Nebraska News: New Legislative Bills

Group Rallies For Whiteclay Bill

Measure would stop alcohol sales near Indian reservation

by Gail Folda

February 25, 2002

LINCOLN - Nebraskans for Peace rallied Monday in support of a proposal to stop new liquor stores from opening in Whiteclay, a tiny Nebraska villlage that sells more than $3 million a year in beer to impoverished residents of the nearby Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.

Frank LaMere, a member of the Winnebago tribe, spoke at the rally. Photo by Gail Folda

The bill (LB1306) from Omaha Sen. Don Preister of Omaha would prohibit sales of alcohol within five miles of Indian country. The four Whiteclay stores, 200 feet from the reservation, would have their liquor licenses grandfathered in and wouldn't have to stop selling booze.

There's nowhere in Whiteclay, nor on their reservation, where the Indian patrons of the stores can legally drink.

"This is a political no win. It is a hornet's nest and it's festering and no one wants to touch it. We need to touch this problem. This is a case of lawlessness within our own border," said Carol McShane, president of Nebraskans for Peace.She spoke at a rally held in the State Capitol before a General Affairs Committee hearing on Preister's bill. The committee heard impassioned testimony from Indians affected by the rampant alcoholism on the reservation, but took no action on the measure. It doesn't have priority status, and is highly unlikely to be debated should it be advanced to the full Legislature by the committee.

At the rally Frank LaMere of Nebraska's Winnebago tribe, a nationally known political activist, said the proposed bill would hopefully serve the best interests of Nebraska citizens, Indian and non-Indian.

Carol McShane, president of Nebraskans for Peace, spoke at the rally in support of LB 1306. Photo by Gail Folda

LaMere said the use of alcohol had a devastating effect on the lives of the Indians in Pine Ridge. Pine Ridge is in Shannon County.

"Shannon County is the poorest county in all of the United States of America. LaMere said the Guiness Book of World Records called the highway connecting Whiteclay and Pine Ridge, "the deadliest highway in the world."

"We need to put this sad legacy behind us," LaMere said.

Tim Rinne, a member of Nebraskans for Peace, read a letter from former South Dakota state senator Jim Abourezk, who supported the rally and LB1306.