Got this email late last night from Henry Red Clouds campaign manager, Richard Fox.
Tracy,
Late Sunday night... but here is the text from a Press Release going out soon. I will add some extra pictures...
Richard
Henry Red Cloud is the Democratic Party's candidate for the Public Utilities Commission and he has a very long history in South Dakota. He is a fifth generation direct descendant of Chief Red Cloud (Mahpiya Luta), the great Lakota leader and military genius who was one of the most well known and photographed Native Americans in history.
It was Chief Red Cloud who signed the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 which ended the Red Cloud War. In each culture, such formal decisions are sanctified in different ways. For the Lakota, it involves the smoking of a pipe together. This last weekend, the pipe Red Cloud smoked at that historic 1868 Peace Treaty meeting was brought out to the Sacred Stone Camp at Standing Rock by Wendell Yellow Bull Jr., the ninth Keeper of Mahpiya Luta's pipe in a procession that was led by Henry Red Cloud, who also brought it into the Council Tipi where high level discussions went on among the assembled Lakota headsmen.
Following the ceremony and discussions, Henry spoke on behalf of Mahpiya Luta to the many hundreds of people who had gathered near the Council Tipi. He spoke about the need for unity to protect Mother Earth, but also the necessity of always acting in a peaceful non-violent manner. He also talked about the need to take political action, which includes voting in the upcoming election.
He emphatically made his point - You can't change the past, but we can change the future!
Afterwards, Henry talked specifically about his PUC candidacy: "The Public Utilities Commission has been approving pipelines without much concern for South Dakota's farmers, ranchers, tribes and us regular citizens. The Dakota Access Pipeline should have never been approved."
The PUC approves or disapproves many aspects relating to the permitting of pipelines among its energy related duties. The head of the PUC, Chris Nelson, led the effort to get the Dakota Access Pipeline approved despite much negative testimony and many objections.
"The PUC doesn't press the oil companies for Environmental Impact Statements and doesn't even require them to show what liability insurance they have. Other states get the oil and they leave the rest of us with fouled water, destroyed farms and all the headaches that come with a spill. I am not sure who my opponent Chris Nelson is working for, but he sure isn't looking out for the interests of the people of South Dakota!"
Henry wants to see a significant investment in renewable energy infrastructure and education. He knows that South Dakota has huge solar and wind resources and could become the renewable energy state if there was a major investment in teaching people about solar and wind power and how to install and maintain the equipment.
Henry states: "Many of the current oil workers could find much better, healthier jobs in this newer, safer, energy approach and we need to provide them with the necessary training and transition help."
Henry has a long history in working with and teaching about renewable energy including running his business, Lakota Solar Enterprises and co-managing the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center.
"I have trained many of our youth and veterans, both men and women, about renewable energy and how to live a more sustainable life. In learning to work with the sun and wind, we find a good path forward and a healthier one too that is a new way that honors the old way."
Henry Red Cloud is a supporter of 90for90. He knows how important voting is.