Suggested letter to Bike Rally sponsors

This is a suggested letter to be submitted to the sponsors of Sturgis Bike Rally. If you choose to write your own letter, PLEASE be respectful and use the tone of this letter as your guideline.
Thank you!


Dear

The Coalition to defend and protect Bear Butte http://www.DefendBearButte.org Defend Bear Butte - is comprised of Traditional native people and nationswho willbe gathering in Sturgis in July, before, during and after the bike rally,to protest the desecration to Bear Butte Mountain.

Bear Butte is considered a SacredMountain to 30 Indian Nations. In addition to these 30 Indian Nations, native people from other nations also come to Bear Butte to pray – many people do, native and non-native,for they have great respect and love for this Sacred place.Our Sacred Bear Butte faces even a greater threat by the development of a huge biker bar,campgrounds and other plans for similar establishments so close to Bear Butte.

For hundreds of years, Native People have come to Bear Butte, to pray, in their Sacred Ways and with all the noise, drinking and other related problems that will be associated with an establishment of this type, the area will be desecrated.

The fall-out from such an establishment willalso have a negative impact on the residents of the area and will ruin what was once, a quiet, peaceful and beautiful place.In addition, a scant 2 miles from where the venue is scheduled, is the FortMeade Veterans Hospital. These veterans who have sacrificed so much deserve to heal and spend their last days in peace. We talk about supporting our Veterans but we all too often forget them, when they return home, maimed and with life-long health issues.

Traditional People and their supporters, in excess of 10,000 people, the news media, and the Coalition to defend and protect Bear Butte will be present at this gathering. We also have the support of many bikers who agree with us that Bear Butte should not be sacrificed for this proposed development. We will make our views known and the eyes of the world will be upon all of us as to what will happen to Bear Butte.

Your sponsorship of this rally will be perceived by many people that you support events where alcohol and drugs are freely consumed, where loud music interrupts the peaceful sounds of the area and the rights of residents to live in their homes in peaceful and quiet enjoyment is not respected. It projects the image that you do not respect what is Sacred to thousands of people.Is this the image you wish to portray to the world?

Our intent is not to stop the rally - all we have asked for is a 5-milebuffer zone so that Bear Butte may remain protected and that native peoplemay continue to come to our Sacred Mountain as we have done for centuries to pray.Is this too much to ask? Rational and reasonable people agree that a 5-mile buffer would be a fair resolution to this issue.

Please think of future generations and the beauty of Bear Butte and withdraw your sponsorship until a settlement is reached in fairness to alland afive-mile buffer zone is established to keep our Sacred Bear Butte protected.Please show your respect and support for our Sacred Bear Butte and for the veterans at Fort Meade and for the year-round residents of Sturgis.Please support the 5-mile buffer zone. In doing so, you are showing that you are a business with integrity and respect.

This support from you will have a very positive impact on your business and it will bring you a more successful business and a lot more support from the entire community.

Thank you.


Support the 5-mile Buffer Zone!

Defend Bear Butte!http://www.DefendBearButte.org