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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 2011)
Smoke Signals OCTOBER 15,2011 NOTICE Monthly Tribal Council Wednesday Meetings DATE TIME Wednesday, Oct. 26 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9 5 p.m. Please note that these times and dates are subject to change if needed. General Council meeting Sunday, Nov. 6 11 a.m. Tribal Community Center 2 Dear Tribal Council: I do not like to choose between the good of my Tribe and the good of my family. Please break the enrollment bundle down into four separate ques tions so I can vote on each of them on their own merit. Rosemary Jameson Roll 883 Dear Smoke Signals: I am a Tribal Elder. I greatly appreciate the benefits that the Tribe af fords me and my family. I have four grandchildren who are enrolled in the Tribe. My youngest grandchild, Makenzie, was a Tribal member, but her membership was taken away as a result of the 1999 enrollment amendment. Makenzie has the same blood quantum as her brother and sister, but has now been left out solely because of the date of her birth. How can she not grow up feeling discriminated against when her brother and sister have the same mother and father, and she has the same blood quantum? There are 30 plus other wounded families that are facing the same dilemma. This inequality can be corrected by voting "yes" on the constitutional election on Nov. 15. Please vote "yes" because it is the right thing to do to heal this wound for our families. Gail Wilkinson Roll 3509 Dear Tribal members: Please don't be fooled into thinking that a "yes" vote for the enrollment requirement amendment election is fair and beneficial for all Tribal members. It is an attempt at a compromise to correct errors in our cur rent enrollment requirement at the expense of creating new problems for current and future Tribal members. This amendment bundles four separate and distinct enrollment issues; how can you interlace the definition of Grand Ronde blood, the relinquish ment time between disenrollment of another Tribe and enrollment in Grand Ronde, a limit in the absolute number of Tribal members who can enroll in a given year and the removal of a parent on the roll at the time of birth into one election? Indeed, there are glaringly obvious problems with our enrollment re quirements, but these issues should never have been bundled in a bully at tempt to force us to accept some detrimental impacts on Tribal membership in order to get an extremely diminished version of enrollment justice. In order to address the real issues of enrollment injustice, we need to vote "no" on this election, lobby our leadership to separate the issues for individual voting, demand that they quit wasting our time and Tribal resources on elections meant to divert our attention from the corollary effects of current enrollment issues (and future issues, should the amend ment pass), and participate in the creation of non-discriminatory and even-handed regulation of our enrollment. Charles G. Haller II Roll 1032 Dear Tribal membership: I want to share my story in the hopes you'll support the upcoming con stitutional amendment. The first time I met my father was in 2007. I had no knowledge of my Native heritage until that first meeting. I immediately applied for Tribal membership, but have been denied due to the fact that my father was not a Tribal member at the time of my birth. Despite the fact that I was born during Termination, when my father couldn't be a Tribal member, I've been denied membership. I am now 33 years old and look forward to the day that I'll be allowed to join the rest of my family as a Grand Ronde Tribal member. Thank you for supporting the constitutional amendment. Jessie Jones RollTBD Dear Smoke Signals: I am urging everyone to vote "yes" on the amendment issue before us. I believe that voting "yes" is in the best interest of our Tribe and encour age you to vote in the affirmative. A vote of "yes" will affirm the rights of denied Grand Ronde who possess at least 11 6th blood to exercise their rights as Natives. Vote "yes!" Eric Bernando Roll 3265 gemote gflgpate PUBLICATIONS OFFICE 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR 97347 1-80O-422-O232, FAX: 503-879-2173 Web site: www.grandronde.orgnews E-mail: newsgrandronde.org D Twitter: CTGRgov Facebook: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde SIOBHAN TAYLOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTOR 503-879-1920 sloMun.uykxpjndrondt.ort SCARLETT HOLTZ PUBLICATIONS SECRETARY 503-879-1453 KJfteo.hota(rindrond.orf GEORGE VALDEZ GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST 503-879-1416 george.valdezgrandronde.org VALERIE COX CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-1447 valerle.coxgrandronde.org KRISTEN RAVIA PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECRETARY 503-879-1418 bbtm.rbr jndrondr.org JUSTIN PHILLIPS PAGE DESIGNER 503-879-2190 luttJn.pMffipsfrjndrondr.orf MICHELLE ALAIMO PHOTOJOURNALIST 503-879-1961 mkhHk.alaimograndronde.ort DEAN RHODES PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR 503-879-1463 dMn.rtiodnpjndrande.Ofi RON KARTEN STAFF WRITER 503-879-4663 ronJunrngrandroride.ort CAR LA MAY CENTRAL PHONES 503-879-1447 carta, robertsgrjndronde.org DEADLINE DATE ISSUE DATE Thursday, Oct. 20 Nov. 1 Friday, Nov. 4 Nov. 1 5 Friday, Nov. 18 Dec. I Friday, Dec. 2 Dec. 15 SMOKE SIGNALS, a publication of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Com munity of Oregon, is published twice a month. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without permission. Our editorial policy is Intended to encourage Input from Tribal members and readers about stories printed In the Tribal newspaper. However, all letters received must be signed by the author, an address must be given and a phone number or e-mail address must be included for verification purposes. Full addresses and phone numbers will not be published unless requested. SMOKE SIGNALS reserves the right to edit letters and to refuse letters that are determined to contain libelous statements or personal attacks on individuals, staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council. Not all letters are guaranteed publication upon submission. Letters to the editor are the opinions and views of the writer. Published letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SMOKE SIGNALS, Tribal staff, Tribal administration or Tribal Council. Members of: Native American Journalists Association The Associated Press Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association See pages 10-11 for more letters. 2011-12 Tribal Council 1-800-422-0232 councilgrandronde.org D Cheryle A. Kennedy Chris Mercier Tribal Chairwoman ext. 2305 ext. 2352 chrls.merciergrandronde.org cheryle.kennedygrandronde.org Q june jnerer Reyn Leno ext. 1 444 Tribal Vice Chair june.sell-sherergrandronde.org - ext. 2399 D Toby McCIary reyn.lenograndronde.org exj 4555 D Jack Giffen Jr. toby.mccIarygrandronde.org Tribal Secretary Kathleen Tom - ext. 2300 ext. 1 777 jack.giffengrandronde.org kathIeen.tomgrandronde.org D Steve Bobb Sr. Valorie Sheker - ext. 2353 - ext. 2355 steve.bobbgrandronde.org val.shekergrandronde.org
