER's Sunday Evening Lineup includes several locally produced programs.

7:00 pm Between The Lines: The week's most under-reported news stories plus timely interviews ... details here

7:30 pm Tidings from Hazel Kahan:

A weekly series of essays and interviews. Mattituck's world traveler investigates "Dark Tourism" from Mumbai to Auschwitz.  

8:00 pm East End Ink: Every week we explore the literary coves of the East End. Tonight Pulitzer winner and East Hamptonite Philip Schultz reads from "The God of Loneliness: Selected and New Poems".  Recorded at Canio's Books in Sag Harbor.  Programs are archived at http://EastEndInk.blogspot.com 

8:30 pm The American Popular Song: Each Sunday Southampton's Malcolm C. Dankner brings us the composers and musicians who wrote and play the Great American Songbook.  Firstup, Irving Berlin, America's greatest songwriter.

10:30 pm  East End News Team:  An interview with Montauk commercial fisherman Mike Martinsen about what we can do about the threat of oil on our beaches and our dependence on black gold.