Bruce Whelan

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of South Dakota's Shannon County Republican Party, took issue with Limbaugh's comments - "I am kinda wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from."

Bruce Whelan, 42, is the head of the Shannon County Republican Party. [More...]

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party, also took issue with Limbaugh's comments, although he agrees with some of what was said.

"I am kind wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from.Scalping did not originate from the Indian-it originated from the Europeans.It is a tragedy that some of the negative stereotyping that comes from our media reinforces blaming the victim.I don't like words likes scalping, tee-pee and smoke signals," Whelan said."[But] Democrats are definitely taking advantage of the vote here.
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Whelan said he did not think that Limbaugh's views are representative of Republicans as a whole.

"No, I'm sure they aren't.There are things he says that even I roll my eyes too," he said.

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party, took issue with Limbaugh's comments - "I am kind wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from."
...
Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party, also took issue with Limbaugh's comments, although he agrees with some of what was said.

"I am kind wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from.Scalping did not originate from the Indian-it originated from the Europeans.It is a tragedy that some of the negative stereotyping that comes from our media reinforces blaming the victim.I don't like words likes scalping, tee-pee and smoke signals," Whelan said."[But] Democrats are definitely taking advantage of the vote here.
...
Whelan said he did not think that Limbaugh's views are representative of Republicans as a whole."No, I'm sure they aren't.There are things he says that even I roll my eyes too," he said.

Bruce Whelan, 42, is the head of the Shannon County Republican Party.He attended the convention as an alternative delegate.Whelan said there was a dearth of Indian-specific discussion at the convention.

" I don't recall hearing anything about Native American issues," Whelan told the Native American Times.
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Whelan said he spoke to other Indian delegates, some attending from New Mexico, Oklahoma and Washington, and had confirmation that he is not alone as a Native American Republican.

" We all met at the American Indian Center in New York.
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They bent over backwards to help us out," Whelan said.
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Whelan is now back in South Dakota, and will be working before the election to see Bush reelected and South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle defeated.
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That got some hoots and hollers from the South Dakota Delegation," Whelan said.

On the impoverished Pine Ridge Reservation, Bruce Whelan stages an almost Don Quixote-like campaign.Whelan, 42, is the head of the Shannon County Republican Party, one of the lone members of the GOP on a reservation that is overwhelmingly registered Democrat.
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" The Lakota people, Indians overall, have been organized by the Democrats who get us to vote for them and then turn around and pretend to be in a relationship with us when they are not," Whelan said.
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Whelan is also critical of Daschle's Missouri River Trust Fund, which gave a large part of the river's management over to the federal government.He is not alone on that one.
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Whelan is a full-time college student, and he will graduate this summer with a BS in Human Services.He believes the way to convince people of the fallacy of the Democratic Party is to discuss the issues.

" I talk to people and tell them there are two sides to every story.I research along with my fellow college students and we try to educate people," he said.

He has an uphill battle.American Indians have long been faithful supporters of Democratic Party.Whelan questions that thinking; believing that key components of the Democratic Party platform, like abortion, are contrary to traditional thinking.

" [The Lakota] believe that an unborn child in the womb is sacred," Whelan said." Through assimilation we have gotten away from that.The Democrats are confusing us and getting us to vote against our sacred ways."

Many tribal leaders are suspicious of the GOP because of the religious right's opposition to gaming.Whelan does not have a problem with that stance either.

" Employing 100 people [in a gaming operation] is fine, but it is not only white people going to the casino-it is our Indian people.They are leaving their children at home unattended.That needs to change," he said.

Whelan knows that the Pine Ridge Reservation is not about to become home to a bunch of Republicans anytime soon.In fact, he's happy if the status quo stays the same.With one condition.

" I'm not about winning people over.

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party, also took issue with Limbaugh's comments, although he agrees with some of what was said.

"I am kind wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from.Scalping did not originate from the Indian-it originated from the Europeans.It is a tragedy that some of the negative stereotyping that comes from our media reinforces blaming the victim.I don't like words likes scalping, tee-pee and smoke signals," Whelan said."[But] Democrats are definitely taking advantage of the vote here.
...
Whelan said he did not think that Limbaugh's views are representative of Republicans as a whole.

" No, I'm sure they aren't.There are things he says that even I roll my eyes too," he said.

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party,also took issue with Limbaugh's comments, although he agrees with some of
...
likes scalping, tee-pee and smoke signals," Whelan said."[But] Democratsare definitely taking advantage of the vote here.
...
Whelan said he did not think that Limbaugh's views are representative of

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party, took issue with Limbaugh's comments - "I am kind wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from." Read more >>

Bruce Whelan, the Lakota leader of the Shannon County Republican Party, took issue with Limbaugh's comments - "I am kind wondering what history books Rush Limbaugh was reading from."(image/gif)