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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2016)
To the editor: Hello, my name is Rusty Butler. I am an enrolled Siletz Tribal member. I work as a prevention specialist for the Partnership Against Alcohol & Drug Abuse, a Lincoln County coalition. Part of my position involves addressing environmental approaches that will reduce alcohol and drug abuse in our communities. It is concerning that the first thing you see when entering our Siletz community is a Tribally owned establishment that is plastered with alcohol advertisements and sales. This establishment is supported by the Siletz Tribal Council and general manager. In my opinion, this business is the main supplier of the alcohol in the Siletz community. It is even more concerning that when I address this issue to the Siletz Tribal Council, I am given no response. Not only do we support the business and what it is selling to our community, but we also provide this business revenue by purchasing fuel for our Tribal vehicles used by Siletz Tribal employees. Not to mention the gas prices are one of the most expensive in Lincoln County. Siletz Tribal members receive no profit or benefits from this establishment. I feel as if we have come to some concerning times in the Siletz community around alcohol and drug abuse and we need to start opening our eyes and mouths to address things that are within our power to address. We have the resources and capacity to make things happen. We have our sovereignty rights to govern and help our people. Thank you for your time and please contact me regarding any questions or responses whether they are pro or con. Rusty Butler Rustybutler2015@gmail.com Cell # 541-270-2711 To the editor: Do you know what CTSI is? CTSI is every single tribal member. Thank you CTSI! This past February I got my license to sell real estate in the State of Oregon! This is just one of several life-changing experiences I’ve been allowed because I am a part of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians. National gaming group announces largest Tribal revenue gain in 10 years To the editor: I’ve lived 20 + years in Siletz and interacted with many who share about grief/feel- ings of helplessness when people we love, or ourselves, feel lost, powerless or abused. Medical/mental health services help with symptoms to heal and I decided to share about a subject that came up in a community meeting recently: bullying. I believe that bullying can be and often is a learned behavior. All too often it takes the form of verbal harassment. Mean statements, often not true! Gossip, plain and simple. Gossip: a lowest form of bullying. It doesn’t give chances for bullied persons to fight back. It’s something that’s spreading around them, said behind his/her back. Everyone who participates also seems to not hold much responsibility for what’s said, blaming it on who they heard it from, even making up lies that they never said it, so it’s also difficult to find the source/root of the bullying. [answers.yahoo.com/question/index?q id=20140130084448AA2GXo7] It’s been quite some time I’ve made efforts to not have conversations with people about persons who aren’t present. I’ve stated my reason(s): I feel it lacks integrity: If someone asks about a person, I say “I’m not sure, you should ask them,” or if they want to tell me something about someone, I say “I don’t really know that person” or “I don’t feel comfortable talking about your interaction with them.” I admit, at times I’ve let down my guard, but at those times I’ve gone to the person in question and spoke to them about what was mentioned. As a practice, I refrain. I’ve spent time talking with troubled youth about what people were “saying” and it was very difficult to see how people judging/speaking exaggerated truths hurt them. Recently, I became that person because people in our community, instead of asking me, stated what they “knew” or “heard” and it was manipulated, exaggerated and all too many statements were just inaccurate. The result was I was subject to atone for “accusations” based on these statements. The impact of such actions was emotionally overwhelming and a relationship that was very important to me was damaged beyond reconciliation. Bottom line – If you’ve taken the time to read this, please stop speaking “about” people unless you have talked “to” them. Just say “No.” I want to have friends who respect me. I’m not perfect, but I have a kind heart and I do my best to help others. I care about people and when I am troubled or demonstrating errors in judgment, I do my best to make better choices. I’m making efforts to heal. Please be kind in your thoughts and words to me and others. Lisa Brown I N D I O, Ca l i f. ( P R N ew sw i re - USNewswire) – The National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) released data on July 19 showing revenue generated by the Indian gaming industry in 2015 totaled $29.9 billion dollars. After six years of modest but stable growth, the 5 percent increase in GGR (gross gaming revenue) from 2014 is the largest increase in 10 years. Chairman Jonodev Osceola Chaud- huri, Vice Chair Kathryn Isom-Clause and Associate Commissioner E. Sequoyah Simermeyer made the announcement from within the homelands of the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. “The strong regulation that Tribes as well as federal regulators and other stake holders provides has played a key role in the stability and growth of the Indian gam- ing industry by providing consistency and predictability,” said Chaudhuri. The commission also noted the role of the many small or moderately sized Indian gaming operations that support rural economic development where little else has. Only 6.5 percent of operations can show GGR of $250 million or more. The majority of Tribes, 57 percent, generate less than $25 million per year in GGR. And 20 percent of the total 474 Tribal gaming operations produce less than $3 million per year. The chairman further stated that Indian gaming is fundamentally differ- ent from commercial enterprises because it directly provides resources for Indian people, including social services, public works, education, housing, health care, emergency services, public safety and cultural presentation programs that no other economic driver has yet to provide. The announcement was made from a location that was historically signifi- cant to the Tribal gaming industry. The commission highlighted Cabazon’s early efforts to engage in gaming as a modest means of pursuing self-sufficiency and how those efforts ultimately contributed to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of California v. Cabazon, which recognized and reaffirmed the inherent authority of Tribal nations to regulate gaming activi- ties within their communities. “The Indian gaming industry can look back on tremendous growth and advance- ment. In the 30 years since the Cabazon case was argued before the Supreme Court, Indian gaming has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry annually. This is in no doubt due largely to the innovation, leadership and positive reputa- tion that Indian Country, in conjunction with the regulatory community, has culti- vated since the advent of Indian gaming,” said Chaudhuri. The 2015 GGR was calculated based on 474 independently audited financial statements received by 238 Tribes. The National Indian Gaming Com- mission is an independent regulatory agency established pursuant to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Siletz Clinic is 100 percent tobacco-free The Siletz Community Health Clinic property is 100 percent tobacco- free. The policy prohibits all tobacco use by everyone – no smoking in your car, in the parking lot or on clinic property. We do not provide any cigarette disposal units, so please keep all tobacco products in your personal vehicle. • • • • • We do not have designated smok- ing areas. No smoking in the parking lot. No smoking in your car in the parking lot. No smoking behind the building. No littering of cigarette butts. • • • Beginning over 30 years ago, I’ve been able to access education funds that have made me a better parent, better employee, better person and now as real estate broker, a sole proprietor. 24 years ago I used the down payment program to get my family into the home we still enjoy today. For the past 17 years, I’ve had the pleasure of raising two beautiful children through the Tribal foster care program. I have enjoyed serving others for at least the past 40 years. My last several years of employment have been in social services. At age 59, I think it’s time for me to focus on some self-centered fun. I choose selling real estate! I just want to point out that the support of CTSI has allowed me a full and rich life up to now and I plan on continuing to live a soul-satisfying life until the day I die. And I assume that CTSI will be there in the background all the way. Again, thank you CTSI. Sincerely, Barbara Watson, Oregon Real Estate Broker Serving the Portland metro area and throughout rural Clackamas County bwatson@bhgPartners.com Siletz News Letters Policy 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. Please note: The general manager of the Siletz Tribe is the editor-in-chief of Siletz News. Editor-in-Chief: Brenda Bremner August 2016 Editor: Diane Rodriquez • Siletz News • 19
