Tan si...and Good Morning Everyone,

Today the feed will allow you a glimpse and the rationalities of our "recorded" history...and how so still distorded things are within the haze of "smoke" to hide and muffle the voices of this nations first people...

Let me take you on a rather short journey to South Dakota...this nations host of the poorest County within the United States...called Pine Ridge...which also happens to be A RESERVATION...

The pleasantries dont stop there...as you will see in a very recent article, are the people of Rapid City SD...very concerened with their image, and to breathe a more modern perspective into the area...by stimmulating tourism in the right direction.

South Dakota...is indeed a historical place...in many ways...well Mount Rushmore for instance, found it's home at the borders  there...a TRUE reminder on a daily historical basis of
victory or DEFEAT( depends on what lineage you carry ;-) )...at this moment let me state my thoughts on why so many American Indians reach for the bottle, to drown them out and numb their minds and souls, and slowly bringing their own bodies to the brink of decay...

Mount Rushmore alone...is enough of a continueous slap in the face...but let's not forget the fact that The BATTLE of Wounded Knee also happend close by...and it TO DATE has the largest number of DECORATED Soldiers in this Nations Military History...

First off....BATTLE...??????? ( this is how history in this nation refers to it too ) what happend was by no means a battle...it was a massacre...women, children, elders an a few younger men were butchered...with Canons, Rifles...you name it...then left out in the snow and freezing cold...for two days...

The American Indian...was forced onto grounds that were not fertile and barren...stripped of their dignity, their way of life, their traditions, children simply being taken away and put into "reform schools" the list goes on...

That very area of our Nation, houses the history of what later brought forth AIM...the American Indian Movement...I guess you can GUESS why...

On we go...today as you possibly visit the beautiful Badlands, The wonderful and spiritual Black Hills, all the "historical sights' of how the west truly was LOST...you can embark on a tour of mallice by walking through Rapid City and behold...all of the Presidents as Statues guarding yet still today...over the places where the Buffalo and American Indian roamed...

If you read yesterdays blog...you will have been introduced to Nick White Swan...my friend...and you will know that his lineage is of the great Lakota Sioux Nation...

Nick actually responded to a Newspaper article in a Rapid City Newspaper...and I will share the article and his response...hopefully you will slowly begin to understand, why it is so important for the American Indian to be able to get equal treatment in all aspects of life here, and with this having access to being able to see American Indians on television, too, and not solely...in movies such as Dances with Wolves 2, Into The West or Burry My Heart at Wounded Knee... which don't get me wrong, I am glad we have at least that...BUT what a shame that this is all we have in the 21st century...................

Now let me ask you this...what do you think would happen in Europe...or even globaly if someone were to put Statues of Hitler up ohhhh lets say...in Auschwitz...or...how about Statues of all the famous Slave traders as an open welcome Statue in all of the Southern Ports where the Slaveships usually landed and the Carribean...do you think that would actually fly??????I tell you Al Sharpten would be ALL OVER THE NEWS...Israel would declare war immidiately...and who knows what the American jews would do...( I am brutaly honest and if that sounds sarcastic... then at least I know you are getting it )

Yet...American Indians all over this nation are forced daily to still swallow the past...it is difficult to come into the light, when one is conditioned to live in a cave...also...do you remember the movie Roots????

We shall talk about this tomorrow...;-)

here is the artice in the Rapid City Newspaper, and Nicks "response"

 

Road trippin' in Rapid City

Consultant recommends Great American Road Trip as branding theme for city, region.

By Scott Aust, Journal staff Monday, April 21, 2008

Rapid City should cement itself in the nation's psyche as the cultural centerpiece of the best "Great American Road Trip" in the nation, tourism marketing expert Roger Brooks said Monday.

 "Once you come here, everything you do is a road trip. Even when you fly in, you rent a car. We hope when people get off the plane, there's a sign saying ‘Your road trip starts right here,'" he said.

Brooks believes Rapid City suffers from a lack of brand identity.

He said that, when mentioning Hershey, Penn., or Nashville, Tenn., most people think "chocolate" and "country music capital."

It's more difficult to play word association with Rapid City.

That's because Rapid City currently doesn't have that one thing that sets it apart in the public's mind, according to Brooks.

"There's no reason why Rapid City and this area shouldn't be one of those areas you must see in your lifetime," Brooks told a gathering of about 100 interested business and community members Monday at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

Brooks was hired by the Rapid City Convention & Visitors Bureau and local businesses to help the city create a brand identity that sets it apart from the crowd. On Monday, Brooks presented his final list of recommendations and said a brand is not simply a logo or slogan, it's something that comes to mind when people think of you that sets you apart from everyone else.

Brooks believes Rapid City could market its downtown as the cultural centerpiece of the area, but first, the city needs to create things to do, places to eat and shop and be entertained downtown so it can become a destination in itself.

"That's the perception we want to plant in people's minds," Brooks said. "I didn't say you're there yet. That's what we're working toward, that's the goal. You never roll out a brand; you have to earn it."

The top experience visitors seek is shopping, eating and entertainment in a pedestrian friendly setting, Brooks said. Currently, Rapid City is like the hole in the donut with lots of things to do around it, but not much in the middle, he said.

"What we're trying to do is fill that hole, so you're not just a hub where people spend the night," he said. "You have some of the grandest, most spectacular landscapes and monuments in the world, and you need to cement that position."

Brooks presented a list of 21 recommendations geared toward helping Rapid City become a destination. He said the city should immediately start associating itself with Mount Rushmore National Memorial while it works over the next five years to recreate downtown as a cultural destination.

Downtown should become a pedestrian friendly place with things to see and do during the day, evening and late night with a retail mix that appeals to local residents as well as tourists.

Brooks said one idea, just a concept at this point, is to develop a downtown fountain plaza district with a large fountain or water display that would be used for concerts, events, activities and a place for the community to gather.

John Brewer, said a group of about 20 downtown business leaders agree with Brooks' ideas, and have formed Destination Rapid City, a nonprofit economic development corporation. The group feels a water feature "of iconic proportion" would invite people to enjoy events and festivals, open air markets and family activities and, together with an entertainment district, would help downtown become a destination.

"This is going to be a ‘must see, can't miss' addition, a gathering place for families, visitors, events and festivals in downtown Rapid City," Brewer said.

Brewer said dedication to that vision has resulted in private gifts totaling more than $1 million toward the fundraising effort for the project. He said the group will partner with the Chamber of Commerce and the city in the near future to develop a project plan and begin fundraising.

In addition, Destination Rapid City intends to start work immediately on a proposal to build a pedestrian bridge over Omaha Street to connect downtown to Memorial Park, the civic center and the Holiday Inn.

"This necessary bridge will make a link that is safe, will appear inviting to anybody on either side, and will have an economic reward for both sides," he said.

Print this story. Email this story. Share This Story: - What's this?

Rapid Reply

Hide Comments

29 comment(s)

Nick Carroll Swan wrote on May 3, 2008 8:51 PM: " How bout this:

"Rapid City, South Dakota - the Selma, Alabama of the Great White North"

One, you would seal the deal for your statistical tourist.

Two, you would be paying homage to the century and a half long tradition of plains colonialism, which would be a nice anchor point to tout the presidential statues.

My only request, out of humble fairness, is could we please have a plaquard next to each of those abominations noting how much tribal acreage - and dollar amounts in tribal resources i.e. Homestake, Peabody, etc. - was bamboozled under each one's administration.

Thanks "