COSBY CANCELS CASINO SHOW OVER DISENROLLMENTS

Updates:

Disenrollment and community building
Posted: February 08, 2008
by: Editors Report / Indian Country Today
Disenrollment proceedings by tribal governments have gotten plenty of attention in recent years. The general public has gained the view that disenrollment is largely about competition over money in large gaming tribes. There are certainly instances among tribal communities where family conflicts, material gain, or other issues have led to expatriation of former tribal members. Indian communities and leaders should reconsider decisions to remove members from the tribal rolls. The ability to game is based on negotiations with state governments, and has become increasingly political. Gaming communities need to maintain good relations with the state governments and voters. Nevertheless, Indian communities should not bow to outside pressures when exercising a government power such as expatriation, but tribal governments need to have clear procedures, and hold the best interests of the tribal community in mind when removing people from tribal rolls. Disenrollments should only happen when they serve the interests of long term tribal community building, cultural continuity, and political autonomy.

http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096416596

AIRRO Members:

Here is the final outline of the presentation given by AIRRO Chairperson Carla Foreman Maslin at the California Indian Conference. The 2 hour session included a video presentation and a "Q and A" session.  Thanks to Chairperson Maslin, Board Member Gene Sloan, and the other AIRRO members who helped with the presentation.

The presentation opened many eyes to the atrocities that are taking place in California Indian Country. 

As a a result of the presentation, AIRRO has been asked to present at next year's California Indian Conference.  Additionally, the events at NCAI and the California Indian Conference have educated a new audience of Indian and non-Indian people to the gross injustices of disenrollment, banishment, moritoriums, and civil rights violations.

Please stay tuned for the AIRRO Newsletter and the going live of www.AIRRO.org. 

Feel free to print the electronic version of this outline and provide copies to any and all.  If you would like electronic versions of the documents/flyers handed out during NCAI or at the Rights Rally in Sacramento, please email me at pechangajg@msn.com.

Thanks.

John A. Gomez, Jr.

Interim President

CLICK for Text of the presentation.

"Too many leaders act as if the sheep.. their people.. are there for the benefit of the shepherd, not that the shepherd has responsibility for the sheep."

Ken Blanchard

Unofficial Results of the Pit River Indian Tribe Election, 8/18/07, Bieber, California

About 450 Members attended!

MADESI - Brandy McDaniels, Band Council & Vernon 'Pro' Ward, Alternate

AJUMAWI - Philip Ragland, Band Council & Rile Webster, Alternate

ASTARAWI - Patricia Preston, Band Council & Gene Preston, Alternate

ATSUGEWI - Jolee George, Band Council & Sheila Montgomery, Alternate

ATWAMSINI - Herb Quinn, Band Council & Monte Carroll, Alternate

HAMMAWI - Jesse Cardenas, Band Council & Spencer Wilson, Alternate

HEWISEDAWI - Raymond Alvarez, Band Council & Spencer Wilson, Alternate

ILLMAWI - Melvin Wolfin, Band Council & Randy Wolfin, Alternate

ITSATAWI - Wesley Rhoads, Band Council & Leland Rhoades, Alternate

(Kosealekte and Aporige Bands did not have an election.)

Chairperson - Jessica Jim did not have to run for election, her term continues and hopefully can now be seated and assume the full duties that have been denied her for the last two years!

Vice - Chairperson - David Hawkins

Secretary - Shonda Annis

Treasurer - Gwen Wolfin

Recording Secretary - Betty George

Sergeant-At-Arms - Ross Montgomery, Jr.

You will notice some names missing from the list above - those "damned Madesi's" as the majority of the Tribe and Elders have called this one family that got in control of the Council are gone.  As Madesi, we are ashamed of the last two years and pledge to work with the whole Tribe and be ever vigilant to prevent this type of cartel or family from gaining control of the Council ever again!

We (the Shadley Family) were already threatened when we left the election with talk of petitions and recalls.  This Madesi family that had been in control will not go quietly - we trust that the Tribe and Elders will ensure they stay in the background and never again be able to steer the Tribe's resources into their own pockets.

Thank you brothers, sisters and Elders for putting us on the right path !!!

It is now time to reverse disenrolment actions taken by this old council and take a hard look at other actions and policies that were put in place over the last 2 1/2 years.  It is also time to turn our attention to the national movement to obtain Civil Rights for all Indian people.  See:  www.airro.org for information.

PLEASE consider joining the Native American Caucus of the California Democratic Party?  You can request an application at:  http://www.nativeamericancaucus.com/signup.shtml and the cost is $5 (claim a hardship) and applications must be requested, filled out in hard copy and mailed back.

Why?  You recall last spring we (AIRRO) presented a resolution asking the Party to support Indian Civil Rights (click on link in Breaking News in the upper right corner of this page).  There was opposition from the large gaming Tribes in California such as Temecula, Pechanga, etc.  Presidential candidate Dennis Kusinich saved the day when he addressed the caucus and talked of the need for Indian civil rights – the lawyers and lobbyists for the gaming Tribes walked out and the Native American Caucus agreed to present this at the November convention.   AIRRO is planning to be there in force and support the Resolution and perhaps demonstrate outside.  I’m not asking you to carry a picket sign (although that is kind of fun) but I’d sure appreciate your support by becoming a part of the Caucus (I can picket, but can’t join without moving to California).  Please join then write a few letters to the caucus voicing your support for the Indian Civil Rights Resolution.

Constitution of the Pit River Tribe:

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership Criteria. Membership in the Pit River Tribe (Ajumawi-Atsugewi Nation) shall be open to all persons who meet the following criteria:

a. He/She is at least 1/4 Pit River Indian blood and is not enrolled in any other federally recognized Tribe.

b. Any child born to enrolled members regardless of blood quantum and as long as he/she is not enrolled in any other federally recognized Tribe.

Section 2. Base Membership Roll. There shall be a Base Membership Roll which shall consist of the persons who are deemed to have met the criteria set forth in Section 1 hereof by virtue of any one of the following:

a. He/She was accepted into Tribal membership under the Constitution adopted on August 16, 1964, or

b. He/She was listed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as eligible to register to vote in the election of the Constitution Drafting Committee held on December 10,1983, or

c. He/She is listed as a Pit River Indian on the 1928 Census roll and is at least 1/4 Indian blood or descendant thereof.

Link Shadley is a direct descendant of ChuTit Whe (Susan Suthermire) and her daughter, Susan Suthermire Orr (Waters) who is on the 1928 CRN, Roll Number 9978, on page 208 of the original "Roll Approved In 1933, Listing the Indians of California qualified under sec. 1 of the Act of May 18, 1928."  The Shadley Family is either descended from Susan or her sister, Rosa.  This old council simply cannot follow the Tribe's own Constitution and Ordinances.  It was time for a change!

Page from 1928 Roll showing Link's GGM (Click)

Link's Blood Quantum from BIA

Good

Most Pit River Tribal Members and Madesi Band Members oppose disenrollment, oppose these people who try to rule by intimidation and deceit.  Thank you for replacing these council members and electing fair minded representatives!  You got rid of those 'damned Madesi's' as this group has become known by other Tribal members.  It will take a generation or so of good work to get that name changed!

Bad

One family within the Madesi Band had control of the Tribe and our assets for their own gain, they have been voted out!

Ugly

This family tried to rule by intimidation and tried to disenroll any Tribal Member who opposed them.  They controlled the Council, the Enrollment Committee and twisted the Constitution and Ordinances to get their way. We were all at risk.

Fact

PRT Constitution, Article III:

Section 2. Base Membership Roll. There shall be a Base Membership Roll which shall consist of the persons who are deemed to have met the criteria set forth in Section 1 hereof by virtue of any one of the following:

...

c. He/She is listed as a Pit River Indian on the 1928 Census roll and is at least 1/4 Indian blood or descendant thereof.

The Shadley, Orr, Taylor and Shough families meet this criteria exactly - any other interpretation is a lie and threat to all Pit River Indian people.

"How smooth must be the language of (this family) when they can make right look wrong and wrong look right."  (Adapted from Black Elk)

Why are we fighting?

There is nothing like someone chopping at the roots of your family tree to shake up the branches, leaves and the the fruit of the future.  We are doing this for our children, our children's children, and seven generations into the future. 

VOTE - WE MUST ELECT NEW BAND COUNCIL PEOPLE WHO WILL WORK FOR ALL THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES!

THANK YOU !!!

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD:  Talk with Council Members, Elders, Family, Band Members and Tribal Members. 

Speak up and continue to oppose this deceptive vendetta by one family that threatens the whole Tribe.  Support the Members during this transition away from corruption and towards honest government.

JOIN:  The American Indian Rights and Resources Organization (AIRRO) and fight for the civil rights of all Indian people.   There is no protection for Indian people when the only legal appeal is to the corrupt Tribal Council who is denying your civil rights in the first place!

Write letters to Congress, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, California State Legislators, CA Governor, California Attorney General Office of Native American Affairs, California Gambling Control Commission, National Indian Gaming Commission, California Nations Indian Gaming Association, National Congress of American Indians, Redding newspaper,  Burney newspaper, Indian Country Today, Native American Times, IndianZ, and BIA.