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About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 17, 1978)
PAGE 4 NOVEMBER 17, 1978 May Have Found A New Tactic by Cynthia Stowell A funny thing happened on the way to the Washington State polls this year. Indians were coming out of the woodwork. The campaigned. They chal lenged. They strategized. They voted. And in some respects they won. Colville Vice Chairman Mel Tonasket captured more than 10 per cent of the vote in his third party race for the fifth District congressional seat. Treaty abrogationist Jack Cunningham (R-Seventh Dis trict) lost a return trip to D.C., leaving the fate of his three anti Indian bills uncertain. And the seat voluntarily vacated by Rep. Lloyd Meeds (R-Second District) of water rights extinction fame, was filled by Democrat Al Swift who seeks to “eliminate conflicts” between Indians and non-Indians. It may be a bit presumptu ous to assert a causal relation ship between the politicization of Indians and the election results. Washington state constituents may have simply tired on their own of the incessant législative hammering their representa tives took delight in administer ing to the Indian population. After all, the Washington State Opinion Survey carried out by the Yakimas last April showed that the average Washingtonian (not the sports fisherman) was uninformed about but not hostile toward his Indian neighbor. The races were close how ever and any campaign action by Indians could easily have had an impact on the fence-sitters. * This is what Indians did, according to Rudy Ryser, cam paign coordinator for Tonasket and strategist par excellence. Voter registration was as important as ever, with voter drives on the various reserva tions. Indians are notorious for not exercising their franchise. But to play the white man’s game successfully, Indians had to go beyond passive yea’s and nay’s and devise an active political strategy, said Ryser. Thus the two prong attack: sponsoring their own candidate and getting involved in other key campaigns by way of position papers, briefings and press coverage. Specifically in the Second District race for Meeds’ seat, efforts were aimed at neutraliz ing the Indian issue while getting behind Swift. In the Seventh District, an “overt attack on Cunningham’s position” was coupled with support for Demo crat Mike Lowry who has gone on record as opposing treaty abrogation and advocating tribal sovereignty. The Tonasket candidacy in the Fifth District could have the farthest reaching impact, noted Ryser, as post election energies focus on the development of the Independent Party. Tonasket and troops plan to be watchdogs for re-elected Rep. Tom Foley, while continually directing the public eye to Indian issues and concerns and demonstrating how Indian and non-Indians issues are much the same. They will also be on the look-out for candi dates for 1980. “We may not have the physi cal numbers to outvote” large portions of the constituency, said “let’s be friends” posture. The new game being played by Washington Indians strikes an interesting balance. Perhaps some of the energy devoted year after year to grum bling, fretting and coddling in the rather isolated world of national Indian organizations could be better spent in the thick of things-playing the white man’s political game with Coyote’s wile but with characteristic Indian integrity. From the High School Counselor by Ron Pinkham The United Indian Education Conference in Portland was well received by students. Staff of the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation gave the students the best of compliments for their participation and performance at the Tuesday evening banquet. Everyone here at Warm Springs should be very proud of the students who attended. With the ever increasing im portance of education on the Warm Springs Reservation, it behooves all of us to be very supportive to all students regard- less of their grades. Yet, those is not the total answer. But for who earn poor marks must be now, it is one which is of given positive reinforcement paramount importance to Tribal from the home end. That the Governments in gaining econo student’s efforts in school should mic independence and becom be given now, not later, should be ing self-sufficient. stressed. High School is the first Remember there are pro step in gaining the fundamentals grams and activities on the in which to travel further in the Reservation designed to involve field of education, not to mention the parents and students in the job market. two-way communication. This Many young Indians must will lead to better understanding take responsibility for them and mutual support. Become selves in order to gain headway involved with me here at school in this expensive world, and to do and with your child so that we what they please within today’s can best work together and gain society. So remember, education the ultimate goal, a High School diploma. Letters to the Editor SUPPORT FAYE To the people of the Warm Springs Confederated Tribes: We solicit your support and backing for a young lady by the name of Faye Hurtado who is running for the title of Junior Miss for Jefferson County. Faye is the only entry from Warm Springs in recent years. She is really a top contender for this title and among other prizes, could win a scholarship to her chosen college. I feel faye really is a very There are obvious problems with the petition for north boundary talented, poised individual who police protection now being circulated. As petitions often are it is will represent well the citizens of impassioned and ambitious. It asks for a lot all at once. Not that author Tony Suppah hasn’t put a great deal of thought: the Warm Springs community. So we are inviting every one into it. The detail in his staffing and equipment requests is evidence of to the pageant starting at 2:00 his familiarity with police workings. Rural fire and police protection is not a new or hastily hatched notion — the concern has the weight of p.m. Sunday at the Madras High School cafeteria. time and repetition. Respectfully, But Tony left some of his homework undone. Can he really justify Pat Woodsie a staff of three or more based on the numbers of citizens and the value Faye’s Advisor of assets in the area? And where is the $250,000 going to come from? Suppah appears to favor a grant, but grant proposals take a lot of AA HELPS careful documentation. Is he ready to follow through? Dear Editor: Tony’s strategy could be questioned, too. The Council may have a I am writing to you as a real distaste for petitions after the Gold petition that so divided the concerned member of the Warm membership in 1976. In addition, the tribal police department is in a Springs Confederated tribes. precarious position with respect to the Council and negotiations could As an alocholic individual easily be upset with a noisy plea for more money and men. and active in AA, I believe that And yet this may be just what the Council needs to hear. The AA is one of the main reasons for petition, for all its shortcomings, bears an important message from staying sober today. the reservation community. It is a message lurking behind recent To me as an individual, AA gatherings and sure to surface at the upcoming general council on the has made me a new person. It budgets. has given me a new lease on life. We need improved law enforcement services, not a reduced When I first joined AA, I thought program, the people are saying. that it was one big joke, but I Council foiled the police department’s attempt to reorganize and soon realized that it is a very improve its own services by cutting back on several requested serious program, helping when positions and programs, including the assistant chief and two juvenile^ ever needed, helping me to be positions. They also put on hold two patrolmen, a dispatcher and a able to talk openly and listen Kah-Nee-Ta security guard. The apparent reasoning was that without harsh judgment on additions were not justified based on past performance. (Is it a true others. measure of a worker’s ability to observe how he performs without the The Warm Springs Alochol tools he needs to do the job?) Center has helped me to under Perhaps this was the time Council should have taken a gamble stand that I have many things to with the police department. When public sentiment is crying for law learn about my people and their and order, to undermine the existing program is to lower community many drinking and drugs, and morale a few more notches. how they differ from the outside The petition is another call for improved services. There may world. have been a more way to present it but can the Council „ jx .-j . ..... convincing , v -------- TheCenter has a very effec- afford to ignore the message it Tjears'froth Ihfe comniiiriity? * ’ [jive program which can be fitted Petition Bears Important Message Ryser, but the prospects of coali tion with non-Indians is very real. “You don’t have to be a Congressman to effect political change,” he continued “You just have to be forceful and honest and have access to the press.” Apparently idealism isn’t dead and'pragmatism is a wel- come newborn. For years Indians have sought political and economic clout, using methods .ranging from AIM’s subtly effective to individual needs to help main tain one’s sobriety. One is the Antabuse pro- gram. Two is AA meetings held each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Three is AA meetings held each Tuesday and Friday nite from 8 p.m. to whenever. Four Individual counseling for those who need extra help. I believe as an Alocholic person that AA, a higher power, and what help I can give to other people, are my strength in main taining my own sobriety. James L. Armstrong CONFUSING SIGN To the editor: Due to a confusing sign at the Kah-Nee-Ta turn-off, about three people end up at our house each week looking for the resort. The sign, which is just past the bridge when you’re coming from Warm Springs, appears to point the way up Indian Head Canyon instead of along the Warm Springs River. This sends people toward Simnasho and many miles later the frustrated tourists stop at our place for directions. Can’t Kah-Nee-Ta correct this problem so that visitors can more easily find their destina tion? Chesley Yahtin GIVE KIDS A GOOD HOLIDAY MEMORY To the people: People throughout the nation will be gathering together at various homes or special places in the next 2 months to enjoy the holidays. The holidays are Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. The holidays have a special meaning for each individual whether it be an adult or child. For the child, the age ranges from 1 day to eighteen years. The. message on their behalf is, “please give them a special memory.” PATH-Foster Care Program Tribal Council Agenda Nov. 20 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - 509-J Report 2. 2:00 p.m. - Kah-Nee-Ta Report Nov. 21 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - Committee Reports 2. Miss Warm Springs Committee 3. Prepare for General Council GENERAL COUNCIL, Agency Longhouse 7:00 p.m. Agenda: 1979 Budgets Nov. 27 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1.10:00 a.m. - Proposed resolution re funeral grants to Nonmembers married into Tribe-Vital Stat. 2. “Brief Lood at Warm Springs” - Review revision Nov. 28 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - Roads system, progress report v2. 2:00 p.m. - Management Reports TO BE SCHEDULED: Funding - Irrigation Project & Justice Center
