LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the editor:
It’s easy to get caught up in all that
is wrong and unfair with our tribe. This
year (and especially this time of year),
I'd like to express gratitude for all I've
received, thanks to our tribe. Thank
you for the Housing Program, the
HEAP Program, USDA food, the com
puter, the per capita checks, and the
eyeglasses received at the Grand
Ronde Clinic, funded through our tribe.
Thanks to everyone who helped
my mother, Arlene Steggell, get into
treatment this year; she is still sober. I’m
proud of you, Mom, and I love you!
Words cannot express how happy we
are to have our mom back. Thanks to all
who helped with the programs, and any
thing or anyone I may have forgotten.
Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year; especially to the sweetest daugh
ter a mother could ask for, Melissa
Lane. I love you, Galsy!
Rene’ Lane
To the editor:
My name is Tina Retasket and I am
running for Tribal Council. I have
worked for the tribe off and on since
1983. I have worked with many of the
tribal programs, including social ser
vices, education, law enforcement,
economic development, culture and
many more. I served as a grant writer,
bringing hundreds of thousands of
dollars in revenue into the tribe. I wrote
the first self-governance grant that
tripled our annual revenues from the
BIA. Currently, I serve on the Siletz
City Council and have served on many
boards representing the Siletz Tribe. I
want to use the skills I have learned in
a new capacity - as a member of the
Tribal Council.
I believe that we elect the tribal
council to provide the vision and di
rection for all of the separate entities. I
also believe that we have unexplored
opportunities for input from our mem
bership as voting members on some
committees and boards, and will work
towards providing those opportunities.
I believe we need to do a better job
of informing our membership of the
decisions that are made on our behalf.
Tribal members lack the ability to at
tend some meetings and much of the
information is discussed in executive
session. I would work towards getting
more information out to the member
ship in a timely manner.
I believe that we need to diversify
our economic holdings. To do so, we
need to emphasize better due diligence
prior to engaging in economic ventures.
I want to explore new opportuni
ties for members, including:
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health savings accounts
increasing the number of homes
on the reservation for all income
levels
development of transitional hous
ing in locations that include urban
areas
development of businesses in Lin
coln County
re-establishment of a social services
department
To the Siletz Tribe:
I’m only an eighth Native Ameri
can, my skin is white, and I can't speak
the native tongue. Nonetheless, my soul
does speak and it speaks loud. Have
you ever listened to your soul? It s that
voice that says "maybe I should de
fend that child” or "maybe I shouldn't
throw that cigarette-butt out the win
dow.” The soul is what our ancestors
listened to and even though many died
fighting for its truth, they died in honor.
However, in the past two centuries our
surviving people have been stripped
from their honor and tricked from their
land. And worst of all, the majority of
us have lost contact with the soul.
I write to you now because I am
desperate. We, among most, should feel
a great respect for earth. But the earth
is in terrible pain and we turn our backs
to Her; can't you feel it? Can't you feel
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creation of a matching down
payment assistance program for
those who are middle income.
None of these activities can occur
without sacrifice. We can fund some
of these programs through existing re
sources. but it may require shifting per
centages of some gaming revenue cat
egories. In the end, I believe this will
benefit everyone more.
If elected, I would resign my posi
tion as Assistant General Manager
when a replacement is found. I have
always given more hours than 1 have
been paid for to do the best job pos
sible. 1 would continue that as a Coun
cil Member, and feel that resigning my
position would allow me the focus I
believe the job deserves. Thank you for
your consideration, and I hope to serve
you on Tribal Council in the future.
If you have any questions, feel free
to e-mail me at: retasket@hotmail.com.
Siletz News Letters Policy
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Siletz News, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians,
is published once a month. Our editorial policy encourages input from read
ers about stories printed in Siletz News and other tribal issues.
All letters must include the author's signature, address, and phone num
ber in order to be considered for publication. Siletz News reserves the right
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Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be ed
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Siletz News
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
541-444-8291 or
1-800-922-1399, ext. 1291
Fax: 541-444-2307
E-mail: pias@ctsi.nsn.us
Please note: The general manager
of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief
of Siletz News.
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To the editor:
The Portland Area Office donated
a quilt to the Elders Raffle. We would
like to thank all of those who worked
on the quilt. Thank you to everyone
who bought a ticket for our raffle. You
continue to support us and we appre
ciate your consideration.
The quilt was rattled at the Resto
ration Pow-Wow. Bonnie Petersen was
the winner. Congratulations to Bonnie.
Thank you to Liz John and other
elders for selling the tickets. We could
not raise funds without your assistance.
Sincerely,
Shirley Walker and Cynthia Farlow
CTSI Elders Treasurer
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Siletz News
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Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner
Editor: Diane Rodriquez
Assistant: Laurel Johnson
January 2008
Deadline for the February issue
is Jan. 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
the pain of the millions of Africans who
are starving and dying from curable
diseases? Or the pain of the Amazon
rainforest that is being slashed and
burned, and in 40 years, might not
even exist? Can't you feel the pain of
the icecaps melting, sea levels rising
and the thousands being destroyed by
meth? Or the pain of the polluted riv
ers and the strange chemicals being fed
to our infants?
My uncle, Walt Klamath, once
spoke of the earth and as long as 1 can
remember, he has been a man of great
wisdom. But as a child. I was either
too arrogant or too ignorant to under
stand him. But I am grown now and I
understand his truth. Humankind has
two choices: (1) we coincide with na
ture, or (2) we die by nature. Human
kind cannot treat nature and people as
though they are commodities to be
traded and exploited.
Note that I’m not an environmen
talist, a democrat or a republican. I'm
just a Logsden kid who cares about life,
and I’m asking our people to stand up
and face this injustice and defend our
mother earth.
And I’m not saying our people
haven’t done anything; I, among the
many, have been blessed by the tribe
and have nearly accomplished my first
college degree. However, the educa
tion that you have paid for has opened
my eyes and I can no longer apatheti
cally live my life. I have to do some
thing about these atrocities and I’m
hoping that the Siletz Tribe will do
something as well.
So what can we do? We can ask
the tribal council. And if they are un
willing to consider doing anything,
then maybe we must wait until the win
ter ends and spring begins, for new life
brings new hope.
Thank you.
Jacob Reid
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