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 Letters NOT signed will not
be published.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.
Where O’ Where are our
Tribal Police?
Editor,
Many tribal members who were employed by, or worked in
conjunction with the Tribal Police agree that it is not a
friendly place for tribal members. Members are repeatedly
harassed and held to a professional standard above and beyond
the criterion for non-members. Pretty much, the few tribal
members that do work in law enforcement are being weeded
completely out of the department, and those looking to join
the Tribal Police force, forget it.
I know of 3 tribal members who have applied for positions with
the police and have not had a single call back or Personnel
letter sent to them. It doesn’t take a Sherlock Homes to
realize that, “Hey, they don’t want tribal members on the
Police force.” To make the situation even more ridiculous, the
Chief of Police, at the Inchelium District meeting had the
audacity to complain he could not find any tribal member that
could pass the test or the background check. Implying that we,
the tribal membership, are a bunch of idiotic criminals.
Another complaint made by the Chief is the general hostility
the Police face in the community. But who could blame the
community when it takes two weeks for them to respond to a
complaint, even a complaint that involves bullet holes in your
house. Or the fact that they will not investigate a house
fire, or that they allow minors to buy alcohol right in front
of their eyes (this mind you, after their much NEEDED pay
raise); these actions do not illustrate just sheer
incompetence, but prejudice.
How else would you explain the repeated rejection of a Vietnam
veteran who just happens to be of Native American and African
descent? What about the fact that two elders lost their jobs
because this same Director instituted BIA age regulations
despite the fact that these elders were physically able to do
their jobs? What about an incident where 2 tribal members, one
a female elder and the other mentally disabled, were stranded
on the road and were refused not only a ride, but any help
whatsoever other than a phone call? The officer refused to go
get gas for the stranded people even though a gas station was
a few miles ahead. What sort of policy is this that the
Police, who by their definition are the protectors and helpers
of society, are refusing to help?
To top it all off this Director has stated that, “Tribal
Council resolutions are not law,” and therefore not
enforceable. What a show of disrespect and ignorance, he works
for the Tribe, and he has the audacity to question the
governmental authority of the Tribal Council? Tribal
resolutions are LAW; they have been enforced as such for
years. The US Attorney’s Office will tell you they are law.
Who hired this man we call director? Where did he get his
training? Obviously, this Chief and his officers do not
respect the Tribe and the culture of its people. It is time we
rid ourselves of these culls and hire truly competent and
culturally aware people to the Department.
Take care, Lim Lim
Kimsqualhine Joe Baulne
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There are issues...
Tribal Members:
There are issues that not only pertain to the Colville Tribe
but to all Native American people. In this 21st century, most
of the people in the United States do not understand
“sovereignty”. The fact that our ancestors gave up the land
and moved to what is now our reservations seems to indicate to
those people that we are receiving preferential treatment. How
many times have I heard it said “why don’t they (meaning us)
just sell their reservation and be just like us?”
The fact is that we are not anything but the original people
of this country. As Native American People we have our
traditions and culture handed down to us from generation to
generation and although we have lost a lot of the traditions,
we are trying to revive them.
Our “sovereignty” needs to be protected by our leaders, the
Tribal Council. To be on the highest office on our
reservations means to fight for all of the members of the
Tribe and not just their immediate families.
The Tribal Council gets delegated to attend meetings in behalf
of our Tribe. In the 1950’s and 60’s our leaders took the lead
in the All Tribes of Northwest Indians, (ATNI) and National
Congress of American Indians, (NCAI), meetings. The Colville
Tribe were the leaders of Indian Country and worked with all
of the Tribes in the ATNI and NCAI meetings. Now how do I know
that? I had the privilege of tagging along with these leaders
and watching them in action. These were our leaders that were
respected throughout Indian Country and the U.S. government.
Today we along with all of the Tribes is the United States
have to be aggressive in enforcing the ‘trust
responsibilities’ that is law through the treaties signed by
our ancestors and the United States government. It is no small
secret that the Republican Party does not like the Indian
tribes. Indian Tribes make up about 3% of the total population
of the United States and ever since Columbus ‘discovered us’;
they have been trying to make us extinct.
Basically what I am saying is now that the 2006 tribal
election is over that the new Council forget about your
personal prejudices and work for the entire Colville Tribe’s
9000+ membership and with all Tribes in United States and
Canada. Lem-lem.
Eldon Luke Wilson
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This is our prayer
Dear Creator,
Today we pray for the leaders of our Colville Reservation.
The roots, berries and medicine that you have provided for us
are getting less and less each year. The digging spots are
with No Trespassing signs or being plowed. The berry patches
and campgrounds where our people spent so much time seem to be
gone. The cool, clear streams we once drank from are gone for
cows have to drink this. All this Creator, you have provided
for us, money can’t buy.
This land our past councilman fought so hard for that we may
enjoy and carry on the traditional ways of our ancestors.
To this day, the mountains, the digging grounds are our church
where many pray in their own way.
We pray our leaders will hear the cries of our elders, the cry
of the animals whose homeland is being turned upside down.
That all this can be turned around before it’s too late, this
is our prayer.
I-a-tot-kikt-grace
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Our Children Are Our
Future
I lived in my car for nearly 3 weeks before
financial aid showed up from the Tribe; I got it – got an
apartment and dove into my books without looking back. Now
instead of take the summer off from school, I’ve decided to
waste no time pursuing my education and enroll myself into the
summer quarter. My Tribe, the substance of who I am – in which
I look to for support & guidance, I need your help once again…
I now face losing my apartment because financial aid for the
summer quarter is a “priority basis only”. Me being a young
Native woman, Colville Tribal Member, in college trying to
make a difference for not just my family & me, but our people
in general, do I not fall under or qualify as a “priority
basis”?
I’ve seen in the Tribune how the Tribe donates hundreds –
excuse me, thousands of dollars at you name it, with that in
mind you’d think our young Native women & men who are trying
to replace the typical self-defeating behaviors that are
hardwired into our youth by securing their education first
would be rewarded and supported without question.
With this letter I now swallow my pride and am asking the
Tribe again for its support, anyone who can and will help can
reach me at this number (509) 998-1292 or this address: P.O.
Box 2486, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Thank you for your time &
understanding.
Sincerely, Samantha Stanger
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