Pit River People Web Log (Blog)

California Gaming Tribes Oppose Indian Civil Rights

2007-10-24T23:00:00Z

Simply amazing! Large gaming Tribes in California have voted to oppose the Indian Civil Rights Resolution that will be presented to the California Democratic Native American Caucus November 16, 8 PM, Anaheim at the Hilton Hotel

PLEASE - California Indians - join and attend. The more the merrier. You should have seen the Tribal Council's faces when they saw all of us in San Diego.

However, in order to join the Native American Caucus, you must be a registered Democrat and pay the membership fee. (Or request a waiver.) You can request a membership application by going to: http://www.nativeamericancaucus.com/signup.shtml

It would be great to get more Caucus members who believe in Indian rights issues.

If you have additional questions about the Caucus go to their website at: http://www.nativeamericancaucus.com/index.shtml

I was informed earlier today that CNIGA, the Indian Gaming Lobby in California, moved and passed to oppose/object to the California Native American Civil Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Legislative Initiative Resolution which was passed by the Native American Caucus of the California Democratic Party in July. CNIGA members were urged to attend the up-coming Native American Caucus meeting on Friday, November 16 at 8:00 pm. CNIGA also sent out a memo to its member tribes that the Native American Caucus would be re-considering the California Native American Civil Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Legislative Initiative resolution at the November 16 meeting. The CNIGA memo, dated October 1, 2007, not only lists the time and date of the Native American Caucus meeting and states the caucus is expected to reconsider the Resolution, it provides this information at a time when the members of the Native American Caucus have not even been noticed of the time. place, or agenda of the Caucus meeting. We should not be surprised with this though. Members of the Executive Board of the Caucus are also members of CNIGA and have held key positions in CNIGA. In addition, CNIGA member tribes such as Pechanga, Redding, and others are leading the way in denying basic rights to their people. Here is a link to the CNIGA memo: http://www.electhaze.com/documents/CNIGA%20Memorandum%20Regarding%20the%20CDP%20Native%20American%20Caucus%20meeting%20Nov%20%2016th%20at%208PM%20-%202007-10-01.pdf

Prayers needed

2007-09-26T02:27:00Z

Prayers needed:

... thought you might ad another person to the prayer list...Della 'Wright' Baker who is a distant cousin is very ill and sadly, there is no hope...Grandma Susan Orr and Aunt Susan Waters are both buried in the Wright cemetary down in Big Bend...Della has been fighting so hard, maybe the prayers and the thoughts of all of us might give her more strength and ease...

Mae is in the hospital in Sitka Alaska and doing better the last couple of days.

Nina had a rough time but is also doing better.

Please offer prayers for our Elders and support them in any way you can.

Aho

Cosby cancels casino show over disenrollments

2007-09-04T14:03:00Z

Bill Cosby’s Canceled Performance Speaks Volumes

for Civil Rights and California’s Disenrolled Indians

Labor Day weekend set a milestone for thousands of disenrolled Indians in California when Bill Cosby canceled his scheduled weekend appearance at the Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino in Coarsegold, California. That casino resort between Fresno and Yosemite is owned by the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians who has disenrolled hundreds of their tribal members. Critics have stated those disenrollments have everything to do with limiting the number of tribal members who can share in the proceeds of the Tribe’s lucrative casino resort operation.

Full press release at:

http://www.pitriverpeople.org/Template-Admin/Cosby8-07.html

False reports, false arrest and false imprisonment

2007-09-01T14:26:00Z

I am puzzled why the Burney/Intermountain Station of the Shasta County Sheriff's Office allows itself to be used as the Elmore's private security force. Calls were made last year during a Band meeting stating that the Shadley Family was about to pull an armed robbery of the casino. When deputies arrive, they found our Elders sitting quietly, obviously not a threat to anyone. That is a false report and punishable under California state law. Some of us were ordered out of a Band meeting last year by deputies who flat out lied about the circumstances under which they could 'arrest' us. We are members of the Tribe and had specific permission to be in that meeting. There are probably a dozen other times when the Sheriff was called by members of the Elmore family reporting assaults and threats in Tribal meetings which were total lies. Why does the Sheriff's office allow this to continue and not begin issuing citations for false reports?

Now we have a 'citizen arrest' and an overnight stay in jail caused by one of the Elmore family's supporters. This sounds like a false arrest and false imprisonment. Since 2002, deputies can use their judgment about whether to accept someone into custody following a citizen's arrest. They certainly had discretion about whether to transport and book this person. I believe the person who was jailed has a very good case in State Court for a civil suit against the 'citizen' who called. There is no claim to Tribal sovereignty here. She also has a good case in Federal court for a suit based upon violating and depriving her of civil rights.

It is high time for these people who were voted out of office to leave and quit acting like a street gang, and it is high time for the local Sheriff's Office to begin acting like a Sheriff's Office and uphold their oath. And it is high time we began demanding that people be held accountable for their actions. Document, photograph, video tape and note witnesses in all your interactions with this group of thugs until they are gone from Tribal government!

Change in Tribal Council

2007-08-21T14:02:00Z

Has anyone heard about when the new Council will be seated? I thought it was supposed to be at the first meeting following the elections. If so, then Matt, Sharon and Lillian should be out???

“All terms commence at the first regularly scheduled tribal council meeting following the annual tribal election conducted in August of each year, and end when a successor is elected and seated in accordance with this ordinance.” Election Ordinance 402 (b)

Elect new Band Representatives

2007-07-31T13:53:00Z

It is critical that each Band elect representatives that will work for all the people, not form a click or gang and run the Council for their own benefit. Select one person ahead of time and nominate and support them. Don't split your vote among two or more good people and let the current 'problem' representatives win!

The power is in the hands of the Members. Your vote is more important than ever. I beg and pray that every Pit River Tribe Member attends the 2007 Elections!

The current Council has created full time jobs for themselves, at our expense. The Council was never intended to meet daily (at about $100 per person per day) - most Tribal Councils meet once or twice per month, leave day to day operations up to the elected officers, staff and committees.

As a Madesi, I am ashamed of the family who is trying to control our Band and the Tribe. There have been questions raised that this person may not even be a Madesi.

The current corupt Council may propose some changes in ordinances at the Elections. It would be wise to reject these, even though some ideas may have some merit. Let a new and fair Council review these.

The election of a NEW and FAIR Council is in your hands - VOTE !!!

Elections 2007

2007-07-19T13:18:00Z

If we are going to change the current Council that rules by threat and intimidation to keep their power and income from unnecessary Council meetings, the change must come from the Bands. Elect a Band Council that pledges to represent and serve ALL THE MEMBERS, respect the constitution, oppose and reverse disenrollments, and use the Tribe's money wisely - not waste it on 'consultants' and divert money into their own pockets!

Members who are working toward this positive change must select ONE person they can support and nominate them, and vote for them, to replace the current corrupt Council.

Madesi Band meeting on 7-20-07
Special Membership meeting called by petition on 7-28-07 to try again to seat our duly elected Chairperson and officers
General Election scheduled for 8-18-07

COME - VOTE - Be a part of POSITIVE CHANGE !!!

Members have voted

2007-04-01T16:06:00Z

Tribal members met on March 31, 2007 at the VFW Hall in Burney. 85 registered voters attended a properly called meeting (1135 notices mailed out) and voted about 79 to 1 to give the Chairperson, Jessica Jim, and the Secretary, Jolee George, their 'powers' back which had been suspended by the 'click' made up of 5 greedy council members who appear to be all related, or at least working together for their own good and not for the General membership. The voters also suspended these council people, barred them from serving again, directed the Bands to hold new elections, reinstated the Casino Manager who had been fired without cause, stopped disenrollments and required a return to the Constitution and authorized an investigation into financial dealings. Quite a day!

The 'council' which had been controlled by this 'click' tried to stop the meeting, posted disinformation, threatened anyone who was participating with loss of employment and in one case, loss of life, made the organizers mail out the meeting notices at their own expense, and on and on and on. This 'click' is simply proving their deceitful intentions by these actions and validating the need for a wholesale change of the Council to protect the Tribal Members and Tribal Assets!

We doubt they will go quietly, but the Membership is proceeding in a legal and respectful way and will utilize whatever authorities are needed for a peaceful change of government.

We thank and will be eternally grateful for the Members who stood up this 'click' in spite of very serious threats. You are protecting the Tribe for many generations to come. Tell this story often to your children and their children. Let us never again allow a single family to come into control of the Tribe. Let us elect representatives who pledge and demonstrate they will work for the good of all the people. Let us support Members who have their heart in the right place. Let us protect those who stand up to corruption with every bit of strength we have, including our lives.

Aho

AIRRO Demonstration & Court Update

2006-10-12T12:47:00Z

We had an excellent AIRRO gathering today with 60 to 70 people carrying signs outside the NCAI conference in the morning, and a rally on the Capitol steps this afternoon. Tribal leaders know that we are serious and are not going away. Some leaders are starting to talk about an Indian supreme court or regional court to solve disenrollment within Indian Country before we get too much more traction with congress and the state gambling commissions.

Supporters gathered from Canada, Seattle, southwest (Hopi & Navajo), Onieda from New York and lots from California.

We are not alone! Visit www.airro.org and join, please.

Also take heart in the fact that a US Federal Judge in Sacramento has agreed to hear a case involving enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights Act in Quair v. Sisco: "Roselind Quair and Charlotte Berna, life-long Tachi-Yokut women, were disenrolled and banished from the Santa Rosa Indian Rancheria located in Kings Country in June 2000 after Mr. Berna, the Tribal Treasurer, called for an indeptendent audit of the Casino's profits and Ms. Quair consulted a lawyer after she was sexually assulted by a tribal member. The lawsuit was filed against the tribal officials responsible for illegally stripping Petitioners of their Indian citenship and through banishment, taking their property rights without providing basic civil rights that are guaranteed by the ICRA." (Patrick Guillory, Attorney at Law, Dolores Park Law Offices 415.285.1882)

Rumors and Lies

2006-10-04T15:54:00Z

Perhaps it is time to start a thread to correct rumors and lies being spread by the small faction within the Madesi Band and their co-conspiritors who are trying to control the Tribe.

1. Enrollment Record Fire: A statement was made by Gene Preston at the hearings on 9/30/06 that there never was a fire - "Enrollment records have always been kept in a fire proof safe." WRONG. Their are eye witness accounts and documentation, from the Burney Fire Department and Tribal members who helped clean up after the fire and salvaged a few of the records. Most enrollment records were destroyed.

2. BIA Funding Loss: A rumor is being circulated by this same faction that the Tribal Chairman is some how responsible for BIA funding loss. I have had a meeting with the BIA and confirmed there has been no funding loss.

3. Shadley sympathisers: At least we can find some humor in this whole lurid situation. Anyone supporting the rule of law, and who thinks this small faction within the Madesi Band should be following the Constitution and Ordinances and working to help the people rather than themselves, is labeled a 'Shadley Sympathiser' - we are proud to have your support! Maybe we should print some T-Shirts...

4. 4000 descendants??? Apparently Lillian Lego is spreading a rumor, heard from two sources, that there are 4000 Shadley descendants, or that I have 4000 children. Holy cow - I don't remember making love that many times! I believe by the conspirators own count, there were 113 people on the hit list for disenrollment, and not all were part of the Shadley family.

Bogus posts

2006-09-15T17:05:00Z

I've done some tracing on the posts that our family might consider negative:
Name given      Date           IP Address
Pro                   9/9             70.97.93.103
Pro                   9/9             70.97.93.103
Brandy             9/9             70.97.93.103
Pro                   9/11           70.97.93.103
Pro                   9/11           70.97.93.103
JJ                      9/13           67.139.102.85
anon                9/13            67.139.102.85
JJ                      9/15           67.139.102.85
Denise              9/15           67.139.102.85
Denis                9/15           67.139.102.85

You notice a pattern here? Both IP number ranges are from Frontier Net (owned by Citizens) and fed to Burney from servers in Palo Cedro, California (near Redding) which in turn are on a backbone owned by Electric Lightwave out of the Pittock Building in Portland, Oregon. A system reset on the night of 9/9 would have caused the IP number to be reset. I've got a request into Citizens to identify the DSLAM that picked up the two IP numbers and that will give me an address. Obviously, I'm pretty sure where the actual email is coming from.

Addresses that were given for Pro and Brandy are bogus.

This shows the criminal mindset of some of the folks who are trying to control the Tribe. This must change.

Welcome

2006-08-04T18:26:00Z

Welcome to the Pit River People Web Log (Blog) for the descendants of Susan Suthermire and others who are being challenged about their Member status in the Pit River Indian Tribe. This is a PUBLIC blog associated with our website at http://www.pitriverpeople.org and can be viewed by anyone who knows the URL address or finds us through a search engine. Be cautious and don't post any names of our supporters - it brings great grief to them.