Opinion
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- Written by: Rebecca L. Curry
The resolution to support this Legislative Initiative was introduced to Lake County Democrats by Mr. Robert Edwards, a disenrolled member of the Enterprise Rancheria No. 1, of Maidu Indians. Mr. Edwards was Vice Chair of the Tribal Council. He and 70 other members of Enterprise Rancheria No. 1 were disenrolled in the winter of 2003.
We had hoped that our support, that a public endorsement and by notifying our legislators of the importance of this issue, that we would signal our belief that this action should result in enforcement of the legislation that allows American Indians the same civil rights, as well as the right to due process enjoyed by all Americans.
That legislation is the Native American Civil Rights Act that was enacted by Congress in 1968.
We support reform of the Indian Civil Rights Act in such a way that this would be possible. Our hope was to provide some of the 3000+ Indians in California who are being victimized by corrupt tribal governments the right to due process at the state and federal level.
The state of California must move to enact legislation that will insert the enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights Act into the gaming compacts.
The situation has now come to crisis in Lake County.
I am concerned about the possible violation of Indian civil rights happening at Robinson Rancheria.
When citizens voted for Indian gaming in California, they voted with the understanding that gaming revenues would improve the conditions of tribal people in the areas of jobs, health, education and general welfare on the Rancherias.
In what appears to be a “form of genocide” that is being committed by the tribal government at Robinson Rancheria, tribal people have lost jobs and health benefits, loss of elders assistance including a senior meal program, loss of education benefits, and the loss of tribal cultural identity as a member of one’s tribe.
I have asked our state and federal legislators open an investigation on the growth of human and civil rights violations in Indian country, so that these civil rights issues can be addressed.
I am urging citizens in Lake County to contact our state and federal legislators to follow suit.
The investigation should start in California which has the highest disenrollment numbers in the nation. In California, according to the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization (AIRRO), over 2500 tribal people have been disenrolled from their tribe; nationally, over 7,000 Indians have been disenrolled, denied or whose lives have been impacted by a disenrollment issue affecting the status of their Indian citizenship.
Congress needs to review the intent of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968; possibly enact new legislation to beef up enforcement of the act. Congress Members must look at mandating the Bureau of Indian Affairs to refuse to recognize a tribal government or do business with a tribal government that is obviously violating the Act.
The Martinez decision has weighed heavily on enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights Act — tribal courts are nonexistent in most California tribes; thus subjecting tribal members to exhaust an appeal process under the jurisdiction of the very tribal leaders who caused and made the decision to enact disenrollment.
California’s history on the treatment of its original habitants is unsavory, to say the least. Today, California Indians are being subjected to human rights abuse inflicted upon them by their own people. I am sure there are many human and political causes for the behavior of tribal people committing such abuse on their own people; however, such human rights abuse is a direct manifestation of the U.S. Government’s role in its enforcement of Indian policy that has lead them to do what we are witnessing today.
Such human and civil rights abuse is not acceptable in the United States of America, leader of the free world.
Rebecca L. Curry lives in Kelseyville.
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- Written by: Larry Fabisch
At one time, the county was able to keep the property taxes. Now the state mandates property tax transfers, the county general fund is only allowed to keep about 20 percent. The county has to live on what is left after the federal- and state-mandated programs are paid. Lake County doesn't have big industry. Our county is an agriculture community which relies heavily on tourism to augment our taxes.
How can we get reimbursed for the taxes you have taken from us?
It's frustrating to see the newspaper headlines – state workers take a two-day-a-month work reduction and reduced services to Californian residents. No sympathy for state employees – that's old news in Lake County. It is to bad that the governor can't balance the state budget as well as Lake County has done in past.
Tell me how would you manage you budget if someone took 80 percent of your income and told you how you must spend what is left? How would you feed your family and provide a roof over their head and pay your bills?
You understand what it is like to be told how to spend your available funds. Consider taking some of the states monies and giving it back to the rural communities that depend on taxes for their major source of income. Can you justify taking so much and not ever reducing state-mandated requirements?
If you agree, write your governor.
Larry Fabisch lives in Nice.
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- Written by: Richard Conway
I have had it with the Republicans in the state of California and the United States Senate and Congress who have completely ignored the will of the people and have held their positions on tax increases to please their high money contributors, lobbyists and the Republican National Committee.
I hope a middle class revolution will start in this state and country that will encourage voters and people that are not registered to vote to register as Republican so they can vote against the incumbent Republican, and have voter registration forms available for them to do so.
Those incumbent Republican politicians who follow the lead of the Republican National Committee all need to be reminded that this is a free country, and no matter how you are registered to vote, you have a right to change your registration to vote as a Republican. In the primary elections for the next six years you will have an opportunity to vote against those Republican incumbents who refused to vote for the will of the people and instead voted for their big money friends interest.
This will not be needed in states that let you cross party lines in the primary election; this will not work.
Richard Conway lives in Clearlake.
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- Written by: James Henderson
I was a wide-eyed person with love of the Constitution, respect for those in authority who stood guard, vigilantly aware that power was placed in their keeping.
I in fact can't say it was true then, only that was what I believed.
With that faith, the Marines were my choice to meet that obligation when my county called, willing to serve – no draft for me.
I tell you this so not to praise but to inform. As I have reached the sun setting on my life I want people to understand why I'm critical of government.
People look on those who protest government as delusional, just town clowns or malcontents; to be sure, some of that must be true. I am not one of them.
You see the decay of our government were the ends justify the means; there's no accountability.
I've made an effort for six years to inform the community and show how the local system of government really works. The understanding is complete. The seeds of discontent are not only sown but sprouting within our government and we are the fertilizer. It's easy to understand when you are one of their victims.
I have not found within Lake County government that “might makes right,” only that the “ends justifies the means.” Now it seems all have clammed up. My faith with this government has been replaced with animosity. This government, with ever-expanding power with a loss of accountability to those that government was intended to serve, most assuredly will not endure.
I will take the side of history that this experiment with freedom will end and the replacement is yet to be seem.
To those who would imply that I'm other than what I say, you're wrong.
James Henderson lives in Lakeport.
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