All My Relations. I would like to take a minute to respond to some of the questions and concerns in Indian country with regards to this conflict within the Oneida Nation. Due to blatant lies, propaganda and misleading information many of you may not understand the gravity of this situation. Throughout Indian country I have been told this conflict is a family dispute or an internal Oneida Nation conflict. However, the truth is quite the opposite. This conflict affects every Native of every Nation, whether you’re Breed or Blood. Consider the ramifications to Indian Country if Mr. Halbritter succeeds in breaking the Iroquois Confederacy, one of the strongest & oldest Indian Confederacies ever to exist. If a Confederacy that strong can be broken, what chance do the Apache have to stop the Mt. Graham observatory? What chance do the Lakota have of regaining the Black Hills? What chance do the Dineh have at stopping Peabody Coal? And these are only a few conflicts affecting Indian Country today. At one time on the Oneida Territory, there were 42 families. Last year, 2001, 12 families were evicted and their homes destroyed. As of now only 7 homes remain, all women and children except 7 elder men. Mr. Halbritter states he has eradicated poverty from the Oneida Nation, but has he? It would appear the only one who has benefited from Mr. Halbritter's success is himself and his immediate family. Basically, he has turned being Indian into a business. While Mr. Halbrittter dines in fancy restaurants, the women of the Oneida Nation must go to food banks to feed their children. While Mr. Halbritter relaxes in his million-dollar home, the women must go to social service programs to pay their electrical and heating bills. While Mr. Halbritter's home is nice and warm he refused to allow repairs to existing homes, furnace replacement or any other home improvements. While Mr. Halbritter travels in limos, the vehicles of the women on the Oneida Territory either need extensive repairs or don’t run at all. Exactly who is benefiting from the successes of Mr. Halbritter? Since Sept 11, many American’s have sent their sons, daughters, husbands and wives to fight terrorism in Afghanistan. What is happening there is what is happening on the Oneida Territory. A terrorist group, the Alqueda, supported by a foreign government is attempting to subjugate the Muslim People. Likewise a terrorist group, Mr. Halbritter's regime, supported by foreign government, the United States, is attempting to subjugate a traditional group, the Oneida People. Mr. Halbritter hasn’t stopped there. He has bought out the native newspaper Indian Country Today and fired every employee except twelve. Mr. Halbritter has discussed gaming compacts in Washington, California, 2 in Mexico 6 in N.Y., where are the natives of those states and country? In Oneida Mr. Halbritter has bought every Smoke shop, convenience store and gas station except two. And not many if any native person works in any of these stores or his casino. The women and children of the Oneida Territory have been labeled dissidents and associates of hate groups. This also is absolutely false. There have been no hate groups on Oneida Territory and none have been asked to come. The women of the Oneida territory are trying to settle this conflict peacefully to protect not only the traditions of the Oneida People, but also their children. The people who have come have all been neutral observers. Some stood with the women of the Oneida Territory in protest. Because it was cold, they wrapped their bodies for warmth. Yet, it has been stated they attempted to hide their faces, conceal their identities, and provoke the “authorities”. These neutral observers where then labeled as “hate groups”. If someone threatened your home, wouldn’t you fight to save it? If someone threatened the welfare of your children, wouldn’t you do anything to protect them? If someone took away your job; any means of supporting your family, would you just give up? If someone threatened your mother, your grandmother, wouldn’t you defend her? If someone threatened your very existence, unless you bend to them, would you quit? If someone locked your church, denied you the right to practice your religion, would you forget your ancestors who died for you? This has been Indian history for 500 years. This time, instead of guns and bullets, its pen and paper. And, to add insult to injury, it is our own people, assimilated into western sociological ideals, who are doing it. This isn’t just on the Oneida Nation, but almost every Reservation and Territory in Indian Country. How then can this be only a family dispute or an inter-Oneida Nation conflict? Humbly I serve my people. Michael Walking Thunder Black Panther Clan Kispoko Band Shawnee Nation
