The more things change, the more they stay the same. That ancient axiom sure applies to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Let’s see we have Tracy Stanhoff our last tribal chairperson working 50-60 hours a week, while other tribal council members didn’t show up for work. So tribal members start signing a petition to get Tracy out of office!
Now we are down to only two tribal council members that go to work every day, so what happens this past week, there were several angry tribal members that went into the Prairie Band Potawatomi government center and threatens a tribal council member (You‘d think they would be happy now with railroading Tracy out of office!). This tribal council member stood up to these angry tribal members and at this time I am only getting bits and pieces of information on this incident. I will welcome any comments on this incident, so I and other tribal members can know why this is still happening. You can leave ’name withheld’ on your comments like the tribal paper did in it’s last issue if you are afraid (of this mob!)
This is a sad state of affairs when angry tribal members can get our people all worked up to petition our chairs out of office, and feel they can go into our government center any time they want and threaten our tribal leaders that go to work every day, yet do nothing about the tribal council members that never go to work.
This is so sad when I hear our Indian people treating each other so poorly.
In my tribe we no longer have access to tribal council offices, and one must have an appointment to speak with a councilmember.
They are almost always in lockdown and one must have permission to access that area of Tribal Ops.
Tribal councilmembers shouldn't have to be afraid of tribal members.
Posted by: Rob | September 22, 2007 at 08:49 AM
sounds like badgers and his mob. tribe is footing his hotel bill. he had 'issues' with staying at tribes hotel. he rruined the free house he had cause he was pow wowing and gambling.
Posted by: namewith held | September 22, 2007 at 10:34 AM
Badger wants the tribal council to give him that mansion on 174th Road. And that is after he never paid his rent on the house he damaged. If that spinless tribal council gives into that thug I say we impeach the whole bunch.
Posted by: Bill | September 22, 2007 at 12:48 PM
Right! Impeach the spineless ones and what a coincidence the TC member they went after is not the one who helped them get rid of Tracy.
This shows the character of the Badger and his evil group. They accuse off rez PBP of being greedy and yet he demands the most, per cap increase, house, he is definitely out of control.
Badger, Mamie and Rencie are still looking for their payback/rewards for getting the failed recall petition.
Like I read earlier in someone's comments, Banishment would be good for Badger's bunch!
Posted by: Name with held | September 22, 2007 at 01:03 PM
Yes, Tracy did the right thing and went to work and how did she get treated, they told her to stop working on Shab-eh-nay and now it looks like its going down the drain because of TC inaction.
But none of this would have happened if not for Badger, Rencie and Mamie and look what they are getting now... rewards for getting rid of Tracy.
Rencie got her job in the casino, doing nothing but getting paid.
Mamie gets her attempt to run for Chair.
Badger wants a free mansion after he destroyed the house he never paid rent on.
Now when they don't get everything and more they start attacking the TC, this sounds like the Bush Administation. George always likes to tell everyone who is assimilated well I think he taught his little friends how to be the most assimilated... threaten and manipulate the government for your own selfish needs... how WHITE is that George! "Congratulations you are assimilated" your own words George.
Like the name withheld pointed out Badger's Evil Group is always the first to point fingers and accuse others of doing something wrong (when they haven't) but they never hold the same standards to themselves. I guess its ok for them to corrupt our government but if someone is doing something good for us that is wrong.
Get the banishment papers started on Badgers Evil Group, I'll be the first to sign it!
If the TC does nothing, well I agree with the other comments, impeach them. They are elected to protect us from people like Badger, Mamie and Rencie and they have done NOTHING!
Posted by: Leslie | September 22, 2007 at 01:43 PM
Everyone here is sick of Badger and his bunch. I heard that he lied to everyone about Tracy just to get them upset, now we hear he made everything up.
All this is very bad medicine for our tribe.
TC should do the business of the people not Badger.
Posted by: joe | September 22, 2007 at 04:00 PM
Badger did go into the Government Center last week. I don't know what happened. I went out to the Center myself to take a photographer friend's business card to Karen, Badger's wife because they lost all of the photos they have had for years and I was hoping they could retrieve some of them.
I didn't see an angry mob. Doesn't mean they weren't there, I just didn't see one.
I just posted to say Badger, Mamie and whoever didn't get rid of Tracy. Tracy quit.
Tracy was treated horribly by some of OUR tribal members. There were other that treated Tracy well. Tracy had the position of Chairperson and she quit. That's pretty simple.
As far as Badger, he has had problems with his house for a long time. I don't know if he pays rent or not. If I wanted to know I would ask him, BUT I seriously doubt he is getting his house for free.
Is he doing us any favors, not lately. But as far as the state of our Nation, that is a responsibility we all bear.
Posted by: Angie Wahweotten | September 23, 2007 at 09:23 AM
The Tribal Council said they would evict any tribal member that didn't pay their rent on the new houses.
I guess that doesn't hold true for Badger.
Posted by: John | September 23, 2007 at 10:05 AM
angie said i'm sorry for badger. that means its okay then. the other pbpn members that have problems with thier homes shouldnt have to pay rent either right angie? you shoulda ran instead of tony
Posted by: frank | September 23, 2007 at 12:07 PM
glad I didn't vote for Tony, sounds like Badger is in his back pocket.
Posted by: joe | September 23, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Angie, you and your husband - Tony W must not be elected to the Chair position.
Your reckless, naive behavior with our Constitution and your comments on our past Chair are not to be tolerated.
Definitely you have shown us your True Colors and I am now sure Tony wil not stand up for what is right on the Badger/Mamie mob mentality that has ruined our Tribe.
I say we vote in Eddie Joe!
Posted by: name withheld | September 23, 2007 at 02:44 PM
PS Angie, Badger is getting his house for free - deal with it - or I know you will feel sorry for Badger after his lies, lies, lies have ruined our Tribe!
Grow Up - I know for a fact our past Chair saved your Dad's job at our Casino - so I would be much more respectful of Tracy's legacy.
Posted by: name withheld | September 23, 2007 at 02:52 PM
Again as far as the state of our Nation, that is a responsibility we all bear.
Angie Wahweotten.
Posted by: Angie Wahweotten | September 23, 2007 at 09:45 PM
this past year i had the priviledge to vote in our tribal elections what an honor to be apart of our tribal government. i felt so proud. but i would like to say that badger turn your negatives into positives.change your approach in submitting your ideals to the indian people. because as i see it your current input is not working its only making things worse. i feel if yu would also get a real job yu would spend less time worry about stirring up more controversary.thank yu!
Posted by: name withheld | September 24, 2007 at 08:33 AM
As a tribal member who lives off the reservation it is saddening to see the shape our tribe is in. I work for the state and our behavior is laughed at by those who are not part of our reservation. They find it humorous that we attack our own leadership and in turn, can not unite over the direction we as a tribe should go. I do believe there are those who are causing problems to benefit themselves and that is shameful. The only grace I find in this situation is that my grandmother is not alive to witness their behavior. She was always very proud of where she came from and her tribe. I am not sure she would say the same if she was alive today.
Tribal council needs to be able to do their job without harrassement from those who feel like they should be entitled to more. Due to this form of abuse by certain members of our tribe we have lost very educated and talented young adults who refuse to work for the tribe due to incidents such as these. We blame the white man for not hiring our tribal members, maybe we should look at ourselves and see that maybe, just maybe, our public attacks on employees are the main reason these highly educated members refuse to work on the reservation. Who wants that type of abuse on a daily basis.
I am not one who likes to join a mob mentality but in this instance I believe the time has come for certain members of our tribe to grow up. The white man is not hurting us as a people you are. I hope these latest actions have opened the eyes of others who stayed silent. I believe it is time to take a stand. I am.
Posted by: Tracy Martin | September 25, 2007 at 08:41 AM
Hello everyone from a grateful reader. Thank you for allowing me to say something.
I am not a historian but I have read some history books on our People. Needless to say, the non-tribal people who wrote these books hit the nail on the head. "The Potawatomi are a jealous people."
I've always said in my own personal life to turn the negative to positive. Redirect your energies. As a recovering alcoholic, I've learned from several treatment programs how to deal with important issues in my life.
As I sit back and read and listen to issues being addressed by many people, the only thing missing is the "jug."
I only hope for the People to be realistic and look for the Positive.
Mege Wige, Num
Posted by: num | September 25, 2007 at 03:08 PM