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Show Saturday-Marc- : Satwday Bricfiit Firinfiiir UD)S SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -GLee, the son of a medicine man who rose and fell from power in the IDS Church, is awaiting a "gree light" from God to pursue the presidency of the Navajo Nation. Eighteen months after the church excommunicated him for apostasy, Lee is watching for the same divine signal that last year prompted his entry into the volatile politics of the United State's largest tribe. A hastily assembled write-i- n campaign for tribal president in November netted Lee 11,407 ballots, a surprisingly strong showing among voters who never had given a write-i- n candidate more than a handful of votes. "I didnt know if I was to be involved with politics, until a sign was given," Lee said. "I usually go by a sign from heaven." Lee has until June, the deadline for him to move to the reservation from his suburban Salt Lake home eorge P. to establish the required three years residency before the 1994 election. "I'm not worried about that," Lee said. "I leave everything in the hands of God. If the sign comes again before June, I'll do something about the law. It's in his hands." For the first time since he ac The quorum is responsible for administering the affairs of the member church under direction of the Council of the Twelve apostles and the governing First Presidency. Members of the three bodies are known as general authorities. In 1969, Lee became the first general authority to be excommunicated in 46 years. His wife and seven children remain active Mormons. "They understood," he said. "They know their dad and have great faith in me." Lee also holds an abiding belief in personal revelation and communion with his maker. After leaving the church, be spent four months in a secret spot in the southwestern cused the church of the "spiritual slaughter" of Native Americans, Lee talked of his the excommunication, the "miracle" that linked him with indicted former tribal chairman Peter MacDon-al- d and the prospect of again seeking the tribal presidency. He also spoke harshly of Mormon leaders who banished him for voicing concerns over the spiritual of bis people, while later protecting Elder Paul H. Dunn, who admitted fabricating many of the popular personal stories he used to illustrate moral points to well-bein- aQ-m- g church members. "It seems to me that with my situation, I stood up for truth and was ei communicated, and he stood up for lies and remained in the church," Lee said. "That's the difference. Something is drastically wrong." Yet Lee is not bitter over his expulsion. Instead, the experience strengthened his faith and belief in Mormon teachings that Native Americans are the descendants of an ancient people described in the Book of Mormon, the faith's most cherished scripture. Lee was sustained in 1975 as a member of the church's First Quorum of the Seventy, the first Native American ever made a member of the church's hierarchy. desert "I isolated myself like Moses did," Lee said. "I had a real nice with God." time going He returned once after two months to find friends and tribal members clamoring for his presence in tribal politics. Among them were supporters of McDonald, a longtime friend who was facing one-on-o- bribery, ethics and conspiracy charges in tribal court "The timing wasnt right," Lee said. "I prayed about it and the answer was no." He went back to the desert for if eamidlidlaey residency on the reservation 3-ye- ar two more months. Lee supported MacDonald's platform, which emphasized protection of treaties between the tribe and the federal government, preservation of land and water rights and more funding for Bureau of Indian Affairs programs. More importantly, he said, was a friend he thought he could help. "The green light was given," he said. The pair can second in the primary, but the campaign foundered when MacDonald was convicted a month before the election and removed from the ballot Lee wondered whether to continue the campaign. The decision, he said, was made by God. "In one of our political meetings that sign was given," he said. While he declined to identify the portent, it is one on which he has long relied. "This is a sign I went by even when I was a general authority," he said. "Whenever I needed help, or when the Lord would want me to do certain things or be at a certain place, he would give this sign which would tell me I'm OK, I'm on the right track ... that he is pleased with what I'm doing." Lee mounted a hurried campaign on a shoestring budget, much of it Mac-Dona- ld aimed at teaching English-illiterat- e Navajos how to write his name. On election day, he culled nearly 22 percent of the 51,000 total votes, coming in third behind tribal President Peter Zah and Leonard Has-ki-e. There are about 219,000 Navajos living on the sprawling reservation straddling parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. More importantly, according to observers, he established himself as a force to be reckoned with in tribal politics. "He was thrust into power by MacDonald, and now he might be heir to MacDonald's support," said reporter Brian Lee of the Gallup, N.M., Independent The two are unrelated. He said some traditional Navajos turned off by the candidate's fore mal apparel at tribal rallies often found themselves converted by his "eloquent" speeches in their native tongue. "It was like a minister to his congregation," Lee said. "George Lee had a strong showing." Lee also won support among the 40,000-stron-g Navajo Mormon community, despite his excommunication, Brian Lee said. "I saw more Mormons vote than ever before," he said. Romero Brown, a WTindow Rock, Ariz., businessman and staunch George P. Lee suit-and-ti- Nation World , 1991 A3 taster ansfe Mm approval Lee has until June in order to be able to establish required h lee supporter, said he believes Lee's time as a force within the Navajo Nation is at hand. "I've been encouraging him to move, but it's up to him," he said. "But he made a comment to me. He said, Maybe this is what the Lord wanted me to do, to come back to the reservation,' " Brown said. "I just need to convince him the support will be there if he does." State Four nurses' sides convicted U.S. Four nurses aides were VIENNA, Austria (AP) convicted Friday and sentenced to terms ranging from 15 years to Me in the deaths of at least 20 elderly patients killed by drug overdoses or by forcing water into their lungs. The four, dubbed "The Angels of Death" in Austria's newspapers, initially admitted to being involved in the deaths of 42 old and chronically ailing patients at Vienna's Lainz Hospital between 1963 and 1989. They later retracted most of their confessions. A three-judg- e panel sentenced Waltraud Wagner, 32, and Irene LeidoK, 29, to life in prison for murder. Stefanija term on attempted murder Mayer, 51, received a SALT LAKE CITY U.S. AP) Attorney Dee Benson has pledged to do - aD service men and women activated during time of war or emergency. The Veterans Rights Act generally requires returning veterans be restored to positions they held prior to mobilization ,or to a position of similar seniority or pay. The provisions of the law apply to all employers, regardless of size, both private and public including the federal govemment. In a statement issued Friday, Benson said returning veterans may even be entitled to positions better than the ones they left mm: 20-ye- Training reviewed Mascot really got around AP Lafterpbotu Tornado drills Georgia road-flatten- ed 7s Dana Worthen holds an umbrella for bis son Ben as they walk through year-ol- d five- - the Premier could soon be out The reformist BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) federal premier could soon be forced from office by the internal disputes that are wracking the country, according to officials and news reports. In the latest rift at the regional level, ethnic Serbs demanded that in the republic of their area be allowed to secede and join Serbia, the state Tanjug news agency said. Leaders of Yugoslavia's six squabbling republics, who failed Thursday to reach agreement on the fractious country's future, said they would discuss the future of Premier Ante Markovic at their next session in April. The presidents appeared as far apart as ever over the makeup of Yugoslavia when they appeared at a news conference in the port city of Split late Thursday. Bosnia-Hercegovi- SALT LAKE CITY AP) The Peace Officers Standards and Training academy has been asked to review its "use-o- f --force" training in light of heightened public concern over police brutality. The review was requested by Public Safety Commissioner Doug Bod-rer- o. The academy is where most Utah police officers receive their Duncaster Place subdivision in Marietta, Ga., after it was hit by a tornado Friday. A-7- 1. he can to insure reservists and National Guard troops can return to jobs they left behind during the Gulf War. Benson said employers and returning veterans should be aware that federal law protects rights of and manslaughter charges. Maria Gruber, 29, drew 15 years far attempted murder. Lawyers for Wagner and Leidorf said they would appeal Counsel for Mayer and Gruber reserved the right to appeal. Presiding Judge Peter Straub condemned the "ingenious and malicious methods" used by the defendants. The elderly patients were given intravenous overdoses of drugs or killed by forcing their tongues aside and pouring water down their windpipes. The case was a sensation in Austria, not only because of the mass murder disclosures, but because it pointed to major shortfalls in hospital care in a nation that prides itself on its socialized medical system. ABOARD THE USS SARATOGA (AP) From the sky over Tripoli to the oilfields of Kuwait, "Eric," the unofficial mascot of an air squadron on the carrier Saratoga, has been building up an incredible record of flight experience. rodent laminated in "Eric" is a and Eric plastic. In the cockpit of both A-crossed Libya's line of death, engaged in 16 bombing runs in both Iraq and Kuwait and survived two ejections in s. "And he has 400 traps (carrier landings) under his belt," said Lt. Barry W. Hull, a member of the Sunliners squadron, VFA-8Under a squadron tradition dating back to the mid-'60- s, the honored mouse must always be with the squadron's junior member, currently Lt. j.g. Bill Noelker. If a squadron member asks Noelker to produce Eric and he can't, he has to buy a round of drinks. attorney pledge training. But POST Director Ike Orr says he feels "very comfortable" with the present level of training provided course. during the Police rookies presently receive numerous hours of training on the use of force, including arrest tactics, legal aspects of force and exposure to real-lif- e situations. ek Two bodies found - Rescue STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) crews Friday discovered the bodies of two young brothers who were swept into the gushing Calaveras River, the last of the four victims who drowned when they stumbled into the chilly water. One body was discovered shortly after 11 ajn. the second body was found about a half hour later nearby, several hundred yards from where river they entered the Wednesday. Authorities made the discoveries after their search continued through the morning. The bodies were identified as Herbert Pich and his brother, Dan-alerain-swoll- river near central rain-swoll- en all-nig- ht e. Details of the discoveries were not immediately available. two sets of brothers Five boys were swept into the chilly current Wednesday evening while holding hands and playing at the edge of the Stock- ton. The youngsters apparently tried to wade to a small island in the middle of the stream, police said. One child, Sitha Soun, was rescued immediately by a bystander. Weather kills eight SEARCY, Ark. A (AP) vehicle packed with young people turned over in a rain-swoll- ditch, killing the adult driver and seven passengers ranging in age from 11 to 15 years, authorities said. Two teen-ageand a boy survived Thursday night's accident by crawling through a window, a relative said. "It's a sad situation, all those kids involved," Coroner Mike Hancock said Friday. "If anything would make you want to cry, this would." rs Authorities blamed rain-slicke- d roads for the accident that occurred as violent storms surged across the South. Diamonds in book - KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) They say you can't tell a book by its cover. Here's proof: Kansas City librarian David Conway last week was sorting through thousands of books donated to the library when he came upon one that didnt feel quite right. It wasn't. Conway opened the cover and was stunned by the glitter of diamonds. "It made noise when I picked it up and it was light," Conway said. "I opened it and all these rings were inside. I said, ""These cant be real.'" But they were. It was the book that a box given the look of a was false book cover in the hope of fooling thieves. Conway turned the rings over to library marketing director Mary Ann Van Vooren. She returned them to the executor of an estate she wouldn't identify. "I'm not a jeweler, but they were awfully nice," she said. Drug cache seized WEST VALLEY CITY .A AP) weapons and money were seized from a West Valley City home, authorities say. Police Chief Dennis Nordfelt said the residence was raided Thursday after two patrolmen, tipped by an large cache informant, of narcotics, discovered marijuana plants growing in the basement of the home. Nordfelt said a woman allowed detectives to search the basement. They allegedly found more than a dozen growing plants, four pounds of marijuana, 114 pounds of hallucinogenic mushrooms, three rifles, one shotgun, and a handgun. Police also recovered $12,000 in 50 and $100 bills from a safe. 'Dances With Wolves' could improve conditions for Sioux WHITE RIVER, S.D. (AP) -Shope the movie " will help "Dances With Wol them erase the poverty, racism and spiritual malaise they've endured since being forced onto reservations more than 100 years ioux Indians ago. "When I walked out of that movie, I had a big lump in my throat. I looked around and a lot of white people had a sad look on their faces too," said Alex White Plume, a member of the Oglala Sioux executive committee. "Side by side, I couldn't believe it when they walked out like that." The film, which captured seven Academy Awards including best picture, shows Indians as real people protecting their land rather than as savages, they say. "I think it portrays the Indians the way it should. In other Western modes, they portrayed the Indians as the bad guys, as scary people," says Nathan Chasing His Horse, 15, who played a young Sioux named Smiles a Lot in the film. "We were just people trying to live our lives. ... We were nice and kind people," said Nathan, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe whose family lives outside the town of White River in south-centrSouth Dakota. Because of the movie, "I think al white people who are prejudiced will change a little bit what they think of us," he says. Nathan's elders agree that Kevin Costner, who directed and starred in the movie, shot on location in South Dakota, has helped correct misunderstandings about Indians. The film is about an Army lieutenant assigned to a deserted post in Dakota Territory soon after the Civil War who makes friends with a band of Sioux. "In the Hollywood movies, John Wayne would always fire one shot and four Indians would fall," says Harold Salway, president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. "It always gave the reflection that we were incompetent, savage and violent." The movie will help revive Indians' pride in their culture, tradition and spiritual beliefs and give them a better chance to solve their own problems, the leaders say. The Sioux reservations in South Dakota are scenic, with rolling grass-coverhills dotted with pine trees. But they are far from major transportation routes, so most efforts to attract industry have failed. Young Indians face the choice of staying on reservations with no jobs or leaving their families and culture for the city. ed Many reservations in South Dakota have some of the lowest average incomes in the nation. Federal officials estimate unemployment on some reservations exceeds 80 percent. And Indian babies are far more likely than white children to be born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes retardation and birth defects. Sen. Tom Daschle, Democrat of South Dakota, said last year that the rate of the syndrome on Indian reservations is seven times the national average. Salway says white people have tried for more than a century to get Indians to embrace the white way of life. But Indians traditionally had no need to use the money, power and greed that can lead to success in white society, he says. "We had never known that, so it was hard for us to be integrated in those principles," he says. "The average American does not understand the philosophy of the Indian way of life, being one with nature, being equal with each other." Joe Chasing His Horse, a traditional leader who conducts ceremonies and whose son was in the movie, says he hopes the film helps both Indians and understand the Sioux culture. non-India- ns |
