Tribal members need to fight for children’s future
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Editor,
“It’s for the children.”
We heard this at the quarterly meeting from Tribal Council members, cultural representatives and tribal language representatives, and even “100-percenters.” But where were you parents? Are you not concerned about your children and their allotment of the remainder of the Salazar settlement? Don’t you feel obligated to stand up for your own children? We’re not talking about the children five generations from now. We are talking of the present. Look right now and see into your children’s eyes. Do they not deserve hope and security when they step into adulthood?
Or perhaps you believe there will be monies left in that “general fund” in the future. Maybe it’s possible. But has the past tribal government been excellent keepers of our monies? When tribal members were in financial woes, was it easy to request assistance from your tribal government? Maybe you are too young to experience the procedures. Ask your parents and your grandparents; they remember.
If you want to really do something to help your children’s future, insist that they take economics, bookkeeping and accounting classes in school. If it isn’t taught in high school, have them take these classes at our college while they are in high school. It can be done with your help. Teach them the power of financial freedom. Teach them that the future can be theirs if only they have the resources of a beginning.
If you’re saying to yourself, “That’s the white man’s way,” well, yes it is. And it works. how many independent tribal business owners do your presently know on the reservation? Everything on this reservation is locked up in tribal government. And I do mean “locked.” Your money is locked; your land is locked; your rights are even locked. Is this the future you want your children to experience?
It’s time to establish freedom on the reservation. When your own tribal government denies you the basic American freedom of signing a petition, and you agree with the their decision, what’s next? There may be no more petitions in the future on this reservation simply because you allowed it to happen. And the word “petition” will have been omitted from our Tribal Constitution.
It is for the children.
Revan Rogers
Polson
