In 2007, I [Thomas Ivan Dahlheimer] learned that the state of Virginia passed a resolution apologizing for slavery and the exploitation of Native Americans. Therefore, I decided to ask Rep. Mike Jaros if he would like to introduce a Minnesota resolution that would apologize for this state's exploitation of Native Americans, a resolution that would accompany the bill to replace Minnesota's derogatory geographic place names. In response, Rep. Jaros told me that he would like to introduce a Minnesota resolution apologizing for the exploitation of Native Americans.

In 2007 I also learned that the Episcopal Church apologized for ties to slavery. I, therefore, came to believe that it would also be a good idea to ask the Minnesota Council of Churches, Minnesota Catholic Conference, Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota, Greater Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Councils of Churches, Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, Minnesota Baptist Conference and the Diocese of Saint Cloud to apologize for ties to the exploitation of Minnesota's Native Americans.

Correspondence with Minnesota's Christian Church leaders associated with my requests for apology letters:

I sent an e-mail to Chris Leifeld, the Execution Director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, wherein I informed him that Rep. Jaros was expected to introduce a resolution to apologize for the exploitation of our state's Native Americans. I also informed Mr. Leifeld that the National Episcopal Church has apologized for ties to slavery and that I would like for the MCC to apologize for Minnesota's Catholic Church ties to our state's exploitation of Native Americans.

In a reply e-mail message Chris Leifeld wrote: "Certainly I intend to consult with the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota regarding your request. The bishops, as the board of the Minnesota Catholic Conference do not meet again until June.

I also sent an e-mail to Reverend Mark Peters, the Execution Director of the Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota, wherein I informed him that I would be grateful if the Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota would write an apology letter for Minnesota's Lutheran church ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans.

Reverend Mark Peters informed me that he was going to send me a, bicentennial of the United States, Lutheran Church public apology letter for the exploitaion of Native Americans.

I also sent an e-mail to Reverend Dr, Gary B. Reierson, the Execution Director of the Greater Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Councils of Churches, wherein I let him know that I would be grateful if Minneapolis and Saint Paul Area Councils of Churches would write an apology letter for the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area churches' ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans.

In a reply e-mail Reverend Dr. Gary B. Reierson wrote: "Thank you for your e-mail message. I'll get back to you after consulting with the leadership of our Division of Indian Work."

I also sent an e-mail to Truett Lawson, the Execution Director of the Minnesota Baptist Conference, wherein I informed him that I would be grateful if the Minnesota Baptist Conference would write an apology letter for Minnesota's Baptist Church ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans.

I also sent an e-mail to Bishop James L. Jelinek, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota, wherein I informed him that I would be grateful if the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota would write an apology letter for Minnesota's Episcopal Church ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans.

From Bishop Jelinek April 26, 2007

Dear Mr. Dahlheimer: The Rev. Canon Robert Two Bulls (on my staff) and I shall discuss your suggestion and request and then I will take it to some of the elected leadership councils of the diocese. There is merit to your request, but for an (elected) bishop to speak on his own has limited value and impact. We have been doing ministry as a diocese with, for, among and by Native Americans since 1848 when the first Episcopal priest came here. We are not perfect today nor have we been, but we work very hard to heal the wounds of the past and deal with our institutional racism in the present. With regard to your renaming venture and concerns: we would be likely to sign onto that if and when a significant majority of Native American organizations and/or people do so. We believe it appropriate to support what they "own" as issues and concerns. I trust you will understand that. Sincerely yours, The Rt. Rev. James L. Jelinek VIII Bishop, Diocese of Minnesota.

My reply email message to Bishop James L. Jelinek:

Dear Bishop James L. Jelinek,

After sending my bishop, Bishop John Kinney, the following on-line articles of mine, articles that I suggested could help the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Cloud to make a good apology, he in turn sent me a letter supporting my and Rep. Mike Jaros' effort to change our state's offensive names and requests for apologies.

Combating White Racism Against Indigenous Peoples
http://www.towahkon.org/SEED.html

Solving The Alcohol Abuse Epidemic
http://www.towahkon.org/sae.html

Regaining the Mdewakanton's Mille Lacs Ancestral Homeland
http://www.towahkon.org/Regaining.html

Mdewakanton Rights Activist Initiatives
http://www.towahkon.org/ Dakotarights.html

Sincerely yours,

Thomas Dahlheimer
Director of Rum River Name Change organization, Inc.

I also sent an e-mail to Bishop Sally Dyck, Resident Bishop of Minnesota United Methodist Church, wherein he informed her that we would be grateful if she would write an apology letter for Minnesota's United Methodist Church ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans. In a reply e-mail to our director Bishop Sally Dyck wrote: "I have received your request for an apology from the religious body of the United Methodist Church. In order to do that in a meaningful way, it means that we need to work it through a variety of systems so people are actually educated and committed to such an apology. I could just write you a letter but it wouldn't be as meaningful as if the annual conference took action on it. If they do that, it would take a year to do but it would be something that had some "backing" to it from the people in Minnesota who are UM. I'm making the assumption that you would prefer that we work it through appropriate and extensive channels rather than to make it a formality. Please let me know what you think.

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I also sent a letter to Rev. Peg Chemberlin, the Executive Director of Minnesota Council Of Churches (MCC), wherein he asked if the MCC would like to apologize for our state's churches' ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans. Note: In an March 19, 2007 letter Rev. Peg Chemberlin wrote: "Thank you for your letter of March 6. We can appreciate and are discussing your concerns. We will get back to you soon in this regard."

I also sent a letter to Archbishop Harry Flynn to inform him know about these new developments. He mentioned in the letter that if the Minnesota Catholic Conference decides to apologize for the exploitation of American Indians that he would like to help write the apology letter.

I also sent a letter to Bishop John Kinney, wherein he asked Bishop Kinney if Saint Cloud Diocese would like to make an official apology for its ties to the exploitation of our state's Native Americans. Our director mentioned in his letter to Bishop Kinney that he believed that an apology would serve as a part of the reconciliation process associated with the effort to change our state's offensive geographic place names.

April 10, 2007 letter form Bishop John Kinney:

Dear Mr. Dahlheimer:

Thank you for your recent letters and information about your efforts and those of Representative of Mike Jaros with respect to Indian names and an apology for exploitation of the Native Americans. Your continuing work on these issues is admirable.

We will continue to support efforts on behalf of the Native Americans of the Mille Lacs Band Ojibwe here in Saint Cloud Diocese and also those beyond the boundaries regards of these sixteen counties.

With kind personal regards, I remain,

Sincerely yours in Christ,

John F. Kinney
Bishop of Saint Cloud

We believe that apology letters from Christian church organizations, letters that would go along with a MN resolution to apologize for the exploitation of our state's Native Americans, would give our state's tribes an understanding that this campaign to change our state's offensive names will, hopefully, not only replace our state's offensive names but also bring about significant reconciliatory social change that will be beneficial to them as well as to all other residents of our state. We also believe that if the tribes that have not yet given their support gain this new understanding they will be encouraged to give their support.

After sending an e-mail to a leader of Minnesota's Mdewakanton Dakota people, an e-mail wherein I informed him about our soliciting apology letters mission he asked my to called Lyle Rustad, the Executive Director of the Diversity Foundation, and ask for assistance with writing apology letters. Our director called Lyle Rustad and spoke with him for about 10 minutes. During their conversation Mr. Rustad told our director that during Winona, Minnesota's Great Dakota Homecoming Gathering, a reconciliation event sponsored by the Diversity Foundation, Roman Catholic Bishop Bernard J. Harrington apologized for his diocese's ties to the exploitation of the Dakota people.

Elizabeth Morgan, a Diversity Foundation cultural and elder advisor & Cultural Resource Management Director for Spirit Lake Reservation in North Dakota wrote, in her Support & Testimony letter: "Over the past several years, other ceremonies have been held where representatives and mayors from Redwood Falls, New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Mankato, St. Peter and Mendota attended with each extending apologies and sorrow for the past and a wish for improved relations between our cultures." To read more of Morgan's Support & Testimony letter click "apologies and sorrow for the past"

Representative Jaros' plan to introduce a resolution to apologize for the exploitation of Minnesota Indians as well as our mission to influence Christian church organizations to write apology letters seems to be helping to influence more of our state's Native Americans and the Diversity Foundation to get involved with our name-changing reconciliation campaign.

August 2009: Mike Jaros retired and Rep. Dean Urdahl introduced a Minnesota apology resolution.
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