Broadcaster Press 7 October 1, 2019 www.broadcasteronline.com A Bad Joke Historical Trauma and Cultural Healing By Daris Howard When I was younger and just graduated from college, we moved into a new area and into a new home. The church I was part of had decided to move all record keeping to computers. The problem was, back then very few people knew how to use a computer. So, the congregational leader, who went by the title of bishop, asked if I would help enter the records into the computer. One piece of this had to do with the donations the members of the congregation gave to the church. On Sunday afternoons, I worked with a Henry to enter the data. He would read off the numbers, and I punched them in. This was before the days of the internet, so when we had checked and double-checked the numbers, we called into the church headquarters to report the data so the totals could be recorded there. One day, the bishop came into where Henry and I were working. “I just got the phone bill,” he said. “Do you know what’s on it?” “What?” Henry asked. “There are a lot of calls to a dirty joke line,” the bishop replied. “The calls are all made during the youth night meetings. Apparently, the youth are doing some things they shouldn’t.” The next Sunday, the bishop talked about the issue to the congregation. He preached a little bit of fire and brimstone toward those who would use a church phone for inappropriate behavior and called on them to repent. “Not only is it a disgrace to see these kinds of calls on our phone bill,” he said. “But the numbers were nine hundred numbers and had charges both for long-distance and for a line charge. We are going to have some equipment put in so a person must have a code to make a longdistance call. That should take care of the problem.” Within a couple of weeks, the new equipment was installed. Henry and I were given a code we had to punch in so we could call in the weekly donation report. Only a few weeks after the new equipment was installed, Henry and I had spent much of a Sunday afternoon recording everything. It was way past lunchtime, and we were both hungry and ready to be home with our families. It was Henry’s turn to make the call, and my turn to watch and listen to verify he read the numbers correctly. Henry dialed the number and punched in the security code. When the phone picked up on the other end, he smiled. He identified himself and the congregation he was calling from. Then he said, “I am ready to report the weekly donation information.” Suddenly, Henry blushed bright red. “Listen here,” he said forcefully into the phone. “I don’t want to hear any of that!” Henry gasped. “Young lady, I want to talk to your supervisor!” He paused a minute and then said it again louder and with more force. Finally, he slammed the phone on the receiver. Henry was shaking with anger as he turned to me. “That lady, and I use the term loosely, was telling me a dirty joke.” I laughed. “Henry, did you dial one eight-hundred, or did you dial one nine-hundred?” Henry was not smiling as he replied. “As far as I know, I dialed one eight-hundred.” He was so shaken by everything that he wouldn’t call again. So, this time I dialed. A young lady answered and identified herself as a secretary at the church headquarters. She pleasantly recorded the information, and we hung up. When the bishop stepped into the room, we told him what had happened. He laughed. “Well, I guess we know who was calling the dirty joke line.” Henry didn’t think it was funny in the least. And when the phone bill came, it showed a nine-hundred number which, other than the nine, was the same as the church reporting number. “Give me that bill,” Henry said. The bishop laughed. “We can pay for it.” “Not on your life,” Henry said. “I don’t want anyone saying I called a raunchy number and the church paid it.” He looked at the charge on the phone bill, plopped down five dollars, and said, “And keep the change.” Then he added, “And I don’t want to hear another word spoken about this again.” By Richard P. Holm, MD Starting in 1805 through 1858 the Dakota Indian people living in Minnesota were, by U.S. government treaties, gradually cut out of their traditional hunting areas. In 1861, crops failed, winter was severe, meager federal payments were late and Dakota children were starving. By August of 1862, desperation moved some of the Dakota Indians to attack white homestead farmers and families and the state militia responded. War was on. After six weeks of fighting the Dakota warriors surrendered and 303 men were sentenced to death by hanging. President Abraham Lincoln commuted many but left 38 Dakota men to hang in Mankato, Minnesota just after Christmas 1862. Those commuted were shipped to prison in Iowa where more than a third died as conditions were so poor. Although many Indian people did not go to war, white hatred of all Indians grew like a prairie fire. Within a year, a $25 bounty was paid for the scalp of any Dakota Indian found free within the state. Lives were lost on both sides of that war, but the Dakota Oyate (Oyate means people) lost their lands and their culture. Pride and family traditions were severely compromised affecting many generations to come. First introduced by mental health expert Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart, Historical Trauma Response is a soci- etal diagnosis now used by psychologists and historians. It refers to the cumulative, transgenerational, traumatic experience which causes long-lasting injury to communities, cultures and descendants, like that of the American Indian. Another example of HTR is the African American slave experience. Experts state that HTR may cause smoldering animosity between groups as well as poverty, alcohol abuse, violence, depression and suicide behaviors. How can this be treated without compromising a culture’s traditions? Do ancestors of immigrant Europeans have a societal responsibility to right a wrong? Does smoldering animosity block the path to healing? I believe prejudice hurts all of us. Hate poisons the well, even if it is “inherited hate” that came from more than 200 years of conflict and violence. It is time for European descendants to free ourselves from the bonds of historical bigotry and better understand the perspective of the Indian people. It is time for people of all races to stop hating and find ways for cultural healing through spiritual kindness to each other. Lakota leader and mystic Black Elk said, “The bison were the gift of a good spirit . . . and from the same good spirit we must find another strength.” Richard P. Holm, MD is author of “Life’s Final Season, A Guide for Aging and Dying with Grace” available on Amazon. For free and easy access to the entire Prairie Doc® library, visit www.prairiedoc.org and follow Prairie Doc® on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show streaming on Facebook and broadcast on SDPTV most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central. DPS Urges Yankton Sioux Tribe To Use Immediate Options Available For Flood Response PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Department of Public Safety has recommended that the Yankton Sioux Tribe’s request to use the South Dakota National Guard for flood response be declined because other options are immediately available to the tribe. Tribal Chairman Robert Flying Hawk sent a Sept. 20 letter to Governor Kristi Noem asking for assistance for the White Swan community in Lake Andes. Specifically, the chairman requested any or all use of the National Guard. DPS Cabinet Secretary Craig Price, in a letter sent Monday to Chairman Flying Hawk, said that last Friday, staff from the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Emergency Management met with tribal and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials to discuss the building of a berm. Secretary Price stated the Corps provided instructions and technical advice on how to build the berm and tribal officials said they had the money, materials, personnel and equipment to build the berm themselves. “While it is our assumption you want the National Guard to construct the berm, it is our recommendation that, in this situation, the National Guard is not a last resort, because the tribe still has other resources available that can quickly be implemented,” Secretary Price wrote. State agencies, according to Secretary Price, have tried to stay in contact with the tribe since flooding began this spring. He said the state’s assistance is still available to the tribe. “We provided the pumps you requested to lower water levels. We also raised roads to re-establish access to Lake Andes for tribal members. We’ve worked with FEMA and your tribal housing officials to identify possible housing solutions.” Secretary Price wrote. “We are still ready to assist the Yankton Sioux Tribe to keep your tribal members safe and rebuild after flood waters recede.” Secretary Price said both the state and tribe understand that cooperation is needed to help the area deal with the lingering flood issues. “The state has worked together with many communities to deal with their flooding issues and I know we can continue to do the same thing here,” he wrote. 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Air Comp.; Ridged 400A Elec. Pipe Threader; 17 1/2t Shop Press; Boyer-Schultz Surface Grinder; Large Steel Shop Cabinet; Work Benches; Trash Pump; Craftsman Wood Lathe; Engine Cherry Picker; Porta-Heaters; Craftsman 15” Skil Saw & 18” Scroll Saw; other small tools; Internet Only Auction—NO LIVE AUCTION. Conveniently bid from anywhere at www.Girardbid.com. Click “Become a Member”, fill out the form, then click “Register for Auction” wait for approval. All items are located at the Girard Auction Facilities in Wakonda, SD. Open most days 9 to 5 for inspection. Please inspect before bidding! Catalog & bidding will open on October 3rd. Terms: 10% Buyer’s Premium added to all purchases. SD Sales tax applies. Cash or Good Check. Visa & MasterCard on purchases under $1,000. Personal Inspection is highly recommended before bidding. Girard Auction & Land Brokers, Inc. (605) 267-2421 Toll Free: 1-866-531-6186 www.GirardAuction.com · www.Girardbid.com