Elder Abuse by Pechanga?

Paulina Hunter's blog asks the question whether the Pechanga Bands disenrollment of their seniors constitute elder abuse? They have lost their medical care that they qualified for as members. And many were given so little notice, they couldn't get uninterupted coverage. The tribe wouldn't even allow COBRA.

There were over 50 Elders (Silver Feathers) forcibly removed from the tribe including those that have lived on the reservation for over 50 years. Does the AARP know about this? Who stands for the elders who suffered the termination of their cultural heritage.

Pechanga forgets that their most vaunted Silver Feather, Antonio Ashman knew Paulina Hunter as Pechanga when they both were on the reservation (pre 1895)

From their own website: The location is now near the west end of Loma Linda Road on the Temecula Creek Golf-course's fairway. The late Antonio Ashman, a vaunted Pechanga Tribal member born three years after the eviction recounted how the eviction-trek ended: "They just dumped them here"— pointing to a low hill near the golf-course. "Just dumped them!"

This means he was born in 1878 and was old enough at 20 to know Paulina Hunter when she was alive. Again,

Pechanga Council, you have shamed the memory of the elders who suffered and triumphed together in the 1870's.

Interior to Delay Final Step On Pechanga, other Compacts.

In a good move, Interior Department won't allow civil rights violator Pechanga and other Tribes to get started on adding new slots without the vote of the people.

A spokesman for Attorney General Jerry Brown, who represents both the governor and the secretary of state, would say only that “a compact must be valid under state law as well as receiving federal approval.” And, since the people haven't approved it, it's NOT valid.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20071204-9999-1n4compacts.html

Tell your friends, you heard it here first.

Pechanga waiting to install slots after Feds approval

Last week I posted that the expanded gaming issue was in limbo and now it looks like Pechanga has followed my advice where I advised waiting until the referendum is voted on by Californians.
It appears that even though Pechanga has been working on expanded gaming for 9 months, spent loads of money on their favorite politicians, planned for success, well, the EARLIEST that Pechanga can get the machines running is 1st quarter 2008.
Additional, Pechanga has added $5 million MORE to the pot for commercials. $10.5 million now trying to convince us that 5,000 additional slots to a tribe that violates their people's rights is a good thing. Is that all civil rights are worth? To Pechanga, and to Californians?

Union rights are one thing, civil, human, property, voting rights are quite another. DO not reward Pechanga.

Pechanga: Without a Tribe Pechanga Tribe Destroys Indians

http://originalpechanga.blogspot.com/2007/11/pechanga-knbcs-without-tribe.html

I'm re-linking to the article above, which is ALSO linked on my blogroll to the February piece on KNBC, WITHOUT A TRIBE. This is in honor of the visit my blog got from somebody at KNBC today. I think it's good that I keep reminding my friends, family and readers to look at that piece. Its the most shared video in their collection.

Please rate the video. They have a stars ranking. Leave some comments on how you feel about Pechanga eliminating more Natives than the White Man has this century.
THANKS KNBC!

YOU TUBE joins the debate on expanded gaming Against PECHANGA

UPDATE II: A new video from a man who was banished from Pechanga and whose sisters are members, but they left him out will be coming soon, but here's his first attempt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV7oOLyDWCc

I'll try to find the pictures of the guards keeping him from the rez where his father is buried.

UPDATE: This video is back up on YOUTUBE. It details the disenrollment of the Hunter family:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=197D9A5DC9BFD5C1

Here are a couple of videos from YouTube that are anti expanded gaming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8AB1Z90HDc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-t39Aak-JE&feature=related

Thank you Bingorage and Tribal Watch Y Blogabarbara

We got a nice mention at : Native Art, Bingorage and Other Stuff Welcome to new readers

Tribal Watch at http://tribalwatch.blogspot.com/ has added us to the blog roll. They are linked on my blog roll discussing the Chumash.

UPDATE: http://blogabarbara.blogspot.com/ also links to Original Pechanga's blog in a Chumash story. Thank you

Gambling Vote in Limbo: Pechanga waiting....

I'll link to more stories like this as they appear. The PEOPLE of the state of California will have the last word on this, either through the referendum process, or the recall process. The four tribes are putting their heads together right now, asking themselves: "do we add the machines, or don't we?" And they'd be wise to take their time with this. BACKLASH, can be a horrible word. Hey, people like to gamble, obviously, but they don't like getting screwed.

Can you say, unlimited gambling in California? I think you can. The customer will choose to go elsewhere, rather than a business they now know is without scruples.

Gambling vote in limbo
SAN DIEGO -- A statewide vote on the expansion of gambling at four Southern California Indian casinos has potentially been short-circuited by a federal government decision, it was reported today.
Requests to dramatically increase the amount and types of gambling at the four reservation casinos was to be decided by California voters in the Feb. 5 state primary election, when four initiatives are on the ballot. But the San Diego Union-Tribune has learned that the U.S. Interior Department has suddenly ratified compacts between the state government and the tribes, possibly making the February votes moot.
Attorneys for other tribes, and for union groups that have opposed the additional gambling, say they were surprised by the Bush Administration’s decision to ratify the gambling compacts before California voters could make a decision on them. Wealthy tribes seeking casino expansions are locked in a bitter battle with casino-less tribes, and unions that have been frozen out of casino contracts.

Almost $30 million has been raised to flood the state’s TV stations with pro- and anti-gambling commercials.

Comments

Currently the comments are open to all readers. I do moderate them of course, but so far, none have be deleted.
I'd like to hear your views, so start commenting.

Pechanga's Coins in the Legislative Fountain

How the Tribes got their compact through the legislature

Coins in the legislative Fountain by Belinda YU

American Indians donated $30,400 to the “Taxpayers for Perata” election committee and a staggering $784,400 to the “Rebuilding California” committee, a Perata-backed political action committee that supports the state’s multimillion-dollar infrastructure bonds.
Three of the five tribes that could stand to gain the most from the deals donated hundreds of thousands to the Perata campaign.
The Agua Caliente tribe of Palm Springs, which owns two casinos in Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs and has an ongoing deal for building a third, donated $11,200 to Perata’s re-election campaign and made a $100,000 contribution to “Rebuilding California” last September.
The Pechanga tribe, which owns one of California’s largest casinos on the Indian reservation in Temecula and has also inked a deal to expand their gaming operations, gave $16,000 to Perata’s campaign and $100,000 to Perata's committee.
The Morongo tribe of Riverside County owns a hotel and casino complex in Cabazon, near Palm Springs. The Morongo made a $5600 donation to Perata’s campaign and contributed $200,000 to Perata’s infrastructure committee.

Democrat Perata STILL BEING INVESTIGATED
Term Limits Measure Has Special “Don Perata” Provision

In the takes one to know one mode.... Pechanga and Don Perata.....

Communicating to Legislators and News Orgas

Many family and friends have asked how they can help us get our message out. Well, luckily for us, in the electronic age, we can send e-mail quickly, easily and never have to buy or lick a stamp. Here is a good example of the type of communication that gets the point across of (in this case) Pechanga's corrupt activities and the need for the legislators to look into it.

Thank you Guero, for this letter. Friends and readers, please consider sending something similar to your assemblyperson.


To Whom It May Concern:

The Government's primary mission is to regulate gaming activities on Indian lands for the purpose of shielding Indian tribes from organized crime and other corrupting influences; to ensure that Indian tribes are the primary beneficiaries of gaming revenue; and to assure that gaming is conducted fairly and honestly by both operators and players.

Then there is the corruption and civil rights abuses that have also been taking place but have had no opportunity of evaluation of merit because of sovereign immunity, and it is the responsibility of the government and the people of California to address all issues in accordance with predetermined mandate " to insure the well being of all citizens of California and the United States"

To achieve these goals, the Legislator is authorized to conduct investigations; undertake enforcement actions, including the issuance of violation, assessment of civil fines, and/or issuance of closure orders; conduct background investigations; conduct audits; and review and approve Tribal gaming ordinances, as well as insure their right of self determination as well as have a say in the process of fair and unbiased treatment of others and self in relationship to deciding what is best for all and not letting the influence of money from tribal gaming be the sole decider of economic policy for all of California.

The reason for this call to action is the corruption has gone too far and the perpetrators, specifically Pechanga Officials continue because of the knowledge of sovereign immunity. I am a displaced member of Pechanga who never should have been disenrolled. As a US citizen it is wrong to see the representative whom I vote for looking only at the economic side. There is a human side that is in need of attention. If a group of people can treat blood relatives so badly what makes anyone think that other illegal advantages could not be achieved, and all because of immunity of prosecution and no governmental oversight whatsoever.

Please consider my thoughts this is a growing problem that is not going to go away.

Sincerely Yours

Federal Govt. Trumps CA Voters; Arnold OK with it

Looks like the Federal Govt. does not want Californians to decide in state matters. They have approved the compacts

Interior Dept. OKs tribes' gambling agreements

By James P. Sweeney
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

8:33 p.m. November 30, 2007

SACRAMENTO – In a stunning development, federal officials confirmed late Friday that controversial gambling agreements for four Southern California Indian tribes, including Sycuan of El Cajon, have been approved by the U.S Interior Department.
As a result, under federal law, the multibillion-dollar deals could take effect early next week even though all face a statewide vote on the Feb. 5 ballot.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who negotiated the agreements, called the unexpected development “good news.”

“The governor believes that these compacts are strong and that this action by the federal government upholds the validity of the compacts,” Sabrina Lockhart said.

The administration, however, also was assessing the many legal questions, including what it may mean for the pending ballot measures, Lockhart said.

“We are pleased that the federal government has approved the Pechanga compact,” Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro said. “This approval reaffirms the validity of this comprehensive government agreement.”

Civil Rights Org. Opposes Big 4 compacts

Civil Rights Organization Opposes Compacts with Big 4 Tribes
TEMECULA, CA - The American Indian Rights and Resources Organization ("AIRRO"), a civil rights advocacy group, has joined the growing number of tribes, labor unions, and environmental groups in opposition to the gaming compacts signed with the Pechanga, Morongo, Sycuan, and Agua Caliente Tribes. AIRRO cited the failure of the Governor, the tribes, and the State Legislature to include language in the compacts that would protect and preserve the basic human and civil rights of tribal employees, casino patrons, and the thousands of others who do business with the tribes.

"The expansion of tribal gaming in California has seen an increase in the number of human and civil rights violations, especially within Tribes that have gaming operations," stated AIRRO President, John Gomez, Jr. "These compacts were the perfect place to address these rights issues and to protect California citizens from further abuses."

"The Governor and the State Legislature let the citizens of California down in negotiating and approving these compacts. Fortunately, the voters of California will have an opportunity to vote "No" on these compacts and force the Big 4 tribes back to the drawing board to negotiate new compacts- compacts that are fair to California's citizens and respect basic rights."

AIRRO also believes that the compacts with the Big 4 tribes fail to adhere to the purpose and intent of previous gaming initiatives where California voters were led to believe that Indian gaming would benefit all California Indians.
"A news article in the Sacramento Bee estimated that only a small percentage of California Indians actually benefit from Indian Gaming," said Gomez. "With the rise in human and civil rights violations in California Indian Country, we expect that the percentage may be even less as thousands of California Indians have been stripped of or denied citizenship in their tribes. As a result, these dis-enfranchised Indians have been cut-off from or denied health care benefits, elder benefits, education assistance, and other social services provided by their tribal governments. Most must now avail themselves of state and federal programs at taxpayer expense."
Along with several other organizations, AIRRO has signed the ballot arguments in opposition to the Big 4 tribes' compacts. The ballot arguments provide voters information on the proposed ballot initiatives and are distributed to all of California's registered voters.

For more information on the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization, go to www.airro.org or email mail@airro.org. OP: Please join AIRRO if you aren't already a member

CalFedTeachers: NO to Pechanga, no on 94,95,96,97

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/11/big_4_gambling.html

Big 4 Gambling Deals – A Bad Deal For Education And For California--“No” on 94, 95, 96 and 97
By Marty HittelmanPresidentCalifornia Federation of Teachers

Every once in a while voters get a chance to correct a legislative mistake. The Secretary of State has officially qualified four referenda, Propositions 94, 95, 96 and 97, for the February 5, 2008 ballot. That means voters will have a chance to reverse the “sweet heart deal” that the governor and the majority of the legislature made with a few wealthy Tribes. Of course, I’m referring to the Big 4 Gambling Deals -- a political giveaway that would result in unfairly benefiting four of the state’s wealthiest and most powerful Indian tribes at the expense of other tribes, workers and taxpayers. OP: Not to mention rewarding Pechanga for violating the civil and human rights of 25% of their membership.

As an educator, these deals are especially bad because those behind them promise schools will benefit, when the truth is, not one penny is guaranteed to education.
We’ve arrived at this point after these Big 4 Tribes -- Pechanga, Morongo, Sycuan and Agua Caliente – spent millions in campaign contributions to cut themselves a Sacramento deal that dramatically shifts the state’s gaming policy from modest growth to rapid expansion. During the past few months, they spent millions more trying to keep their deals off the ballot by hiring people to block the signature-gathering effort. However, nearly three million referendum signatures were collected to demand the opportunity voters now have to cast a vote against these terrible deals. OP: Thats more than 15% of the adult population of CA signing the petitions.

Now that they’re in the position of selling their deals to California voters, they’re making misleading claims about the benefits to the state.

Now is the time for commenting at the article

Who Opposes Expanded Gaming?

AIRRO for one, they are prominently displayed on the front page of NO UNFAIR DEALS website. Check their site out and please join.

California Federation of Teachers is another.