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
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Siletz News
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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.