Jackson told listeners that the
American Indian vote was worth as
much and counted as much as any
other citizen’s vote.
“We must hold our heads high and
dry our tears from our eyes and keep
our eyes on the prize, and the prize is
a sensitized government... “
Jackson said it was time for a new
government, one different from
Reaganomics, with fair treatment
for blue collar workers as well as ex
ecutives. He told the Indians that if
they would hold on and vote, a change
could occur.
“More and more in these close elec
tions the Indian vote makes a differ
ence,” Jackson said.
Jackson said Vice President George
Bush does not deserve support.
“Bush and (Sen. Dan) Quayle have
a blind spot in their eye, and that blind
spot is the ugliness of the nation. We
pledge allegiance to the flag, we love
our country, but that was never the
issue. The issue was getting our flags
made in Korea where we get the joy
and they get the jobs.”
The people of the country have the
passion, Jackson said, but the presi
dent needs the priorities.
Jackson said priorities meant
spending more money and time
to help the homeless, one-third of
whom were veterans who fought for
the United States.
“Not the Quayle kind, who fought a
war between Gary and Indianapolis,
but the Vietnam kind.
“Your suffering has made you a
strong people. Invest in people,
reinvest in America and stand tall.
This is your nation.”
Jackson said Bush never would un
derstand the plight of people who
have to work for their money and
fight for their rights.
“Bush was born on third base and
thought he hit a triple.”
Before and after Jackson’s speech,
Frank LaMere, a Winnebago
Indian and executive director of
the Nebraska Indian Intertribal Devel
opment Corporation, urged the Indi
ans to vote because their vote did
count in the presidential election.
“The constituency of tribal leaders
are the ones who have to go out and
get it done,” LaMere said. “Indian
votes are unanswered, because the
race is so close ... we can make up
for the surrounding communities.”
The Indian delegates of NCAI and
the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
presented Jackson with an award of
excellence for appreciation. The
award acknowledged that during the
1988 election, ‘ he knew our story
better than anyone,” said LaMere.
* * *
Snake said NCAI had invited both
Bush and Dukakis to the conven
tion, but neither accepted the in
vitation.
“We were much ignored by the twc
major candidates. The candidates
didn’t want to lose votes by talking to
us. It was a major affront to the
largest Indian organization not to hav<
them accept.”
Snake said that if Bush were
elected president, the Indian people
would be stuck with the same philoso
phy of the Reagan administration.
z/rwy he Republicans lack sensitiv
” I ity ” Snake said. “While the
* Reagan administration has run
the deficit to extremes, Indian aid has
gone down.
“The Indians can’t afford any more
Republican leaders, it just costs us toe
much.”
Left: High school students and other
democratic supporters praise Jesse
Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition and chant
“Keep hope alive” after his speech.
Above: Rev. Jesse Jackson reminds
convention goers of their importance in
the political process at a Oct. 28 Na
tional Congress of American Indians in
Sioux Falls, S.D. Jackson is holding an
award given to him by the Winnebago
tribe of Nebraska and the NCAI.
Story by Amy Edwards
Photos by Lee Rood