South Dakota activist continues her stand in Tuscon

By C.T. Revere
Tucson Citizen

Cecilia Fire Thunder lost her gallant effort to safeguard a piece of social justice for women in her home state of South Dakota, so she has taken her crusade on the road.

The former chairwoman of the Oglala Sioux will be a link in a human chain encircling the Pima County Superior Court building this afternoon, joining more than 200 other activists hoping to bring attention to a socio-political climate that feeds a national epidemic of domestic violence.

"The attacks on human rights - on a woman's right to choose, on same-sex marriage - are factors in the domestic violence problem," said Julie Johnston of the Brewster Center, a Tucson-based domestic violence prevention program that is organizing the rally.

"Domestic violence is about power and control. It's about one person making another person do something they don't want to do. There are a lot of the same principles revolving around limiting a woman's right to choose and demanding that people be married to get certain rights."

Fire Thunder's recent experiences are a case study in how hard it has become in America to stand up against those who seek legislative control over others.

She made history in 2004 as the first woman elected to lead the Oglala Sioux, a nation whose legacy includes the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee Creek and the American Indian Movement's occupation of the community of Wounded Knee in 1973.

After defeating two-term incumbent chairman and AIM activist Russell Means, Fire Thunder found herself at odds with South Dakota lawmakers who passed a statewide ban on abortions.

Because the ban made no provisions for helping rape victims - including a widely reported disproportion in the number of Oglala women raped by spouses and other relatives - Fire Thunder vowed to open a Planned Parenthood clinic on sovereign land where it would be out of reach of state restrictions. For her effort, Fire Thunder was first suspended by fellow tribal leaders, then impeached in late June.

It's telling how hostile the climate has become toward women's reproductive rights when efforts to ensure that abortion remains an option for rape victims is met with political resistance even in a nation that strives to be sovereign from mainstream American politics.

"Our concerns are more about controlling other people in our country rather than freedom," Johnston said. "It's almost like we're moving backward."

Today's rally, which is part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, begins at 5 p.m. at the northwest corner of the court building, 110 W. Congress St. It will include speeches by Fire Thunder and Wingspan's Cathy Busha, who will talk about threats to the gay, lesbian and transgender community.

Fire Thunder's appearance is important for Arizona's large American Indian population, which suffers domestic violence at a rate far higher than the national average of 1 in 4 women, according to Johnston.

"She brings a round picture to domestic violence and brings home the point that this is not just about what's happening in someone's home. There's a larger picture to it," said Johnston. "She represents someone who has stood up for women's rights and taken a hit for it. But she continues to stand up for it."

Today is your chance to let lawmakers who would meddle in your personal life know that you'll stand against them as well.