Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor are published at the discretion of the
Editor, as space permits. No letter which contains
defamatory or malicious statements will be published. Any
letter which contains questionable material will be sent to
the Office of Reservation Attorney for legal review. All
letters must contain the writer’s signature, address, and
telephone number (if available). Letters NOT signed will not
be published. Letters are limited to 450 words. Letters
exceeding 450 words may be published if space allows and the
Editor so chooses. The Editor reserves the right to edit any
letter for content, clarity, and length.
Views and opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor,
complimentary or critical, are those of the writer of the
letter. They are not endorsed by the Tribal Tribune staff,
Tribal Administration, Tribal Business Council, or the
Colville Confederated Tribes’ membership as a whole.
Some things are not for
sale!
Colville Tribal Business
Council:
Supt. of the BIA, Gene Nicholson:
In concerns for mining once again, I feel I must remind you of
the last vote on mining for precious metals held at Nespelem
Community Center, which was 700 to 1 against mining, period.
That there was a total of 11 meetings on & off the reservation
that Battle Mt. Gold paid for most of the meetings.
That since our superintendent wants to hand Don Aubertin
$150,000 for a feasibility study, that BIA should also cough
up $150,000 for another educational process for the membership
about mining & for a new EIS as the old EIS is obsolete being
30 years old from start to finish. (Core drilling started in
1979).
The question I have for you is are we going to contribute to
the pollution of Lake Roosevelt, just as the companies in
Canada we’re trying to sue?
What about the huge aquifer under the Columbia Basin? Do we
now add to the destruction of this aquifer? What about our own
people in Keller? Do they have to relocate once again?
As you remember, when Grand Coulee Dam came in, Keller had to
relocate.
As a Tribal member & shareholder of the CTEC corporation, with
8 grown children, 25 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, I
am asking you today, do we really want the destruction of this
mountain, to add to the pollution of Lake Roosevelt, our own
environment, of our land, water, air, watersheds, the
esthetics, life as we know it of peace, quiet, tranquility.
Again, I ask you can we be the polluters, like the two
Canadian firms upstream?
Does C.I.E.P.A. need to take this not only to our own people,
but to all the downstream residents who use Lake Roosevelt for
irrigation to their agricultural lands, their aquifer, their
own well water?
Will they then sue us for being the polluters? THINK LEADERS!
As you are supposed to be protecting our natural resources,
not destroying it.
Some things are not for sale!
Gerry Gabriel, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother
C.I.E.P.A. Sec-Treas
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Concerning Monse Tribal
Cemetery
North of Monse is our Tribal
Cemetery. I just came back from there. A flyer was put on the
entrance gate a couple of weeks ago for volunteers to pick up
flowers on June 12th so that it could be mowed. This
apparently was done as all the flowers were disposed of yet
there was still about 4 inches or so not mowed close to the
headstones. I had went out there a couple days ago before this
was to occur and removed the flowers from my wife’s grave and
brought them home, and returned and put a vase back up to
where the mower did not touch, as can be seen from the other
graves, which would need a portable weedeater to mow up close
enough to warrant removing the flowers. Next time out I will
bring my grass cutters and trim around my dad, Grandpa, and
other gravesites as I respect my wife’s resting place better
than that.
I also understand there is no caretaker for this Cemetery. A
weed eater is needed to do a complete job, so I will return
and trim with my grass cutters.
And the loss of all of these good flowers is not warranted.
Something else must be done as some people have a long ways to
go and I am sure they, as I, would like to keep a flower
arrangement at all times. People are using plastic flowers now
that do not wilt and are quite expensive to be thrown away.
This is all I have to say on this subject. Thanks for
listening.
Bob Carden
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Power to the People
Look out leaders, the people
are starting to come together and I see a big change coming. I
applaud all the writers in the last Tribune. It seems we all
have the same concerns, DRUGS, MINING, ECONOMY, DEVELOPMENT,
NATURAL RESOURCES, ACCOUNTABILITY, and along with others, just
good leadership.
I continue to stress the importance of a drug free
reservation. That will lead to a fast termination. Grand
Coulee Dam has declared War on drugs and have made many
arrests. As mentioned before, everyone knows who the drug
dealers are and many are protecting them. Many are in our own
families, and families are now drugging together. What chance
does the little ones have. Also U.A.s must be in the work
place, not just with a select few. I’m sick of burying our
young, aren’t you?
Let’s get tough and use the Exclusionary Law that already is
in place and move these undesirables off the Rez. Hey parents,
when our kids buy a gram of weed for twenty dollars and smoke
it up in five minutes, that’s about ten dollars more per hour
than many of us make, Right. So take a stand…
Now what the hell is behind closed door meetings, and closed
meetings off the Rez. Remember we the people vote you in and
have a right to know what is going on. I used to make my staff
do training sessions upon returning from their training. Then
we would staff with other programs to share the knowledge.
This is called a wholistic approach to wellness. I am willing
to train you if you wish. Leaders, use your mid-management
level professionals, that’s what you pay them for. Do not be
afraid to ask for help. We’re all Indians.
Thank you for reading, until next time Power to the People.
And seek the wisdom of the spirit world.
The Red Writer
Melvin “Bugs” Toulou
p.s. Legal Advice says that “Negotiations on Well’s Dam
‘cannot’ be passed without a vote of the people.”
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Policies/ Rules Changing
to Benefit Oneself...
Recently, the Colville
Business Council created a resolution 2005-206; that all ALJ
contractors shall have subpoena authority for Appeals and
Grievances filed under the Employee Policy and Procedure
Manual. Why is it that I subpoena government workers to attend
an appeal hearing held in the Colville Tribe’s organization
and now the Colville Tribe’s BIA Superintendent states to a
BIA employee that he has to get clearance from Portland in
order to attend? But many government workers have testified in
the Tribe’s appeal hearings previously without needing special
clearance from Portland. Why all of the sudden the big change
in rules?
Two things that are different now, the witness will benefit my
side of the case, not their side. Another large difference is
that I have recently filed an official (Equal Employment
Opportunity) EEO complaint against BIA personnel for
discrimination and Nicholson is mad and is utilizing his
position for his personal gain to retaliate against myself
even more.
Cathy Covington
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I would like to see...
Tribal Members,
This letter is a response to Eddie Palmanteer’s letter about
starting Mt. Tolman mining project again. I am still against
mining on this Reservation because of the dangerous
environmental impact that it would cause. Take a drive around
the reservation and see the devastation that has occurred, our
forests are disappearing and wildlife habitat is being
endangered.
Times are hard because of the federal cuts due to the Iraq
war. I would like to see the Business Council and CTEC get the
gaming Casinos profiting first before any future developments
especially such a treacherous thing like mining. Mt. Tolman
would be pulverized to a big open pit at Keller. The toxic
tailings would be dumped into the San Poil River and down the
Columbia River. Is this the way that we were taught to care
for our Mother Earth? This land has taken care of our people
for years and our survival depends on Mother Earth, so let’s
protect her. Stop the destruction of land for money, that is
not the Indian way. Our Indian people’s health would be
affected with more cancer from more toxins in the air and
water. Protect our number one resource…. our people.
The idea to buy the Moses Lake resort sounds like a better
idea. Let’s get our casinos profiting and get a destination
resort or build a beautiful casino that would attract tourism.
Hope this letter opens your minds and hearts.
Thank you,
Respectfully submitted,
Joyce Watt
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Culture covers a lot of
ground
Dear Fellow Tribal Members,
I read the letters that were written in the June 7, 2005,
Tribune.
I felt a lot of pride in the letters written by Billie Jo
Bray. It gives me and other Elders hope for our young people.
Keep your heart clean and strong. Stand up for what you
believe in.
All our Tribe needs to do is go and visit Kellogg, Idaho. Talk
to the people, the children. Ask them WHY they all have
cancer. The whole town. Write to the Missoula newspaper and
get a copy of their write up on mining and the effects it had
and still to this day has in Kellogg, Idaho.
The almighty dollar is killing our people. Some of you say
you’re Indian but are you Indian on the inside as well as the
outside? Culture covers a lot of ground. Walk your Talk or
don’t say nothing. Drink alcohol, do the drugs – so you don’t
have to make a choice.
I wish you all good things for all of us.
Connie Palmanteer McCraigie
Entiat/Methow/Arrow Lakes
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Unfailing Prayer to Saint
Jude
Glorious apostle, Saint Jude
Thaddeus, I salute you through the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Through his Heart I praise and thank God for all the graces he
has bestowed upon you. I implore you, through his love, to
look upon me with compassion. Do not despise my poor prayer.
Do not let my trust be confounded! God has granted to you the
privilege of aiding mankind in the most desperate cases. Oh,
come to my aid that I may praise the mercies of God! All my
life I will be your grateful client until
I can thank you in heaven. Amen
(Mention your request)
Saint Jude, pray for us, and for all who invoke your aid.
Publication of thanks to Saint Jude must be promised
Say this novena nine times in a row for nine days.
I am grateful for this novena. Becki Z.
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