TROOPS COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

When Bush made the decision to seek revenge on terrorists who made the mistake of hijacking our planes to kill thousands and place fear in the hearts of souls of all those living in the U.S., I was fine with that.  

When it was thought that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction, I worried what they would do with them next. There were no WMD found. It was a mistake.

When Saddam Hussein was found, my thoughts were to turn him over to his own people, whom he also terrorized, confident that they would see to it that he would not be returned as leader of that country.

For the past several years that spanned the Bush presidency and into the Obama presidency, there has been disagreement between most Republicans and Democrats over our presence in Iraq. Some Republicans wanted the troops to stay while feeding billions of our tax dollars into a country that is not ours. Some Democrats wanted the war to end and bring our troops back home to save the tax dollars and the troops. Many more are torn over this decision for various reasons.

We did some good in that part of the world. It's my opinion that the recent takeovers of horrific dictatorships in the Middle East are the result of the influence and closer contact with civilized nations...like the U.S. After eight years, those who wanted the tools to democracy, have them and it's now up to them to put those tools to good use. How long does it take to teach an adult right from wrong...they either get it or they don't. But, that’s just my opinion….one of those rights we are guaranteed.

For decades, long before the bombing of the Twin Towers, peaceful Muslim communities have popped up throughout the U.S., just as the Italians, Japanese, Germans, Amish, Polish, and other nationalities and religions have done.  I was just a kid in elementary school when I first heard the term that America is the 'melting pot of the world' because of all the nationalities and religions that have made the United States their home. It wasn't a bad thing but an opportunity to learn more about different cultures.

I also learned of the slavery of humans who were beaten and kidnapped openly from their own home and country to be sold to lazy, rich people in the U.S., who treated them like they were not created by the same God they professed to believe in. Let's not forget that this land was invaded by the ancestors of those who now call America home. Millions of Indians were slaughtered...their lands stolen...their villages burned...their women raped...their children murdered.. Those murderers are the ancestors of most Americans....including mine since I am not 100% Native American. Face it...that's the reality.

But eventually, the civilized people of the U.S. created laws that gave us our freedoms, some of which state that we are allowed the freedom of religion in this country. Blacks and women were given the right to vote. Nowhere in our Bill of Rights or Constitution does it say we can do the opposite of what it states just because we feel like it.

Why is that those who think we left Iraq too soon also think Muslims don't belong in the U.S.? Does it make sense to want to destroy and occupy a country that is not ours while telling people from that country that they cannot live peacefully in ours? For the life of me, I can't understand that.

Occupy America and open your hearts to all who want to live here for the same reasons you do.

Welcome home to those who are glad to be back. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc….etc….etc…
Lynne Weaver

FAREWELL DOROTHEA

 I checked the obituaries today to find that a little tiny lady I cared so much about was gone. Dorothea Hatch Christensen left this world to join the husband she missed so much. The article told a little of her history and family but didn’t say much about who Dorothea was.

About two weeks ago, I was contacted by her current caregiver that Dorothea was in Tendercare, was unable to speak, could barely move and her time on earth was coming to a close. I had a chance to see her over the Thanksgiving holiday, but it was heartbreaking to see her so thin, frail and distant. I happened to come along at just the right time and was able to feed her lunch in the dining room. I wasn’t sure if she recognized me but halfway through our visit, she turned to me and gave me that soft, sweet smile. The upturned lips, the tilt of her head and her eyes looking directly into mine told me that she knew I was there. 

We had a history, albeit short. I was her caregiver for a little over a year but during that year we became close. Even though she was well into her 90’s when we first met, she was every bit as bright and intelligent as her education and experiences made her. 

Dorothea often talked of Sayner, Wisconsin where she grew up and eventually met the man who would become her husband, John Christensen. She talked often about her beloved husband…their first date, their first kiss and the day he asked her to marry him. 

She wanted to go back to Sayner because it had been many years since her last visit, but she had no means to get there under her own steam. So off we went on a four-day jaunt to Sayner Resort….no phones, no T.V. and no internet…just a very unique resort on a peaceful lake. I had a map with the route traced for the six hour trip, but we didn’t need it because she knew every inch of the way from memory.  She told me that the Sayner family were competitive with the Hatch family because both families were business owners and because the Sayner’s felt they owned the town since it was named after them. She also said that some of the people of Sayner looked down on them because the Hatch’s were Indian. She wanted to go back to show the people of Sayner that her family had been successful regardless of the bias towards Native Americans. Dorothea was very proud of her father, Fred Hatch, Sr. for beginning the process of federal recognition for the Sault Tribe. Her brother, Fred Hatch, Jr., carried on when her father no longer could.

Dorothea was a scaredy-cat and always afraid that someone would drop her or that she would fall, but all of her caregivers were very careful with her fragile body that was beaten down from years of suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. A friend of Dorothea’s, an attorney from Madison, Wisconsin made the trip northward to visit with her while in Sayner. After a couple of Martini’s at a restaurant in a nearby town, she lost her fears and wanted to go for a spin around the parking lot. With her arms waving wildly and her laughter bringing smiles to the faces of all who witnessed, we ran her about the parking lot, spinning her chair while she gleefully yelled out “Wheeee!” When it was time to return to the Sault, Dorothea was happy and satisfied that her trip ‘home’ was well worth the wait. She had fun and was able to see her childhood home although the store her father owned was gone...mysteriously burned to the ground.

Dorothea told me of the time she applied for a teaching job in American Samoa. She neglected to tell her husband that she had applied for a teaching position there until she was notified that she was indeed hired. They simply packed up and left their home to experience a way of life that most of us will never know. Most people would never dream to make such a move but there was little that Dorothea feared. They did have their refrigerator shipped because that was the ultimate luxury in Samoa and she was concerned about being without proper food storage. 

Dorothea was a giver…literally. She had a history of giving away her possessions because the things she held dearest were her memories and the photographs of her husband, parents and  brother, whom she hoped to join one day. She is with them now and I’m sure she is in the embrace of her beloved husband. Farewell dear lady Dorothea. You will be missed.

Lynne Weaver

ANOTHER CASINO? BENEFIT TO MEMBERS OR INVESTORS

Even though Elder benefits have been cut, Sault Tribe seems to have the funds, or investors, for another casino. Millions were lost  in Greektown because of bad management and, likely, a lot of 'skimming' from the top. The proof is in the profits realized once the tribe was out of the picture. Can we trust the Sault Tribe leadership to make the right decisions as well as honest decisions? Who is at the helm and are all the facts on the table and when will they be?

Real estate deals are touchy and often held in confidence to prevent the greedy from upping the price of land when they discover where the money is coming from. That should never be the case when it comes to the profits. Who is going to profit? After what happened to Greektown, members should be asking this question of their elected representative.

The best way to prove that the profits will support member services is to include them with each casino built. Include a full service health and community center and a Midjims in the plan. Include jobs and housing to qualified members as part of the initial plan instead of a promise that never sees the light of day.

The tribe is more than a corporate entity. It is a community made up of real people and the person you elected to act on your behalf needs to be reminded of that. Call your representative and demand they do their job which is to act in the best interest of the tribe and that means YOU! No more casinos unless they can prove that the purpose and profits is to place member services at the top of the list.

Lynne Weaver

SORRY FOR NOT KEEPING IN TOUCH

I know I have been slacking off in keeping the news flowing but my own life has been pretty busy. After months of trying to find a fulltime job in Sault Ste. Marie, including several resumes sent for open positions with the Sault Tribe, I finally landed a job....but not in the Soo or with the Sault Tribe.

I sent my resume via email on a Monday, got a call the next day to set up an interview the following Friday.  On the Monday that followed, I received a call asking how soon I could start. I headed for my new job the following day and am currently working for a large nationwide company whose 'home-office' is located in the Western end of the U.P.  In one week, my life changed...I've heard older ladies referring to their 'change of life' but I don't think this is what they were referring to.

Long hours as well as a longer commute than I am accustomed to and weekend return trips to pack up my apartment and place my belongings in storage for now, has left me little time for the extra curricular activities which include writing.  Add to that, the lack of high speed internet has also limited my time spent writing. Oh how I miss my high speed internet. Until I find a place where I have the luxury of high speed internet, I am stuck with impatiently waiting for a signal to reach me through miles and miles of hills, trees and valleys. It's kind of like getting stuck driving behind a 90 year old who thinks everyone else is moving way too fast.

On the bright side, I get to stay with my youngest sister...my friend...my confidante, until I find a place closer to the city where I work. We get to catch up after years of only short visits shared with numerous family members.

I wanted to share with you some of the discussions that are taking place on a Facebook account called "Sault Tribe Guide" and will do so as soon as I get permission from other members to share their stories and opinions. The Sault Tribe Guide is all about change for the Sault Tribe. Things move a little slow at times with some of the most frequent participants occasionally spending too much time goofing off and having fun and other times arguing and insulting each other followed by apologies and make-up kisses.

One member posts his skillfully and artfully crafted music videos inspired by the antics of past and present Sault Tribe leaders while others get down to business and write the letters that are a call for action to correct the imbalances in the Sault Tribe governance.

So if you get bored and impatient waiting for me to provide you with more Sault Tribe news, get yourself a Facebook account, if you don't already have one, request membership in the 'Sault Tribe Guide' and learn what is really going on in your tribe. Don't expect to find the truth in the Sault Tribe paper. Although the pages are not glossy, the words are.

Hang in their folks...I'll be back!



Lynne Weaver

VOTERS BEWARE!

By RJanetos
You may think that you are registered to vote in any Sault Tribe election, only to find out, after it is too late, that you won't be getting a ballot.
You were denied a ballot because of a "mailing snafu".
You don't get to vote because you live outside the service areas and didn't re-register for each election...or some such nonsense.
You don't get to vote because your registration was lost somewhere along the line.
You don't get to vote because the election committee says that they don't have a good address for you although you haven't moved in twenty years.

Whatever the reason is for the inefficiency, negligence or lies...you are denied your right to vote.

The elections have been controlled by core family and Bouschor loyalist for decades. The Board of Directors are unwilling to provide a more reasonable opportunity for people to serve.....giving them  complete control..

To combat this system, there needs to be a massive effort to not only register voters but to get official confirmation of their registration in a timely fashion. To accomplish this, volunteers will need to obtain registration materials and distribute them by mail and the internet. A system to follow up on the registration must be in place and a watch dog committee must be able to act swiftly when a error is reported. The election committee must acknowledge new registrants by official tribal mail.
 
Volunteers need to provide community collection points and certify by signature that a registered voter has authorized them to forward their ballot to the tribal ballot box. The volunteer need to maintain records of those ballots received.
 
If someone doesn't receive a ballot during the delivery period, and reports it, the tribe should contact that person and overnight a ballot...which they take to the collection point volunteer. The signatures collected by the volunteers will act as a means to prevent duplication.

This action is necessary because of the corrupt and/or negligent election process

In regular elections, you sign your name and receive a ballot when it is confirmed that you are registered.

Change the path of the tribe.
Do what you can to help.

HOW TO BE A GOOD SAULT TRIBE MEMBER FOR DUMMIES

Originally published in the Cheboygan Tribune July 2009

By Lynne Weaver

 

Ten rules to being a good Sault Tribe member.   

# One   Never question authority.

This is by far the most important rule to becoming a faithful and obedient Sault Tribe member.  Tribal Officials are the ultimate and final authority and not law enforcement as some may assume. Do not assume that as a voting member, you have the right to opinions that may question authority.

# Two  Learn to nod yes effectively.

Move your head from its upright position directly downward until the chin touches the area located at the top of the breastbone.  This movement signals your approval with whatever you are told by tribal officials.

# Three  Ignore the tribal constitution.

This document was originally intended for approval by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the purpose of obtaining federal acknowledgement and can be amended by the Sault Tribe Board of Directors only, as needed.

# Four  Believe everything you are told.

If tribal officials tell you that everything is hunky-dorey fine, you should believe it because they would never deceive tribal members unless it was absolutely necessary. The definition of “necessary” is at the discretion of the board and other tribal officials.

# Five  Do not ask for tribal financial updates.

The financial position of the tribe is none of your business.  The “don’t ask-don’t tell” rule is always in effect.

# Six  Do not ask that the meetings be televised as before.

One of the benefits of having tribal members not living within meeting zones is that it is less complicated for tribal officials.  If members can’t attend meetings, it is easier not to be held accountable. This is also easier for members come election time since a simple guess is all that is required to know who has worked in the best interest of the tribe.

# Seven  Give back your Elder check if you received one.

The Board of Directors needs it to pay for unnecessary trips across the country to attend conferences that bring nothing of value back to the tribe.

# Eight  Be happy that the board is not making any financial sacrifices for the tribe.

Someone has to benefit from all the money received from the land claims. Be happy that you don’t have the headaches associated with how to spend 67K a year for working a part-time job. Since members are not privy to such highly confidential information, apologies to all if the figure is higher now.

# Nine  Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

If you have heard about the FBI investigations and the discovery of the endless can of worms, put your hand over your ears. If you were a witness to questionable activities by any tribal official, cover your eyes. Place your hand over your mouth if you feel tempted to tell anyone what you have heard or seen.

# Ten  Drink the red koolaid as soon as the effects of the first nine rules begin to wear off.

IT'S TIME TO SHAKE THINGS UP!

 This from an Anonymous Poster.....

It IS time to start over. In my mind what better time? Things are already in the toilet. Keeping the status quo only insures the continued downward spiral that we are in. I mean did you check out the latest edition of the happy land paper?  Unit reports that said absolutely nothing except that they all took another trip on our dime. I am very angry that they can travel all over the place and we are still working for peanuts,our properties are falling apart and we have ZERO leadership.

I work at the Shores and I can tell you that for a building that is what? 5 yrs old it is rapidly approaching dump status. Broken things are rarely fixed,the plumbing is a nightmare,carpets are filthy,can't keep houskeepers because they don't want to pay them anything..the list goes on ad nauseum. And I won't even start on the lakefront.And they are traveling around acting like everything is hunky dorey.

Well things are not hunky dorey, employee morale is at an all time low. Folks work for the tribe because they HAVE to..not because they want to. If there were other jobs in the area all GOOD employees would be gone.

I am a firm believer it is time to shake things up and not with some lame referendum or petition that they will just ignore. I mean shake things up!!!


This seems to be a growing trend among Sault Tribers...the idea that the only options to make the necessary changes are to be proactive in a way that suggests we mean business!
Lynne Weaver

SPREAD THE WORD

A database is being set up to gather the names of all those who did not receive a ballot in ANY of the last three - four Sault Tribe elections. If you received a ballot to vote in the primary but did not receive one to vote in the general election, or vice versa, we would like to know. If you have been registered to vote, have not moved or moved but notified the tribe of the change of address, please contact me at weave977@yahoo.com.

We also want to know if you have been denied benefits that you feel you were entitled to, without an understanding or reasonable explanation of why you were denied. Your participation is extremely important and your identity will be protected.

To join a group who intends to make some much needed changes within the Sault Tribe, there is a Facebook group called the Sault Tribe Guide, but it is not anonymous.

PASS THE WORD...the next election is less than a year away and it's time to turn the tables in our direction.

In response to a Soo Evening News article regarding the upcoming appointment of a replacement chairperson for the Sault Tribe, a reader wrote this and also sent it to me.

Former Chairman Aaron Payment would be a good choice. After all, the difference in votes for chairman were only a few suspicious hundred in McCoy's favor.

But I do have a sneaking suspicion that Benard would like to return as chairman...that would show all of those voters that dethroned, him for Aaron Payment,.that he still has the power. The Tonky Trump ego will have made full circle from shame to fame. A smarter move for Benard would be to wait for the appointment of his buddy and then take the CEO position that is vacant. Then, he is really back.

Native American Scholar, Martin Rhinehardt has stated that he will campaign against any Board member that prohibits the citizens from deciding who will fill the chairman's seat. You won't hear these politicians Causley, Abramson , McCoy, Pine or Bouschor play the race card and dispute that man.

It is sad to watch how a handful of the tribe's worst can dictate to the membership....over and over and over again.
Hopefully, this next election will be when the membership votes for a new path. The need to bring in the constitution that the present Board wants to ignore. It would make them accountable. That scares them.