NEWS Native activists, local intellectuals confront city council REMOVAL OF PLANTER BEARING CASUSE’S IMAGE STIRS CONTROVERSY
By Bernie Dotson Sun Correspondent
T
he Gallup City Council heard sentiments from community members about a downtown planter that was removed from the front of the law office of attorney Barry Klopfer. The planter depicted images of Larry Casuse, a Native American female bearing an AK-47 rifle, and a Native family of elders. In the eyes of the Native Americans that spoke during the public comment portion of the April 25 council meeting, removing the planter was a slap in the face to a people who already feel economically, politically and socially subjugated by Gallup. “Do you know the Native population of Gallup,” Brandon Benallie asked Mayor Jackie McKinney. “Look at the council: How many Natives are on the city council?” B en a l l ie’s r em a rk s were pa r t of a str i ng of remarks aimed at alleged Native discrimination and marginalization. Casuse was a Navajo-born college student at the University of New Mexico-Gallup who kidnapped then-mayor Emmitt Garcia at gunpoint in March 1973. Casuse, and others in the area Native communities, were opposed to the inordinate amount of liquor licenses in Gallup at the time. The city continues to have more such licenses as per population – practically three times the amount as suggested by state guidelines.
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NEWS
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Navajo activist Brandon Benallie shares some strong words with the Gallup City Council April 25. Community members sounded off about the removal of a planter that featured controversial figure Larry Casuse. Photo Credit: Knifewing Segura
Jerry Garcia, the brother of the former mayor whom Larry Casuse held hostage in an attempt to make a political statement, fires back at activists in attendance at the April 25 City Council meeting. Photo Credit: Knifewing Segura
Ca suse aimed to show Garcia the impact alcohol had on the Navajo community. Casuse was killed, according to some reports, by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. K lopfer com m i s sioned the painting of the planter. Local artist Ric Sarracino was reportedly paid $300 to do it and that was recently refunded to Klopfer, Francis Bee, the executive director of the city’s Business Improvement District, said. “ T he money ha s been refunded,” Bee said. “I think the painting may have violated some rules that were put in place when the planters were being done.” McKinney said the planter was removed after the city re ceive d nu merou s com plaints about the depictions. As far as where the planter
being hurled at the entire panel. “You don’t k now me,” McKinney told Benallie, and supporters. “If you did you wouldn’t be saying that.” Jerry Garcia of Gallup and the brother of the mayor that was taken hostage by Casuse addressed council members and had some pretty choice words for the Native protesters. “We sit here and we talk about our liquor laws and you
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is right now is undetermined. The Gallup Sun has reached out to the city’s parks and recreation department, but has not received retur ned telephone calls. The parks department would have been the city department charged w it h t he r emov a l of t he planter. “This is outright discrimination against the Native American people,” Mike Butler, a white protester who also spoke against the removal of the planter. “The sad thing is that the city is hypocritical. There are murals right outside on the walls of City Hall that bear the same thing. The fact of the matter is they don’t care about anyone who isn’t white. How many Natives have top level jobs at Gallup City Hall?” McKinney argued against the racial aspect of what was
go to your casino where your president is ripping you people off by tons of money,” Garcia, a local builder, said. “You don’t know nothing.” A meeting on the whole Native discrimination matter, as well as the planter removal, is set for May 9 at the Downtown Conference Center. The Sun has received reports that the planter was painted over.
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VAP STORE BURGLARIZED Lots of goodies stolen
12 16 CHARGED WITH MURDER
SUMMER MOVIES PREVIEW
Local man allegedly staged suicide
Looking like a great lineup
Gallup Sun • Friday April 28, 2017
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