New DQU Leadership Emerges To Unite the Eagle and the Condor

S P E C T R E Group
AFFILIATED OBSIDIAN NATION

An American Indian People's Resistance Movement of the 21st Century
140 B Street Suite 5 Box 123
Davis, California 95616
phone: (530) 400-7642 E-mail: thegreatlizardking [at] yahoo.com


April 7, 2008 4:10 p.m. PST

Davis , CA
by Steve Jerome-Wyatt
Special to the A.O.N. KINDRED SPIRIT ARCHIVES


At DQ University:
A New Leadership EmergesTo
Unite the Eagle and the Condor

Despite widespread attempts by the DQ University "Board of Trustees" and their supporters in the community to stop us, The People from all Four Directions gathered together yesterday and went ahead with the Planting of the Corn ceremony at Californias Only Tribal College.

We began gathering at the front gate at 9:45 a.m. We were VERY surprised to see that there were no police vehicles in sight. As more and more supporters arrived in their own cars, so did TV news crews from KTXL Channel 40 ( Sacramento ), KCRA Channel 3 (Sacrament ), and UNIVISION Channel 19. Reporters from the Sacramento Bee and the Woodland Daily Democrat were present also.

For almost two hours The People gathered in front of the school. There was no trace of deputies from the Yolo County Shriffs Department. The school's board of trustees had announced earlier that it was planning to have a 'special emergency meeting' at DQ University yesterday (co-incidentally at the same time that our pow wow and People's Meeting was scheduled to take place) but -like the local police- the board of trustees was nowhere to be seen.

We of the AON wish it to be known that the board of trustees very conspicuous absence at DQ University marks the fifth time in a row that these people have failed to represent the school (DQ University) in who's name they claim to speak.

As things turned out, the police and the board of trustees never did come to DQ University yesterday.

Finally, the moment we had been waiting for arrived; at noon, we walked and drove into the campus to conduct the corn planting ceremony. By that time, our numbers had increased to 50 or 60 people. The print and broadcast media that had gone in earlier remained there for the beginning of our prayers and deliberations.

Many people in the audience said later that (they felt) it was the presence of the media that played a key role in keeping the police from sweeping in - once again - and arresting everyone in sight.

For example, on March 31, the police smashed their way through the doors of the school's dormitory and arrested eighteen students and supporters - some of them at gunpoint. Two of our students were arrested - once again at the business-end of police shotguns and taser devices - at the school's Ceremonial Grounds on April 2nd.

All in all, the police have arrested 23 people from our circle at DQ University. All of us have been charged with "criminal trespassing." We are scheduled to answer these charges in Yolo County Superior Court, beginning in May and on into June.

In the end, we accomplished what we set out to do yesterday. Student leaders and community activists stepped forward from our circle and committed themselves to becoming the new Leadership of DQ University. By the time the talks and the corn planting ceremony was over, fifteen people had agreed to sign on as an interim board of trustees for the school.

Yesterday was a watershed event for DQ University. Despite the wishes of the board's followers who see no harm in keeping a tiny handful of rip-off artists and opportunists in power at the school, the people from the Community stood up as one, and selected their OWN leaders. In doing so we have declared a Victory in the name of Unity, Sustained Struggle and the human rights of Indigenous people everywhere.

As yesterday's events unfolded, above us and all around us, the Spirit People sang and danced in celebration. Now, at long last, we pray that all of the darkness and division of the past has been stripped away from the Great Iridescent Dream known as DQ University. In the times to come, The Iron Hand of True History will write how DQ University rose like a great Shining bird from the ruins of it's still-smoking ashes.

This is all we have to share with you at this time. In parting, we leave you with this fond farewell: stay together; stay strong, and always tell the Truth.

Take care of yourselves, and remember always: THE REAL DQ WILL NEVER DIE.

And having said all that we would, we will be leaving you - for now.

We are the Hope; We are this Nation; the Affiliated Obsidian Nation: OUR ENDEAVOR NEVER SLEEPS.

Steve Jerome-Wyatt,
Acknowledged Spokesman,
Davis, California