Post by blackcrowheart on Mar 31, 2008 13:36:36 GMT -5
Jodi Rave: Speak ill, get kicked off reservation
Mar 29, 2008 - 04:06:07 CDT
"Let us dare to read, speak and write." - John Adams, 1765
Jeanne Hobbs wanted financial assistance from her tribe to get her roof fixed.
She was told no money existed.
Next, a tribal officer arrived at her doorstep intent on enforcing a new ordinance on the Rocky Boy's Reservation in Montana that allowed the tribe to seize personal property - including homes, cows and computers - if a person had allegedly made defamatory remarks about a tribal leader.
If the accused was found guilty, the tribe could sell the property, banish the citizen from the reservation for up to five years and levy a $5,000 fine.
A second offense could lead to "relinquishment of enrollment" and a permanent ban from the reservation.
Banned citizens would be considered "legally dead and a nonentity with no civil rights," nor could they "come before the courts of the tribe for any reason."
The tribal officer asked the 70-year-old to go with them to police headquarters to answer questions about a defamatory letter that had been circulating on the reservation.
The "slander-libel" ordinance adopted Feb. 7 made it a tribal offense for anyone to harm the reputation or integrity of another, either with spoken or written statements.
The ordinance was intended to protect tribal leaders, tribal employees, appointed subcommittee members and immediate family members.
"Politics have changed quite a bit over the years," said Chippewa Cree Chief of Staff Richard Sangrey.
He said defamatory letters about tribal citizens have been circulating across the reservation for more than a decade. One of the last letters included "untrue" and disparaging remarks about tribal councilmen's children and immediate family members.
"It went a little too far," Sangrey said.
The ordinance was adopted before a full tribal council quorum. Five Chippewa Cree business council members voted for passage of the ordinance, including Montana State Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy.
The council drafted the ordinance with the help of two lawyers.
Ultimately, the tribe chose to ignore the rights any U.S. citizen would take for granted.
"No place else in the United States could this happen, but on the reservation," said Debbie St. Pierre, who also was questioned at the tribal police department under the defamation ordinance.
A community revolt and successful petition drive led to the repeal of the ordinance March 14 by an 8-0 tribal council vote.
"It was too severe," said Clement Hobbs, Jeanne's husband. "Some of the council did it to protect themselves. It wasn't for the people."
The U.S. founding fathers included freedom of speech in Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights.
In 1968, the Indian Civil Rights Act was passed to reaffirm similar rights for American Indians, a political entity often bound by the constitutions of their tribe and the United States.
But Rocky Boy's Reservation leaders proved how far some tribal leaders are willing to gamble with - and ignore - citizen rights.
Unfortunately, Rocky Boy's tribal citizens have precious few venues to voice their concerns.
Tribal budget restraints recently led to the closure of the tribal newspaper. The tribe doesn't have a radio station to share news and inform citizens about daily events in their community.
The Chippewa Cree Tribe needs to be more transparent.
It can begin by informing its citizens with truthful and accurate information about tribal government leaders, programs and spending.
The founding fathers declared revolution when England's power brokers took wanton steps to strip early colonists of their voice and conduct unlawful searches and seizures.
That was more than 230 years ago.
Sangrey was right when he said political times have changed.
But that shouldn't mean an end to the protection of civil rights for any U.S. citizen.
St. Pierre said she and others have sought to have their civil rights enforced by political leaders or government bureaucrats outside the tribe.
But they always end up with "no place to go."
"They tell us to take it to the tribal court," said St. Pierre. "But the tribal council controls the tribal courts."
(Jodi Rave covers Native issues for Lee News Service. Reach her at 800-366-7186 or jodi.rave@;lee.net.)
Mar 29, 2008 - 04:06:07 CDT
"Let us dare to read, speak and write." - John Adams, 1765
Jeanne Hobbs wanted financial assistance from her tribe to get her roof fixed.
She was told no money existed.
Next, a tribal officer arrived at her doorstep intent on enforcing a new ordinance on the Rocky Boy's Reservation in Montana that allowed the tribe to seize personal property - including homes, cows and computers - if a person had allegedly made defamatory remarks about a tribal leader.
If the accused was found guilty, the tribe could sell the property, banish the citizen from the reservation for up to five years and levy a $5,000 fine.
A second offense could lead to "relinquishment of enrollment" and a permanent ban from the reservation.
Banned citizens would be considered "legally dead and a nonentity with no civil rights," nor could they "come before the courts of the tribe for any reason."
The tribal officer asked the 70-year-old to go with them to police headquarters to answer questions about a defamatory letter that had been circulating on the reservation.
The "slander-libel" ordinance adopted Feb. 7 made it a tribal offense for anyone to harm the reputation or integrity of another, either with spoken or written statements.
The ordinance was intended to protect tribal leaders, tribal employees, appointed subcommittee members and immediate family members.
"Politics have changed quite a bit over the years," said Chippewa Cree Chief of Staff Richard Sangrey.
He said defamatory letters about tribal citizens have been circulating across the reservation for more than a decade. One of the last letters included "untrue" and disparaging remarks about tribal councilmen's children and immediate family members.
"It went a little too far," Sangrey said.
The ordinance was adopted before a full tribal council quorum. Five Chippewa Cree business council members voted for passage of the ordinance, including Montana State Rep. Jonathan Windy Boy.
The council drafted the ordinance with the help of two lawyers.
Ultimately, the tribe chose to ignore the rights any U.S. citizen would take for granted.
"No place else in the United States could this happen, but on the reservation," said Debbie St. Pierre, who also was questioned at the tribal police department under the defamation ordinance.
A community revolt and successful petition drive led to the repeal of the ordinance March 14 by an 8-0 tribal council vote.
"It was too severe," said Clement Hobbs, Jeanne's husband. "Some of the council did it to protect themselves. It wasn't for the people."
The U.S. founding fathers included freedom of speech in Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution and the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights.
In 1968, the Indian Civil Rights Act was passed to reaffirm similar rights for American Indians, a political entity often bound by the constitutions of their tribe and the United States.
But Rocky Boy's Reservation leaders proved how far some tribal leaders are willing to gamble with - and ignore - citizen rights.
Unfortunately, Rocky Boy's tribal citizens have precious few venues to voice their concerns.
Tribal budget restraints recently led to the closure of the tribal newspaper. The tribe doesn't have a radio station to share news and inform citizens about daily events in their community.
The Chippewa Cree Tribe needs to be more transparent.
It can begin by informing its citizens with truthful and accurate information about tribal government leaders, programs and spending.
The founding fathers declared revolution when England's power brokers took wanton steps to strip early colonists of their voice and conduct unlawful searches and seizures.
That was more than 230 years ago.
Sangrey was right when he said political times have changed.
But that shouldn't mean an end to the protection of civil rights for any U.S. citizen.
St. Pierre said she and others have sought to have their civil rights enforced by political leaders or government bureaucrats outside the tribe.
But they always end up with "no place to go."
"They tell us to take it to the tribal court," said St. Pierre. "But the tribal council controls the tribal courts."
(Jodi Rave covers Native issues for Lee News Service. Reach her at 800-366-7186 or jodi.rave@;lee.net.)