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LaDuke discusses her motivations, work
The two-time vice presidential candidate with the Green Party said she has seen progress in society
by desiree Aflleje | Freelance reporter |
In a lecture Tuesday, two-time vice presidential candidate and founder of the White Earth Land Recovery Project Winona LaDuke discussed her motivations for creating change - the cultural teachings of her people and lessons she has learned as a mother.
LaDuke, an Oregon native, graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economic development and now lives on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota. She ran as the Green Party's vice presidential candidate in both 1996 and 2000. On Tuesday evening, she spoke about her motivations, her work and ways to effect change to about 200 people in 180 PLC in an event hosted by the ASUO Women's Center.
As a member of the Anishinabe Native American people, cultural teachings motivate LaDuke's work.
She said her people's cultural teachings call for the creation of a society "which is based on a just set of relationships with people, and a just set of relationships with the natural world."
Motherhood also motivates LaDuke's political work.
Rules for her kids include: don't steal, don't be greedy, clean up one mess before making another and "learn how to say you're sorry."
She said society blatantly breaks the standards she sets for her kids. The U.S. government steals land from Native American reservations, American society is obsessed with accumulation, our environment is saturated with nuclear waste and the government is unwilling to be fully accountable for its wrongdoings, she said.
"So the question is… if I tell my children not to steal, should I not tell the government not to steal?" LaDuke said. "I say, 'Is it wrong to tell my kids not to be greedy?' No, it is the right thing. But should we not ask the same questions in this larger society?"
She said that despite the challenges society presents, she has seen progress.
She said the Nixon administration planned to expand the production of nuclear power plants to 1,000 sites by the year 2000. Today, she said, thanks to the efforts of committed activists, there are only 109.
LaDuke, an Oregon native, graduated from Harvard University with a degree in economic development and now lives on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota. She ran as the Green Party's vice presidential candidate in both 1996 and 2000. On Tuesday evening, she spoke about her motivations, her work and ways to effect change to about 200 people in 180 PLC in an event hosted by the ASUO Women's Center.
As a member of the Anishinabe Native American people, cultural teachings motivate LaDuke's work.
She said her people's cultural teachings call for the creation of a society "which is based on a just set of relationships with people, and a just set of relationships with the natural world."
Motherhood also motivates LaDuke's political work.
Rules for her kids include: don't steal, don't be greedy, clean up one mess before making another and "learn how to say you're sorry."
She said society blatantly breaks the standards she sets for her kids. The U.S. government steals land from Native American reservations, American society is obsessed with accumulation, our environment is saturated with nuclear waste and the government is unwilling to be fully accountable for its wrongdoings, she said.
"So the question is… if I tell my children not to steal, should I not tell the government not to steal?" LaDuke said. "I say, 'Is it wrong to tell my kids not to be greedy?' No, it is the right thing. But should we not ask the same questions in this larger society?"
She said that despite the challenges society presents, she has seen progress.
She said the Nixon administration planned to expand the production of nuclear power plants to 1,000 sites by the year 2000. Today, she said, thanks to the efforts of committed activists, there are only 109.
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