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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2008)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: There is a young girl in SVS. Her name is Kateri Whitehead that sent me a Valentine’s card she made while in school. I would like to “thank” her for thinking of us Elders in the Salem area. I appreciate it very much. My home is close to Woodburn, not Salem. Sincerely, To the editor: I'd like to thank the Siletz Clinic for all the services they provide to me on a regular basis. They are friendly, helpful and often go out ol their way to make my visit a pleasant experience. I am very thankful for every service they are able to provide me. Keep up the gtxxJ work and thank you! Clark John To the editor: Hidden Americans In recent weeks 1 have listened to both the Republicans running for Presi dent and the Democrats running for President. In all of the hours and hours of watching, I have heard of Indian people mentioned only twice. Once was to point out that McCain served on a committee for Indians and once by Obama listing the races of people. Why is this? We are invisible to the politicians. They believe we do not regis ter and we do not vote. In addition we are not visible in political circles and we do not make contributions to their campaigns. Why is this important? Entitlement monies are being drastically cut for health programs, economic development, en vironmental issues on reservations, educational dollars and the list goes on and on. If we do not take the responsi bility as a people to become active in the political process, we will not only hurt ourselves but our next generation. Get registered and vote in the up coming election. The number of em ployees of the Tribe and the Tribal members could determine several County and State elections. Humbly, Mike Darcy To the editor: It came to my attention just a lew days ago that there is a problem with the mail-in balloting process. I'm cur rently away from home and my mail is forwarded so there is a lag in the lime my mail is sent and when I receive it. In January I sent my ballot off fully two weeks before the election, but my ballot was returned with no note or ex planation. At first I thought it might have been received in Siletz and returned, but that doesn't seem likely since there were no markings on the envelope to suggest that. I saw that my signature was never in question lor this election and I know that my ballot was in plenty of time to make it to Siletz before the election. The circumstances in this case strongly suggest that my ballot was returned due to the practice of having voters' names and addresses printed prominently on the back of the enve lope, resembling a destination address. I sent my ballot from California, where I'm currently visiting, but my home address is in Nevada which was printed on the back of the envelope. It was obviously taken to be the destination address because that’s where the bal lot ended up. I suspect that the post office here in California read my Nevada home address as the destination and simply sent it to that address instead of the Siletz PO Box. That's the simplest and the best explanation for what happened. We should not have voters' addresses printed on the back of the outer enve lopes because it leads to such mistakes. I understand that a voter's name and roll number may be needed on the outer envelope, but the address should be in the front upper left of the outer enve lope, where the Post Office is accus tomed to seeing return addresses. Put ting the voter’s address on the back of the envelope is likely to lead to contu sion during mail sorting and would lead to some ballots being sent back to the voter, instead of to Siletz. I see no reason to continue to put voters’ addresses on the back of the envelope, where they can be mistaken for a destination address. The greater concern here is that if this has happened to me. it most likely has happened to other voters. This is an issue that must be corrected before the next election. If any other tribal members have had their ballots returned to them un der similar circumstances, please call me al 775-901-2256. Lynette Warren To the editor: I would like to thank all those who supported me in our last tribal council election. Becoming involved is a posi tive solution. Congratulations Robert, Loraine and Tina. Our tribal council contribu tion is one I have great respect for. Our tribal New Year is well on its way and it is time to center and move on with the business of meeting the needs of the people as a whole. I believe each of us as tribal mem bers have a responsibility of becom ing an informed participant. This em powers in two ways: 2 The people to better understand the process. The tribe to better meet service expectations. Respectfully submitted, Eva E. Clayton To the editor: My name is Steven Ashley. I’m now close to thirty years old and did not grow up with the Native ways. Through time I've learned a lol from other Native Americans in other tribes. I’ve found myself but not completely. I'm missing the knowledge of my own tribe. I'm looking for a person to teach me about the past and to teach me about the old ways. This is very im portant for me to learn and know. My grandmother was Marry Ashley. Unfor tunately, I did not get to learn anything To the editor: My name is Eddie Collins and I would like to have my say on a few things. Many of the names staled in Gilbert Towner's letter to the editor were wrong. Tututin was the language of my Grandfather Pete Collins and spoken by my Grandmother Ada Collins. I grew up speaking the lan guage and remember who in Siletz spoke it. Tolowa. just as Tututin. is our people's language. In my opinion the similarities are greater than the differ ences. If you speak to a person from Boston and then to a person from Or egon. we sound very different, but aren't we both speaking English? Learn Tolowa, learn Tututin. just take the time to learn our language. I will never take money for passing on our language and culture. I believe it is to be passed down, not to be prof ited by. Those that I remember growing up in Siletz speaking Tututin or Macanuttin are: my grandparents, Daisy Collins Fuller, Ethel Logan Case, Abe Logan. Jane and Ed Bensell, Lucy Dan Smith, Hank and Martha Johnson, Miller Collins, Jim and Ida Bensell, and Gladys Muschamp. I plan on attending Bud Lane's classes in Siletz and Salem. I hope that many tribal members attend. I hope to see many of you there. Best regards, Eddie Collins from her. I have faint memories of pow-wows, but that's about it. I believe that the more I know, the stronger I will be in who I am. Then 1 could pass it on to my children and other Native people in other tribes. If anyone would like to help me, my address is below. Thank you. Steven Ashley DC# 125690 (C1-1 I OU) Washington Correctional Institution 4455 Sam Mitchell Dr. Chipley, FL 32428 (----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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 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 employ ees, or Tribal Council. Please type or write legibly. Letters longer than 450 words may be ed ited for length as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #96-142. 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. 2 • Siletz News • Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner Editor: Diane Rodriquez April 2008 Deadline for the May issue is April 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 I I I I Siletz News is free to enrolled Siletz Tribal members. For all oth- ers. a $12 annual subscription fee applies. 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