Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Shunned Tribal Members Claim Civil Right Violations

OP: More evidence that some tribes in Indian Country are so out of control, that they will end up hurting all tribes.

Shunned tribal members claim civil rights violations
By Stephanie Vosk also by George Brennan April 29, 2008 6:00 AM

Amelia and Steven Bingham, shunned by the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe in December 2006, yesterday filed a civil suit against tribal council leaders in Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. They are asking a jury to overturn the tribal council's sanctions as a violation their of civil rights. The suit also seeks unspecified financial compensation.
Michael Altman, a high-profile Boston lawyer specializing in civil rights cases, is representing the mother and son. The Binghams are arguing that the tribal council violated their civil rights by banning them from tribal activities and benefits for seven years after they filed a separate suit in Barnstable Superior Court, along with tribe members Stephanie Tobey-Roderick and Michelle Fernandes. That action seeks access to the tribe's financial information. "We would hope that the Massachusetts court system would not tolerate any group that seeks to silence people because they're saying things that others don't want to hear," Altman said yesterday.

The tribal leadership remains unruffled. "The Binghams continue to be obsessed with trying to force the commonwealth to impose its laws on our sovereign nation," tribal council Chairman Shawn Hendricks said through a spokesman. "They have failed repeatedly in those efforts." The shunning hasn't stopped the Binghams from speaking out against the tribe's leaders and their deals with casino investors. The pair also cooperated with investigators who launched a probe of tribe finances in September.
In the suit, the Binghams also claim the tribal council violated their civil rights by barring them from the tribe's annual powwow last July. Police were called to the public celebration to enforce a no-trespass order requested by the tribal council earlier that day. "The use of police officers to deny plaintiffs access to a public event constitutes threats, intimidation and coercion," the suit states. With the annual event slated for this July, the Binghams are seeking a court injunction that will allow them to attend.
In a telephone interview, Amelia Bingham said they filed suit after exhausting other attempts to have the shunning lifted. That includes an overwhelming vote by tribe members in January to reverse the shunning order. "We have to do something to stop these people," she said. "They've hurt me to the core by discriminating against me and they're going to have to pay for that."

Full Article HERE

OP: OH, and the shadow Snoqualmie government that is abetted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, has resulted in this mess:

Snoqualmie Tribe banishes banish 8 members, disenrolls 60
LYNDA V. MAPES MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE UPDATEED AT 6:27 A.M. SEATTLE --

Members of the Snoqualmie Tribe banished eight tribal members Sunday, and more than 60 others have received letters informing them they have been disenrolled from the tribe. A selected group of Snoqualmies designated "preferred voters" (uh, PREFERRED VOTERS?)by honorary(meaning NOT-ELECTED) chief Jerry Enick and tribal council members gathered in an all-day, closed-door meeting Sunday at the Issaquah Hilton to consider punishment of the tribal chairman, vice chairman, treasurer and two council members. They were accused of operating an "illegal, shadow government" after being suspended by Enick (who has NO power to suspend)last fall, when he asserted control of the tribal government.

The banished maintain they are the rightful, duly elected leaders of the tribe. A tribal spiritual leader and a minister of the Indian Shaker church were also banished, along with the chairman's brother. Sunday's events were the latest in a long-running dispute between battling factions in the tribe. At stake are control of the tribal government and what promises to be one of the most lucrative casinos in the state, scheduled to open in November. Today, two councils claim to be the legitimate leaders of the Snoqualmies -- one composed of now-banished members who've gathered regularly in a private home and the other that continues to meet in the tribe's administrative offices.

The accusations against the banished members range from treason to saying a prayer, according to tribal resolutions of discipline issued this month. Banishment is the most extreme punishment in Indian Country, usually reserved for capital crimes such as murder, or drug dealing. The banished lose all right to be on tribal land, claim tribal benefits or even claim Indian identity.

OP: THIS has to be addressed. Some jerk like Enick is saying now that these people are no longer Indians and POOF, the Feds will agree?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

sorry to say that the splinter group got what they deserved and too bad the news lady got the facts all wrong and i wish the group would stop pestering the real snoqualmie tribe and also stop the stalking of the people that work their and for you chrissie we know how many are enrolled in the tribe i give you that much but you might need to go back to school and remember out of all the enrolled tribal members how many are leagal to vote you do know that they have to be at least 18 years of age but i guess you did not know that or even the splinter group forgot to tell you but for what it is worth the splinter group did get what they deserved till next time good bye to the wanna be's and to the vice chair too where was sharon in all this she normally can't keep quite

Anonymous said...

welcome back snoqualmie tribe with no more under the blood quatum at the tribe next time tell the paper lady the true facts and she should know by now you do not rush the natives for a story too bad for her

Anonymous said...

bill sweet you should not have listened to the others like carolyn or your sister or even sharon now they are the ones that gave you a real bad name in indian country you should really thank them for that because loise and sharon are always doing all the talking and now they have not been mentioned at all so hope you can look in the mirror i thought you were was a great guy till the last may you sure know how to go down hill but too baddddd hope you learned from this. and you can glare at the chief all you want but he is still the chief and he should be walking with alot of pride if i was i would be i might even do a dance

Anonymous said...

hey splinter group you're mole is getting so nerves now maybe even a nervous break down

Anonymous said...

If your writing skills are anything like your reading ones, no wonder the tribe is in so much termoil. I would not doubt the claims of the other snoqualmies, that you simply follow the leader without thought or independance.

May I suggest instead of putting up a casino, the snoqualmies should invest in education. Clearly, they need it.

Anonymous said...

Lets hope you learn how to form a complete sentence next time. YIKES! Do the snoqualmie's have an Ed-um-a-cap-tion program, or are you all just hoping the white lawyers don't rob you blind in a contract. Funny how that can happen when you don't know how to read or write.

Anonymous said...

i do not need to worry about the complete sentence i am not in school but thanks i figure i made it easier for you to understand the easy way and yes we are still going on with the casino projects so bring you're money if you can afford it thanks the real snoqualmie tribe

Anonymous said...

The "Real" Snoqualmie tribe? It can't be . .. you banished and disenrolled members with over one eighth quantum. Plus, the cheif you follow isn't even a snoqualmie. Check out his sordid past. He is a puddle jumper who came over to the snoqualmie tribe when you got federal permision for a gaming liscence. He comes to rob you blind. He comes to steal from innocent children. He comes with a forked tongue and deciet as his allies.
You see, a "real" indian is one who holds to his/her beleifs nd old traditions. These banishments are a mark of shame on our people. You shame us too, not only because you suppoert this greddy and corrupt cheif, but because of your horrible spelling and grammer. You're insults are lame, but your logic is worse. Try and come up with something that resembles an arguement, and I'll be happy to hear it. Right now, all I hear from you is that you're feebleminded and a follower and couldn't organize a single thought on your own.

Anonymous said...

look who's talking you can not even spell chief dumb idiot and who cares how this is written i can read just fine and i also have enough snoqualmie blood too

Anonymous said...

How much Snoqualmie blood does your chief have? None. Can he vote? Yes, he can, because the rules only apply to those you decide they apply to, you hypocrit! Now, where's that arguement I asked for. You got one? or are these lame inslts and comebacks all you got? Go to the tribal office, ask the council or the chief to show you our blood qunatum paperwork. Ask him to show you the legal documentation and justification that the current council is the real one.

You won't though, because you don't care about your tribe and family, plus you know you'll get banished or your blood quantums will get fucked with just like our did. Ask a question, get banished . . . That seems to be the way your chief rules "his" tribe. I say his, because it's not ours anymore. . .. it's not even yours . . . it doesn't even belong to the children of the tribe . .. it is all the chief's now. He stole it, and he'll hold it for ransom for ever and ever against the voices of reason and right.