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\ ^5^ published each thursday *|? W^\ ?3^Wa?aCI3NBV USBDIiXTC JP<OXO y I "Building Communicative Bridges e i pembroke, n.c. In A Cri-Bacial getting" i robeson county Judge Gary Lynn Locklear : History In The Making JIJDGE GARY I. YNN LOCK LEAR is shoum on the bench during lunch break at the Pembroke Court House. Judge Locldear is the first fndian to win a county- wide election as district court judge. Gary l.ynn LockJear became the first Indian to serve as district judge in Robeson & Scotland counties foll owing the General Election in November. Locklear was sworn in as judge two weeks ago. It has been twenty-two years, reportedly, since . Judge lacy Maynor served as a Recorder's Judge in the Pembroke. Smiths, Maxton District. The posi tion of Recorders Judge was first held by Earlie Bullard. Following the tenure of these two men, the Recorders Judge's position was terminated. That means. I/icldear is the first Indian to serve as district judge fiAmwing a county-wide elec tion. Locklear was admitted to the Robeson County Bar in September, 1979. He worked as an assistant District Attorney for three years and was in the private practice of. law for six years. He was a member of the law firm of Chavis, Locklear and Ransom, Attorneys-at-Law, Lumberton. Judge Locklear is a 1970 graduate of Pembroke State University with a B.S. degree in Business. He earned a M.A. in Business and Economics in 1972 from Appalachian State Univer sity. In 1979 he earned his law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. He taught in North Carolina's Community College and Technical System for five years prior to entering law school. Judge Locklear is married to the former Molly Oxendine of Pembroke She is a public school teacher. They have "two suiis, Biwiia an* Bradley. The Locklears reside in Pembroke and attend Berea Baptist Church. Judge Locklear made the following statement concerning his judgeship: "I feel I will bring the proper mix of experience, integrity and temper ment to the bench as District Court Judge." THE OPTIMISTIC CYNICS ^ < BY KAREN CORONADO S WM. RICHARD MATHIS HATCHERS SEARCH CONTTNIES Onondaga Chief Oren, Lyons recently criticized the media for focusing on the flights of Jacobs and Hatcher instead of the drug problem in Robeson County which he considered the more important issue. Chief Lyons seems to be saying that it is important to separate issues from personalities. Since the February 1 takeover of the Robesonian, people have tended to judge the merits of the incident largely on the merits of the personality of the main character, Eddie Hatcher. Immediately following the ? takeover, it seemed there was considerable support for the two. Several prominent "movement" leaders, while not condoning the means, stated their understanding and sympathy for the frustration and desperation which percipitated the event. At the two recent public meetings keynoting Hatcher, the same movement leaders were nowhere to be seen. Judging by comments we've heard, it seems leaders are now afraid to be associated with Hatcher. The usual reason given is negative publicity from actions such as picketing the Governor's office or the courthouse in Lumberton, or aggressively going-after Sheriff Stone and son. It is rather ironic that using shotguns to hold hostages could have produced more sympathy than have Hatcher's escapades afterwards. Before February 1, Hatcher claims to have feared for his life. He was probably undergoing confusion ana turmoil when he decided to takeover the Robesonian. However, amidst the crowd gathered in the streets outside the Robesonian, there was no confusion and turmoil among movement leaders as they adroitly flittered from microphone to microphone. Nor did there appear to be much indecision to use the event as a cause celebre to spotlight the problems in Robeson County. Suddenly, here was a vehicle to gain national and international attention which would force the government to clean-up corrupt Robeson. All it required was a skillful handling of the players and the creative writing of the script. However, leaders and lawyers quickly found out Hatcher likes to do his own script-writing. They also realized that they don't always like his writings. Several folks started their silent exits from the stage. Others like the lawyers from the Christie Institute stuck it out. Now that Hatciier h? fled to New York and broken his bond posted >>y the National Council of Churches, we wonder who will stick with him now? Even Jacobs is quoted as saying, "They (Council of Churches) had good faith and they trusted him on that and he turned his back on them." He also added that he was going to try to convince Hatcher to return. Hatcher also claimed to have taken sanctuary in New York on the Onondaga reservation. The Onondagas-tjen that he is there and also deny they have given hin sanctuary. Indeed, as they failed to give him sanctuary this summer when he was on the run, we doubt that they will give it to him now. Nor is he likely to find much support in Robeson County. Many people feel that he should have done like Jacobs and kept a low profile instead of returning to Robeson County. Some say that was like rubbing salt into a wound. Other folks, mainly movement types, say he is hurting the movement by all the attention he gets. Several months past the same folks acted as if he couldn't get enough attention. Of course the media played its role in providing attention. Several months ago it seemed like Hatcher couldn't pass gas without it being on the six o'clock news. At the recent appreciation dinner for Jacobs and Hatcher, approximately 125 people showed up but outside of one of us, there was only one media person who stayed for maybe 20 minutes. The media, leaders, and common folk seem to be in agreement that Hatcher doesn't really have evidence of rampant corruption or else he wouldn't have left. Maybe so. He says he left because of threats on his life and fear he wouldn't recieve a fair trial. It sounds like he was confused and in turmoil. We're just glad he didn't pick up a shotgun and repeat the events of February 1. But then again, judging by past events, he might have gotten lot more sympathy. As it is, when he is apprehended and returned to trial in Robeson County, he may face overt hostility from movement leaders miffed at seeing snubbed a significant source of cash like the National Council of Churches. Will the Council of Churches now be willing to fork up another $25 thousand to hire the likes of former Attorney General Ramsey Clark to defend Sandy Chavis? Will the Council of Churches be ready for another cause celebre in Robeson County? Indeed, will anybody in Robeson County ever Ik? willing to pin their hopes on any one person or issue to solve all the problems in Robeson County? Will we ever build up anybody else like a hero of heroe t and th.-n dump him like a hot potatoe when we feel that n<? is .in embarrassment? While we hope not, we are cynical that we will still use people and events to advance our own agenda, yet we remain optimistic that we can learn to choose the right people and events to advance our mutual agendas. SAY YOU READ IT IN THE CAROLINA INDIAN X/OICE INDIAN WOMAN ATTORNEY: Bucking the Roadblocks Arlinda Locklear, one of the attorneys of record in the New York Land Claims case for the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin. "You can make a system work for you without becoming a part of that system. Once you learn it you can adjust it to Indian People so Indians don't have to adjust to that system." That system is the court system and the woman trying to adjust that system to help her Indian people is Arlinda Locklear. Locklear is an enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe from North Carolina, and a notable Indian Attorney. The Lumbee are not a federally recognized tribe and have no land base to speak of, they, like many tribes, have suffered greatly at the hands of the land agents and the en croaching white settlers that diminished the lands of many Indian peoples. The centuries of injustice to Indians stemming from major atrocities such as massacres to the present day mistreatment of Indian people are the reasons Indians must work to adjust that system. Locklear was determined at the age of 12 that . she was going to do something about the way Indians were treated within the whitemans legal system. Common on Indian reservations and'in. communities with large Indian populations is the mistreatment of Indian men. Locklear says "Every reservation has a similar situation as mine, , my uncle was frequently in altercations with the local police, they usually took him to jail and, released him a day or two later, many times without charging him for anything." Arlinda Locklear graduated from Duke Law School, North Carolina in i976 and went to work for the Native American Rights Fund(NARF) in. Boulder, Colorado. Locklear was assigned to the Oneida Land Claims case in 1977. Locklear's personal philosophy that, in order to function within the system you must learn that system and take advantage of it, has enabled her to act as an attorney in a land claims case that she feels is one of the strongest and most valuable in tne country. The supreme court is one of Locklear's most formidable challengers. The other challenge she aces continually is the prejudice against not on ly Indians, but Indian women. As a woman in what was traditionally a white mans occupation, she faces the task of not only proving herself as an Indian Attorney but as an Indian woman At torney. Some of the most difficult people to deal with is Indian people who often question her legal opinion and even seek to further confirm it by another (male) attorney or similar source. This is not an isolated prejudice, Indian woman?across the nation fight this same battle. An example cited by Locklear as typical in the "Good ole boysJ system" is a federal judge whom she has regular | exchanges with still refers to her as Miss \ LockBAR, while he notably refers to other at torneys by their first names. buckling the roadblocks in these systems seems to be a battle that Locklear handles quite well. There's no doubt she's one of the top at torneys in this country, thanks to the "Good ole boys." Shown above in one of the many float* pre tented m the recent Pem broke Jaycees Christmas Parade Shown it little Mist Royal Nut who is a part of the performing Royal Nut* at Pembroke Skateland. Little Mum Royal Nut it Nina Lowry. She it the daughter of Mr. and Mrt. Bruce Lowry. [Photo by Contnee Brayboy] M / NomJ-ria iz jLonsi Souicfl~i t Foxr Distingrui sri-ioc? Women / , Nomination deadline for the 1969 Distinguished Women of North Caro lina Awards is nearing. All nomina tions for the prestigious award must be postmarked by Jan. IS, 1969. The awards recognize individual Jwomen whose contributions to the state or to the nation have had a significant impact upon the lives of dtisens or who have attained out standing levels of personal achieve ment in a particular field, according to Administration Secretary James & Lofton. The awards are sponsored by the N.C. Council on the Status of Women in the N.C. Department of Admin is tration. "This is the sixth year that outstanding North Carolina woman have been recognised by this aw ard." Lofton said. "By singiing out a few, the council brings honor to all North Carolina women. To be nominated is, in itself. a distinct honor." Awards will be presented March 29 at a banquet to be held at the Raleigh Marriott. March is Women's History Month. Award winners will be selected by a committee of prominent North Carolinians appointed by the chair man of the Council on the Status of Women. All citizens of North Caro lina are invited to nominate any individual woman who is a living, native-born North Carolinian, or who currently resides in the state. For more Information eg nomina tion forms, write; Council on the Status of Women. 526 N. Wilmington St. Raleigh. N.C. 27804 1199. 4 NEWS FROM INDIAN COUNTRY: THE JOURNAL i pembroke Ijaycees plan mew year's f eve ra rty The Pembroke Jaycees will spon sor a New Year'a Eve party Saturday, ? December Slat at the Pembroke St Jaycee Hut from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. ! Tickets for the event are $15 single M and $25 for couples. No tickets will ^ be sold at the door. Advance tickets I may be purchased from any ?Pem J broke Jaycee. Co-chairmen for this HJ event are Oceanus Lowry and Tad Ml Brewington. i Contributions Sought For 3-Year-Old Who. Meeds 5-Organ T ransplant The United Methodist Church and the League of Separated Tribes will sponsor a fund raising dinner and mini craft sell for Roleandra I>odge, 3-year old Indian child who needs a 5-organ transplant operation. A traditional Indian dinner will bo served consisting of Indian Chili, com bread, pumpkin bread, sasa frass tea (coffee also available). The event will be held December 23, 1988 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. at United Methodist Church, Rl. 31, Tarrs, Pa. A minimum donation of $3 for adults and $1.50 for children 12 and under will be accepted. The event is sponsored by Mt. Lebanon Metho dist Church, Bo* A, Tarrs, PA 15688. Louise Dimery Weaver is helping with this project. She states that the Dodge family of New Mexico an* facing enormous financial problems. Money is needed for medical expen ses and also for the family living expenses. Roleandra is the daughter of Brandon and Cyndy Dodge of New Mexico. They have two other chil dren, one is fourteen months old and the other is four years old. Mr. Dodge has had to quit' his job in order to assist with Roleandra" s care. There is no income at this time for . the family. An urgent plea is sent to help this family financially. Make donation checks payble to: Childrvns Hospital for Roleandra l>odge and make it either for medical expenses of family living expenses. Donations should be sent to Ml. Iebanon Methodist Church, Box 1, Tarrs, PA 15688. Your help will be appreciated. ? 4 GRANTS EOR W m TV - C - MEDIA ARTISTS A\S All ABIE' Independent film and video ma kers living in North Carolina are eligible to apply to*the 1989 Southeast Media Fellowship Pro gram for Production Grants of up to $8000 for new works or works in-progress and for Equipment Ac cess Grants. T ? application dead line is Februa'y 1, 1989. In March an independent three-member panel of film and video experts will evaluate the applications and award fellow -ships to those artists whose work shows exceptional creativity and a commitment to media as an art form. Application forms can be obtained by contacting SEMFP c/o Appalshop, Box 743, Whitesburg, KY 41858, (606)633 0108. Media artists residing in Alabama. Florida, Georgia, Kentucky. Louisi ana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are also eligible to apply to the Southeast Media Fellowship Program, which is coordinated by Appalshop. a media center located in eastern Kentucky. ?? SEMFP is supported with funds from the National Endowment for the Arts with additional support from the North Carolina Arts Council, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the Kentucky Arts Council, the Louisiana State Division of the Arts, the Mississippi Arts Commission, and the South Carolina Arts Com mission. Equipment Access Grants are made available by the South Carolina Arts Commission Media Arts Center. SEMFP is one of seven regional fellowship programs estab lished by the National Endowment for the Arts in an effort to recognize the geographic and artistic diversity of the media community and to encourage the growth of the media arts throughout the country. Nine teen grants totaling $60,500 in federal and state funds were a war ded in the 1987-88 round of the Southeast Media Fellowship Pro gram. Noel! ? Warm thoughts for a bright ar d happy holiday geason! I
The Carolina Indian Voice (Pembroke, N.C.)
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Dec. 22, 1988, edition 1
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