Thursday, February 24, 2022

Tribal Disenrollment Retrospective: Saginaw Chippewa Disgraces Grandma Grace Fowler and Descendants Fifth in the Series

 You'd think a tribe like Saginaw Chippewa, that were victim of JACK ABRAMOFF would stick together.  But, alas, no

Grandma Grace Fowler

In 2009 the Fowler family was DISMISSED with PREJUDICE in their second dis-enrollment hearing only to be over turned by the Tribes appellate court in 2014. It was overturned 5 years after the case was dismissed because the Tribal Council made a resolution to their Ordinance #14 allowing them to re-open previous cases. The Tribal attorney's called it an administrative action to correct procedural issues, the paid for by the Tribe appellate court judges ruled they could reopen the cases. This family has been up for dis-enrollment three times, discriminated against by corrupt non- natives!!

The family was dis-enrolled in 2016

The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe has proceeded with Disenrollments and has changed it's Ordinance #14 to continue to exclude members of the Tribe. 

These changes include a " No statue of limitations" on membership dis-enrollment, meaning no one is safe, EVER, NO ONE!!! 

The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe also has the distinction of being one of only two tribes in the Unites states that disenroll deceased members. A disgrace to our ancestors and not the way of the true Saginaw Ojibwe Anishinabek!

Get involved, be informed, let your voices be heard. RISE UP AND FIGHT!

I am linking here to a column from Saginaw Chippewa disenrollee William Masterson  please read and learn more.  An excerpt:

Seven generations ago my paternal and maternal grandfathers, of whom I am a direct lineal descendant, signed the 1855 treaty that was used to establish Saginaw Chippewa tribal lands, yet I was recently notified of my disenrollment. 

I ask again, how can this be? The newly elected Tribal Council can correct the deficiencies in the way in which membership is determined, but they need to hear it from the community. 

Tell them you do not want a system in which some members can be picked and chosen for membership by Council motion while others in the exact same circumstance are disenrolled. 

Tell them you do not want leaders that prefer taking the easy path rather than providing true leadership. Tell them you do not want leaders that shun their responsibilities solely based on what is good for them politically. Tell them you want leadership that addresses issues based on honest and truthful assessments of the facts before them.

OP: Some current members in control can't seem to be traced to.the 1982 BASE ROLL yet disenroll others.  That's a pattern we have seen in other disenrollments.  Equal justice is denied

Read what disenrolled member JUDY POTTER related about disenrollment before she passed.


MORE ON SAGINAW CHIPPEWA Disenrollment:


Saginaw Chippewa Seeks Investigation over Recognition
Saginaw Chippewa JUDGES say Tribe CAN Ruin lives...
Disenroll Saginaw Chippewa to SAVE MONEY
Disrespecting the Saginaw Chippewa Ancestors
Spineless BIA is MIA in Michigan

4 comments:

lifetimeoftrips said...

Keep fighting the good fight cousin!

WeRone said...

Excellent.

Reinstatement_Restitution said...

If there is a federally approved membership roll then the disenrollees have an opportunity to sue the BIA for allowing changes to the membership roll without federal approval. The statute of limitations on federal decisions is 6 years. A tribe that makes changes to its membership roll by removing members without BIA approval after 6 years has exceed the statute of limitations and such changes are barred.

Disenrollees have long had their actions in court dismissed because Santa Clara Pueblo v Martinez decision states that tribes have a right to determine their own membership. Because of this decision the federal government refrains from interfering in tribal membership disputes. However, once the federal government approves a tribal membership roll it is not a tribal issue any longer.

The reason why is because enrollment in a federally recognized tribe with a federally approved membership roll qualifies tribal members access to federal programs and services. A tribe cannot remove members and deny that access without the consent of the federal government.

So all you disenrollees who have not exhausted administrative remedy should find an attorney willing to test this legal theory in court!

MCA Leads said...

Due to the Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez judgement, which stated that tribes have the right to decide on their own membership, disenrolled have long had their legal claims dismissed. As a result of this ruling, the federal government refrains from meddling in conflicts over tribe membership. However, a tribal problem is no longer a tribal matter once the federal government has approved a tribal membership roll.