{"id":6526,"date":"2021-01-14T12:19:58","date_gmt":"2021-01-14T17:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=6526"},"modified":"2021-01-14T12:20:26","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T17:20:26","slug":"jim-kent-sometimes-the-truth-hurts-in-indian-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/01\/14\/jim-kent-sometimes-the-truth-hurts-in-indian-country\/","title":{"rendered":"Jim Kent: Sometimes the truth hurts in Indian Country"},"content":{"rendered":"\"woundedkneecemetery\"\r\n
The Wounded Knee cemetery on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Photo: Jimmy Emerson<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Publisher Tim Giago\u2019s Fantasy Tale Of Victimization <\/div>\r\n
Thursday, January 14, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Jim Kent <\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nApparently at a loss for subject matter to use in his most recent Notes From Indian Country column, Tim Giago chose to create a bizarre fantasy tale<\/a> with conflicting facts, misinformation, distortions and omissions about myself and those I once worked with. All while painting himself as the victim in a scenario he created.

<\/p>\r\nThink Donald Trump since he lost the election.

<\/p>\r\nExplaining the purpose for his column as \u201cconstructive criticism\u201d of the long-running radio talk show Native America Calling, Giago begins by noting that the producers invited \u201ca white reporter\u201d named Jim Kent on their show without checking his background. They allowed this reporter \u201cto rant and rave\u201d against Giago without offering him the opportunity to join the show in order to defend himself.

<\/p>\r\nI\u2019ve never been a guest on Native America Calling to talk about Giago.

<\/p>\r\nI was, however, invited on the show by the late Harlan McKosato<\/a> in 2003 to talk about S.D. Congressman Bill Janklow, who killed a motorcyclist after running a STOP sign at 75 mph. I\u2019d written a few commentaries about the issue that appeared in Indian Country Today and regional newspapers.

<\/p>\r\nSo, Giago is misinformed and off by 14 years regarding my NAC appearance.

<\/p>\r\n

"Good-Bye, Summer" \r\n\r\nKylie: "Well, there it goes, Pop." \ud83d\ude14\r\n\r\nJim: "No worries, sweetie – Fall is when we really come…<\/p>Posted by Jim Kent<\/a> on Monday, September 7, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nWhat he is actually referring to in his commentary, since he needs some help here with his \u201cfacts\u201d, are 3 stories I produced for National Native News that aired between December 2017 and March 2018. National Native News is a daily 5-minute radio show that\u2019s heard across the country.

<\/p>\r\nWhy Giago\u2019s delay in commenting? No idea.

<\/p>\r\nThe 3 NNN stories I produced came about when elders from the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre Descendants Society asked me to attend a meeting they were having on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The primary reason for their gathering was to discuss how to protect the Wounded Knee Massacre site from development by\u2026Tim Giago.

<\/p>\r\nThe Oglala tribal member had been trying to raise money to buy land at the site to build a museum, a facility to sell Lakota arts and crafts, a trading post and a campground.

<\/p>\r\nI attempted to contact Giago before the story was published in the Lakota Times newspaper or aired on National Native News\u2026without success.

<\/p>\r\nI did receive an e-mail from a nephew of his after-the-fact complaining about the story. The \u201dstaff\u201d of Giago\u2019s Native Sun News weekly paper then wrote a critical commentary about me, likely in response to that first story and a column I wrote about the issue.

<\/p>\r\nOne-all, fair is fair, I thought. Write what you like about me, I write about the truth within issues.\r\nThere were 2 follow-up stories to the original that focused on the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre Descendants Society\u2019s efforts to legally protect the massacre site from development by Giago or anyone else. The group was being assisted by the area\u2019s county commissioners.

<\/p>\r\nGiago was referenced in the final story as the initial reason for the legal action being taken.\r\nIt was that story on National Native News – not a guest appearance on Native America Calling – that Giago or someone on his staff apparently heard.

<\/p>

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