The following story was written and reported by Evelyn Red Lodge. All content © Native Sun News.

RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA -- A multiracial rally in support of rescinding the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse altogether will take place at Memorial Park on Friday, December 16.

Included in the rally will be support for the investigation into the South Dakota Department of Social Services for Indian Child Welfare Act violations. However, spokesman for the rally, Robert Brancato, points out families of other races are being impacted by DSS practices.

“The four colors of people will unite to ensure that the children of South Dakota are protected from sexual predators and from being kidnapped by a social service agency resulting in the destruction of the family,” Brancato stated in a press release.

National Public Radio has reported that our great state receives $100 million per year to fund the foster care/adoption system. Many news reports are suggesting that the children of our state are a “cash crop.”

Non-Indian families are not immune to the destruction by the DSS system. Two rally supporters have worked closely with a Caucasian family recently, according to Brancato. It was found that a Court Appointed Special Advocate worker supplied the court with false information against the family. That CASA worker was fired yet the false information provided is still being used in court by the DSS system.

The family has been separated for two years with the children scattered around the state. What is more, the family’s minister is not allowed to visit the children, much less the parents.

The second issue the four colors of people will address at the rally is protection of children from sexual predators, said Brancato. Since the further-limiting 2010 HB 1104 – Statute of Limitations for Childhood Sexual Abuse – was passed, Brancato, a certified fraud examiner, told Native Sun News more child predators are moving to our great state.

That said, many media outlets are describing South Dakota as a haven for these predators. Ironically, the law was brought to the South Dakota legislature by the attorney for St. Joseph’s Indian School, Chamberlain, a school that was charged with many sexual abuse allegations committed against Native American children.

Further, HB 1104 limits the time to seek damages to those who have not yet reached the age of 40. In doing so, the law unconstitutionally targets Native Americans as an ethnic group as the law was presented and passed after over 40 such victims filed civil litigation. Upon its passing, these civil suits were dismissed in court.

“Please join with us in bringing awareness to the social change that must take place by using our constitutionally-protected right to free speech in a public forum,” Brancato said.

All interested parties are invited to the rally. For more information, contact Robert Brancato at (605) 718-2783 or Robert Dean & Associates located at 3213 West Main Street in Rapid City.

(Contact Evelyn Red Lodge at welakota@yahoo.com)

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