Diane Shenandoah said that Patterson's eviction was a violation of human rights. Patterson attempted to purchase a furnace for her trailer on Territory Road, but Nation Commissioner of Public Safety Arthur Pierce denied the furnace, and insisted the home be inspected first. When Patterson refused the inspection, she was allegedly forcibly removed from her home, and the home was condemned on Friday.
Shenandoah said that the struggle over the furnace has been a political struggle. The Nation residents do not recognize Halbritter as their representative, and they feel the home inspections are violating their rights, Shenandoah said.
Shenandoah asked the UCE to direct some of its energies to getting Halbritter removed as the Nation representative.
"We need you to direct some of your energies at this time when human, civil and religious rights are being violated," Shenandoah said. "I'm not addressing you tonight as members of the UCE, but as human being to human being."
Shenandoah said that Halbritter was chosen as the Nation representative by her mother Maisie, an Oneida clan mother and Halbritter's aunt. Shenandoah said that when he started making decisions that went against the people, the Nation removed him as their representative in 1993. However, Halbritter is still recognized as the representative by the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs, Shenandoah said.
Shenandoah said that the Nation's traditional beliefs is that the women of the Nation would be the property owners, because life flows through women and flows through the Earth.
"Ray doesn't know that tradition, nor does he respect it or teach it," Shenandoah said.
Victoria Shenandoah said that the Nation said they were trying to protect the safety of Patterson and her children, but she said that it is purely political because they stand against Halbritter's leadership.
"They did this under the disguise of welfare and safety," Shenandoah said. "But first they prohibited my sister from getting her furnace, and then they condemn her home for not having a furnace."
Shenandoah said that the residents are unable to speak out against Halbritter.
"Ray has us living in terror," Shenandoah said. "We can't speak out. Halbritter has taken away all of our dignities and rights, and now he is taking away our homes."
Diane Shenandoah said that Halbritter has suppressed her for seven years, by not sending her distribution checks. She said that now the seven families left on Territory Road have been cut off.
"Ray tells us we are no longer Oneida," Shenandoah said. "He thinks of us as a generic Indian."
Shenandoah said those families are patrolling the Territory to keep Oneida Nation police out of their homes.
"We are just trying to secure our homes," Shenandoah said.
Shenandoah said that the Turning Stone Casino compact is illegal, because Halbritter negotiated it without discussing it with the Nation residents.
"Gaming is against our Great Law," Shenandoah said. "He negotiated the Casino on his own, and he makes all the decisions on his own. Even the Men's Council doesn't know about his decisions. He is obsessed with greed, and that drives him to the extents at which he is going, and what he is putting us through now."
Shenandoah said the Indian Confederacy is contacting Washington about having Halbritter removed as representative.
"This is a dictatorship at large," Shenandoah said to a standing ovation.
"This is a dictator, and he's getting away with it."
Also at Monday's meeting, the UCE voted to ask Assemblyman Dave Townsend to seek his own attorney if he wishes to continue in the UCE's lawsuit against the state. New York State Supreme Court Justice James McCarthy's August decision allows the UCE and Townsend to challenge the legality of the Turning Stone compact. UCE President Scott Peterman said that UCE Attorney Leon Koziol representing Townsend would be a conflict of interest.
"Townsend was the only Assemblyman with a land claim in his district, the only Assemblyman with a participation in a citizen's group, and the only Assemblyman involved in a lawsuit challenging the legality of a gaming compact, but then he goes and votes for six more casinos," Peterman said.
In Spirit & Strength,
Cheryl Snyder
DEER WOMAN
Northeast Confederated AIM
Thanks Valerie for sending this information!
Last updated on April 21, 2005