Charles W. Aldrich
“A Tribal Lifestyle”
Part II

Greetings my friends, relatives, and fellow tribal members. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my thoughts and feelings toward each of you. And again express my gratitude to each of you that voted for me, and put your trust in me. It has been about seven years since I was asked to put my name on the ballot, but now it is history.
First I must warn each of you that the things I write about are well thought out, and I combine my education with the philosophy of my Ho-Chunk people, and the great champions of Indian rights that I’ve been researching for the last ten years. I don’t use drugs, drink alcohol or smoke.
I approached this job as any other job and I’ve been looking at it from the only perspective that I can, which is the protection of the Constitution of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Are we doing the best to ensure that all the decisions are coming from and being made at the tribal Council Level, not by business or special interest groups? That way we ensure that the peoples only line of defense or recourse is available and protected.
If your going to write in a newspaper make sure you state from what ideology you are referring to, an individuals, a tribes, a governments etc., each has its school of thought. Much of what passes for criticism these days is in fact promotion that passes for information, impression management that passes for reporting. People use words and thoughts from the Ho-chunk culture for their own purpose, not for the people. What happens is they subject our culture to the conflict and stress of argument, but again that is on an intellectual, theoretical level. More immediately, they subject our culture to the values of capitalism.
They are very different things, you either believe in the dominant culture or a more of a traditional culture. From what perspective are you criticizing, that way the reader can understand what a person is really trying to say. Why else would you want to write in a newspaper, are you reacting to someone or something. Responses are usually spontaneous or reactionary, adaptive or critical, naïve or scientific. Whatever the form, individual or part of a well known communicative code like Ho-Chunk culture or our “Tribal Constitution” but whatever it is it will be received by the people with the Ho-Chunk ideology.
With that in mind I wanted to express a few thoughts. Interestingly there is a lot of e-mails flying around, and letters that make things worse. Here are some issues we are working on. Tax commission- Right now tax is being collected by a third party (HCI), this is a constitutional issue. Tax collection is a right of the tribe and no other agency. What this says is that your rights as citizens is being violated. This is an agreement between the Tribe and the State of Nebraska, so taxes collected at the pumps would benefit government operations. This is important, this is your elected government. Your right to protest is founded here in your government. ( A constitutional issue, not personal) We are not going to tax you as tribal members, and we are not going to over tax our businesses, but require a tax as a method of control and representation of the membership of this Tribe. The other is a dollar amount or tax revenue amount for all business that goes on with the Winnebago tax stamp. This is only for the tobacco sold with the Winnebago stamp on it, (i.e. Native Brands) also to generate revenue for governmental operations. Taxation is a normal part of business, and with all the expert education people have it should be easy for them to adjust to a few pennies less.
The second issue is casino expansion. Yes we are going to have expansion, but not at the terms brought before the Council by the current committee. Other options are being drawn out now. We will be considering new machines and a facelift. Then we will look at Hotel expansion at a larger level than was presented.
A third issue of importance is government authority, we need to re-establish government authority, and not compromise the trust of the people. Like what took place with former General Council and others. When this is complete then we can look at the larger issue of enrollment, health care, elderly assisted living, education justice center etc.
Part of our problems is that people in positions of authority were not providing a distinguished, explicit, and coherent government policy (not compromised). That is not to say that they haven’t done thier job, rather they have, and will continue to protect your rights. It’s the few individuals who are only in it for self promotion who compromise your rights. Are we creating our own pattern of the oppressed people? When we ignore the basic requirement of our constitution we undermine the liberty, dignity, and personal security of the members of this tribe. I believe this government can and will continue to impose measures intended to control all forms of business and activities, by virtue of your “Constitution”. Indian people will probably disagree forever about what is the best strategy for future generations. Now if we continue to disagree on politics, policy, beliefs etc. we are going to continue to allow destructive personality clashes to take place. I suggest we can only ensure that fairness and equality are at the base of our argument. Our efforts should always follow the Constitution of our people, because it is our peoples only means of accountability. Ask yourself and join me as an advocate for the people, help make the world a better place for our children. Together we can do anything, and restore power and dignity to our people.
What is happening is a case of “Fool the Indian”, just put an Indian face or name on it and it becomes an Indian project. There exists a conflict of interest, as I speak of our rights to freely exercise the Constitution of our people, there are individuals who will cringe because it will conflict with political greed for money and power. This is an example of arrogance that individuals innately entitled by virtue of their superior intelligence are morally free to take and give as they see fit, to whom and when they please. Indian leaders and people in positions of authority should be identified if they are only working for themselves and not their people, or aiding any group or organization who takes from Indians and gives to non- Indians. Today is a crucial time. Today’s war is not only with the non-Indian system but with Indians helping the non-Indians. This is what is drawing a line between families and blood lines.
An example being, Gerry Gambill speech in 1958 at a conference on Human Rights. He warns native people about how this modern, dominant society goes about taking away your rights. #1 Convince the Indian that he should be patient, that things take time. Tell him that we are making progress and progress takes time. #2 Get some Indian people to do the dirty work. There are those who will act for you to the disadvantage of their own people. Just give them a little honor and praise. #3 Consult the Indian, but do not act on the basis of what you hear. Tell the Indian he has a voice and go through the motions of listening. Then interpret what you have heard to suit your own needs. #4 Allow a few individuals to “make the grade” and point them out as examples. Say that the “hard workers” and the “good” indians have made it, and that therefore it is a person’s own fault if he doesn’t suceed. #5 Make the situation more complicated than is necessary. Tell the Indian you will have to take a survey to find out how many other Indians are being discriminated against. #6 Convince the Indians that the leaders who are the most beneficial and powerful are dangerous and not to be trusted. #7 Speak of the common good. Tell the Indian that you can’t consider yourselves when there is a whole nation to think of. The list goes on.
Instead of forcing the dominant culture down our throats we should be finding ways to encourage our people to re-establish themselves with the “Indian Way” these would be real accomplishments. Does a beautiful building or house that you’ll never work or live inside of really make up for 400 years of oppression? To the outside world we are only statistics, the unemployed, uneducated, alcoholics, welfare recipients. They study us and even investigate us. Congress appropriates opportunity, and educated, employed studiers and investigators make decision for us. Who we should be, How we should be. I know who I am !! (Interesting) Many things survive because we are statistics and considered as commodities. There tends to be a division on reservations which dates back to the removal days. Some ancestors refused to give up the traditional ways and settle by the agencies. Some felt it best to go along with the dominant culture and live by the agencies, and they were given rewards and the best government aid. The hang around the Fort Indians. Today this division has reemerged as the business entities of tribes. Those who are hanging around the fort are still getting rewarded. Education gives you some advantage, but how do we explain the rest? So I can say this, that we must reexamine how we are going to best serve each and every family and member equally and fairly. Whether educated or uneducated, supportive or not of government or business. How? By following the Constitution of our Tribe and not letting big business run the Tribal Council.
Now as time grows faster and shorter, and our future generations require us to speak with the truth and integrity, it deserves we must act now. The close relationship between culture survival and sovereignty is most important. As expressed by Richard W. West, director of the N.M.A.I. Political sovereignty and cultural sovereignty are linked inextricably, because the ultimate goal of political sovereignty is the protection of a way of life. As separate polities, Tribes can tax and regulate, and exercise jurisdiction. But it is equally important, perhaps even more important to protect Indian ways of life and ways of thinking.
So I leave you with those thoughts and wish you the very Merriest Christmas and most Happiest New Year. May Ma-una bless you with happiness, success and long lives.

Charles W. Aldrich
Tribal Council member