Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2006)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: To all our tribal members, My name is Shy ne Foster. I just want to know why they're letting our tribal children be placed in foster care and not returning them back to our families. I haven’t seen my nephew, Coy- ote, and niece, Maliah, and had no con tact with them in so long. Their foster parents won't allow it. They never keep us informed on any condition and now they're mov ing to Oklahoma. Would you want that to happen to your child? It’s not only hurting my sister, Sonya, but my mother too They'll never know about their real family here, and what about their Siletz culture here? 1 can’t believe they're letting them just pick up and lake them away like that. Maliah won’t remem- ber us, but Coyote always will. We came together and we should stay together. 1 don't like to see my sis ter like this. She doesn't even gel to see them after they're gone. All she gets are pictures. We need to stick together, and is (here anything anybody can do about this? This shouldn't be happening to our people. We need them back. Thank you. Shyne Foster To the editor: To My People, Title 1V-E is taking our children. It's policies are keeping them from being returned. Our children are being removed from our homes and fostered to the state on a weekly basis. To the point that ICW has placed an ad in the county newspaper classifieds. Our tribe is asunder and it seems that our council’s hands are tied. It is in their power to exhume Title 1V-E. But they have not. They have done a financial audit on the program. The finances are not what I am questioning. I am question ing ICW’s placement of our children. Where are they? Are they with fam ily? Are they in tribal homes? Is their cultural identity prevalent and intact? Is familial communication made pos sible? Is reunification addressed? Are we allowed the opportunity to bring our children home? In my fight for my child (who was never taken from me). 1 have posed these questions in petitions, motions, and to council. What are our "parental rights”? There is no format to define them. There is only the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, which is man dated by federal statute. 1 cannot think of a tribal family that has not been affected in some way by Title IV-E. I ask that you join me in the fight for our children Sagahallie Tillicum Levi Simmons PO Box 218 Siletz, OR 97380 541-444-2430 4 • Siletz News • To the editor: In the fight to protect the rights of our children, we must unite our efforts to hold those responsible for violating their rights that are protected in the In dian Child Welfare Act of 1978. As Native children, they are born with a unique history and identity to this land. Why must we continue to lei Native and non-Native people continue to separate our children from their identities, families, bloodlines, culture, and heritage? When we allow this by being passive, then we are supporting those people and their political system to continue their genocidal policies against us - the indigenous people of this land. We must stop letting our children be taken from our families and com munities. We can no longer brush aside their heartfelt pain and longings for their families. The reunification process is invali dated by personal opinions that foster prejudice between ICWA workers and family members. How are we to reunite if families are not given the respect to be heard? They are condemned by per sonal opinions. Treat the families as a whole! Lis ten. learn, teach. In real life, a healthy family isn’t taught on a piece of paper with unrealistic rules and guidelines. Our family has been greatly af fected by Title IV-E. We. loo. ask other affected families to join us in the fight for our children. Contact me. Respectfully Speaking-up. Florieene Hutchinson (Flo) PO Box 296 Lincoln City, OR 97367 The Natural Resources Committee and Natural Resources Department wish to thank the following individu Memorial Day Ceremony The Color Guard starts the ceremony by walking from the community center to the Veterans Memorial. Bob Watson delivers the keynote address. He spoke about making a personal tribute to our veterans, practicing good citizenship by taking advantage oj opportunities to be informed, and being proud of maintaining the Indian culture of honoring ancestors. als for volunteering their time to help tribal elders by helping at the Elders Woodcut on June 17: July 2006 Mitzi Brown Kenneth Black Clinton Black Clarinda Black Alex Flores George Siniscal Frank Simmons Kelley Ellis Reggie Butler, Sr. Lee Butler Mike Kennedy Angela Ramirez Cat Tufts Arlen Kentta Sampson Vance Farlow After the ceremony, Frankie Rilatos Jr., Anthony Butler, Bobby Butler, Savanna Rilatos, Cecillie Butler, David Butler, and Ralene Butler stand in front of the Veterans Memorial.
