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About Siletz news letter. (Siletz, Oregon) 1989-1997 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1994)
2 February 1994 Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor : All letters received will be printed. Please type or write legible, no profane language will be p rinted. The opinions expressed are souly those of individuals writing in. The Siletz Newsletter and Tribal G o v e rn m e n t accept no responsibility for statements made in the letters to the editor. LETTERS THAT EXCEED 350 WORDS IN LENGTH WILL BE EDITED as approved bv Tribal Council Resolution #91-04. All letters must include vour name, address and signature. Send letters to : Siletz News, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, Oregon 97380. Attn: Teresa Miller, Managing Editor. PLEASE NOTE: The Chief Executive O fficer of the Siletz Tribe is the Chief E d ito r of th e S ile tz N e w s le tte r. TO THE EDiTOR: Well, New Year's and Christmas are over. I got the best Christmas ever. My son Philip Walter Rilatos III called me. I love you, my son. His birthday is April 19. Can't wait to see you, Phil. My other son Joshua Lennon Rilatos' birthday is February 8. Happy birthday, sons. Sherry and I are expecting the arrival of our baby around August 8....a pow wow baby. Lord knows I'll have a. lot to dance about! Last year and the year before I found many owls. At Bobby Simmon’s passing I found a red tail hawk..... a sign I hope that 1994 will be a year of life for all our families. I was talking to Frank Simmons and we were talking about what many have said. Let's all pitch in an get Bobby and Uncle Edwin a headstone. Maybe Frank will accept the family donations or one of the girls and pick out a headstone. God bless the Siletz Nation and all our families far and wide. Phil Rilatos Jr. THANK YOU: I wish to extend my h e a rtfe lt g ra titu d e to the doctor, nurses and staff at the Siletz Clinic for striving to make my husband's last days as comfortable as possible. Dr. Forsyth, who kept Bobby going when even we had given up, I thank you and am grateful for the extra time we were allotted to be together. A very special thank you to Kathy Heinen and her helpers who came out to our home daily to administer and advise us. A very big thank you to B e v e rly Y ou n g m a n who contacted and arranged for the drummers for me. A heart full of gratitude to the drummers themselves. It was a beautiful and po w e rfu l trib u te to Grandfather and Bobby. Many thanks also to the paramedics, the ambulance, and Siletz Fire Department who rushed to our aid at odd hours many, many times. I wish to thank all of you so much who came to pay your last respects at the funeral and to those who couldn't attend but sent your thoughts and prayers. To all of you who sent flowers and cards, thank you. I would like to extend my love to Mary Jane Robb for the tender and beautiful thoughts of Bobby in her poem she wrote for him. To Pastor Burkey, many thanks for making the trip from Albany to officiate at the services. Love and thank you to Grace Castle for her tales of she and her mischievous cousin growing up together and for writing the obituary. I would especially like to extend my thanks to the Siletz Community Center for the use of the lovely setting for the services. Also thank you for the use of the kitchen facilities and all those who helped prepare and serve. Lastly in my thanks, I'd like to include the courteous and caring people at Bateman's Funeral Home. Once again, to all of you, if I have left someone out, please accept my apologies, my deepest and heart- full gratitude. God Bless. Sincerely, Dottie Simmons & Family ••••• ••••• Happy Birthday Madge Mason on February 11 from everbody who loves you!!! Happy Birthday Stephanie Morrow, 13 years old February 3 from all your fam ily!!! TO THE EDITOR: From the registered letters each of the 70 member Martin Family received in- November, it seemed obvious the Tribal Council had initiated action to research all members' blood quantum. As we learned later, this was not the case. Only the Martin family, was targeted fo r this adverse action. Because this action would result in the expulsion of 26 Martins from the Tribe, a h e a rin g w as re q u e s te d November 3 . This request has never been acknowledged. None of the Martin's letters to Nelsen Witt and the T rib a l C ouncil has been acknowledged. These are our elected and appointed officials, in office to assist and execute business on behalf of the membership. If our elected officials refuse to answer, explain or even acknowledge legitimate requests, then our only recourse is to use this medium as our forum. My question is: How many of our current generation can stand up under the same scrutiny as the Martins? Should only one family have members relegated to the ranks of the non-Indian? Abbie Wilson had seven children: Arthur ' Bell, Bruce B u tle r, C h ris tin e M artin, Aurilla Tom; Griffin, Clark, and Lindsay John. Christine and Aurilla had the same father, both m a rrie d n o n -S ile tz Indians: Wilbur Martin and Abraham Tom respectively. Gladys Tom Staggs knows this. B ecause re q u e s ts fo r information were ignored, we must rely on rum or and hearsay. Hearsay has it that Gladys said she would "go along with the investigation only if it was confined to the Christine Martin family". I think we need to look hard at any Council that would agree to such a demand. To Gladys I say: when you investigated my Mother and all her descendents, you also investigated your Mother and all her descendents. To the Tribe: If you believe the original roll should remain as- is, then make your views known. If an AD HOC committee can investigate and target for expulsion one family, then it can happen to any sim ilar family. If justice is to be equally applied, it must treat all members alike. I'm sure people higher up than I would agree. Clark Wilbur Martin TO THE EDITOR/TRIBAL MEMBERS: I am constantly asked i f I can "teach a few words in Spanish, or "help the souple that speaks ho English". I am approached and expected to understand this language. I think many of us that are Indian can relate and although some situations render amusement, there is $lso the opposite reaction to our heritage.. I know, some of you understand when the word DISCRIM INATION appears. I have heard the Elders speak, and I have felt it also. I feel very honored to listen to the E lder's experience and sacrifices, th e ir struggles and th e ir sorrows, and I understand. For I am not only discriminated by the "outside world", I am discriminated against from my own Tribe. For sixteen years I have been told that I am being denied my rig h t to be recognized. The rest of my family is "real", they exist, but my sister and I do not. Other relatives have been raised in blood quantum without contest. What if this were you, or your c h ild re n being wronged? I urge you to listen, and not just hear; to think and not automatically judge. How would you feel if your Tribe ignored you? No tribal job opportunities, no rights for your children to obtain aid for college, not able to compete for the Miss Siletz title, or to compete in dances for many years? I have a profession, and I have no need or wish to live off the Tribe. My wish is to live for the Tribe and help support it. I w ant the discrim ination to end. I BELONG. If you wrong me again and vote me away; you not only dishonor and not recognize my heritage and a fellow tribal member, you dishonor OUR heritage. My family and I are not asking you to vote us special privileges. We are asking for equality and fairness; so that all the brothers and sisters of my father can finally be the same blood quantum. This is the fair-judgement and equality we seek and deserve. Sincerely, Samantha Hatfield SILETZ NEWS DEADLINE February 15, 1994 mail articles and photos to: Siletz News, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, Oregon 97380
