?E Coosb EEWA: The W3y it is
Pge 4- Spilyay Tymoo August 23, 2001
Spilyay
Speaks
Letters to the editor
Fire
keep
season
s it hot
The fire season is here and it is in
a very critical period with fires all
across the western sector of the
nation. Fires in Oregon, Washing
ton, Idaho, and California.
Here in Warm Springs we've had
two major forest fires and both
burned valuable timber. The first
one was the Bald Peter burn, and the
next was the Olallic Fire, which
made the TV news. These two fires
are just part of the threatening fires
across the western states today.
There is nothing we can do about the
weather and we ust have to face the
conditions and the serious of the
whole situation. The main thing is
to remain Cool and go easy and not
get too excited about everything.
In the past here on the Rez when
there was a fire there would be a
truck that would come around and
pickup all the men who were able to
fight fires and take them to the fire.
The fires were fought and put out in
the usaual manner. Today aperson
has to have a certificate to fight fires.
In the past men were on the fire line
until it was declared out They ate
K-Rations, slept along the fire line.
Sometimes a base camp was set up so
the men would have a place to take a
break and have a good meal. This
created jobs for the women folks to
prepare the hot meals for the tired
firefighters.
' Fighting fires is no picnic and is
dangerous if a person has no experi
ence 6P fighrirtg fifes. It's ahvays' J J
good to have the wind at your back
while on the fire line. Sometimes
people try to attack a fire from the
wrong direction and the results are
not good. Fires can start at any time
and any place and could be
nonstopable. Forest fires are most
likely started from thunderstorms.
Or any wild fire that is can be started
from lightning.
There are times when a fire can be
controlled when it is first started if
the firefighters would get right in and
start digging. I have seen fires that
could have prevented if the men
would ahve only got a shovel and
started to make a fire trail around the
fire, but they waited too long to do
anything about it and this fire got
out of control where a lot of acres
burned needlessly.
Sometimes just good common
sense can be the best way to fight a
fire from the beginning. There have
been times when I've seen people
rush tot he scene and jump out of the
vehicle and start ordering people
around, while he could have gotten a
shovel himself and start making a fire
trail.
Seem's like everyone wants to be
"boss." Too many Chiefs and not
enough Indians to do the work.
Good common sense is one fo the
best methods to fight a fire. Some
times good decisions to be made
could have prevented fires from
burning acres and acres of land for
nothing. It was said that a back fire
would have prevented a large fire but
the decision was it would have
burned too much land for nothing,
but that decision was no naught, as
the fire got away and burned many
more acres that people wanted.
Schrubs and weeds should be
cleaned from around structures to be
same from fires. A little work never
hurt anyone and the results were in
favor of the property owner.
Fires can be prevented if one
prepares for them. ...
-Sid Miller
Lack of respect
I would like to voice my opinion as a
Tribal Member, regarding the respect be
ing taught to people on the rez, or rather
the "lack of respect" being taught to
people. There is something wrong with
people who don't teach their children,
friends, or anyone else that respectable
people work for the material things they
posses, and that if things don't belong to
them they should, keep their hands off.
People should think about how they
would feel if someone vandalized their
property, say, slash their tires or some
thing. Messed up people who resort to
such stupidity and ignorance need to be
found and made accountable for their ac
tions, W.S.P.D. do your job. Or better yet,
you people who do this kind of junk, stand
up and accept the responsibility of your
actions. A real man or self respecting
women would. It takes a real snake to
slither around in the middle of the night
and vandalize what does not belong to him
or her. You must feel real proud of your
self, knowing you're so educated you can
be this creative in thinking. Merc's a
thought, why don't you pick up a book
instead of a knife and you really might just
learn something. And does it make your
teachers feel proud? After all your educa
tion came from somewhere or, I should
say, from someone. Grow up people, and
while you're at it, open your eyes, this
kind of activity is criminal, not to men
don childish. If my letter gets printed, I
hope somebody gets something out of it.
Hopefully the ones who resort to this kind
of activity, you know who you are.
Thanks,
Carol Spino
Thanks for all the help
To the editor,
My name is Wendell E. Greene, and it
took me a long time to come around to
this letter. First of all I would like to thank
Alvis and his construction crew for put
tine up with me almost on a daily basis,
their secretaries, the Realty. "General"
took awhile, had to learn patience when I
couldn't afford it. Oh yea, still need to talk,
building inspector Tom and his secretary,
whatever you did I am thankful; Frank
Emberry and the outfit he works for, the
credit department. At the time of this pro
cess it was hard, stressful, anxiety, incar
ceration, but I never gave up. Some did; I
didn't.
There is a few other people I'd like to
be grateful towards, the WEDD outfit,
RangeAg, my brothers ... I'd like to thank
the Longhouse, the Full Gospel, Pastor
Rick, my counselor Guy, Billy Joe, all the
fellow people wherever or whomever, or
whatever you all are.
There is a lot more, some printable,
some not, thanks to Indian Trail Company
and workers; I'll learn.
If any questions or comments, I live at
4302 Toinmie St., no phone.
Sorry if I offended or left out any.
Wendell E. Greene
Appointment questioned
There comes a time when the actions
of our Tribal Council cannot be ignored.
The action in question is the appointment
of Joe Moses as the Chief of the Paiutc.
Joe has been a good Tribal Councilman
the past decade, and I'm sure he would be
a good lifetime representative of the Paiutc
people, but I have to question the manner
in which he was appointed. To have Warm
Springs (Simnasho) and Wasco (Agency)
council members choose who will be
Paiutc Chief is morally and ethically
wrong.
The fact that there was no official Tribal
Council action does not detract from the
fact that this was an underhanded politi
cal ploy. To hide behind the fact that the
late Chief appointed Joe as sub-chief is ir
relevant. One man cannot be allowed to
be a kingmaker.
The Paiute people have an obligation
to future generations to choose who will
serve them for the rest of hisher life.
Those of us that have no say in the choos
ing of a lifetime leader (Paiute Chief) must
step aside and pray that the Paiute people
make a wise choice.
Thank you for your time,
John Katchia Sr.
Encouragement to
backsliders
I am writing to encourage the backslid
ers to the Lord. You are not necessarily a
backslider just because you don't go to
church anymore. However, it doesn't take
a degree to agree that you don't have God
in your conversations at the casino, or at ;
the bowling alley, or the bars, and some
times not even in you own homes. To talk
about God and be uplifted in the Lord,
and to feel the presence of the Lord you
need to be in company with those that
believe.
I turned away from the Lord too many
times, and I am sorry I wasted my time
and am very, very thankful God didn't
take my life, before I made my heart right
with him. In other words, please don't
think I am acting "holier than thou". But
God said "Return thou backslider and I
will not use mine anger to fall upon you;
for I am merciful." We all have a chance
to come back and I am glad I did, for the
time is getting close for his second return.
What I would like you to remember is
that you did not choose God ... God chost
jau!! Remember that God gave you repen
tance (in your heart) to the acknowledg
ing of the truth, that you may recover
yourself out of the snare of the dcvill (2
Tim. 2:25, 26). God lifted the blinders of
your heart's eyes. You arc a privileged char
acter, to be one of God's elect. Many in
the world will never accept the Lord Jesus
Christ, because they are not given the gift
of the Holy Spirit, which opened your
eyes!
We Indians were taught to not deny a
gift, or you would insult that person.
Don't insult God by refusing his gift to
you. God says in Heb. 10:29 "How much
sorer punishment, suppose you, shall be
thought worthy, who has trodden under
foot the Son of God, and has counted the
blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, and unholy thing, and has done
so, to dcspitefully unto the Spirit of
Grace."
The bottom line is that you were hon
ored to have your spiritual eyes and ears
opened to hear God, so that you would
not suffer forever in the everlasting lake
of fire where there is going to be "wiping
and gnashing of teeth". If you don't rejoin
a church; then teach the ones that you love,
and pray that God might have compas
sion on them and save them too, by gift
ing them with the Holy Spirit. It is not
fair to your loved ones to not make them
aware, just because you chose to be pas
sive about it I feel bad every time I think
about loved ones I've lost so far and didn't
bother to clue them I about the good news
from the Lord, and they might be suffer
ing in hell as I speak.
R.T. and Marvena Thompson
Thanks for Tule class
I would like to express my gratitude to
our tribe for investing in preserving our
culture. The Tule Mat class is greatly ap
preciated. Every time we lose one of our
elders a part of our culturetradition goes
with them. Like many others I have
moved away from our people and with
that I have not learned or practiced many
of our ways. My elders are not around me
to share their wisdom and knowledge with
me.
I hope our tribe will look into other
types of classes to be offered to our people.
My children are learning what I know and ,
it is drilled into them that they need to ,
learn it as well as pass it on so our ways
are not lost. Special thanks to Rosalyn for
putting the class together and to Adeline
Miller for taking the time to teach us. It
was a privilege and an honor to be able to
take this class.
Maria Godinei
Yakima, Wash.
Criticism over Hood River
To the editor,
At our 71001 meeting, we were told
by our negotiators that "we" have Hood
Rivet right where "we" want them. They
said, their biggest employer, their alumi
num plant is closing, their politicians need
money for their people, their economy is
in trouble, Hood River needs Indian gam
ing to make it back economically.
Didn't our negotiators notice that just
described the Warm Springs Indian Res
ervation? But, our negotiators told us "it
is a done deal, and it is going to happen."
This was "before" they said there was go
ing to be a referendum, for all the tribal
members to vote on. They're still making
behind closed-door deals. Now they are
trying to control the way we vote, by giv
ing us only one choice. If the majority
votes against their wishes, are they going
to do it anyway like they stated? That
would really be denying the Indians the
right to vote. Sounds like over a hundred
years ago, when the Indians didn't count
for anything.
It looks like the only time they need
us is as numbers to get grants and loans,
to attain "their own personnel enterprise."
They still won't explain, to Members, why
gaming, management and council are the
only ones to see any of this revenue. Dis
guised as that mysterious General Fund.
They refuse to answer when asked to ex
plain their "enterprise system." They are
always saying it is for the tribe. I, and oth
ers, have never heard them say it's for the
"Tribal Members."
After tribal money upgrades their city,
utilities, electric, emergency personnel and
whatever else they are being promised, this
union town will get greedy and start want
ing a bigger cut.
Next, are we going to find out, our ne
gotiators had a secret referendum passed,
giving the casino away. Being "ours" in
name only for a while. Like Kah-Nee-Ta,
with their anti-Indian attitude, will they
eventually own the place, and start deny
ing Tribal Members access to their casino.
Even coerce Indians to not talking about
them?
Seems to me that when the majority of
voters, voted to have the casino put on the
Reservation instead of Madras. It should
have sunk in to them by now, that the ma
jority of members do not have a foot fe
tish for the rich male of the Caucasian
species like they do.
Victor Moses
Forest planning needed for the new century
I would like to state my opinion of the ad
justments that should be considered by Warm
Springs Forest Products, The Board of Direc
tors as well as the Tribal Council in order to
meet the challenges of the twenty first century
and international timber suppliers. My state
ments are a compilation of fifteen years as a
Forestry technician, attending numerous work
shops, working along side Forest Inventory
Contract crews, common sense and fifty-three
years of life.
The first major change can only be brought
about the Board and Tribal Council action; I'm
referring here to the absence of a realistic Long
Range Plan to guide us into the twenty first
century, currendy there is none. Development
of such a plan in conjunction with a Five Year
Plan of Operations is how most enterprises at
taining short or long-term goals.
Common sense and Economics dictates that
any long range planning must be tied to the
Forest Inventory to be applicable. At least that's
how our competition operates their business,
knowing before hand any and all potential rev
enue sources, are we any different? Warm
Springs Forest Products management only
plans around the Annual Allowable Cut quota,
which isn't the way to optimize potential mar
keting of our old growth and old growth qual
ity timber. First hand knowledge indicates that
no one employed at WSFPI actually goes out
to verify the accuracy of the Forest Officers Report
pertaining to cruise volume, species composition,
nor do they understand the Standards of Error or
Standard of Deviation associated with the cruise
data. All of these factors determine the annual net
profit or if there is even going to be one. This less
than ideal operating procedure more or less leaves
our enterprises at the whim of current market con
ditions, no place to be when faced with dwindling
old growth timbers.
Another important change pertains to the lack
of formally educated employees possessing Forestry
and Forest Economics degrees or backgrounds. We'd
be sadly mistaken if continued to rely solely upon
common sense I this day and age of computer pro
gramming and global economics. The one million
dollar question is what can be done until this edu
cational deficiency is remedied? We have in our
midst a Federal Agency that is obligated by Federal
Treaty Law to provide WSFPI with accurate Forest
Inventory Data from which can be determined with
much more accuracy the overall worth of our tim
ber resources I nits entirely. Which would also as
sist in defining a viable long-range plan. Something
we could take to the bank so to speak for the peri
odic loans that WSFPI has to enter. We could also
wisely use this federal agencies computer modeling
capabilities to pre-determine profitability of each
and every logging sale that is handed over to WSFPI,
all of this can be done without having to cut one
tree, move one piece of equipment, or having to
deal with one major expense associated with tim
ber harvesting. All the Tribe has to do is to capi
talize on our treaty language and trust responsi
bility. Until we address this educational short
coming we'll continue to be at the mercy of cur
rent market prices never truly realizing the profit
potential of our Annual Allowable Cut and any
harvested old growth timber and old growth
quality trees.
I'll be submitting other articles pertaining to
WSFPI in the area of recovery analysis, which is ,
another area that will generate feedback on the
overall efficiency of WSFPI priorities. Our goals
should be to run arid operate our enterprise with
the same objectives as the competition. With
the hope of generating the best revenue that
market allow and maintain the balance of IRMP
priorities.
I share this bit of information with the tribal
members as a previous board member. I've read
one document that stated we may be losing as
much as half a million dollars annually just in
the way the log yard is COST OF EDUCA
TION IS EXPENSIVE, LOOK AT THE
COST OF IGNORANCE AND WHAT IT
HAS COST US AND OUR CHILDREN
MONETARILY. If no changes occur than we
have no grounds to blame anyone but ourselves
for this continued ignorance.
Thank you,
Randy Smith