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About Siletz news letter. (Siletz, Oregon) 1989-1997 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1995)
4 June 1995 Letters to the Editor : All letters received w ill be printed except those which are determined to be slanderous. Please type or write legible, no profane language will be printed. The Siletz News letter and Tribal Government accept no responsibility for statements made in the letters to the editor. The opinions expressed are souly those o f individuals writing in. LETTERS THAT EXCEED 350 W ORDS IN LENGTH WILL BE EDITED as approved by Tribal Council Resolution #91-04, All letters must include your name. address and signature. Send letters to : Siletz New s, P.O . Box 549, Siletz, Oregon 97380. Attn: Teresa Miller, Managing Editor. PLEASE NOTE: The Chief Executive O fficer o f the Siletz Tribe is the C h ief Editor o f the Siletz Newsletter. Awaken Tribal Members! This letter is a plea to all o f you Tribal Members who do not take the time or make the effort to attend Tribal Council and General Council meetings. You know my people, we elected the members of the Siletz Tribal Council to represent US, we the people of this Tribe. And yet, each meeting is a conflict, a battle between "Us and Them". Why won't they listen to the will of the People? Why do they overturn issues that have been voted upon and approved by the General Council? Why do they deliberately turn their backs on our concerns and desires? Because we let them. They have stated that not enough people are voting on issues of concern (our's anyway) to be a true representation of the Tribe as a whole. So, in their infinite knowledge of knowing what is best for the people, they do what they want. They represent us, but they do not listen to us. WE NEED TO UNITE!!!! We need enough concerned mem bers at the meetings to make a difference. We need a General Council Commission! This would enable the people to vote on issues that will then be carried to the Tribal Council to be acted upon. This will not be an easy thing to accomplish. The Tribal Council will fight to keep their totalitarian powers. Our Tribal Con stitution as it stands, gives total power to the Tribal Council. These powers can be amended, but only by a unanimous vote by the General Council. It would be a beginning. Remember People, it is very easy to sit back and say, "This should be changed, that must be changed, how can Council do these things?" Again, because we the People, in our apathy of involvement in Tribal matters, let them. We do have a voice in this Tribe, but we must speak louder. If Tribal Council refuses to listen to a few, they must listen to many. PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETINGS!!! General Council and Tribal Council must act as one entity for the good of our Tribe. Thanking you, I am C.W. Case Sr. #183 Enrolled Tribal Members: 2,320 Eligible Voting Members: 1,643 Tribal Council Members: 9 SILETZ NEWS DEADLINE June 15,1995 mail articles and photos to: Siletz News, P.O. Box 549, Siletz, Oregon 97380 To the Editor: I would like to say thank you to Delores Pigsley and Jessie Davis for all their years of hard work (in spite o f all the roadblocks) in getting the gaming center off & running. I don't think anyone (unless you have been through it yourself) has any idea of the time, effort, & headaches to get something of this magnitude off 8 b running. I know it is hard to keep going when you have those sitting in the wings grumbling, finding fault 8 b waiting for you to fail. How much easier it would be to have people tell you we are behind you all the way. If I can help let me know. I know there are many who do this, but it seems the fault finders are always the ones making the most noise. I guess it's because the others are to busy trying to help. I have been on committees before 8 b sometimes you feel if one more person says, "this will never work" 8s "it can't be done", I'm going to tell them, "if you think you can do better have at it." But then someone comes to you 8 b says, "good job, keep up the good work." Those are the people you keep on going for. By the time this letter comes out the voting will be over. I hope we get over our prejudice 8 b bickering. Since my son was small he has loved the outdoors, drew pictures of animals, Indians, etc. When he got older he started studying about Indians, has made a sweat lodge 8 b had "Indians" come join him. He was a drug 8 b alcohol abuse counselor in the Lincoln City High School, has helped out at the Siletz Smoke House 8 b yet they tell him you can help but, others say you don't have enough blood to belong with us. It's ironic, two of the people who wrote against the lowering of the blood degree, I'm pretty sure we are related. My great grandmother Jane "Shellhead" Collins, was Lucy Metcalfs sister 8 b her uncle was William (Skookum Bill) Strong. Maybe we don't have as much blood degree because our great grandmother married a white man but, does this make us any less or better than anyone else? To me it's more important, what is in this persons heart than blood. Thank you for listening, Wanda Melton Dear Tribal Members: As I stated at the General Council Meeting, I plan to start a petition effort to recall council- persons Jessie Davis, Delores Pigsley, and Phil Rilatos. Anyone who would like to help with the petition gathering, or have someone get a petition to them to sign a petition, is encouraged to contact me at 5110 Hill Villa, Salem, OR, 97306, or at telephone number (503) 378-1483. Each petition Will identify an individual. You need not sign or work to recall all three people. If you have any questions or input, please contact me. Sincerely, Gerald D. Ben H a p p y B irth d a y Patrick Pullam, we all love you back here in Missouri. May this birthday be a special one just as you are special to us. Love you always, Angela, Rob, Dale 8 b William
