I've heard this a few times from many groups, Pechanga disenrolled, Freedmen, Picayune and Snoqualmie. They cry out in anguish, rightfully, about how they were mistreated, screwed, violated and hurt.
But the funny thing is, there are lots of questions like, WHY won't somebody DO something to help us?
Yet, many times, when requested to join in a local picket line, or to fax a letter or to make some calls, it's SILENCE. "uh, I can't make it." "I don't have anyone to watch the kids" "I don't have a fax" "I don't like to talk on the phone" "can't someone else do it?" "you have a blog, why don't you do it?" "I did work on some of the other stuff, I did my part, now it's someone elses turn." "I've given up, but call me if we get something ."
Pretty comical, that many want SOMEONE ELSE to do the lifting, but don't want to help anymore.
Think about this in just the case of Picayune Rancheria. There were 500 disenrolled people from that tribe. Is there a website for them? NO. Are they visiting THIS blog, where we have highlighted Chukchansi's issues? NO. Maybe 7 are COMMITTED (Hi Cathy!)to their struggle, but I'm sure all 500 would expect to get their rights back. Let's see, 500 letters or phone calls to congress or 7, which would have the most impact?
In our case, there are probably 30 active from two familes of about 300. 300 letters or 30? Which is greater? I can't decide... oh, maybe the 300. Imagine if their FRIENDS got involved!
800 letters or 37? It's estimated there are 10,000 Freedmen who are lacking their proper rights. 10,000 letters, or 100? ONLY ONE Creek Freedmen was at the Candlelight Vigil at Pechanga! ONE!
It's about IMPACT people and NOW, when we have a new administration in place, we need to increase the volume. That's what we have is numbers of PEOPLE. The tribes who don't care about your civil rights have MONEY, and we can't match that. It takes good, old fashioned W-O-R-K.
Visits to blogs regularly help drive up the ranks and make sure that those will be looking in know that people are watching. And this type of help can be done from the comfort of your own office. Not trudging uphill in the snow....
http://www.airro.org/
http://www.pechanga.info/
http://www.tribalcorruption.com/
http://www.teetilawuncha.blogspot.com/
http://www.stopwintufraud.com/
http://www.originalpechanga.blogspot.com/
http://www.thecreekfreedmen.com/
Time to get on the bandwagon....and build awareness. I await your comments.
But the funny thing is, there are lots of questions like, WHY won't somebody DO something to help us?
Yet, many times, when requested to join in a local picket line, or to fax a letter or to make some calls, it's SILENCE. "uh, I can't make it." "I don't have anyone to watch the kids" "I don't have a fax" "I don't like to talk on the phone" "can't someone else do it?" "you have a blog, why don't you do it?" "I did work on some of the other stuff, I did my part, now it's someone elses turn." "I've given up, but call me if we get something ."
Pretty comical, that many want SOMEONE ELSE to do the lifting, but don't want to help anymore.
Think about this in just the case of Picayune Rancheria. There were 500 disenrolled people from that tribe. Is there a website for them? NO. Are they visiting THIS blog, where we have highlighted Chukchansi's issues? NO. Maybe 7 are COMMITTED (Hi Cathy!)to their struggle, but I'm sure all 500 would expect to get their rights back. Let's see, 500 letters or phone calls to congress or 7, which would have the most impact?
In our case, there are probably 30 active from two familes of about 300. 300 letters or 30? Which is greater? I can't decide... oh, maybe the 300. Imagine if their FRIENDS got involved!
800 letters or 37? It's estimated there are 10,000 Freedmen who are lacking their proper rights. 10,000 letters, or 100? ONLY ONE Creek Freedmen was at the Candlelight Vigil at Pechanga! ONE!
It's about IMPACT people and NOW, when we have a new administration in place, we need to increase the volume. That's what we have is numbers of PEOPLE. The tribes who don't care about your civil rights have MONEY, and we can't match that. It takes good, old fashioned W-O-R-K.
Visits to blogs regularly help drive up the ranks and make sure that those will be looking in know that people are watching. And this type of help can be done from the comfort of your own office. Not trudging uphill in the snow....
http://www.airro.org/
http://www.pechanga.info/
http://www.tribalcorruption.com/
http://www.teetilawuncha.blogspot.com/
http://www.stopwintufraud.com/
http://www.originalpechanga.blogspot.com/
http://www.thecreekfreedmen.com/
Time to get on the bandwagon....and build awareness. I await your comments.
44 comments:
Yep, one thing a day sure helps. A couple of tags on the blogs, some faxes to key people. It all helps. Thanks OP.
Honestly, not trying to make any excuses, but what difference has one letter made?
It’s very disheartening when no one even makes a blink to any letter sent.
Organizations that are established to help with civil rights have not shown any concern about the Indian rights and their violations.
WHY???
Could it be they think no one deserves that much money anyway?
Could it be they too are bought off by the dishonest Indians?
My biggest conflict is with the Civil Right Organizations. They are for the sole purpose of supporting, organizing, and promoting any efforts against civil rights violation;
yet NOT ONE organization has stepped up to the plate.
I believe many of us would join the efforts of a group who has Indian civil rights at heart. The numbers involved in this sort of group could speak volumes. Our organizational leaders have let us down.
The efforts must be on a National Organizational Level. These are the letters, the marches, the voices, the dollars that would be heard. Look at the Rights Violation, not the money. Is Any One Listening???? Your reward will come.
I do know how you feel, but the fact is civil rights are a very slow peocess. Women were not allowed to vote at one time. Look how far we have come. One letter does make a difference, and 500 would make even more of an impact. If we all take a little time each day to do something, little cracks are appearing. My Cousin has done an excellent job with this blog. Even if we do not always agree, it at least gives us a chance to voice our own opinion.
By combining all indians power who have been denied rights by their perspective tribes, we are and will continue to open people eyes.
We are in this fight not only for ourselves, but our children and their children.
Anonymous asks "WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES ONE LETTER MAKE?" Well, in the case of Picayune, ONE LETTER stopped Bill Cosby from performing at their Chukchansi Casino because he CARED about the civil rights issue and didn't want to perform there until it was resolved.
While a performance is one night, it cost Picayune many dollars.
So, anonymous, ONE letter CAN make a difference. But let's not stop their, if you have a spouse, that's TWO letters.
I fully believe that THIS BLOG has helped open some eyes across the country, partnering with our friends, the Cherokee Freedmen and the Creek Freedman, and with those from AIRRO, which is linked in the post.
DON'T BE DISHEARTENED, in fact, with a new administration, be OPTIMISTIC that we can get our new President to bring the change he promised.
One of our family has a new letter in to Oprah. Maybe you can send another.
Also, it's NOT just about the money. In FACT, the MONEY would GO DOWN if all the people who RIGHTFULLY belong to Pechanga, are admitted.
Pechanga per capita was $15,000 per month when the Apis family was disenrolled and jumped to $20,000 per month after they were unjustly terminated. After the Hunter family was unconstitutionally disenrolled, the per capita went up to $30,500 per month.
$15,000 was MUCH more than almost ALL the people had EVER made in one month. And think, if the people in the moratorium were rightfully enrolled, the per capita may have went down to...$12,000 a month ($144,000) per year and ALL the people who DO belong to the tribe would have been covered... FOR LIFE.
Instead, only a few remaining became WEALTHIER, as they hurt their friends and families. That $30K a month is STILL not enough for people like the Masiel Crime Family and others.
Its funny Opechanga....you knock Obama left and right and post ignorant comics at the bottom of your page mostly mocking Obama...yet you say you are optimistic that the new president might help...why don';t you try and give the guy a little support instead of constantly dogging him?.and drop your stupid comics making him the butt of most of the jokes?...give him a chance!!...many democrats are reading your site and understanding your plight better, but when we see the mocking of someone who we support(obama) on your site..it turns us away....thanks for giving me a small say!
to answer Anonymus Dec.4, 5:16pm
One letter from everyone WILL make a difference, but that means that you must actually send a letter not just think about it and then let the next guy do it.
I have heard so many excuses from so many people why they can't
"get involved right now"
there are some people that complain and sit on their hands and then there are those people that are active, the same people that attend neetings, demonstrations, send letters, send e-mails, talk to polititians etc.
they make a lot of noise and, because they have and still are doing this, it is being heard loud and clear.
Everyone disenrolled,in a moratorium, or anyone whose rights and heritage was denied by a criminal tribe should be angry at what was done to them.
If you do nothing then they have the upper hand.
You can fight back, join AIRRO
anyone can join,native and non- native.
Become a fighter,make noise
AIRRO is nationwide and welcomes everyone.
DEAR ANONYMUS WHO DOESN'T LIKE THE CARTOON...
Why is a cartoon bothering you?
Was is o.k.when Sarah Palin and her family was being dragged thru the mud by the democratic lunatics
and was it o.k. when they got into her private e-mail?
In many peoples opinion it was not o.k.
Obama is a politician and therefore is open game to the cartoonist, just like the above named politician...no difference..
gotta have an open mind in this country, free speech and all that.
don't be so sensitive..
despite some peoples belief
HE does not walk on water
{sorry,the last just slipped out}
Anonymous Obama Lover,
Obama is MY President. I accept that, and hope he is VERY successesful. That thinking is strange to many Democrats, who suffered from Bush Derangement Syndrome and did not want him to succeed. If our Presidents fail, then America fails, simple as that. And OBAMA himself has HIRED many people who KNOCKED his inexperience: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Bill Richardson, just to name a few, so obviously, he can take it, so why don't YOU try it.
Guess what? I don't like the Dodgers either. Now, if you can't separate how important the issues of violations of civil rights, unlawful actions by tribes, elder abuse, et.al. from something MUCH less important than opinions on politicians and sports teams that's pretty pathetic don't you think?
You are WELCOME to disagree here, something that you WOULD NOT be able to do if you were Pechanga. Disagreement meant termination. That what you should be joining in against.
More response to the ONE LETTER question.
How can you only send ONE LETTER? In my immediate family alone, there are 10 of us, I can send ONE LETTER for each of us. I have six neighbors (husband and wives) that have authorized me to send in letters for them. Four friends from work with two wives is another six. That makes 22 fax letters I can send in without even trying.
There are many fax programs for your computer at home that are CHEAP, I'd suggest investing in one.
Oh... and pretty much anything else... IS AN EXCUSE.
One letter can make all the difference. The nominees for the Secretary of the Dept of the Interior are going to have to answer a question about their experience dealing with internal tribal membership and leadership disputes. They are asking questions like that because of what we all did by going to blogs like this and sending our letters and joining groups like AIRRO. Politicians talking about membership disputes in Indian Country - now THAT is change I can believe in!
Why do people automatically think that because a democrat like Obama is elected that we will get a fairer shake?
Well the national democratic party appointed to the 2008 party platform committee none other than Pechanga tribal chairman Mark Macarro, who has presided over the termination of and/or denying hundreds of his fellow Pechanga people of their rightful place in the tribe.
Mark Macarro a champion for civil rights?
I don't think so!
The democratic assemblymembers and senators overwhelmingly sided with Pechanga in their quest for the expansion of their casino even though those democratic officials are well aware of the rights abuses Pechanga has perpetrated.
Some of us have attended democratic party functions and some of the responses we have gotten from party officials when we asked for support of our casue were, "it is an internal affair, what do you want the democratic party to do about it?"
Well the democrats like to fancy themselves as champions of civil rights so I say they should put their "money where their mouth is" and work to end these miscarriages of justice.
Of is big casino money shutting their mouths and blinding their eyes to what is going on all over the place in Indian country just like any other politician?
Also, what is the big deal about the cartoons?
I don't agree with some of them but I don't care if OP puts them on his blog.
It is possible to send letters and faxes to people who can initiate change. Regardless of one's preference and allegiance to on candidate, the results are in and whom we got is whom we must work with. John Gomez drafted this letter and I took the liberty of changing it in small ways to suit my style of writing. John knows that every letter sent is one voice heard, so fax and mail those letters. Copy and past it what is the cost of a stamp or a fax in light of the injustice done to you and those of your families
December 4, 2008
Congressman Mike Thompson
231 Cannon House Office Building
District of Columbia 20515-0501
Phone: (202) 225-3311
Fax: (202) 225-4335
Re: Internal tribal disputes and individual Indians’ rights
Dear Congressman Thompson:
It has come to my attention that you are one of the final candidates up for nomination by President-elect Obama for the Cabinet position of Secretary of the Interior. I ongratulate you on your consideration for such an important position.
As you know, the Secretary of the Interior plays in important role in Indian Country, and I felt it was important to ask you where you stand on several important and timely issues affecting Indian Country.
A recent report by the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) referenced the fact that internal tribal disputes “seem to be occurring more and more frequently”. Such disputes have resulted in the disenrollment, banishment, denial of membership, stripping of voting rights, and/or denial of health/medical benefits of thousands of Indians.
In response to the growing number of these types of disputes, the GAO felt it was necessary and appropriate that nominees to the Secretary of Interior give testimony on how they would address such issues. While the question posed in the GAO report asks about a nominee’s personal experience working with tribal leadership in trying to resolve or prevent such disputes. I believe it is also important to know how you have or would work with individual Indians in trying to resolve or prevent such disputes.
Therefore, I would like to know where you stand and what you believe your role as Secretary would be regarding (1) internal tribal disputes and (2) the protection and preservation of individual Indians’ basic rights in internal disputes. In addition, do you believe that tribal sovereignty and the protection of basic individual rights are mutually exclusive of each other?
I eagerly await your response to the questions raised above.
Respectfully submitted,
Guero Nunez
Understand that I am in no way against sending in letters, faxes, and/or E mails to help our cause.
As I do send them and they do get us results.
An example is SB 331 here in California which was a no tresspassing bill that could have been used to keep disenolled people off of their own land.
Well the tribe that sponsered the bill, Cabazon, pulled the bill when it was exempted to take into account the fact that disenrolled people have a legal right to be on reservation lands on which they have a land interest.
Our letter writing campaign had a lot to do with this bill not being passed into law.
I just get tired of the lip service a lot of the democratic party elected officials give to Indian civil rights when their track records seem to be to follow the money trail that big gaming tribes have laid out.
But the republicans have not been any better in that regard either.
I had a local republican assemblyman tell me civil rights had nothing to do with the recent expansion plans of the Pechanga casino when I asked him why he voted for the expansion.
Still, we need to continue to diligent in our efforts because as I said, there have been some postitive results.
I support your site 1000%...and think that you should start posting pictures on this site of the mansions that these tribal leaders live in off the Reservation....Nothing will piss off the general public more than seeing how these thiefs live.
If you watch their commercials..you would think that they spend all of the earnings from the casino fixing the reservation, so you should also post some pictures of the shabby conditions still present on the Reservation to this day.....I have written a letter to Dateline and you should start a letter writing campaign to get them to do a story on your plight....There are many peoploe on your side who have quit going to PECHANGA because of your site....and we are trying to spread the word.
One last question...why hasn't this Larry guy been arrested for stealing from the workers?...
The post previous is very true. All the local's that know what is REALLY going on are absolutely on your side. I wonder is there any plans to gain more momentum? Spread the word on a larger scale than it has been? My family members live all the way across the country, from Ca to Maine and they all, being about 80 people, know and view these sites frequently. Any truth to more lay off's in the immediate future?
Larry Miranda's mother, Jenny Miranda, is a former tribal chairwoman, a former president of the Pechanga Development Corporation, and she currently sits on the enrollment committee.
She seems to have an un-godly hold on the tribe. Whatever Jenny wants, Jenny gets except in the case of her son, she hasn't been albe to get him his job back.
So that is a good sign.
A lot of the trouble regarding our family, the Hunters, was when one of our relatives defeated Jenny in a fair election of the people in 2002 for her spot on the PDC board, which oversees the casino for the tribe.
Jenny vowed payback and that had, I believe, a lot to do with our family being kicked out of the tribe.
And with Jenny's relatives, her mother and aunt and their friends holding the majority on the enrollment committee and with her brother and some of their other allies holding seats on the tribal council, msant the deck was stacked against our tribal membership.
But things can turn around and this may very well be the time for things to start to go in our favor.
THE POWERS THAT BE MAY HAVE MONEY ON THEIR SIDE BUT EVEN THAT CAN'T COMBAT TRUTH IN THE LONG RUN.
As to why Miranda isn't in jail, big casino money goes a long way in getting tribes influence.
Note how San Manuel tribal members got house arrest for soliciting a murder for hire plot while those they hired go to prison.
I also don't see the Pechanga employee(s) being procecuted for the beating of an elderly patron even if it can be shown they were criminally negligent.
Not because Pechanga cares about what happens to those employees but because they don't want the bad publicity that would go with it.
Please know, Dear Reader, that civil rights have nothing to do with a tribal membership dispute. Instead, an internal tribal process governs the determination of membership. Settled law and policy have long held that tribes determine their own membership in their own forum. Hence, the non-members mislead others by falsely claiming violations of civil rights and human rights. These concepts do not apply here. Tribal practice decides. Besides, the accusers cannot offer any factual examples of such violations. Further, the accusations boil down to angry views of this or that process, and slanted opinions of this or that rule. Hardly anybody responds to these accusations because people with adult powers of mind see these accusations as having no foundation. The accusations amount to hot air. In addition, the handful of non-members still actively tilting at windmills, to reverse their disenrollment, represent a hardcore bunch of hardheads who cannot accept their fate. They need to get a life, and then move on. Their fellow non-members have done so. This rational behavior explains the drop in support for the futile tilting at windmills.
I am not a tribal member..but whoever just posted that last letter must be smoking way too much weed or something....if it was his family that was chosen to be kicked out I guess he would just roll over and let it happen?..what a jerky statement..he wishes that you all would move on because he(or she) is afraid that if you do get re-instated that he will have his $30,000 a month per capita reduced...and if he is so brave to run his mouth, why is he anonymous?
Lets get gambling for all.. in California...not just tribal land...and then he could just "move on".....
Anonymus Feb.26, 2:38 pm
I will let O.PECHANGA OR AAMOKAT
answer you, because they have more patience and if I respond to your repeated, idiotic comments the way I want to, it would be censured.
MY UNCENSORED verson is this:
I'TS clear to see where you are coming from, you stupid JERK
and just to let you know, should you ever talk to me in person, it would be best for you to keep your mouth shut.
THERE ARE SO MANY MISTAKES IN WHAT YOU SAID, PECHANGA TRIBAL MEMBER,
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES
Hello Anonymous of February 26, 2009 2:38 PM
I think it is good that you have at least showed up hear to talk. Might I ask that you use any fake monicker you choose other than anonymous so that we can continue the discussion.
I take it that you are a current Pechanga tribal member and it is going to require your effort as well as the effort of other Pechanga members in talks to gain a balanced view of this issue.
You stated: "Tribal practice decides. Besides, the accusers cannot offer any factual examples of such violations."
I seem to have read several factual examples of violations on this site. If you choose to dispute them as factual, then it's time to talk. Talk here, talk with an arbiter, or talk on Pechanga land. There's nothing that says the dis-enrollments have been written in stone forever. Political winds change inside tribes just like they do everywhere else. Keep the dialogue open anonymous and let's discuss points of concern. This is also an open invitation to any other Pechanga tribal member who wants to discuss the dis-enrollments, either in general as it relates to all of Indian country or particular to the Pechanga tribe.
It is my observation that socio-political alienation breeds contempt, so it is understandable that those dis-enrolled are angry.
Any efforts to reconcile between the alienated and alienators will require a lot of courage, fairly thick skin, and a healthy ability to handle the truth.
Allen L. Lee
You can call us losers, you can call us angry, you can call us whatever you want. What really matters is that you keep stopping by. Were glad you do, because it shows your true colors. People continually ask you to support your posts w/ facts. The couple of times you have attempted to provide your version, my cousin has disputed it with facts, and you never come back. If you are so sure that the Mirandas and Hunters had a fair and impartial hearing, then answer the questions that have been posted. You can still remain anonymous, but please stand up and answer the questions. Either way, the questions will be addressed.
what you spewed and I really got to wonder if you really believe what you To Anonymous, I read wrote? Seems to me that the merits of the dispute much less the legality of the disenrollment have never been tested in a court of law, so who is going to believe such a one sided story would it not be easier to have the dispute settled once and for all. I remember that Judge Fields ruled in our favor to have the merits of the case heard. If the tribe had nothing to hide and if they the enrollment committee and tribal council had done nothing wrong then would it not have been easier for the tribe to win in court and shut us up good and proper. If you were so right then as you think you are now we would not have a leg to stand on, but you have spent all that money on lowers and commercials to protect your lie. The thing is that the tribe sells lies to anyone and buys silence from those who would be bought. There is nothing that you can say or do that will change the wrongs that have been done, so I vow to be that thorn in your side and I will work to cause you sleepless nights. All of the pretty words and phrases that come from you do fool those who were not there have no effect on me well maybe they cause me to redouble my efforts to piss you off, but I live for that now. I was there I know who you are and I am not going to go away. You think that you have won some great battle because the tribe uses its wealth to protect you but your day is coming and you will regret what you have done but it is already too late. When you say move on with our lives, well frankly, that is what I am doing but I am not going to stop my efforts to bring you the justice your actions deserve.
Anonymous of Feb. 26, 2009, 2:38 PM said:
"Please know, Dear Reader, that civil rights have nothing to do with a tribal membership dispute. Instead, an internal tribal process governs the determination of membership. Settled law and policy have long held that tribes determine their own membership in their own forum."
YES, TRIBES HAVE A RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHO THEIR OWN MEMBERS ARE BUT CIVIL RIGHTS HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH IT IF KEY STEPS OF THE DISENROLLMENT PROCEDURES ARE NOT FOLLOWED AND BIASED, PARTIAL PEOPLE WITH A PERSONAL STAKE IN THE OUTCOME OF THE DISENROLLMENT CASES ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE ON DISENROLLMENT CASES.
ALSO, IF SOME FAMILIES WERE CLEARED FROM DISENROLLMENT WITH THE SAME INFORMATION IN THEIR FAMILY HISTORY THAT THE DISENROLLEES WERE DISENROLLED FOR, THIS SHOWS BIAS AGAINST THE DISENROLLED FAMILIES.
WHY DON'T YOU SUPPORT FOLLOWING YOUR OWN PECHANGA CONSTITUTION?
WHICH SAYS UNDER ARTICLE V, "IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF ALL ELECTED OFFICERS OF THE BAND TO UPHOLD AND ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION, BYLAWS, AND ORDINANCES OF THE TEMECULA BAND OF LUISENO MISSION INDIANS; AND ALSO , TO UPHOLD THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS OF EACH MEMBER WITHOUT MALICE OR PREJUDICE."
All he has to fall back on is sovereignty and while it is hard to prove that internal procedures were not followed in our disenrollment cases because we were denied copies of any of the official transcripts of the disenrollment hearings, we can show through the public record that families who were cleared from disnrollment had the same information we were disenrolled for in their family histories.
KEEP COMING BACK ANONYMOUS AS WE CAN SHOOT DOWN EVERYTHING YOU SAY!
I will take several posts to address this poster's propaganda.
Anonymous of Feb. 26, 2009, 2:38 PM said:
"Hence, the non-members mislead others by falsely claiming violations of civil rights and human rights. These concepts do not apply here. Tribal practice decides.
YES, TRIBAL PRACTICE DECIDES BUT WHAT IF TRIBAL LEGAL PRECEDENT AND CUSTOM AND TRADITION ARE NOT FOLLOWED?
FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE TRIBAL COUNCIL LETTER OF MARCH 14, 2006 THAT WAS SENT TO THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP THAT SAID THE HUNTERS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE PETITION OF JULY 17, 2005 THAT OUTLAWED DISENROLLMENT, THE TRIBAL COUNCIL CLAIMED THAT THE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE WAS THE FINAL AUTHORITY IN ALL ISSUES OF ENROLLMENT AND THAT THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP COULD NOT INTERRUPT OR QUESTION DECISIONS OF THE COMMITTEE REGARDING ENROLLMENT OR DISENROLLMENT.
BY THE WAY, THE HUNTERS RECEIVED THEIR LETTERS INFORMING THEM THEY WERE DISENROLLED THAT WERE DATED MARCH 16, 2006. OBVIOUSLY TOO LATE TO RESPOND TO THE TRIBAL COUNCIL RULING OF JUST TWO DAYS PREVIOUS.
HOWEVER, TRIBAL LAW PRECEDENT, CUSTOM AND TRADITION, AS WELL AS THE PECHANGA CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS THAT SAYS THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY IN ALL MATTERS OF TRIBAL GOVERNMENT SAYS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
THE PRECEDENT I WILL AGAIN CITE IS THIS. AT A SPECIAL SINGLE SUBJECT TRIBAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING HELD ON APRIL 20, 1986 THE HEIRS OF ROSE MURPHY, INCLUDING CURRENT PECHAGNA COUNCILMAN RUSSELL BUTCH MJRPHY, HAD THE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE'S DECISION NOT TO ENROLL THEM OVERRULED BY A VOTE OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP.
SO MR. MURPHY IS LIVING BREATHING PROOF THAT THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY ON MEMBERSHIP ISSUES.
Anonymous of Feb. 26, 2009, 2:38 PM said:
"Besides, the accusers cannot offer any factual examples of such violations. Further, the accusations boil down to angry views of this or that process, and slanted opinions of this or that rule."
WITHOUT FAIR AND IMPARTIAL HEARINGS AND WITHOUT ALL OF THE DISENROLLMENT PROCEDURES LAWFULLY FOLLOWED, THEN WHAT OUR ANONYMOUS CRITIC CONSIDERS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT, AS HE SAYS, THE FACTS ARE NOT ON OUR SIDE, OUR DISENROLLMENT IS NULL AND VOID AND HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN.
I WILL CITE AN EXAMPLE OF THE VERY RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT OUR CRITIC CLAIMS DON'T EXIST.
IN 2002 THE TRIBE VOTED IN NEW MEMBERS TO THE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE. UPON TAKING OFFICE THE NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS, INCLUDING PEOPLE FROM THE MANUELA MIRANDA AND HUNTER FAMILIES, FOUND EVIDENCE OF DERELICTION OF DUTY ON THE PART OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE WRONGDOINGS OF THE COMMITTEE INCLUDED NOT ENROLLING PEOPLE WHO MET THE BAND'S MEMBERSHIP REQUIRMENTS WHO WERE DIRECT DESCENDANTS OF LEGALLY ENROLLED TRIBAL MEMBERS.
THE NEW ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS INFORMED THE TRIBAL COUNCIL OF WHAT THEY HAD FOUND BUT TO THIS DAY I DON'T KNOW IF THE ALLEGATIONS WERE EVER FOLLOWED UP ON.
THE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO HAD THEIR ACTIONS QUESTIONED THEN FILED DISENROLLMENT PAPERS AGAINST THE NEW ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHICH CAN CLEARLY BE SEEN AS PAYBACK FOR THE ALLEGATIONS THAT WERE MADE.
THE MEMBERS OF THE M. MIRANDA AND HUNTER FAMILIES THEN REQUESTED THAT THOSE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING HAD BEEN MADE AGAINST NOT BE ALLOWED TO RULE ON THEIR DISENROLLMENT CASES DUE TO CONFLICT OF INEREST AND BIAS.
ALSO, PEOPLE WHO TURNED IN INFORMATON CHALLENGING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE M. MIRANDAS AND HUNTERS INCLUDED SONS, DAUGHTERS, NIECES, AND NEPHEWS OF THE ENROLLMENT COMMITEE MEMBERS WHO HAD BEEN ASKED TO STEP ASIDE FROM RULING ON THE DISENROLLEES CASES, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BIAS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
SO EFFECTIVELY THE SAME PEOPLE WHO CLAIMED THE DISENROLLEES WERE NOT TRUE PECHANGA PEOPLE WERE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO VOTED THEM OUT OF THE TRIBE.
THE FAIR THING WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR TRIBAL MEMBERS WHO HAD NO BIAS OR CONFLICT OF INTEREST RULE ON THE DISENROLLEES CASES BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AS THOSE COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN QUESION WERE ALLOWED TO RULE ON THE DISENROLEES CASES.
PREDICTIVELY THE DISENROLLED WERE KICKED OUT OF THE TRIBE BY A TWO VOTE MAJORITY OF THE ENROLLMENT COMMTTEE (THERE WERE THREE BIASED COMMITTEE MEMBERS) AND THEIR APPEAL TO THE TRIBAL COUNCIL WAS TURNED DOWN BY ONLY ONE VOTE.
NOT SURPISING THAT ONE OF THE COUNCILMAN IS THE SON OF ONE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER AND THE NEPHEW OF ANOTHER.
Again, Anonymous of Feb. 26, 2009, 2:38 PM, don't you support your own constitution against malice or prejudice of individual tribal members.
Creeper, you wouldn't harm Mr. Potato Head, that is who I think the anonymous tribal member is, as he is a weak and pathetic old man who couldn't fight his way out of a paperbag.
Hint, the grand potato's name ryhmes with head.
Correction to my last post: ACTUALLY THE HUNTERS AND M MIRANDAS WERE KICKED OUT OF THE TRIBE WITH ONLY A ONE VOTE MAJORITY ON THE ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE, THREE BIASED MEMBERS WHO SHOULD HAVE STEPPED ASIDE FROM RULING ON THE DISENROLLEES CASES, AS THE CHAIR ONLY VOTES IN THE EVENT OF A TIE.
SO OUR ACCUSERS WERE IN FACT OUR JUDGES ALSO.
ANONYMOUS, AGAIN, WHAT ABOUT ARTICLE V OF THE BAND'S CONSTITUTION?
If the tribe feels they are right and they made the right decision then why are they scared of having the merits of their decision judged by a non biased third party judge. If you are right on the disenrollments then why not prove it. You hide behind the sovereignty shield. No one tribe is truly sovereighn they are only granted to exist by the department of interior and congress. The United States congress has plenary power over indian tribes within United States Boundries.
Heres ome questions to ponder:
1. If you are truly sovereign they why do you pay federal taxes?
2. If you are truly sovereign, then why do you have not have an ambassador to the united states.
3. If you are truly sovereign then why do you not have your own currency(money).
4. If you are truly sovereign, then where is your armed forces to protect it from foriegn enemies.
5. If you are truly sovereign, then why do you accept money from the U.S. government.
6. If you are truly sovereign, then is there need for the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988.
7. If you are truly sovereign then why must you have a compact with the state.
8. If you are truly sovereign then why cant you have as many slots as you want?
9. If you are truly sovereign then must you ober california and federal criminal laws?
10. If you are truly sovereign, then why do tribes contribute so much to political figures.
11. If you are truly sovereign then why are you a U.S. citizen at birth?
12 If you are truly sovereign then why must you have a constitution and be granted land use by the U.S. government.
The list can continue there is more and more and more reasons why. The truth is that tribes are only allowed as much power as congress allows.
The continued genocide of people heritage will not last long. People will soon realize that its much more then customs and traditions and more about greed and hate. Good things dont last forever and good always conquers evil.
One day the opressed will have their day under the sun and above Earth.
TO MR. POTATO HEAD,
AGE IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR BEING IGNORANT OF THE FACTS.
BEING AN ELDER YOU SHOULD HAVE AQUIRED MUCH WISDOM BY NOW, BUT IT LOOKS AS IF YOU REPEAT THE FALSE PROPAGANDA THAT IS BEING FED TO YOU BY YOUR CORRUPT CHAIRMAN MARK MACARRO AND THE EQUALLY CORRUPT
ENROLLMENT COMMITTEE AND THE EVIL TRIBAL BOARD MEMBERS.
WHAT AND WHO IS STOPPING YOU FROM
SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THESE FALSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE M.MIRANDA'S AND THE HUNTER'S?
WHO ARE YOU AFRAID OF AND WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER'AAMOKAT'S QUESTIONS????
What is absurd about our disenrollment is that the following people were some of the people who signed my congratulations letter welcoming me to the Pechanga tribe: Francis Miranda, Raymond Basquez, Ruth Masiel, and Vincent Ibanez.
The letter came with my enrollment card, which was signed by Vincent Ibanez, the enrollment committee chairman.
I am sure that my enrollment approval in my enrollment file was also signed by those people and that they voted in favor of enrolling me.
Why bring this up at this time?
I do so because years later Vincent Ibanez sent a letter to the enrollment committee from prison saying my family were not Pechanga people as did Raymond Basquez, although in his case it was not sent from prison.
Plus in 2006 Francis Miranda and Ruth Masiel, still on the enrollment committee, voted to kick me out of the tribe.
So the same people who voted to kick me out of the tribe and/or who submitted so called evidence in 2006 against my tribal membership had read my family history years before and they had approved my membership.
The information that supported my membership was good enough to satisfy them before so why isn't good enough now?
I am not sure if the "dear reader" was directed towards me or not, my original post was -December 8, 2008 12:37 PM, but if it was, I would like to inform you Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous from February 26, 2009 2:38 PM
I stated that my family follows this site from California to Maine and we consist of about 80 people and all of us support the Disenrolled, however I did not state the MAIN reason we support them, and that is because I WORKED FOR THE CASINO FOR 10 years. I know what really went on in there and continually goes on in there PROBABLY MORE THAN YOU DO. I had the HONOR of working for a couple of the disenrolled and I would rather work for them than the ones that come in show their face act as if they are some celebrity and the rest of us are pee ons, they act as if they are gracing the rest of the world with their presence, when all they are doing is proving to us "regular folk" that they are nothing but pieces of crap that want all the $ they can get at the cost of many peoples jobs and futures, as if $30,000 isn't enough. And just so you are aware the worst behaved ones in that place are the CURRENT MEMBERS. Not all but most. I know that there are MANY times in the casino employees rights are violated everyday and the only reason it never comes out is because of your sovereignty cloud.
So in my closing up this "rant" let me say this from employees money being stolen, harrassment issues, a fan falling on an employees head, threats being made to keep quiet or else, and my favorite, I COULD HAVE YOUR JOB (please go ahead take my job,and if you want it that bad why are you here being an asshole to me when you could be working in hell), I CAN HAVE YOU FIRED, to much much more, MAYBE YOU NEED TO GET SOME FACTS BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR BIG FAT MOUTH. THOSE THAT FOLLOW THIS SITE ARE NOT AS STUPID AS YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE MR. or MRS. CURRENTLY ENROLLED. Please stop wasting everyone's time here with your ignorance, hey go play a slot machine and get drunk, act stupid and threaten employees jobs some more why don't you.
Thank you for your support former Pechanga employee.
You hit the nail on the head about how some of the current tribal members are. The very ones that turned on us and got us kicked out of the tribe.
I remember hearing them at tribal membership meetings continually complaining about the job the employees were doing as if they didn't have a clue that without the employees, they wouldn't be getting their huge per capita checks.
In contrast, some of us who have now been disenrolled would go up to the PDC board and try to get things like accross the board raises for the employees and give praise to the work they are doing.
No, our anonymous hack is not directing his comments towards you.
He is directing his comments at readers who may not know what has happend to us and at us, the disenrolled, trying to demoralize us.
He drops in here from time to time and makes a few general statements and we refute what he says but he never stays around to defend his comments.
He is trying to play the 30 second sound bite game and he waits for a little while and then he comes back and repeat his dribble over again.
So I will use his line.
GENTLE READERS, WHO DO YOU BELIEVE, OUR ANONYMOUS CRITIC WHO JUST MAKES A FEW GENERAL STATEMENTS OR US WHO BACK UP OUR POSTITIONS WITH FACTS?
I would like to comment on what Pechanga Silver Feather said.
I find it interesting that the same people who voted him or her into the tribe were the same people who voted us out of the tribe or sent letters to the enrollment committee challenging our membership.
Mr. Basquez and Mr. Ibanez in particular said in their letters to the enrollment committee in 2004 that they and the tribe had never recognized us as Pechanga people.
But if that was the case, then why did they, as Pechanga Silver Feather points out, sign our enrollment cards and official enrollment papers voting us into the tribe?
If, at the time of our enrollment, that after reviewing our applications for enrollment and knowing we are from families that they now claim are not Pechanga people, why didn't they refuse to sign our enrollment papers and enrollment cards?
After all it takes only six members of the ten member enrollment committee, a legal quorum, to approve an enrollment application and they could have protested our enrollment then if they truly believed we never should have been in the tribe in the first place.
It is also intersting that Francis Miranda and Ruth Masiel also signed this person's enrollment papers.
Again, they also could have protested our enrollment by refusing to sign our papers if they truly believed we have never been true Pechanga people.
After all, we would have still been enrolled but they could have stood up for what they believed in if they really have never considered us true Pechanga people.
I am going to assume that Pechanga Silver Feather was enrolled during open enrollment which occured between 1980 to 1996 but that likely he or she was enrolled at the latest during the early 1990's.
Hum, what changed after that period?
Can we say the tribe opened the casino?
In answer to the question "What changed?" It was the money and the illusion of power that money buys, and last the corruption of the spirit that occurs form the first two, money and power. Both are a bad trip. I personally was enrolled in 1989 as was the rest of my family it was Jeannie Miranda who came to us and said as long as we voted the way we were told to vote we would be safe. Should have seen it coming that we were just being used. I am suppressed we lasted so long, but I forget "That" part of our family waited until our grandfather to die before the letters went out.
I also am an employee at Pechanga and it has become a hell hole to work at..they have a new point system and if you get 9 points they fire you with no questions asked..after all..you cant question the high and mighty Indians..we have no union we can go to and we cant even go to the State...and they get to decide how many points are taken off for missing a day(even with a legit excuse) or any minor infraction or whatever they want to do.!..we have to buy our insurance...someone on here made it sound like the Casino pays for it..WRONG!...there was such an uproar over the layoffs that they now want to thin out the employees by firing them....that way the news wont call them layoffs....after all..they are just like the Banks getting bailed out,,....they cry broke and say they have to lay-off employees and continue to pay themselves $30,000a month each...if there are 800 members..that adds up to $24 million a month into the greedy tribes pockets...I dont think this is what California voters had in mind...it needs to be brought up into the light and maybe we can get a Union in that place to help us out...these people act like they are Kings and Queens and California State Laws mean nothing to them...
I too would like to add to that since their "new" era of bosses came into town they have also decided to make cut backs so far that the gathering they recently had for the employees last week consisted of their appreciation chip people, perfect attendance, caught you caring (or pretending), and 5 yr banquet all in one, now that sounds great to do, right, but when you have around 1200 people at a function where no dinner is served not even drinks are served and give away around $3000 in prizes you do the math, yes I mean REAL MATH, not Pechanga math, that averages out to roughly $3 a person, but no wait they gave 1 person $2500 now lets do some math. Ok it's something they did not have to do yes but those that have been around for 5 years were awaiting a true apprection celebration, not to mention paid for a sitter, took off work, and paid for the gas to get there. So all in all they had to pay to listen to all these salaried big bosses sit up there and ramble off a bunch of bull that is done everyday at the start of their shift. Not to mention the same "reward" as those that started maybe last week, hell we figured we would have had better odds at a lemonade stand in front of the hall, at least there we could be SINCERELY appreciated by the other piss ants and might get a tip or a profit. ALL THE WHILE WE ARE KNOWING THOSE BASTARDS MAKE MORE THAN MOST IN A MONTH THAN WE DO ALL YEAR. So they saved all the $ on 4 banquet dinners, drinks, pay for those of us that took the nite off and prizes yet could not even care enough about us to GENUINELY REWARD THAT??? What does that say to those of us that HAVE been loyal, have stuck it out and put up with all of THEIR BS, lies, crap, and shown up everyday for the last 5 yrs? All for a lady, who looks as white as most of us in there, to sit up there and preach how much the tribe thanks us and wants to reward our loyalty??? Most of us are tipped employees too and lost out on that as well.
When I started I enjoyed it but now I walk in everyday hoping one of those greedy S.O.B.'s threaten my job so I can give him or her my badge and watch the idiot attempt to know a fraction of how to do my job. They got too big too fast and forgot there are peoples lives at stake and the world revolves on an axis and the last time I saw a globe they did not call it the Pechanga, so the world doesn't doesn't revolve around them, at least mine doesn't.
Oh by the way, when it was brought up at a PDC meeting that all of the employees should get accross the board raises we were told that Pechanga has a better benefits package than its competitors and that made up for it if other casinos were paying more per hour or more for salaries.
It was about in 2004 or 2005 that this issue was brought up.
THAT WHOLE .25 cents really helps when the hours they give you turn into half, not to mention that is not true by any definition of a pay scale I ever heard. What do they think the employees do not socialize with other employees of different casinos? I guess they assume their stupidity was contagious and everyone else is too? In that case, I paid my entire doctor bill and the diagnosis was stupid so he gave me a prescription for courage, of which I paid full price for cuz my insurance was canceled, I took it as directed and quit my job, now he says I'm cured of the stupidity disease. IT WAS A MIRICLE!!! I was scared or a while I certainly did not want to end up with their terminal stupidity.
They do not offer pay raises to certain employees such as table games, and we get $ stolen from us? Last time I checked also when is federal minimum wage more than any indian casino pay? God forbid you want to take a day off, $5.75 an hour is not gong to buy dinner or put diapers on the baby. How is that the better benifit? IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE GETTING BENT OVER AND NOT EVEN BOUGHT DINNER, OR DRINK. After the '02 or '03 disenrollments and the casino/ hotel went up it went to hell in a hand basket. And even worse after the next batch in what was it 05/06? They put a parking structure where the OLD POW WOW GROUNDS WERE, if I am not mistaken, but look at the greed and coruption that has surrounded them since. They do however make it easy to detect their lies, if theirmouth is open or they are awake yo know they're lying. No guessing game there.
Some of us did try to get a better deal for the Pechanga employees because we could see that without the employees, none of the benefits we had as tribal members would have come our way.
But our tribal leaders' attitude was basically opinion noted and business as usual.
But now as a disenrollee I can't do anything to help them.
But if I ever do get back into my tribe, I am making a promise here and now that I will lobby harder for better wages, benefits, and working conditions for employees.
Of course the powers that be may see that as one more reason not to let me back in.
I used to walk around the casino and I would sometimes ask employees how they were being treated but looking back now, as a tribal member, maybe some of the employees didn't trust me enough to say what was really on their minds.
Some did tell me though that other neighboring casinos were paying better wages for certain classifications.
What do you think that these tribal leaders would do if all of the employees (or a vast majority of them)would stand up and walk out for the day?...the Casino could NOT run...it would be frozen!..of course it would take a Union to organize it or a very strong group of people...they couldnt fire everybody because they couldnt train people that fast....they would have to close...and just think of the money loss to them....thats how it has been done in history...the Indians arent immune to work stoppages....get strong people!!!
Chaamolliwun Chaampiiwimi Pi' Po'kiiyam Paulina Hunter Pi' Po'kiiyam Manuela Miranda Pechaagayam 'Ataxxum Puyamaangay!
Chaam Qay Naqmawun 'Omom T'eetilawun. 'Omom Qay Poplovum!
So if the anonymous tribal member is Pechanga and we are not, then I ask him or her, what did I just say?
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