CA Politicians Need to Clean their OWN HOUSE of Civil Rights Violators.

We've been hearing so much about the new immigration law in Arizona, drafted because the Federal Government has not fulfilled it's obligation to protect the border with Mexico.

The interesting issue is that the San Francisco City Council, Rep. Joe Baca, some Los Angeles City Council members including Janice Hahn and Ed Reyes want to boycott Arizona and sever all business ties. And for what? Because a sovereign state drafted laws that were concurrent with Federal statutes? Please.

Let's see. Here in California we have tribes that violate Native American rights with impunity, yet former CA Assembly Speaker Karen Bass takes money from tribes like Pechanga which is known to be a violator and partied at the Chukchansi casino in Coarsegold.

Compare what's happened by tribes in California, where tribal councils have:

• Stripped tribal members of their citizenship
• Denied voting rights to members
• Taken away rightful healthcare to seniors
• Blocked access to land on the reservation
• Denied members due process of law, including legal representation, even writing tools.
• Prohibition of practicing religion, including the right to pray at their ancestor's graves.
• Threatened others if they speak out
• Subjected some to ex post facto laws.
• Banishment from reservation at a whim.
• Failure to follow the tribal constitutions (Pechanga)
• Disallow burials where their ancestors were buried.

Compare these with the chance that someone could be asked to show ID if they are a citizen. And it's a law that hasn't happened yet. In California, ALL have happened, repeatedly to CITIZENS of California. And either, the politicians have their heads in the sand, or they simply won't get enough press coverage by doing what is right by their own constituents.

As we asked Darrell Steinberg yesterday, LOOK INWARD to what's happening in your own state. Boycott tribes like Pechanga, Picayune, Guidiville, Enterprise, Cherokee Nation, San Pacual, Los Coyotes. And certainly DO NOT ACCEPT MONEY FROM THEM, otherwise, you give your tacit approval.

CA ASSEMBLY Speaker Karen Bass Announces Candidacy to Replace Rep. Diane Watson

From Speaker Bass's Facebook Page:

I am very excited to announce that I will be launching a campaign to fill the congressional seat being vacated by my dear friend and mentor, Congresswoman Diane Watson. Earlier today, the Congresswoman, City Controller Wendy Greuel, Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and grassroots leaders joined me at a press conference announcing my campaign, and I hope you can support me as well.

Well Speaker Bass, are you going to take up Rep. Watson's championing of the Cherokee Freedmen? How about those disenfranchised Native Americans in CA? Will you refuse campaign donations from tribes that violate the civil rights of their people? Pechanga, Redding, Enterprise, San Pascual, Picayune all should be avoided.

What say you.

Rep. Diane Watson, Champion of Cherokee Freedmen, to Resign

A champion for the rights of the Cherokee Freedmen, this leaves a hole in the support of those who have been disenfranchised by tribal governments. Karen Bass was recently fined for not reporting gifts from, among others, The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, noted violators of the civil rights of their people. Well, certain members anyway.

Rep. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles), a prominent African American politician for more than three decades, plans to announce her retirement from Congress on Thursday, opening her seat for a possible run by termed-out state Assembly Speaker Karen Bass.Watson, 76, plans to hold a Los Angeles news conference to announce her plans.

A House Democratic leadership aide, speaking on condition that he not be named, confirmed her retirement plans.A congressional source said Watson was tiring of the cross-country trips and wanted to spend more time with her mother, who recently turned 100.

Watson's challenger is Felton Newell, who is getting money from the Oklahoma Cherokee Nation.

Letter to Committee on Internet Gaming

The issue of Internet Poker is being addressed at the Capitol on Tuesday morning and in the days ahead. This is an important issue that could impact all of you who are Native American and Without a Tribe.

The following letter needs to be emailed and/or faxed asap to the following political leaders who will be among those making the decisions on this issue:

Email to: Fax to:

Assemblymember.Bass@assembly.ca.gov Speaker Bass: (916) 319-2147
Senator.Steinberg@senate.ca.gov Senator Steinberg (916) 323-2263

Senator.Wright@senate.ca.gov Senator Wright: (916) 445-3712

See further instructions below:

I am attaching the letter in file form and I am pasting the letter below. The fastest way to send this letter via email is to copy and paste it into the email you plan to send. Once you paste it in your email, be sure to type in your name and address in the space provided at the end of the letter.

Thank you for your co-operation on this important issue,


February 8, 2010

California Senate
Government Organization Committee
Chairman Roderick Wright
1020 N Street, Room 584
Sacramento, CA 95814

Re: Internet Poker in California

Dear Chairman Wright:

I understand that your Committee will be holding a hearing regarding internet poker in California . It has been reported that the reason for this hearing is a proposal by several gaming tribes and card clubs to get a monopoly to provide internet poker in California .

The proposal would allow the tribes and card clubs to offer internet gaming in California and they would split the profits. I have not read if the State would receive any portion of the proceeds from internet gaming, and I wonder if all California Indians will benefit from the proceeds.

The voters of California passed several propositions which allowed California Tribes to open casinos in California and provide gaming similar to that found in Las Vegas and Atlantic City . We were lead to believe that Indian gaming would benefit all California Indians, but I know this has not been the case.

Indian gaming brings in billions of dollars and a handful of the large gaming tribes reap most of the profits. The non-gaming tribes also receive a portion of the profits through revenue sharing in the gaming compacts. However, there are thousands of California Indians who do not benefit from the proceeds of Indian gaming.

These California Indians, who are also recognized by the federal government, are not enrolled in a California Tribe. Some may be members of Tribes who were terminated by the federal government and others have been disenrolled or denied membership in one of the many California tribes which has reduced its rolls after the approval and expansion of Indian gaming in California .

The thousands of federally recognized California Indians who are not members of a recognized California Tribe must also be provided for in any bill in which the California Legislature is going to allow California Tribes run internet gaming in California. The Legislature has a responsibility to all California Indians, not just to the federally recognized tribes, to provide for them equally.

I look forward to your response regarding this issue and the points I have made. Please remember that you have a responsibility to all of California ’s citizens, including its first citizens.

Sincerely:


Name:

Address:

Cc: Speaker Bass
Senate President Pro Tem Steinberg