2 OCTOBER 1, 2004
Smoke Signals
Dear Smoke Signals,
I appreciate this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Susan Gramentz,
mother of Walter (Butch) Simmons Tribal member 2317. It looks like I
need the Creator's help big time today. I have lost plenty of sleep over the
last nine months. It has been very stressful going to court, and fighting
for my son's rights to keep his daughter. Butch refuses to sign legal pa
pers to give up his rights as a parent while incarcerated.
Butch is going through a very difficult period in his life right now and I
wish to ask for emotional and financial support from his family. I am also
i asking the same of the Tribe. At this point anything will help. We would
I greatly appreciate any letters sent to the court before his trial. We hope to
i flood that courtroom with letters testifying that my son does not deserve
for his sacred rights as a father to be stripped from him. He just needs his
family to write and send a few bucks every now and then. Stamps wouldn't
hurt either!! Dad, cousins, uncles, aunts, all of you. He needs you! Butch
also has requested a pen pal from the Tribe. This situation has become too
painful for him to bear alone. Butch has never wanted to bring shame to
his Tribe for being in prison, which is why we've waited so long to ask for
help. In fact it wasn't until our last visit together on the 21st of August
that he consented to me writing this letter.
I currently live off Social Security and a widow's pension. Butch and I
sincerely need your help. He has a kind heart and has always shown
remorse for his wrong doings. Butch has helped me out greatly while in
prison by buying me a much needed car, sending money home to help me
so that it could be possible for me to see him and by simply being a won
derful son. Butch has never wanted for me to go without, yet we still find
ourselves in this hole. I can no longer go and visit like I used to we
simply don't have the money and we both need these visits to hold each
other up in spirit.
Butch and I started this journey almost a year ago this October. Butch
has cried many tears and felt much heartache as a result of this conflict.
Butch's children are the closest thing to his heart and he would never
dream of willingly losing one of them.
Please, I ask of you to get involved and help stop what could become a
tragedy.
Send money directly to:
Attorney David Martin
8795 Folsom Blvd Suite 106
Sacramento, CA 95826
or
Walter F. Simmons P-78257
Salinas Valley State Prison
A-2-112
P.O. Box 1030
Soledad, CA 93960-1030
Susan can be reached for information on the trial at 1-530-621-3244
Letter written to the Presiding Judge
Case 03AD00616
Superior Court Of California, County of Sacramento
Courtroom 124
3341 Power Inn Road
Sacramento, CA 95826
Dear Editor,
First of all, I'm so proud to be the daughter of Val Grout. She has
contributed so much to our Tribe and is the least greedy person I know,
she has always been the one to volunteer herself and us girls to do the
funeral dinners, it's kinda traditional now. Also, fundraising for our Vet
erans, families in distress, anyone in need could come to her and she would
do her best to help them out. If you were family or friend from here you
would know that! She has earned much respect from Grand Ronde people
and what has happened to the younger people, they don't seem to have
the respect we grew up with. Most of all respect for our Elders, most of
them are sharper than any college education that you can get. It comes
so easy for me and my family to love and respect our Elders. They teach
us every time you talk to them. Too bad people, not Tribal has nothing
better to do than to destroy family and life long friendships by sending
out e-mails and letters so slanderous, it's a lot of misinformation. You
need someone more reliable to get your information from. You're hun
dreds of miles from here and you know things I never heard of unless it's
rumors! Also, using our local newspaper to let everyone know you are not
happy about something! Come on, we already get enough negativity from
local non-Tribal people. The Indians are fighting amongst each other
again. I pray that elections don't get worse every year! Don't listen to
someone so far away that is hateful and gets information through e-mails.
Sure, we can use help not negative help. Look at what you have, it's more
than most Tribes! Thank you Tribal Council past and present for all you
gave to the Tribe. Focus on the good not just the mistakes because they
are human. Be thankful don't destroy it by hateful negatives and again
thanks to our Tribal employees, Tribal and non-Tribal, they work very
hard. Good luck new council members as an employee, I know you can't
please everyone.
Sharon Grout
Roll 1163
Dear Editor,
I would like to thank my supporters in this year's Tribal Elections. I am very
honored and humbled at the same time by having the support of many Tribal
Elders whom I have a tremendous deal of respect for. I would also like to com
mend the candidates who did not resort to negative campaigning. I believe it is
a sad time in Grand Ronde history when the media is used to smear our Tribe
for personal gain, when e-mail lists and websites are used to discredit candi
dates, when exaggerations, inaccuracies and outright lies are told to further
one's political standing and when anonymous letters are mailed to attack one's
character. I can't imagine our ancestors would condone such behavior and I as
a Tribal member am ashamed of the behavior of some of my people. Evidently
the majority of the voting Tribal membership believes this type of campaigning
is acceptable. To the newly elected Tribal Council members, I wish you luck.
My prayers will be with you and my prayers will be with the future of our
people. I hope and pray that our children do not grow-up thinking that it's okay
to attack people or that it's okay to lie and exaggerate; but rather that they are
instilled with the values of our ancestors: honesty, integrity and respect.
Konaway Nayka Tillicum,
Elaine LaBonte
Roll 2271
Dear Editor, .
I want to congratulate those recently elected to the Tribal Council and thank
all the candidates for the time you put into our Tribal election process. Those
who serve the Tribe on Tribal Council have an enormous responsibility and will
face a challenging three years with the many complex decisions facing our Tribe
these days. Because serving on Tribal Council is such an important job the
Tribal membership needs to have as much information as we can get about the
candidates. As a Tribal member who moved away from the Willamette Valley
two years ago I am realizing how difficult it is for Tribal members who are not
near Grand Ronde to learn about the background and experience of the candi
dates unless that is one of the topics they address in their letters to Tribal
members or in their statement in the newspaper. With so many Tribal mem
bers living away from the Reservation, I know I am not the only one with this
challenge.
I suggest that in the edition of the newspaper just before the edition contain
ing the candidate's statements all candidates be given the opportunity to answer
a set of questions that would provide information about their background and
experience. It would be a purely voluntary option for the candidates and any
candidate not wishing to answer would not have to. These questions would give
the membership the kind of information that someone might fill out in the
background section for a job application. After all, by their candidacy they are
essentially applying to the membership for a very important job.
I suggest that all candidates be given the opportunity to provide the following
information:
Have you worked with the CTGR or other Tribal governments either profes
sionally or in another capacity?
Other work experience
Have you participated in committees or other activities with the Grand Ronde
Tribe?
Have you worked with federal, state or local governments?
Educational background
What do you think are the three most important issues facing the Tribe
today? (This question would be answered by brief one paragraph answers).
I think that these six pieces of information about every candidate who wished
to give it would provide a helpful background to the membership. I do not mean
to suggest that it is necessarily the most important information about candi
dates either. Some candidates give some of this information in their statements
but they understandably only have so much space in the paper to be able to
summarize the messages that they think are most important. If we got most of
the background information in one paper, then the candidates could concentrate
on other messages in their statements. I think this would be a huge help to all
Tribal members but especially to the many who cannot attend the candidates'
forums or may not know all of the candidates. Smoke Signals, please offer the
opportunity to answer these candidate background questions to future candi
dates. Tribal members, if you think this is information that would be useful to
you please let the Tribe know.
Thank you,
Kathleen Feehan
Roll 2093
Dear Editor,
I wish to extend a very sincere and heartfelt "Thank You" to those spe
cial people who encouraged, supported and voted for me in this year's
Tribal Council Elections. A very special thank you to Julie Brown who
was always there for me, rather it be for moral support, her knowledge
and wisdom or to just listen. I ran an honorable, positive campaign and
would never be a part of anything less than that. I will continue to sup
port and contribute to our Tribal membership in any positive avenue that
is needed. It is vital that we work together for the continued success of
the Tribe's future and with that said, it leaves no room for personal agen
das or getting even.
Respectfully submitted,
Diana George
Roll 175