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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2008)
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR To the editor: “AHHOH” Greetings with respects! My name is Robert Edwin Peddy- coart, Siletz Tribal member and son of Bob Edwin Simmons. I am writing to send thanks for you sending me the Siletz newspaper and congratulate you all on the excellent job you are doing in getting us all the great information. I am currently at the Warner Creek Correctional Facility where I have been a part of the Native Programs and Circle for about nine months. We are having our first pow-wow ever here July 12, so I'm sending a flyer to you. But when we first started here, we had next to nothing for programs, such as medicines, beads, etc. ... so I would like my words put in our paper for our family (Tribe) to read and be proud of Lisa Brown, Siletz Tribal member, and Walt Klamath, Siletz Tribal member (and my uncle), for their assistance in helping us with medicines, beads and for being there for us! I want to send my love, honor, re spects and blessings with prayers to them both for they are a valuable asset to our Tribe and people, especially when they reach out and help us Iribal members in our time of healing when a lot of others just forget us. Lisa Brown has also been a voice for our people and me while I am here and that is priceless! She is definitely a positive force, inspiration and part of the solution for our healing and resto ration, especially in here where a lot of others stop caring. So in closing, I just want to send my deepest, most sincere thanks, love, honor, respects and to make sure our Tribe (family) is aware of how our Siletz Tribal members are helping the Natives here with healing and restoration! “AHHOH” Sincerely, Robert E. Peddycoart P.S. - Also with the beads Lisa Brown sent to me, I made three pairs of earrings to send to the elders as a gift. So many thanks, for it wouldn't have been possible without Lisa! To the editor: Aho my brothers and sisters, I am writing this letter in the hopes that you may be of some assistance to the Native American Hoop here at Stafford Creek Corrections Center (SCCC) in our quest to help those most unfortunate in our community. We are attempting to teach our peoples at SCCC traditional teachings through beadwork, song, dance, tradi tional story and open discussion. We are attempting to do this through a donation process of which a great portion of all 22 • Siletz News • To the editor: I want to say a few things, to give credit to at least two Siletz Tribal mem bers for right now. I’ll share more later. The two members I wish to thank are Drew Viles and Lisa Brown for the effort and time that they expended, and still do, to teach others and share about matters that are important to our Tribal members and the future of our Tribe. I have to apologize first, to Drew, because I look so long to convey my appreciation for the efforts he put forth. He started to try to be of assistance around 1985 until maybe 1992. He tried to create transparency ... and to develop a newspaper that shared info in a prompt and accurate manner. He met with much adversity from admin istration and the powers that be, which should never have occurred. Another person to whom this has happened is Lisa Brown. She has made efforts to help those in need and to lis ten to their concerns. She has organized meetings to share info and attended many Tribal Council meetings to speak about the issues she heard from Tribal members. She is and was willing to apologize to people, to admit when she was incorrect or made mistakes (openly and honestly). She deserves to be thanked for what she does, especially since she does not gel paid for it. She ran for Tribal Council, so did other folks. They all said what they would do, but after the votes were counted what did they do? Lisa continued to ask questions and share answers with Tribal mem bers. That is an admirable quality, to continue to do that for no pay. It shows me that she cares about questions of Tribal members and she is willing to ask for answers to questions about things folks are afraid to talk about. So that is the reason why I'm writ ing this letter, to say I am thankful there are Tribal members like Drew and Lisa who have the guts to speak from their heart and the courage to face those who object to sharing details about important issues of our Tribe and Tribal enterprises. Raymond Hoiness gifts made will be donated to our com munity and those peoples who have helped to make this possible. We would like to honor our elders with specific gifts created through this great learning process. We are respectfully requesting that any books, tapes, videos, beads (for the making of traditional beadwork), feath ers, leather and any other items that can be used in the traditional teachings of our peoples be donated to ATTN: Chap lain Wakeman, Care of Native Class, July 2008 To the editor: This is about the per capita. When 1 got a letter from housing saying that the per capita was going as income and my rent will be going up - I called down to housing - they do the best they can. “Remember" the energy assistance? The big “50 dollars” went as income, rent went up. Then the $200 as income, rent went up. This probably doesn't pertain to the elders who own their own home. What is happening with the coun cil? They have to OK this. What's next? The $96.40 or housing? There must be some other way that the council could do this. That’s why they were voted in to work for the good of the Tribe. Us elders are getting taken. Why can't the per capita be exempt? We only get it once a year. We don't know how much we are getting or if any. A word to future elders - they bet ter work until 70. at least they will get Social Security (if that’s still here). They won't get any help from the Tribe (if it’s still here). Pauline Montana To the editor: We've come to a point of replicating the federal government's “patriot act." plus a gauntlet for Tribal members seek ing employment with the Tribe. Com bined with extreme/excessive changes (without member's consensus) of laws/ ordinances, this kind of defiance dis regards member's wishes. It s our elected leaders/administrative staff and their self-purposeful interpretation of our Constitution that leads them to be lieve they are correct in taking this action. If our elected leaders are to take seriously their role as those who seek to govern/act as a part of an entity, of and for the people, then it would be best to realize/take to heart, that: "Ab dication of responsibility is not part of the constitutional design." Sovereignty is no reason to disre gard providing information to mem bers. whom they took an oath to serve. I support ORS 244.160-201, a state law requiring public officials to "tile a veri fied statement of economic interest." It’s a crucial step to foster ethical busi ness transactions, keeping in mind that the richest 1 percent of Americans are the ones who make 40 percent of the Stafford Creek Corrections Center, 191 Constantine Way, Aberdeen, WA 98520. We are also asking that if you are able to donate any items, you include a list of the charities of your choice that you feel will accept such honorable gifts with open arms so we may show our thanks in the traditional way by gifting such sacred teaching tools to our brothers and sisters. We would like to thank you in ad vance for your support in our quest to To the editor: 1 am writing on behalf of my fam ily, the Strongs and the Washingtons. Come Memorial Day, it is our cus tom to go to the Washington Cemetery to clean and decorate for our loved ones who have gone to a better place but not been forgotten. This year the Strong’s snowball tree and the Washington’s two rhododen drons and red stones were removed without permission. This is desecration to our cemetery. I hope and pray it was not Tribal mem bers, albeit a possibility if they were brought up with no common sense. Solution? Locked gates? We tried before but to no avail; it did not work. Security? Where are they? If anyone witnessed anyone around these three plots, please let one of the family know. Thanks, Joella Strong individual federal campaign donations over $200 and that money/campaign donations, as well as connections to economic venture/opportunities, are directly related to the movers and shak ers who make public policy. What is good for the state should be good for the Tribe. (“Oregonians deserve open and transparent government, from the governor's office on down. And this law provides that openness,” said Sen ate President Peter Courtney). The folks who opposed the require ment and resigned did so tor their own reasons. They can change their mind or let someone who’s not fearful of being transparent step up to represent the people. One central question of this era is that material values enforced universally in the financial world are often in conflict with Tribal culture/values/beliefs. All social institutions/governments must respect/ protect human/cultural rights and if they don't, it's the responsibility of all human beings to reform them. Right is right - wrong is wrong. Being open/honest isn't always popular. Communication, whether we agree or disagree, is the goal. Lisa Brown honor those most unfortunate on our great Mother Earth in their time of need. Aho. all my relations Robert D. Wrinkle #915512 Stafford Creek Corrections Center 191 Constantine Way. H3-A-001-L Aberdeen, WA 98520 P.S. - If you have any questions as to anything to do with this donation process, please feel free to write me at the above-listed address.
