von: http://bearbutte.blogspot.com/
Am 3.12.2008 wird die Meade County Commission erneut über die Vergabe der Alkoholausschanklizenzen zur Sturgis Bike Week entscheiden.


Anbei ist ein Musterbrief an die Kommission, mit dem Aufruf, keine Ausschanklizenzen für die Einrichtungen um den Bear Butte, einschl. des Broken Spoke Campground zu erneuern.
Der Brief kann so verwendet und als e-mail

bis Dienstag, 02.12.2008, 16.00 Uhr Mountain Standard Time -
das heißt bis Dienstag, 02.12.2008, 24.00 Uhr unserer Zeit (MEZ) an die Commission geschickt werden.

BITTE UNTEN NAMEN UND ADRESSE EINFÜGEN

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Attn: Meade County Auditor
Meade County Board of Commissioners
1425 Sherman Street
Sturgis, SD 67625

via email: meade@meadecounty.org

Dear County Commissioners:

I oppose the annual on-sale & off sale liquor license renewal's for all Rally locations surrounding Bear Butte, including but not limited to, Broken Spoke Campground, Glencoe Campground/Rockin the Rally and Buffalo Chip.

The annual on-sale & Off sale liquor license renewal should be denied because the locations are not suitable.

Bear Butte is sacred land. There is extensive documentation of the spiritual and historical significance of Bear Butte to the area. Each summer for thousands of years, people have traveled hundreds of miles, to Bear Butte to worship and conduct their sacred ceremonies. People travel to Bear Butte for healing, guidance, spiritual renewal and to fast on the sacred mountain.

The Meade County Commissioners have arbitrarily decided location is not a issue, over the past three years. There is NO justification for this continual decision, the failure to take into account the Tribes repeated requests in regards to location, is not acceptable. Location IS an ISSUE for the people that continue to travel to Bear Butte to pray, and for the generations yet to come. This will never change and we will continue to oppose until the MCC realizes that location, is in fact, an issue.

This decision is a direct violation of the, American Indian Freedom of Religion Act of 1978, in addition to Executive Order 13007 Protection and Accommodation of Access to "Indian Sacred Sites" signed by President Clinton on May 24, 1996.

These large scale commercial developments invite noise and cumulative impacts of increased traffic and travel, which all stand to adversely impact the natural serenity and tranquility needed for cultural, ceremonial and other visitations to Bear Butte. They also negatively impact the experience of people who enjoy the spiritual, cultural, and natural resources at Bear Butte. Issues include, the unsuitability of this location, unacceptable noise and disturbance that this location continues to cause, to those who travel to Bear Butte who need solitude and serenity.

The application should be denied on the basis that the applicants are not suitable characters to hold license(s) as proposed.

On Monday, August 4th 2008 these venues created complete chaos with noise, helicopters and several hours of gridlock traffic from Interstate 90, through Sturgis onto Highway 79. Tens of thousands of people, traveled onto Highway 79 to attend these concerts being held at these locations on the same night, all directly next to, and effecting Bear Butte.

These venues fail to take into account local concerns of impacts to the spiritual, cultural, and natural resources at Bear Butte. Bear Butte is a place of prayer where the natural environment needs to be free from negative influences of alcohol that could affect religious beliefs and practices of those who travel to Bear Butte to pray.

I respectfully request for the Meade County Commissioners to DENY ALL of the liquor license renewals for the renewals for all Rally locations surrounding Bear Butte, including but not limited to, Broken Spoke Campground, Glencoe Campground/Rockin the Rally and Buffalo Chip.

Sincerely,
NAME und ADRESSE

December, 1st 2008