Friday, March 30, 2007

Pechanga Killer gets 44 years!

FRENCH VALLEY ---- After saying this was a "very, very difficult" case to forget, a Riverside County Superior Court judge Thursday sentenced a Pechanga tribal member to 44 years to life for running down and killing a Brawley woman and her young grandson nearly two years ago."I remember this vividly," Judge Albert Wojcik said.
Joey Barrientos, 27, was convicted in November of second-degree murder for the deaths of Martha Romero, 56, and her 9-year-old grandson, Pedro. Two other relatives of the victims, including a 4-year-old girl, were injured but survived the July 23, 2005 crash.
Barrientos, while under the influence of methamphetamine, drove a speeding, full-size Ford pickup into the group who were unloading their vehicle to go to a large family gathering on Autumn Woods Road in French Valley

Is giving $300K to a meth addict a smart thing?


PLEASE read: http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

Thursday, March 29, 2007

View Paulina Hunter's Blog on MYSPACE

Her blog is at: http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

There are a lot of links. She reports that she has reached over 10,000 blog views.

There are links to KNBC's Video, WITHOUT A TRIBE

Take a look

Here are a couple of other links on Pechanga Corruption

Please make sure you are looking at : www.pechanga.info

and Paulina Hunter of Pechanga's blog at: http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

Letter in Opposition to Pechanga Band Compact

Please help by sending in a fax or letter to CA Senator Padilla


Senator Alex Padilla
6150 Van Nuys Blvd., #400Van Nuys, CA 91401
Phone: (818) 901-5588
Fax: (818) 901-5562


Dear Senator Padilla:
I write to you today in opposition to the Pechanga Band Compact for which you were reported in the Californian newspaper as being the sponsor.
My opposition to the Pechanga Band's compact is based on several issues. I oppose the Pechanga Band compact based on the Pechanga government's horrendous record of human and civil rights violations. I also oppose the Pechanga Band's amended compact because I do not believe that any government or agency which has committed atrocities against its own people should benefit from the public trust.
First of all, the Pechanga Band and its tribal officials have committed numerous human and civil rights violations since the signing and ratification of their last gaming compact with the State of California.
In 2004, just prior to regularly scheduled tribal elections, 130+ adult members and their immediate families were disenrolled from the Pechanga Band. The members were all descendants of Chief Pablo Apish, a historically significant leader of the Pechanga/Temecula people.
Apish's status as Chief of the Pechanga Indians was extolled on the Pechanga Band's Official website prior to and after his descendants disenrollments. It was not until after a story published in the local newspaper, the very same newspaper that mentioned your sponsorship of the bill to ratify the amended Pechanga Compact, pointed this fact out to Chairman Macarro that mention of Pechanga Chief Apish was deleted from the Pechanga Band's web site.
During the disenrollments, the descendants of Chief Pablo Apish were subjected to the very same actions prohibited by the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 ("ICRA"). The descendants were denied due process, equal protection of tribal and federal laws, and were eventually stripped of their tribal citizenship when Pechanga tribal officials applied, ex post facto, language claimed to have changed the tribe's membership requirements. This action too violated the ICRA prohibition on bills of attainder.
Unfortunately, Pechanga tribal officials did not stop there criminal ways. In March 2006, an additional extended family of approximately 100 adults was disenrolled when tribal officials determined that the ancestor from whom they are lineally descended from was not an Original Pechanga/Temecula person. This determination was made despite the fact that a report prepared by a well known anthropologist hired by the Pechanga tribal officials concluded the ancestor was in fact a Pechanga/Temecula person. The most recent disenrollment of 100+ adults and children was especially egregious as the General Membership, the Tribe's governing body, had previously passed a law which (1) repealed the Tribe's disenrollment procedures and (2) made it illegal for the Enrollment Committee to disenroll members.
However, several months after the enactment of the tribal law, Pechanga tribal officials, in private session, decided that the rights and protections enumerated in the tribal law applied to all tribal members except for 1 extended family. And, in a memo dated November 29, 2005, the Tribal Council notified the Enrollment Committee that the Committee could commence with disenrollment against the family.
The Tribal Council had a duty, under tribal law (Constitution and Bylaws, Article V), to ensure that the provisions of the tribal law enacted on July 18, 2005 were enforced and applied equally to all members of the Tribe. In violation of its own Constitution and the ICRA, Pechanga tribal officials breeched their duty.
As a result, nearly 100 eligible voting members were stripped of their right to participate in upcoming tribal elections, to receive the benefits and privileges of membership, and to receive allocations from gaming proceeds in accordance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
The Tribal Council's actions are prima facie examples of prejudicial acts intended to deny targeted citizens of rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the Indian Civil Rights Act, and tribal law.
I mention these violations of the ICRA because, as a matter of record, the California State Legislature supports and is committed to the enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968 (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1301 and following). Upon its passage, the ICRA was intended to "… protect individual Indians from arbitrary and unjust actions of tribal governments" and to secure for the individual American Indian the broad constitutional rights afforded all other American citizens.
Despite the prohibitions on tribal governments listed in the ICRA, Pechanga Tribal officials have hid behind the Tribe's sovereignty to escape prosecution and prevent the victims from seeking recourse for the injury and harm which have resulted from the human and civil rights violations. Although the tribal officials may be immune from suit, this does not equate to innocence of action.
Whereas the actions taken by Pechanga Band tribal officials are the very same as those prohibited by the ICRA, Pechanga tribal officials and the Pechanga government find themselves at odds with the California Legislature regarding the rights which should be afforded tribal citizens and citizens of California.
It is because of these gross violations of human and civil rights, that I oppose any further benefits be provided to the Pechanga Band until such time as the California Legislature holds hearings regarding the acts taken by the Pechanga government to deny tribal and California citizens rights guaranteed by law. I strongly believe that no entity that participates in, supports, or otherwise partakes in human and/or civil rights violations should benefit from the public trust.
Can the California Legislature trust the Pechanga government and its tribal officials to uphold the rights of other California citizens when they are so willing to strip and deny tribal citizens of the same rights? Is the California Legislature willing to play Pechanga Roulette with the rights of California's citizens?
I think the answer to both questions is a resounding "NO".
It is my firm belief that the Pechanga Band's amended compact should be denied and the State of California should require that the Pechanga Band go back to the negotiating table and agree to language that protects the rights of all California citizens and prevents the Pechanga government and Pechanga tribal officials from claiming immunity from suit for violations of the human and civil rights of California citizens.
Finally, I hope that you and your fellow legislators will not be held hostage by the money the State would gain under the Pechanga Band's amended compact. Such monetary gains could come at the expense of California's citizens if the State Legislature fails to address the issues listed above. I also believe that such gains are not solely tied to this amended compact but could be realized in an additional amended compact which includes protections of California citizens' rights and a form of redress for violations of said rights.Respectfully submitted,

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Learn More about Tribal Disenrollments

Tribal disenrollments, such as what the Pechanga Tribal Council did to their people, is a heart-wrenching act.

Please look at the blog Paulina Hunter of Pechanga at: http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

There is a ton of information, links to news articles.

PLEASE link to my blog, you will be helping me to get the story out.

PECHANGA GREED knows no bounds

Pechanga is trying to get 3,000 more machines. FOR WHAT?

They have massacred 25% of their tribe, eliminating more Indians this century than any other nation.

They have taken the per capita of the disenrolled members and divvied it up amongst themselves. WHY would they need more income? They are NOT helping their rightful members, they are not adding members, they are denying their members civil rights.

See Paulina Hunters Blog on myspace: http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

Monday, March 26, 2007

Pechanga Disenrollment: Todays Genocide

There is much more informationa and articles at:

http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga PLEASE visit that blog too.



Pechanga Disenrollment: Today's Genocide


Beautiful article written by Tamra Brennan of www.NDNnews.com about the genocide that tribes like Pechanga practice on their people:
http://www.ndnnews.com/Tribal%20Dis-Enrollment%20Issues.htm
Please visit her site and tell your friends where they can find NDNnews.
Today's genocideTribal dis-enrollment and the blood quantum issue are spreading throughout Indian Country like a deadly cancer, eating away the cells of our existence. Tribal gaming has attributed to and brought the dominant cultures disease, greed. Before the existence of tribal gaming, tribes suffered from poverty, unemployment, apathy and no sense of a brighter future to come. The sudden wealth that tribal members have experienced has forced them into a new realm they have never known. California gaming tribes pay their enrolled members amounts up to $45,000 a month in gaming revenues. Tribal gaming has ignited old family feuds and corrupt leadership in several cases. If tribal members do not agree with council decisions they risk tribal dis-enrollment, in a few cases it has been entire families. This leaves more revenues available to divide among the remaining tribal members. This has become a lucrative benefit adding thousands of dollars in their corrupt pockets. Many of these reservations have non-Indians running their tribal councils. These people are part of families that were adopted into the tribe many years ago and have taken control, dis-enrolling families that have been on the reservation for generations. Many of the California Tribes have been severely affected by this epidemic, with approximately 1500 dis-enrolled tribal members and many more currently being threatened. Several tribes have diversified in their economy and have succeeded in benefiting their people. Many have invested millions of dollars in developing programs to care for elders, children, preserving their culture and language. Unfortunately, for some the other side is greed, which has resulted in tribes turning on each other, family feuds, hate, drugs, violence and attempted murder in several cases. Many of the dis-enrolled tribal members have filed lawsuits with the courts, have requested investigations from the B.I.A. and other agencies, only to continually be rejected or told it is a family issue not a federal issue. The dis-enrolled tribal members are left with nowhere to turn and to defend themselves. What this amounts to is, a modern day cultural genocide and is resulting in what we have been fighting since 1492, only now, it is Indians ~vs.~ Indians. We are falling into what the dominant society has been attempting to accomplish for hundreds of years; to conquer and divide. All Native people will be affected by this in the end. Our ancestors fought against genocide with thousands giving their lives to protect the way of life for the people. I think they would be disgusted and appalled with this disease that is tearing apart and dividing Indian Country. Our survival as Native people will only be achieved though unity and living as one people inhabiting Turtle Island. Tribal gaming should have strengthened tribal sovereignty, brought financial freedom to the people and given hope for the future generations. Instead in to many cases, it has brought disunity, greed and spiritual sickness. Some of these cases of tribal dis-enrollment have developed due to the blood quantum issues. Tribes can change their guidelines on what percentage constitutes being "Indian" and/or a tribal member. For generations tribes have mixed with other tribes, whites and many other cultures. A tribal member or entire family can possibly be dis-enrolled due to this change in policy, even if they have resided on the reservation for generations and can attest to their lineage. There have been dozens of cases of tribes being denied federal recognition by the B.I.A. because they can not prove their blood quantum. There are full blood Indians that can not get a tribal card because they either are not from a Federally Recognized Tribe, or they have mixed Native blood and do not have enough "blood" from one specific tribe to enroll. In these cases the bottom line is, you are told by the government, you are not recognized as being "Indian". One thought that comes to mind is; why is the B.I.A. still governing and determining who is and who is not, Indian? The blood quantum policy is undoubtedly a self imposed recipe for extinction. If tribes were to maintain the required blood quantum of their members from generation to generation, they would have to intra-marry (marry within the tribe) in an ever decreasing pool of people with the "appropriate" blood quantum level, giving rise to genetic diseases that would surely finish us anyway. So here is a very clever catch-22 imposed by the federal government with the sure outcome of our extermination. To prevent this, the only option is to change this policy and take control of how we determine who belongs to each of our Nations.
Another variable of the blood quantum issue that currently divides Indian Country is people that have mixed blood; Indian with white, African American, Asian and many other ethnicities. For hundreds of years Native people have been intermixing with many other cultures resulting in varied physical appearances. Many eastern tribes have people who are full blood tribal members and have lighter features than many western tribes. There are people that have been mistaken as being "white," by other native people, when if fact they are not. How is telling a mixed blood or non tribally recognized person that they are not Indian, any different than the racism that has happened to all Native people for 513 years? My response to that is simply, "I'm part white but can't prove it." It is bad enough that we continue to fight for our rights and what we are entitled to with the government, why continually fight each other? Today we continue to be suppressed, ignored and our cultures disrespected. The continual division in Indian Country over tribal gaming, dis-enrollment issues and blood quantum issues could ultimately destroy us. If everyone would unite as one people, one nation, we would become stronger and more powerful. This would be a step forward in ensuring as Indian people we don't loose our ways, or let them succeed in the pursuit of Native People's extinction. Written by: Tamra Brennan Director of NDN News
"helping to make a difference for our people in Indian Country, one day at a time. What will you do today to help make a difference?

Will Native American Rights Fund HELP those Disenrolled?

Paulina Hunter's MYSPACE blog asks the question: WILL NARF HELP THOSE who were disenrolled from Pechanga and whose civil rights were violated?

If not, WHY NOT? What would make them choose a corrupt government's side versus those who have been wronged?


Please check out that blog at: Paulina Hunter's blog

Pass it on to your friends and feel free to link back to my blogs.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

KNBC Video on Pechanga Disenrollment

WITHOUT A TRIBE

The link has a compelling video, catching Mark Macarro in a lie right off. Please view and rate the video

Paulina Hunter Blog

Please check out Paulina Hunter's Blog on MYSPACE:

http://blog.myspace.com/paulinahunterofpechanga

It also tells the tale of CORRUPTION at Pechanga