Potawatomi Life

Living in an environment where wealth and status are protected at any costs, has finally reached a pinnacle for me. Tribal members were long a concern of mine as I became involved with tribal politics in 1990.

The life has not been very nice but living under the umbrellas of a father who has murdered is not easy for anyone. Life as a tribal member is an emotional ride for many that have been in my shoes.

Yesterday I searched for help, possibly the last time, from the one of the offices that could possibly help tribal members whose sovereign rights are being handed over to tribal corporations that have no interest in tribal member success.

This story is not new and many depictions are found throughout history where tribal leaders relinquish tribal authority for short-lived power and control.

The loser in this scenario is always the tribal member, with intent on many occasions by its own leadership.

Tribal court is not a tool for tribal member problems but a problem creator as centuries of governmental abuse continue.

Civil rights are ignored and disjoined tribal members look for social relief to provide for themselves.

The demeaning of the tribal member’s character continues as we continue to lose our rights to tribal corporations composed of largely non-tribal and non-Indian people.

Oppressive tribal corporations are nothing but a transfer of wealth intended for tribal members.

Abuse, manipulation and oppressions continue at the hands of non-tribal members posing as tribal government employees.

Fighting a losing battle is terrifying but onward I go…

Recently the tribal police, who are cross-deputized (thanks to yours truly), served me with a personal protection order from the tribal accounting director. The problem is my own tribal court of whom I have been begging to help with the Chief and his discriminatory and predatory behavior, that he and his family have portrayed upon me will not be heard. The Chief accepts Federal subsidies to run the court and employs his wife as the clerk.

If I file a complaint the complaint is lost, has not merit and label frivolous by attorneys of the Michigan State Bar Association.

I turned to the Michigan State Police for answers because the tribal accounting director is a white woman and the tribal court has no jurisdiction over her, civilly or criminally. She recently received protection from the tribal court for feeling threatened by this tribal member who was attempting to verify tribal member investments in tribal government payroll. The tribe government invested over 5 million in payroll cost during the recent economic shut down by the Governor of Michigan. These investments had no benefit to tribal members or its government and business operations, whatsoever,

The tribe government has not cooperated with this tribal member as this accounting director continues to benefit immensely from tribal member efforts from entrepreneurship, beginning in 1987 with Indian Gaming.

I have been attempting to have the Tribal Chief, Kenneth Meshigaud and Tribal Casino Manager, Tony Mancilla, both tribal members, to help me but they continue to use the federally funded courts to try and destroy my character.

The Chief will not even verify all the accomplishments I put on my resume, which makes me look stupid and evil.

The Federal and State government attempted to help him jail me in 1994 over trumped up rape charges. This done not once but twice.

The State Police have been the most professional to me so far and the only time I saw any person feel for my predicament was the arresting officer of the Michigan State Police.

Officer Mary G was the only person to ever apologize to me. She almost cried. I felt really bad for her as I left Marquette Michigan, where I took a lie detector test for the FBI.

The State Police did attempt to offer this tribal member help but it is out their jurisdiction.

I have to complain all over the place and still get turned away.

Tribal Members have no protection on the reservation and are feared by white women who produce many children for them.

I am tired but I have to continue on for the Tribal Member who is getting eroded from the scene of tribal sovereignty.

Tribal programs and corporations are largely “caucaian” and this is cetainly not the intended outcome of Indian Gaming.

I have to write President Trump. He may take an interest in this fact.

They do not look Indian to me but they are setting the rules and benefiting a lot more than your average tribal member.

Tribal governments should be abolished and restructured to guarantee tribal members their own resources.

Today started off with some relief for civil complaints of a tribal member on the reservation. After 25 years of being manipulated by tribal court and government the Michigan State Police is going to attempt to help a tribal member with civil rights issues.

I have long been a “separatist”, if you will, when it comes to state jurisdiction on the reservation but after years of unjust, unfair and discriminatory treatment by tribal government officials and managers I have no where left to complain.

The officer I spoke to was very professional and took time to listen to my story. It made my entire year, probably more.

Today I feel better because my own tribal police will not look into any civil issues for me but the State of Michigan will even though there may be jurisdictional issues.

It feels good to have someone in authority make me feel like they are helping me. I have been looking for this treatment from my own tribal police for years but the tribal chief is pretty corrupt and signs the checks. Enough said on that issue.

Shout out to Col. Jeremy from the Michigan State Police for being so professional. These are the type of public servants needed worldwide.

Hats off to the Michigan State Police for returning calls and communicating with this tribal member.

#Michigan State Police https://www.michigan.gov/msp/

When I began this journey of leadership on the Hannahville Indian Reservation, looking Indian was important to me. Looking Indian is a way to maintain identity for many tribal members. Being brown skinned, having long black hair and enjoying drinking is the image most tribal members or Indians have accepted as identifying tribal membership.

This is not the case today as many tribal members on the Hannahville Indian Reservation are meeting new challenges that prevent them from obtaining resources needed for family and personal care. Improving the tribal members health, safety and wealth has become harder to obtain as corruption erodes the intent of Indian Gaming and Tribal Investment.

This writer is a tribal member and is again caught in a system that was designed to help me as a tribal member. This system now has jailed and criminalized this member on more than one occasion. The reasoning was to protect tribal law and the intent of Indian Gaming. The matter is now heightened as tribal court, administration and management (70 percent NOT Tribal members) are issuing personal protection orders to white people. While this tribal member is told his complaints are frivolous and tribal court has not the time for a tribal members civil concerns about employment and contracting.

This same court can label tribal members in secretive meetings and predetermine tribal members position in the tribe. Irregardless of education, physical or mental well being.

The blanket of Sovereignty has been given to non-tribal members (paid employees and contractors) by our Tribal Leadership.

Tribal members have no civil recourse while white women, men and gays remain terrified of drunken Indians on the reservation. So terrified in fact that the “tribe” (70 % NON-INDIAN) has guaranteed them pay for three years.

Tribal Members still have no guarantees or civil protection from predatory behavior being perpetuated by corruption of the tribal court, administrative and managerial operators.

President Trump was correct when he told the U.S. Government that “They do not look like Indians to me…”.

I agree with him now after evaluating my own government, administration and contracted managers it appears that tribal members will never manage their own affairs.

And why?

The Chief needs his beads, trinkets and fake power.

The tribe is not tribal members, it is the tribal government and its businesses which are 70 % non-Indian.

Tribal governments need to be abolished and restricted to meet tribal members needs.