Halito – Another Election Year

I guess I can’t start a post without saying it’s been awhile. The last post was in 2015 right after the Chief selected by the former Chief of the Choctaw Nation had won his election in a landslide. I saw with my own eyes and heard loud and clear at my own family reunion that Choctaws were not interested in change. It didn’t matter about the federal trial where testimony indicated that those perpetrating the wrong doing KNEW they were doing so. I am thankful there was a sense of shame emanating from those on the witness stand. At least they felt a twinge of guilt. Imagine if the BIA had decided to remove our status as a tribal sovereign nation until we could get our act together? It happens, just ask the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes their tribal workforce was devastated they lost countless jobs and it took years to regain their status.

Since we last “spoke” I went my own way and held contract positions with several tribes. I have met some wonderful people and almost got frostbite on my ankles walking from my hotel 50 feet to a restaurant in Barrow Alaska. I was bundled up but apparently not enough. I worked with the Osage for years and was invited to their once a year gathering. I felt honored because watching them dance was a privilege that only the invited could see. My daughter went to their grade school called “Indian Camp Elementary”. I was tribal administrator for a smaller tribe but the politics was too much for me. If you think Choctaw politics is small try a tribe with close to 800 members. However, seeing tribal members thrive working for their own tribe and fostering the younger generation to be a part of that – that was my takeaway. I will never forget showing a senator around the Eagle Aviary and thinking about the tribal member who took it upon himself to become an eagle “doctor”. Those birds are majestic and I can’t describe what it felt like to be a part of something that special.

My Choctaw mother passed away. She used to read my blogs and call me with excitement. She had campaigned hard for Wendell David (she paid for it too) during the Chief Robert’s years. Maybe that need to charge windmills came from her? Losing that anchor was devastating. It’s been years and if I could hear her voice today she would say, “WHY IN THE HELL IS OUR CHIEF CAMPAIGNING FOR COUNCIL CANDIDATES???” Yeah that’s exactly what she would have said. Hence the reason I spent an hour trying to remember my username and password for this old blog. I changed the picture back to Tecumseh (my favorite native leader) and started to write. I have been contacted over the years by Choctaws being treated unfairly or wondering why about certain things. My standard response is “Choctaws don’t want change”. I still believe this but then why is Nellie still fighting?

I don’t know Nellie Meashintubby but I read her social media posts fairly often because she is a honey badger. Those of you who follow funny videos or political satire will know what I’m talking about. Nellie doesn’t care she will say what’s on her mind. Sometimes I wonder if she is the anti politician. I have laughed out loud at her not because she’s funny but she doesn’t care she will name names and call you out in a heartbeat. This is the kind of warrior we need in some capacity? AND what about James Dry??? Do you mean to tell me the Chahta he represents are actually proud this man represents them? They feel as if they finally have someone going to bat for them. What! You mean there are no requests to construction companies to add a little extra to their Choctaw Nation bill so they can build them something on their own private property? (You know I’m talking about you. You better hide that nasty bruise from that big kick back).

By the way, if you have worked at your job for years and you are Choctaw and you qualify to move into management or up another level of management don’t you think you should at least get an interview for the position? How many of you Choctaw people have had this happen since the last blog post? That’s what I see come through my email the most. It is my belief that Choctaw need to protect our Indian preference or we risk losing it. Do I believe that Choctaw should get a free ride? You clock in and mentally clock out – absolutely not. As Choctaw people we need to show others that we take pride in our Native Nation and that we have a strong work ethic. It has been my experience that most Choctaw have a strong work ethic, as a matter of fact, most tribal members from other tribes have a strong work ethics as well.

I would love to see how many non natives hold high positions, executive level positions in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. You know what I have noted – non natives do not understand native personalities (unless you grew up or are married to one). 90% of us are quiet, funny, witty, AND QUIET. I did some work for the Falmouth Institute and one of the instructors who was non native was just at a loss as to why he wasn’t getting the same reactions to his teaching style that he received from the non native corporate world. He said, “they’re not laughing at my jokes. I get nothing”. I was kind of shocked because I’m pretty sure they found him funny. I was there taking the class. I wonder if I laughed when I thought it was funny? I kinda feel sorry for him now. So this in a round about way brings me to a point. Why does our leadership look for upper level executives from all over the United States who know nothing about Native Culture and since there are 574 tribes with different languages and cultures how can they understand the tribe they are coming in to manage? What makes them better? Is it the amount of education they have? Practical experience? Hands on experience? Working with natives experience? Our world is a whole DIFFERENT ball game for them and how does that make it better when they have been getting fed DIVERSITY hiring all through their management classes? It isn’t supposed to work that way in tribes because of Native Preference. Do those upper level management have something to offer? Sure they do. Is it as much as say the mechanic who has been there 20 years who’s Choctaw and knows the job inside and out yet wasn’t considered? Well that’s how Gary Batton got HIS job. He was Choctaw and knew the CNO inside and out. He also met the blood quantum requirement. I don’t understand it and probably never will because Choctaws don’t like change and if a Chief really had the Choctaw people’s best interests at heart he could stay in his leadership role till he died. Oh wait we already have that except without the checks and balances of a healthy government system. You see we have what’s called a dynasty within our native nation. Our dynasty is not by blood but by one chief handing the reigns to their pick for the next chief. That lucky individual has all of the resources of a rich nation to support them – money, MARKETING (ooooh that’s a big one), familiarity, lack of a willingness to change.

I’ve kind of rambled tonight but I think we had to re-introduce the spirit of Choctaw Wright. We have elections coming up and some strange things are happening. My brothers, my sisters we need to revamp our Constitution because we are so large. Our numbers are so large that our leaders are dealing with not Millions but BILLIONS and leaders without boundaries who surround themselves with yes men put themselves at risk for nefarious actions. So why do you think our Chief is campaigning for council candidates? It’s not just this upcoming election either. I heard the exact same thing last election cycle different candidates different district. We can make a difference or Nellie wouldn’t still be holding her ground and James wouldn’t be holding the office he holds.

If you would like to start a conversation please do so. If you want to expose corruption in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma make sure you’re giving a first hand account or you know the person who can give it. You can remain anonymous when giving information publicly on this blog but you will need to give me your name (I will not reveal it) or otherwise it’s just hear say.

Next week we will talk about some things attributed to this administration that are grant programs and explain how that process works. You will be amazed at how well our tribal grant writing department is.

Chi Pisa La Chike,

CW

Before Casting that Vote

Halito Sisters & Brothers,

I noticed on Facebook many Chahta proudly displaying their ballots for the upcoming elections. It warms my heart just to see that we actually have people who are brave enough and are willing to stand up to a decades old system that is well known for it’s unfriendly (to say the least) attitude for those candidates who are not incumbents. We have come quite a ways since the last election cycle and we have so much farther to go for the sake of our descendants.

While there is no candidate to run against Perry Thompson so I can’t vote for council I have cast my vote for Chief. I paused to think before marking my ballot because I know next to nothing about the challenger. I don’t know about her background and I don’t know where she stands on the issues that have plagued our Chahta government for decades but I marked her name as my choice because I do know a thing or two about our current Miko.

I know that he most likely has good intentions but no business experience outside of the CNO. I know that his efforts toward election reform while historic were very shallow. I know that there is no TERO at the CNO. This means that Choctaw business owners and employees have no recourse in their own tribal nation to take advantage of Choctaw preference. I know that he has never answered the question concerning the campaign fund. I know that he is surrounded by the old guard and that, to me, is what we have had since I was a child riding along with my mother campaigning for Wendell David. That campaigning cost my mother her job at the tribally owned Indian Clinic in Hugo all for the right of Choctaw people to have a vote that actually counted. I know that during this election year I have seen more expensive commercials with Miko’s face in them than any other time that I recently remember. I know that some Chahta’s with large families are now receiving some big promotions. Ironically, these are promotions they should have had long ago.

So tonight I want to really encourage our absentee voters (I count myself among you) to think about the legacy Gary Batton proudly carries into his office, an office that we didn’t elect him into. He carries with him corruption, greed and disregard for the well-being of the Chahta people. He carries with him a legacy of intimidation and force. He carries with him a false sense of importance and that is due to lack of experience in other business arenas. I had hoped that he would carry something else. I had hoped that he would change the system. That he would speak frankly and honestly. That he would announce that any employee using intimidation and threats during the election year would be immediately terminated. I had hoped he wouldn’t participate in the jobs for votes practice. He proved my hopes to be futile. Absentee voters we need YOU to set the stage for real change by voting for the challenger. You can break the strength of the chain that has held us back for decades. The opposition has no secret campaign fund and she doesn’t have the power to intimidate those Chahta who work for the nation. If she doesn’t fulfill the duties of a Chief with integrity and business acumen we will have the choice to vote her out next election cycle. Remember the longer those corrupt old guard people hold top positions in our government the longer it will take for us to rid ourselves of them. This is our chance to send a clear message concerning integrity and answering to the very people leadership is charged with serving.

I would also like for you to view this short documentary concerning the struggle we have dealt with in our corrupt political system. When I first watched it I was shocked. Even though I had known about the intimidation and the strong armed tactics to see even a glimpse of it against one of our elders infuriated me. What you should remember is that this is the legacy that Batton continues to proliferate. The link to the documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugc1AoPs_gk

Chi Pisa La Chike,

S. Crowder  (CW)

New Candidates and Old Tactics

Halito Brothers & Sisters,

There is no doubt that the fight for transparency and free elections is gaining ground and that, in part, is due to Chief Batton. I want to give credit where credit is due. The recent inclusion of short bio’s of the candidates and the incumbents into the Biskinik is a historical event as is the committee on election reform. The option to have candidate information sent to registered voters is also of historical significance. There’s your credit.

Now, let’s look at how far we have to go. The CNO has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a beautiful state of the art website. Why aren’t there candidate/incumbent interviews on it? I am an absentee voter and I would like to get a feel for the candidates running for office that’s hard to do in a short bio. Where were the questions? There are so many how could anyone just simply leave them out? The first one would be, “why do you want to run for a Chahta council seat”? I think that’s a pretty simple question that our tribal newspaper failed to even ask. The crusaders for opposition to the status quo, The Choctaw National party, were the ones to video candidate forums. It’s amazing what can happen when Chahta voters can’t get the information needed from your own tribe. I applaud the efforts of the fledging opposition party.

I also applaud the new candidates running for council seats and am especially happy to see Ohoyo Chahta running for Chief and District 11 Council. I am, however very disappointed that Perry Thompson (District 8), Thomas Williston (District 1), Kenneth Bryant (District 3) and Ron Perry (District 5) have gone unopposed. Tell me Okla Chahta what message does this send to have these candidates unopposed since they are the very men who have continuously slapped down releasing the voters registration list? It’s obvious to me we need to remove the residency requirements for candidates from the Choctaw Constitution.

I am saddened to see huge amounts of money being spent on this campaign by the Chief and incumbent council and no one wants to answer where the campaign monies are coming from (when you vote that should be a major major deciding factor for the Chief’s Office). Even as I write this I think about the man who is to serve 15 years in prison for monies that went through several hands not just his. He shouldn’t be sitting in federal prison alone.

Not to mention using residency requirements to disallow other candidates to run for office especially when it wasn’t an issue when Tony Messenger lived in Durant but had a home in Broken Bow. Now, I like Tony Messenger I believe his heart is in the right place but if you are going to have rules then those rules need to apply to everyone or no one.

Lastly, the election board should be independent of the chief and council offices – period. To have them appointed by our leadership is another shallow attempt at the appearance of propriety and truth. Any board that is appointed by the Chief answers to the Chief, it just makes sense.

Chi Pisa La Chike and don’t forget VOTE VOTE VOTE!

S. Crowder (Choctaw Wright)

The Elusive Mysterious Campaign Fund

Halito Brothers & Sisters,

I have received word that the lavish kick off campaign party for Miko Batton was paid for out of a long standing campaign fund. Council members and Chiefs in the past have not had challengers for their seats in office, hence the surplus. My question would be where do these funds come from? Is the bank account where the funds are housed pay interest and if so to whom? Are these funds from Enterprises? Are they donations or a combination of both? To me, and feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, sound like funds that belong to the Chahta people. Why, you may ask. Well because they wouldn’t exist without the sovereignty and existence of our tribe and our tribe wouldn’t exist without our people.

The question about whether these funds were added to by a former Chief with donations from certain construction companies is also in question. Is this the same fund mentioned at the Jason Merida trial? Which begs the question, why do we even have to ask all these questions? This my Chahta family is at the heart of transparency. I personally don’t see anything wrong with having a special campaign fund that acquired it’s monies through any of the above mentioned ways. I would just like someone, anyone to stand up and say “yep it’s a campaign fund and here is the money trail”.

Also, as you know I think it’s ludicrous that a person would have to be well above upper middle class to run for an elected office within our tribe. I’ve said this on numerous occasions. Listen carefully to what I am about to write, if this campaign fund, belongs to the Chahta people then it shouldn’t benefit ONLY the sitting elected officials as it does now. An agreed upon amount should be divided evenly to all the candidates that qualify to run for an elected office. Then after receiving the amount of funds no one candidate should be allowed to spend an exuberant amount of money over that fund amount. If receipts need to be turned in showing the funds were actually used for campaign materials then so be it. We don’t want our tribe to mirror that particular trait of our federal government where millions are spent to attain an elected office.

So as we are readying ourselves to vote I ask only that as a Chahta citizen that you gather all the information you can about the candidates in each council district and the candidates for Chief. It is important to discern between expensive campaign materials and rhetoric verses grass roots efforts for change. This election year is so very important after the exposure of corruption and the rejection of transparency concerning distribution of the registered voters list. Our elected officials must be held accountable. So far, they have refused to answer questions that we as Chahta deserve answers to. They may even have logical legitimate answers but the silence is deafening and reeks of the old school mentality of keeping our people in the dark.

I suspect that you, like me, could handle the truth.

Chi Pisa La Chike

S. Crowder (Choctaw Wright)