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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1998)
September 15, 1998 News and Opinion 3 Smoke Signals changes name By Tracy Dugan, Editor It's probably very obvious to you that Smoke Signals has changed its name. For the past year, we have tried to develop a new, more polished look to the tribal newspaper. This has included more color and action photos, graphics, and a wider vari ety of news ranging from Grand Ronde tribal news to local and even national coverage of Native Ameri can issues which affect us all. As editor of the paper, my goal has always been to make our newspaper the most widely-read paper of its kind in Oregon. For the past several years, my staff and I have worked hard to increase circulation by incor porating news that appeals to not only tribal members, but educators, senior officials, and civic leaders. I am happy to note that we have accom plished this. It makes me proud to know that Oregon's public and pri vate schools and universities keep copies of this newspaper in their li braries and that it is used by profes sors, students, and teachers who are studying Oregon tribes or ethnic di versity issues. I am also proud that Oregon state representatives, may ors, city council members, and other elected officials use it to keep in formed on Grand Ronde tribal devel opment and happenings. Most im portant though, is the fact that tribal members use the paper to access in formation concerning the Tribe's most important issues. Because the Grand Ronde Tribe has ' emerged as a serious social and fi nancial entity in Oregon and the Or egon economy, I felt that the news paper should have a more serious name. This paper is no longer a newsletter. It's a newspaper, which is published twice per month, and may be published weekly in the near future. We chose the name The Grand Ronde Review, due to the fact that a paper published every two weeks can't give the reader immediate in formation the way a daily paper can. So, for our readers, its more of a re view of the news. Oregon's other tribes also publish papers for their members and con stituents: Siletz Newsletter, Klamath Tribal News, and Warm Springs' Spilyay Tymoo are just a few. The Umatilla tribal paper, Confederated Umatilla Journal, is published once per month, but in my opinion is the best tribal publication in Oregon. It has won national awards for writing and design. It is my hope that The Grand Ronde Review can achieve that level of excellence. The Review staff hopes that you will continue to find the information and stories in the pa per interesting and helpful. If you have any comments about the paper's name change, we welcome them. Please call me at 1-800-422-0232, extension 2254. THE GRAND RONDE REVIEW 9615 Grand Ronde Road Grand Ronde, Or 97347 EDITOR: TRACY DUGAN 879-2254 REPORTER: OSCAR JOHNSON 879-2321 GRAPHICS & NEWS COORDINATOR: KIM MUELLER 879-2264 1-800-422-0232 FAX: (503) 879-2263 E-MAIL ADDRESSES: tracynewsmacnet .com kimnewsmacnet.com oscarJohnsonjournalist.com Members of the Native American Journalist Association, the Associated Press, and Society of News Design. UPCOMING DEADLINE: Friday, Sept. 18, 1998 Drugs and our children By Sunny Bigby, ICW staff The problem of drug use among Native Americans has escalated to the proportions that alcohol has been for generations. Alcohol and drugs have been commonly used to kill pain that forced acculturation, poverty, unem ployment, and other problems that we as Indian people face as an oppressed people. Drug abuse runs rampant in this country, and causes more pain than it masks. One person addicted to drugs affects his or her immediate family, extended family, friends, and the community. The ones who suf fer most are the children. Children of drug addicts face prob lems not addressed in the discovery of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Effect. Unborn babies are suffering strokes in the womb due to the mother's drug use during preg nancy. These babies are born addicted and their tiny bodies have to suffer through withdrawal, which can cause physiological damage and even death. These immediate concerns are just the tip of the iceberg. Often, there are lifelong consequences that a child faces. These can include brain and nervous system damage, which are not always visible until after extensive medical testing. Learning disabilities and behavior problems are seen in most children exposed to drugs before birth, and some uncontrollable behav ior escalates with age. These prob lems are totally preventable. One director of an early childhood development center recently said that her organization has had to set up a special program just to treat the nu merous cases that are being diag nosed. One behavior, she stresses, is uncontrollable rage with lack of re gard for others or consequences of one's actions. These children seem to be missing something. They appear to have no conscience. If these chil dren were adults, they would meet the diagnostic guidelines for Anti-Social Personality Disorder which can be dangerous. Much time is spent in play therapy trying to teach these children regard for others, but the success of these sessions is hard to measure. Drug babies often exhibit Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) that disrupts the child's life both at home and in school. Interestingly, some of these cases have been mani fested in cases where the father was using drugs, and the mother was not. Because of these behaviors, it is very hard for these children to make and keep friends, a crucial part of childhood development. Teachers in public schools are asking for help, because they are encountering be haviors in children that they have never been trained to deal with. Later in life, the child born drug affected may be unable to get or keep a job. Many do not take direction well from employers and supervisors, or they simply do not have the ambition to look for work. As adults, they may act without thinking about the conse quences or unintentional harm they may cause to others or themselves. Many times, others see them as lazy, stupid, or irresponsible, when if fact, the reason for their behavior is their biological parents' drug use. Even if a child NOT born drug af fected, but who has parents who use drugs face problems as well. They often do not behave in a socially ac ceptable manner due to the disrup tions in their lives, and never really learn the proper way to handle them selves in social, academic, or per sonal situations. Would you knowingly subject your child to this kind of life? This is what you are doing when you use drugs. Now is the time to stop the transgen erational cycle of pain and addiction. What you are doing doesn't just af fect your life. Drugs can destroy our wellness as a Native people, just as alcohol has done for generations. It is time to build a strong and healthy future for our kids. To do this we must be drug and alcohol free! For more information on the Tribe's Chemical Dependency program, call: (503) 879-2026 or 1-800-775-0095. MIS' "0 ? 4f- --K1H ) i zro.,tm SxoiXO vVinox.fji -t.XitMi !! , Kti ' I ' .maa.illl iin . inn, lYIm til 1 1 '. Oiit. fi III '.liliiHilMit ;i(Oi rttJrt mrtij4 4.uu meet afliHrmoj .own -twnw mm oooS'-Kfiej 3jf Yaj Dear Editor: It has been three months now since I have been through my surgeries and healing time. Now, I am finally doing well enough to get my "thank yous" in. Lots of love and thankfulness goes to my daughters. Diane, who has been there for me all through my sur geries; Charisse, who set aside her appointments to fill in; and to my sis ter Marcella, who is always there when I need her. Thanks goes to my niece, Ida Patterson, for the use of her fan. Thanks, Ida you saved me! Thanks also to the rest of my family, for their visits and flowers at the hos pital. Also, to my husband, Dalton, who spent his whole vacation time with me in the hospital. Thanks to my friends from Warm Springs for their prayers and en couragement. Also, to our Tribal Council, Kathleen Marquart, and all the clinic staff who made it possible for me to have these surgeries and after-care. Last but not least, thanks to the Cul tural Resources staff and those in the same office building for their flow ers and prayers. Thanks so much to all of you. I will heal and walk again, and will work with all of you. I love you all, Marilee Norwest Davis -.wjalj-. '13?' -' tT:Hi
