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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2007)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear tribal members and family: I feel compelled to respond to some of the responses in last month’s newsletter. To the General Council: Do not be fooled by the political twists that have been put on this issue. No one is request ing DNA for anyone else but Tristen. That is because his application was false. I have submitted IX pieces of evi dence against Tristen being my brother, two being legal documents. This is not hearsay. Tristen has only submitted one and it was found to be altered and false, both by the legal birth certificate obtained directly by our Enrollment clerk and by a professional handwriting analysis. When you apply for a job, there is a disclaimer on your application that states something like, “At any time if any of the information you have dis closed on this application is false, you may be terminated immediately.” There is no statute of limitations. This is no different. There is no statute of limitations in our enrollment ordinance or our Constitution in regards to fraud. Fraud is fraud. To ignore this issue is disrespectful to our ancestors and anyone supporting fraud against our tribe is even more disrespectful. We are asking for DNA and the truth. Because Tristen is refusing to take the DNA test and the Tribal Council has passed a resolution requiring him to do so, I feel he should be removed from our rolls until he can prove he is a direct descendant of a Siletz Tribal member. In loving memory of my father, Terry Mason Kari Schaller Elders’ Council Meeting June 9,2007 Chinook Winds Casino Resort 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. For more information, please contact Angela Ramirez 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1225; 541-444-8225; or angelar@ctsi.nsn. us Dear tribal members: My name is Monica (Mason) Bessette. I wasn’t intending on writing another letter, but after reading some of the May issue’s letters, 1 feel 1 should respond to some of the comments writ ten about the Tristen John Holt case. I want to address Tristen’s letter. He states that he doesn’t know what the new and substantial evidence is that we provided to Tribal Council. Probably because that was one of the many council meetings Tristen didn’t attend. At this Tribal Council meeting, I read a letter from my niece, Kari (Mason) Schaller. We also had statements from a guy (not a stranger) that Tristen’s mom lived with saying he always thought Tristen was his son and even said Tristen’s middle name was named after him. When my brother died in a boating accident, there was a life insurance policy for all of Terry’s children - Tristen’s mom never claimed it. When Terry was alive he told family mem bers that he did not think Tristen was his - that is not hearsay! Last, Tribal Council’s attorney (Craig Dorsay) had an expert handwrit ing analysis say that on Tristen’s birth record, it was probable that my brother’s name was handwritten in by Tristen’s mom. For all the people who think we are doing this for greed - they couldn’t be further from the truth. The only thing we have ever asked for is for Tristen to take a DNA test and prove that he is our brother’s son. I think it is a slap in all our faces that he states in his letter that he will not take a DNA test. Since he refuses - there needs to be a consequence! In Tristen’s letter, he refers to my brother as “a man deceased for over 20 years” - not once has he asked any of us about my brother. That is truly sad to me if he does think my brother is his biological father and doesn’t want to know about him! So in honor of my brother, Terrence Michael Mason, we will pur sue this until Tristen John Holt takes a DNA test and proves he is the son of my brother Terry! Once again, God Bless Monica Mason Bessette CTSI Jobs CTSI Employment Job Line 541 -444-8296 or 1 -800-922-1399, ext. 1296 Visit our Web site at www.ctsi.nsn.us CTSI is constantly looking for temporary employees to cover va cancy, vacations, maternity leave, and extend sick leave. If you are re tired, a homemaker, or a student and are looking for temporary work that can last from two weeks to 12 weeks, please submit a temporary applica tion for the temp pool. 4 • Siletz News • Note: “Open Until Filled” vacan cies may close at any time. The tribe’s Indian Preference policy will apply. Tribal government will not discrimi nate in selection because of r&O creed, age, sex, color, national origin, physical handicap, marital status, poli tics, membership or non-membership in an employee organization. June 2007 To the editor: What is being Native? Is it getting per capita checks? If it is, keep it. 1 don t want it! Is being Native two weekends a month, once a year? To put on regalia showing off? To project hate, jealousy, greed, violence and tie it to our Native ways? No! In our history, the U.S. government said, “Poof! You are no longer Native!” Taking our homelands, rez, federal rec ognition and attempting to strip us of our ways. We prevailed and brought these things back! Creator gave us these things and we wouldn’t be here without them. Why? Jealousy, greed, and hate because we were different. Why have some of our people taken this role? This is sad and I cry. I’ve been behind the walls for years now. It has taken me some years to re alize what being Native is about. To hold these traditional ways to my heart. 1 know it’s not a check, a few days a year, to point fingers, to project nega tivity, to drink or drug, or any other beliefs that bring our people down. Being Native is a way of life, your walk upon the Red Road, the interac tions with all creations. It is from the inside out. It is a beautiful way. It is sad as Natives some of us have bonded the confusion, not protecting each other from the real enemy. Drugs, alcohol, meth, greed, abuse of our women and children. The focus is on the greedy dollar or witch hunt. I believe in our ways. They are far more important than the confusion that is a disease within our people. 1 love my people and traditional ways that I am learning daily. I thank the people who supported my bro Tristen. I got much love for you, bro. I’ve walked with you upon the Red Road. I have seen your deeds as a Native warrior. The ceremonies, hunting, prayers, gathering of wood and medi cines, sacrifice and contributions for the people - you did these things ask ing nothing in return. This speaks out what Native is all about. I recognize you like this. Shu ashi nin la! You are and always will be Suletsi-denni! Brothers and sisters, wake up and see things for what they are. I am no better and worse. I hope I never have to see our tribal members being at tacked in this way. I pray for our people daily. I always will! May the Creator’s holy and sa cred light bless us all and may we walk in beauty upon the Red Road. Ah ho! Sage B. Butler To the editor: I’ve been attending our General Council meetings to ask questions about program services and I now have more questions! In total, I’ve attended four (August, November, February, and May) where I asked to receive answers and to date, not one response (phone/mail) from our elected leaders. During this time I have collected information about the budgets for these programs and the actions of our elected representatives. Most concerning is the excessive amount of money we give to the gov ernment of Lincoln County and Lin coln City. I read in the Newport paper where Dee Pigsley talks about our contribu tions and that we are “being a good neighbor.” To me, I feel like we are be ing ravaged, much like terrorists, they are allowing our children's inheritance to be stolen and I do not think this is what being a neighbor is about - at all! When I think of all the money our Tribal Council “gives” out, the word “kickbacks” flashes through my mind. It is very troubling to know that many of our members need the money from their per capita and that our elected leaders so easily just give it away. At least get something in return ... better hunting rights/law enforcement/water rights (positive cash flow from busi ness ventures). I’ve recently read about what has transpired with our losing our law en forcement services and what “the real story” is regarding the Toledo law en forcement staff, and it makes me ill. It did not dawn on me that 1 have not seen any patrol in Siletz by the sheriff's department. In reading on www.siletz.net, I found out that the county decided to cut back on services and that our area was one that was cut. I know we still give the county a cut of our timber money. Why don’t we get services? I hope our leaders will ask for something in return for the money they so easily give away. We already gave them (state/county) our land, water, and hunting/fishing rights, now we suffer by receiving less because of what our leaders take off the top of our gaming money, so we lose again. When will this stop? This whole situation makes me very sad. I'm still grieving for my mother, who passed just a little over a year ago. We grew up very poor, but we were taught about what was politically cor rect and what I see confuses me. I con tinue to do my best, I’m willing to ad mit my mistakes and talk about them if it will help others to learn. My hope is that our elected leaders will adopt this kind of thought process. I have many questions that need answers! Yours truly, Glen Yarbrough
