Those of YOU that have been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for others to do the heavy lifting, medium lifting and light lifting... YOU know who YOU are.
Whether YOU have been disenrolled, banished or placed in a moratorium, YOU have been abused by those corrupt leaders in power. They get away with it, because MOST of YOU have refused to stay standing or even GET involved. Just this week I sent out email addresses to BIA staff and Directors, so that each of recipients can be enlightened on what's going on. Imagine my chagrin to note that ONLY ONE person of the 250 I sent out...followed up.
The day before I got a small crew to send out links to the addresses and this blog got 15 BIA computers to check in. some twice. It can make a difference. But it won't if you don't help.
It's really a WTF moment. These fights are not just about going to court, or getting enough money for lawyers and waiting months for a decision. It's about keeping the powers that be informed, keeping the pressure on and bringing in new people to the fight.
As I wrote in the post: My Rights Have been violated, WHY won't anyone HELP? WHY should others help, when we don't help ourselves? I asked another tribal group what they were doing, as I hadn't heard from their team in a while. They stated that they were awaiting a tribal court decision. Well waiting is the same as doing nothing.
We are all in similar straits. We've all been violated, yet why is it that we aren't all fighting for our rights, the rights of our parents, or children or grandchildren? Embarrassingly, I've had my own cousins, ask to be taken off a mailing list. Which means they've accepted the fate determined by Mark Macarro and his smaller brother John, instead of being willing to do something as simple as forwarding on an email or sharing a blog post. I know the story is the same with a lot of groups. NOT winning quickly, makes it easy to give up.
Still, that is what Robert Smith of Pala, Macarro of Pechanga, Trasks of San Pasqual, to name a few, wait for. They've got the deep pockets to wait, they spend the money on lobbyists (in Macarro's case, his own wife's company, therefore paying his family unit). But, they can be BEATEN, even if it's only a small battle. WE proved it ...TWICE... a trio of Pechanga disenrolled/moratorium bound went to Washington four years ago to lobby against a water bill Pechanga was looking for. Three guys beat back a team of high priced DC lobbyist, council members and lawyers. THEY WON, by using a personal touch, explaining the injustice and letting the TRUTH be told.
Last year, my cousin and I did the same thing as I wrote about here: Shooting on Capitol Hill
I have done television, radio, and many newspaper interviews, discussing a lot of tribes, not just my own, Pechanga. New York Times, Fresno Bee, Sacramento Bee, Sierra Star News, Indianz.com and Indian Country Today have all used my information.
Some will say, "well, we are writing letters". Really? Why don't you share them? I've offered repeatedly to publish your stories, feel free to send me information that can broaden the reach.
I hope to see and meet more of you at San Pasqual. PLEASE rekindle you efforts. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Even if the minor victory is not letting the corrupt councils sleep easy. We are forcing them to spend money they never thought they would. The more money they spend, the less they get. And believe me, that pisses them off.
So please..... GET OFF YOUR ASS and do something, to honor your ancestors, and protect your children's legacy.
We're in 100% were never giving up this injustice civil rights violations our family and others are going through! We are sharing our story everyday!
ReplyDeletewww.tribalcorruption.com
ReplyDeletespeechless?
ReplyDeleteOPB Rick Cuevas
ReplyDeleteYou don't know what is going on behind the scenes. Sorry. But sometimes blogging, tweeting, emailing, cajoling, ridiculing, and talking down to others that you think are doing nothing is really not helpful.
Condescension is a turn off and you tend to preach and condescend routinely.
I would suggest you stay in your own lane and handle your own garbage. There is enough for you to deal with at Pechanga.
Stop telling us our business. Some of us our handling it despite the fact we are not blogging and tweeting about it daily.
Crawl down off that cross and build a bridge to get over it.
Is the truth bothering you?
DeleteSo True, we all have our rolls in the story. Whether we daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or never do anything that is our part. I hope for a peaceful journey for everyone everywhere no matter what your story is. Thank you for the blog and sharing the truth.
ReplyDeleteIt's not like banding together helped Sitting Bull against Custer did it?
ReplyDeleteIt's much better to be stealthy and let them think we ain't doing anything.....
great website tribalcorruption.com whatever happened to pechanga.info? I liked that one..
Their not doing anything OP, go smoke your weed, drink your beer and eat your nuts.
ReplyDeleteKeep fighting. They will all come back when they get their checks and not before.
ReplyDeleteThere is no option but to oppose the corruption that has motivated tribal leaders to attack tribal members. Those who refuse to fight may find that they are not invited to share in the victory or the rewards. That is not a threat just the reality of settlements.
ReplyDeleteThose fighting for justice will be most likely to choose settlement options and resolutions that reflect the desires of participants, not those of bystanders. So those people watching and waiting to see what happens will not have a say when it comes time to settle the score.
Jump into the fray and help out. Who has the list of Email addresses of BIA officials in Washington? Let's flood them with complaints over their dereliction of duty to protect the interests of tribal members and disenrollees. They may be influenced if they are pestered.
Complaining doesn't resolve issues, it makes them worse. That's why most of us our disenrolled. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. It's over. Done. Finite. Get over it.
ReplyDelete@2:02, so glad for you, as for us we will continue to fight and get as many people to notice as we can. What was done was not right and we know it, they know it, and others will know it. More and more truths are being exposed and we need to get them all out in order for our community to heal, and it needs healing.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of a douchebag would write that crap to OP? He is the only one keeping the dialogue going. Only a dumb shit, would roll over and say there is no hope. Or maybe a Macarro or Robert Smith cronie. Quit trying to turn people away from this site. It's very educational.
ReplyDeleteFor a poster to post why you should not do anything is a perfect example of why we should keep going forward, even when it feels like there is no help. If no action shares the truth that poster would not have to say be quite. If the actions where not being shared that poster could live in comfort. NOPE
ReplyDeleteKeep moving forward and Share The Truth, our Ancestors and others deserve it! We are ALL here for a reason. Thank goodness we have a choice!
ReplyDeleteMacarro et al will not be here forever. His book is a liars club trying to justify the actions of a few. Even if he leaves this world the truth will always shine through. How will his story be read later?
ReplyDeleteAccording to Macarro et al the band can not determine membership issues or the bylaws don't allow it? Only a committee, that I oversee can. Or the band CAN adopt someone to the band, but CAN'T stop a clan from being stripped of it's ties to the band or disenrolled. The band can elect me to chairman, but can't stop me from not following custom or tradition. We should be able to settle a federal bill for the band, even if ALL recognized members Federally will not be recognized internally. The disenrolled clan was recognized by our bands elders, but today we don't follow custom or tradition, unless I think it's legal. Macarro et al
ReplyDeleteMacarro name will be remembered for sure. His life chapter in the book resembles?
ReplyDeleteComplaining does resolve issues Anonymous Brother 2:02. Most of you for years have done absolutely nothing to fix it. Rick is right, most of you are waiting for change to happen and have lost hope instead of bringing hope to your children. Most of you still think the BIA has no "jurisdiction" but what have you done legally to go around that? How many letters did you write last year? how many senators have you tried to be in contact? Most of you are waiting, sitting down, and yet criticize behind a computer others who are actively trying to win this fight. If we were living in early 1900's you think your ancestors would of had let this happened? You think that disenrollment was an issue? Our people always stood up for another, not giving importance on blood degree or tribe. To what I see, most of you are just ASS-SIMLIATED just like Macarro, Smith, and Lawson. If we die, we die defending our rights, our treaties, our respect, our ancestors, your children. BUT STOP TALKING BS AND START ACTING! Even after, people will always talk BS, some people are just ungrateful as their tribal leaders, but we continue the fight with or without you.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like keeping up the pressures has helped ENTERPRISE Rancheria bring people back.
ReplyDeleteIt's helped expose Nooksack corruption
It's helped return Grand Ronde disenrolled to the tribe.
Smith won't last forever...
Hopland just got busted....
This little site is now ahead of Victor Rocha's site.... we used to be 8 MILLION behind...
BIA checked the site 50 times last week....IF all who were affected did the same, we'd be ahead of Indianz or Indian Country....