From: "Rodney Coates" To: "Racial-Religious-EthnoNationalist Violence Studies" Date: Thu, 14 Nov 96 11:36:06 +0 Reply-To: "Rodney Coates" Subject: Should We Be Silent??? Should we not join together in support of our Brothers and Sisters in Florida? Rodney c.. >Original Sender: jolson@virtu.sar.usf.edu (Jessica Olson) >Mailing List: NATIVE-L (native-l@gnosys.svle.ma.us) > >Alert: > >Osceola County, Fl. has expanded their Southport Landfill over an >Indigenous burial site in Kissimmee, Florida Osceola County claims this >was an accident, despite the fact that the burial site has been known for >at least 11 years - the last time Janus Research conducted a survey, and >was "preserved" by a chain link fence. > >Even so, Osceola County has hired Janus Research to excavate the mound. >On October 26, 1996, Sheridan Murphy of Florida AIM and Florida Indian >Alliance, Bobby Billie, Spiritual Leader of the Independant Traditional >Seminole Nation, and Bobby Billie's assistant Shannon Larson met with Ken >Hardin and Robert Austin of Janus Research. they agreed to Bobby C. >Billie's request for repatriation and argued that excavation was the only >option since the mounds had been greatly pot hunted. Ms. Larson and Mr. >Billie visited the site later that afternoon and reported the pot hunting >was not extensive. Further, they learned that the State Archaeologist >James Miller had contacted both the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes of >Florida; excluded the Oklahoma Seminoles Nation; and was refered to Bobbie >Billie by Seminole representative David Jumper. Neither Tribe contacted >approved or authorized the excavation. When asked why he allowed it to >continue anyway, Mr. Miller informed Ms. Larson that he only contacts the >Tribes as a courtesy, and that he does not have to talk to them. He >further implied that he had no control over the excavation. Florida State >Statue 872.05 defers authority to either the County Medical Examiner (if >the remains are less then 75 years old) or the State Archeologist. > >At least 12 Indigenous peoples remains have been dug up and are being held >at Janus Research and the RA Grey Bldg in Tallahassee. More are certain >to have their graves robbed unless something is done. Florida AIM and the >Florida Indian Alliance are planning direct action for the week of Nov >11-15th if the digging is not ceased and a target date for repatriation is >not set and agreeable to Mr. Billie. We have informed Osceola County, >Janus research, and Jim Miller's office. > >The FIA asks all people of conscience to contact Osceola County Manager >Robert Magnaghi's office (407-847-1208) and demand that the excavations >hault. Janus Research Vice-President Bob Austin can also be reached at >(813-821-7600) We also ask that humane beings contact Florida Governor >Lawton Chiles at (9040 488-4441 as ask that State Archeologist Jim Miller >be removed from his post he has held for nearly two decades. Mr. Miller >has held Indian peoples skulls for the cameras (Windover 1986) and >despite passage of Florida's Unmarked Burial Law, Miller has only utilized >the law to justify degreed grave robbing and has yet to prosecute a pot >hunter. Florida AIM cought an individual pot huntung on tape with four >eye witnesses, and still this individual was not prosecuted. > >If you need more information please contact the Florida Indian Alliance >State Office at 33 4th Street N Suite 202 St. Petersburg, Fl. 33701. >(813) 823-3534 Fax:(813) 822-3501. > umoja Only when lions have historians will hunters cease being heroes. African Proverb Without struggle there is no progress. Frederick Douglass The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed. Steven Biko yours in the struggle Rodney D. Coates Director of Black World Studies Associate Professor of Sociology Miami University Oxford, Ohio 45056 513 529-1235 email: coatesrd@casmail.muohio.edu