1983_02 Insight February 1983

              m
Sports features:
'Dog batters
keep family
ties
Insight
Centerpiece:
Fre8nati8 keep
guard up
Vol. 13, No. 17
California State University, Fresno
February 29, 1999
Watt apologizes to
angry Indian leadersl
DAVE MARSH
Insight reporter
Interior Secretary James Watt
made a surprise appearance before
American Indian leaders late last
month to say he was "sorry" if he
caused "hurt" when be pointed out
the high rates of alcoholism and other
social ills among Indians.
Watt's apology was made in
reference to the controversy which
followed remarks be made during an
interview on Conservative
Counterpoint, a program carried by
the Satellite Program Network which
is based in Tulsa. Okla. Watt called
Indian reservations "an example of
failure of socialism" and implied
Indians would be better off without
the reservations.
"If you want an example of the
reservation land are suffering some of
the highest rates of unemployment,
drug abuse and other social problems
in the country.
Indians living on the reservations
can not own their own land and are
bound by many other restraints, Watt
said. "We ought to give them their
rights, but we treat them as wards,"
he said.
Indian leaders across the country
were offended by the substance and
delivery of these remarks. The uproar and calls for Watt's resignation
started even before the interview was
broadcast.
American Indian leaders across
the country believe Watt's remarks
were part of what they perceive as an
on-going attempt to abolish
reservations and terminate Indian
tribes. ^-^_
llf
'If you want an exam-
l pie of the failures of
socialism ...go to the
Indian reservations.'
—James Watt
failures of socialism," Watt said
during the broadcast, "don't go to
Russia, come to America and go to the
Indian reservations. Every social
problem is exaggerated because of
socialistic government policies on the
Indian reservations."
He went on to say that Indians
have been "trained through 100 years
of government oppression to look to
the government as the creator, as the
provider, as the supplier, and they
have not been trained to use initiative
\ to integrate into the American
I      system.
"If we treated the black people in
I America like we're now treating the
Indians," Watt said, "there would be
a social revolution that would tear tbe
country up. Congress tolerates the
abusive government actions on
Indians."
He went on to say that the 735,000
Indians living on 50 million acres of
Traffic i
SUE ROSENSTEIN
Insight reporter
Without hesitating, Commissioner Kent Levis recalls the worst ex?
cuse be ever beard in his five years of
presiding over Fresno County's Traffic Court.
Two "young gents" were driving
down Belmont Avenue to an MG convertible, Lens said. Tney were drinking from beer cans and in front of
them was a police car. The officer
spotted the young suspects in his rear-
view mirror.
In court, tbe defendants pleaded
"not guilty." They claimed they had
found two empty beer cans and filled
them with water because "it just isn't
cool to drive down Belmont without a
beer." The police officer testified that
he'd like to know the source of the
men's water — since when it was
poured out of the cans it looked and
smelted like beer.
Commissi oner Levis leans back in
his leather chair and smiles broadly,
savoring the originality of the excuse
and tbe humor of the rebuttal.
Was the originality rewarded?
"No," said Levis, still smiling. "I
suspended their licenses for 15 days,
fined them and sent them to alcohol
18s rt
This is but one of the dilapidated structures on the Tale Indian Reservation.
remarks brought a call for his
ouster from, among others, New
Mexico. Governor Tony Anaya. a
Democrat. Anaya asked President
Reagan to dismiss Watt, citing his
"ignorance and insensitivity to the
environment and cultures of our
country."
"His idea of Indian rights is to integrate into American society,"
Anaya said. "And In doing so, be
would open them up to exploiters."
Indian leader Elmer Savilla,
former chairman of the Quechan tribe
of California and executive director of
the National Tribal Chairmen's
Association, said "All of this is part of
a pattern going tn for the last year
and a half calling for the termination
of the Indian tribes."
f Representatives of 154 Indian
'tribes, which SayJJta said his
organization ret^resentsrsvere to hold
Tule Indians live under U.S^ trust
DAVE MARSH
Insight reporter
The Tule Indian Reservation,
some 54,116 acres tucked in the mountainous southeast corner of Tulare
County, is home to 470 enrolled
members. They are descendants of
the Yokut Indian tribe, which roamed
'he length and width of the San Joaquin Valley.
The reservation was established
in 1873 by an executive order form
then President Ulysses S. Grant.
Over the years the boundaries have
been repeatedly changed by whim of
the white men who had displaced the
Indians.
The elevation of the reservation
ranges from 900 feet along its western
border to 7,500 feet above sea level at
Parker's Peak near the southeastern
boundary.
Tbe land which makes up tbe
reservation cannot be owned by any
one Indian, but is instead held in trust
for tbe tribe by tbe United States
government. Only the tribes' men
and families may be granted permission by the "government to use the
land for grazing and residences. No
part of the land may be given to an individual or sold.
The tribe is formally organized
under a constitution and bylaws approved by the Secretary of the In
terior in 1936.
Tbe average weather during the
winter months is a "mild" 30-60
degrees, and in the summer the
temperatures   often  exceed   100
There are two campgrounds on
the reservation which are for the use
of Indian residents only. The Painted
Rock Campground, located 5.3 miles
from the entrance to the reservation
at an elevation of 1,000 feet, is known
for the rocks around tbe area which
are adorned with ancient Indian art.
The Cholollo Campground is located
16 miles from the entrance to the
reservation at 4,681 feet.
The Tule River and its south fork
tributary flow roughly tbe length of
tbe reservation from south to north.
At one time the U.S. Department of
Pish and Game used to stock the.
streams on the reservation every two
to three weeks, but not any mora.
There is a sprawling saw mil
complex encompassing some eight
acres located on the reservation. Tbe
saw mill was a source of Jobs for the
men of tbe tribe, but not any mora.'
It's now a deserted, wind-torn ratte
from tbe past. There are many relics
of the past on tbe reservation. Thai:
one hasn't seen use for some tea
years. Its state of dispair is mute
assurance that never again will this
See Tale, page 4
members excuses
December 1,071 drivers appeared in
court to enter guilty pleas. Arthur
Howery, like most defendants, is asked to correct his car's illegal defect
and get a license within 60 days. Then
he is supposed to have his oblong,
yellow citation signed by a Highway
Patrolman and return it to tbe court
so his name can be cleared.
For more active infractions, such
as speeding and unsafe turns, there is
a fine. An appearance in Traffic Court
can be avoided if a motorist simply
mails in the required ball for his offense. About half of those cited do so.
But an increasing number cannot
afford the fine and the higher in-
premiums that moving viola-
replace the tires.
"It's a vicious circle." Levis said.
When a defendant has no income,
hours of community service can be/'
substituted for a fine. /
"David Patterson?" the commissioner calls out. , v
A tall teenager steps forwtrd. He
is charged with speeding andbeing a
minor in possession of an alcoholic
leverage.
"How do you plead?" he is asked.
"Guilty, with an explanation,"
Patterson replies. He says his
dashboard lights were shorted out
and he couldn't read his speedometer.
Outside, passersby shiver in
cloudy. 42 degree weather. But inside
Fresno County's traffic Court, a
fidgety crowd perspires. A few
women fan tbe still, warm air with
folded documents. All 110 seats in the
walnut-paneled courtroom are taken
and about 20 people stand dose
together at 'he back of tbe room. One
baby-faced defendant sits on his
motorcycle helmet, propping his back
against a wall.
Traffic Commissioner Jane York
calls out a name: "Arthur Howery?"
A 90-year-old man walks forward
"This citation U for bald tires and
failure to have a valid license. What is
your plea?"
"Guilty."
More than 90 percent of those who
are arraigned to traffic court plead
guilty, according to court records. In
tions often prompt. They appear in
court, hoping to avoid those casta.
"A great number of those in Traffic Court are poor," Commissioner
Levis said. "Thirty dollars is a lot to
them."
One man, who pleaded guilty
through an interpreter, was cited for
his car's bald tires, his lack of a valid
license and running a red light. Levis
instructed him to stop driving his car
until the tires were replaced and told
him to pay a $30 fine. But the man was
unemployed. Without bis car, be
couldn't look for work. And without
work, be couldn't pay tbe fine or
He says be was stopped Just as a 45
mile per hour zone changed to 35 and
he didn't notice the change. He says
the beer to tbe trunk belonged to his
mother, who had taken tbe car shopping earlier.
The Commissioner isn't having
any. Patterson's license is taken from
him on the spot, to be held by the court
a minimum of 15 days. Tbe youngster
is fined $65 and given DO days to pay
it. He is also told to attend an eight-
hour class to alcohol awareness.
Commissioner Levis says the
most common traffic offenses heard
in court are speeding, failure to stop
at a red light and illegal turns —
although lately there has been a spate
of solo occupants in a diamond lane.
On one recent morning there was also
a young low rider charged with raising and bouncing his car. And a
woman in tight pants, high heels and
heavy makeup grinned as she pleaded
guilty to several counts of obstructing
traffic by talking with motorists.
\ Levis says he sees a cross-section
of humanity in Traffic Court: men
and women of all ages and ethnic
groups. Although the majority plead
guilty, most enter the courtroom
"wanting to tell their side of the
story."
Levis has no trouble remembering the best story he was ever told.
A man in his 40s was charged with
doing 65 in a 55 mile per hour zone. It
was a Sunday afternoon and traffic
was light. Tbe man explained in court
that he had been curious about some
writing on the car ahead of him, and
he increased his speed so be could
overtake the car and read the writing.
The letters spelled "California
Highway Patrol." The patrolman to-
side pulled over the curious driver for
After bearing tbe case,
Levis found the driver
guilty, but suspended the fine.
"I had to chuckle over that one,"
Levis says. "The guy was so completely and totally honest His explanation was so unusual. I felt having
the ticket on bis record was sufficient
punishment"
Sometimes a plausible explanation will result in a reduced fine. And
first-time offenders often have tbe option of attending an eight-hour traffic
safety school in exchange for having
their citations <*'
"Joselito Gomez?" Commissioner York calls out.
A stocky nineteen-year-old with
collar-length hair steps forward. He is
charged with possessing an open container of alcohol to a car.
"How do you plead?" he is asked.
"Guilty, I guess," Gomes replies,
"but I vlidn't do atvything wrong."
Gomes explains that be waa In a
friends car, not his own, and the beer
See Traffic Court, page 4
'They are^
holding onto
the hope of
professional
stardom until
age and
disparity
compel them
to face the
realities of
life.'
—Harry Edwards
Leader claims
blacks exploited
STEVE D. SMITH
Insight reporter
During tbe Black Power movement of tbe late 1960s Harry Edwards travelled the country wearing a leopard coat dark, thick-
rimmed sunglasses, a beret and a
beard.
Last Friday Edwarib came to
CSUF dressed to a conservative
sweater, modern, thin-rimmed
tinted glasses and had a graying
beard. Most noticeably missing
were the beret and the hair that used to be found underneath it
Edwards has changed quite a
bit since his days of yesteryear
when be was among tbe most mili-
demonstrations in the 1968 Olympic Games, an event that became
more memorable than any athletic
feat accomplished that year, including Bob Beamon's 29-foot long
Jump
"Today's black athletes are
victims  of  a  dream  that  baa
futility and
6-foot-a-lnch Edwards said
his speech in the College Union Friday as part of the African Peoples
History Month. "They are holding
onto the hope of professional star-
leaders to tbe country. Today he is
Despite a change In appearance and a new domestic life,
Edwards' masssga remains tbe
same as the one he carried 13 Vi
pel them to face the realities of
life."
Edwards said be came to
CSUF to talk about the recent
passage of Prop. 48 by the NCAA
(a rule which requires Incamltig
freshmen to meat specified
academic requirements before
they are eligible to compete tn
fpOTtS).  He €afJaT*stBMd htS dtaaatXaaty
ot the proposition's c^jflsflt. It tn