Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2007)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: I have been following the Tristen John matter and Liz John's letter moved me to throw in my two-cents worth of opinion. You knew me as Bobby Oden. My mother, Caroline, was a Metcalf. I was her adopted son. I knew that I had been adopted from a Catholic orphanage when I was a baby. I was told this by the time I entered the first grade. I knew even at that young age that “adopted" meant that I was not “blood." This was underscored when I could not be enrolled as a tribal member. When I was 12 years old, I pro tected my mother. Caroline, from an intoxicated man. I knocked him out with my Little League baseball bat. When I was 15 years old. I and a few of my “cousins" broke a lot of windows in Toledo. I was the only one caught. The judge said that if 1 told on whomever else was with me that night, he would be real lenient with me. I respectfully refused to tell on my cousins and spent almost two years at Woodburn. I was only adopted, but I was loyal to my adopted mother and to my adopted cousins. Tristen John sounds loyal to your tribe. Many in your tribe with blood quantum provable beyond any possible doubt have demonstrated their gross lack of loyalty, over and over again, being loyal only to their own self-interests. DNA may be able to establish blood relation, or lack of it, but what test do you have that can establish loyalty? You have greatly shamed Tristen John, yet he still claims you. I have more confidence in Tristen’s loyalty to your collection of minor tribes than in the tribe's loyalty to those who would very likely give their lives for the common good. Beware of whom you disen franchise. for you may be getting rid of the cream of the crop and be left with only the self-righteous, self interested. self-appointed guardians of a tribe full of dis-spirited people. Bobby Oden To the editor: We would like to thank Siletz News for printing the schedules of local Narcotics Anonymous meetings. The community may not be aware of your commitment to help create a safer, healthier place for us all. Narcotics Anonymous remains a free, effective resource for recovery. Should even one person find their way to a better way of life through your efforts, you will have performed an invaluable service to our community. Sincerely, L.B.L. Area Narcotics Anonymous To the editor: Our heartfelt thanks to everyone - friends, family, and the curious - for your prayers, goodness, and sharing during the sorrowful passing of our dear sister, mother, grandmother, friend Marie Klamath (Spratt). A special “thank you” to those who worked so hard preparing the splendid dinner and for the beautiful flowers and cards. Thank you, Trish! Also, for those who prepared Mom’s final resting place on this Earth, you will always be remembered in our prayers; Creator smiles! Thank you. The family of Marie Klamath To the editor: As an out-of-stater, I often travel to the Lincoln City area for General Council meetings, to visit relatives, and just to enjoy the area. As one of the many tourists who come to the coast, I’ve watched our little tent-like casino blossom into an impressive casino and convention center. I've also watched it decline over the years. The carpets became worn, the quality of the food has noticeably slipped, the lights on the building remained burned out for months without repair, the slot machines malfunction and have become out dated. and the 40-year-old hotel rooms we recently purchased are overpriced and not up to the standards of our competition. The tribal government justifies the transfer of profits from the casino into new ventures, telling us we shouldn't pul all our eggs in one basket and that we need to branch out into different business arenas. While diversification in invest ments is, as a rule, a good thing, we shouldn't let our one profitable enterprise go begging in order to siphon revenue away from it into unsuccessful business plans like River Reclamation Group and now, I predict, Siletz Aeroteam. (See www.siletz.net for information on the RRG shutdown.) It's better to put most of our eggs in the casino's basket than to throw them on the ground, as we do when we indulge in investments for a never-ending procession of failed businesses. It’s time to make the much-needed improvements and repairs to our casino. We have good employees at the casino. We should listen to them. Jesse Kirk was correct at the May General Council meeting when he said the casino needs to replace the outdated slots. They should be replaced immediately, not gradually. Chairman Pigsley has estimated that new machines would be at least 25 percent more profitable, so why haven't they been replaced yet? The old machines are costing us millions in lost revenue. Those old machines have cost us, by Chairman Pigsley's own figures, over $ I.()()(),()()() in revenue since she made that statement two months ago. Instead of upgrading the machines and getting a certain high return on our investments, we’ve squandered money on bad investments. We would have the money to upgrade and properly maintain our casino if we made optimization of our one successful business our central focus. Lynette Warren Siletz News Letters Policy Send letters to: Siletz News, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, is published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from readers about stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues. All letters must include the author's signature, address, and phone number in order to be considered for publication. Siletz News reserves the right to edit any letter for clarity and length, and to refuse publication of any letter or any part of a letter that may contain profane language, libelous statements, personal attacks, or unsubstantiated statements. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Siletz News, tribal employees, or Tribal Council. Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be edited for length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142. Siletz News P.O. Box 549 Siletz. OR 97380-0549 Please note; The general manager of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief of Siletz News. 2 • Siletz News • July 2007 Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner Editor: Diane Rodriquez Assistant: Laurel Johnson 541-444-8291 or 1-800-922-1399. ext. 1291 Fax:541-444-2307 E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us Deadline for the August issue is July 10. Submission of articles and photos is encouraged. Please read the Passages Policy on page 20 when submitting items for Passages. Member of the Native American Journalists Association To the editor: My name is Danise Barker and 1 want to say a huge thank you for my co-workers for helping me through the difficult time with Robert’s passing in April. I know this is late in coming, but thanks so much for everything. A huge thank you to Selene Rilatos for coming over as much as you did and for going to Portland and getting Robert’s son at the airport. And a huge thank you to Nick Sixkiller for officiating the service and giving me a beautiful drum. And to Bobby Bayya for giving me the plaque that you guys won in the truck races. Again, thank you for everything that you did for me. It was very much appreciated, it won't be forgotten. Cordially, Danise Barker * To all tribal members: My name is Sar Richards; my grandfather is Edward Collins. I am increasingly being asked if I really will run again in 2008 for Tribal Council. Please accept this as my announcement of candidacy for the Tribal Council elections in 2008. As with last year. 1 want to hear from all of you about your questions and concerns, not only with my running but. more importantly, concerns you have as a tribal member. I will be putting out more infor mation in the coming weeks and months, but here is a brief rundown of who I am. I have a business degree from Oregon State University. In August of this year, I will have worked for the tribe or one of its entities for 10 years. I have been a director at Chinook Winds since 2000. To contact me, my cell phone is 541-992-5627; my e-mail is happy_otter@hotmail.com. I will also check Siletz.net and respond to postings as I am able. Thank you. Sar r-------------------------------------------------- > Siletz News is free to enrolled | | Siletz Tribal members. For all others. | | a $12 annual subscription fee applies. | | Please make checks payable to CTSI | I and mail to Siletz News. । Name: । | Address; | | Phone: | Change of address: Tribal mem- | | | | | bers-call the Enrollment Department | at 541-444-8258 or 1-800-922-1399, | ext. 1258; all others - call the news- | paper office. t___________________________________________ )
