[ Contents | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: HARRY D. LOCKLEAR, SOUTH CAROLINA
Date: 08 Jan 2004
Time: 22:42:10 -0500
Remote Name: 24.197.141.64
I AM REMINDED OF THE TOBACCO FIELD OF MY GRANDFATHER; PATES, NC, CIRCA 1954. BEING A BOY AND WANTING TO DO A MANS WORK WAS MY ILLUSION. EVER PERSISTENT, I FINALLY CONVINCED MY GRANDPA TO ALLOW ME TO DRIVE! UPON CLUCKING "GIDDYUP!" THE MULES TOOK OFF, THROWING THE TOBACCO CRATE SIDEWAYS, ME INSIDE, ACROSS A ROW OF TOBACCO. AS THE MULES RAN, THE CRATE DRAGGED ON THE TOBACCO STALKS, ME INSIDE CRYING, THE STALKS WOULD POP BACK UP, BEATING ME IN MY BACKSIDE! HARD! IT HURT! FROM OUT OF NOWHERE APPEARED MY GRANDPA, SNATCHING THE MULE BRIDLES BACK, STOPPING THE RUNAWAYS! TURNING THE CRATE UPRIGHT AND PULLING ME OUT, GRANDPA SET ME DOWN ON THE BACK OF THE CRATE, HANDED ME THE REINS, AND SAID SOMETHING TO ME I SHALL NEVER FORGET. "SEE HERE, BOY! EITHER YOU ARE GONNA DRIVE THESE MULES, OR THEY ARE GONNA DRIVE YOU!" THIS IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL, AND IT IS DANGEROUS! WE NEED A DRIVER! ME? I ALSO DISSENT! I HAVE A RIGHT. THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON THE RIGHT TO DISSENT. GET OUR PEOPLE TO DISSENT ENOUGH, MAYBE SOME CHANGE WILL COME. I HAVE HAD ENOUGH. "DIVIDE AND CONQUER"? I CONCUR. GREATLY. BUT, IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT INSIDE THE TRIBE. NEVER MIND WHAT IS HAPPENING OUTSIDE. IT IS INSIDE! AND, IT OCCURS TO ME THAT NOONE HAS CALLED H.U.D. AND REQUESTED AN F.B.I. INVESTIGATION INTO ACTIVITIES OF THE TRIBAL ADMINISTRATION. WHY NOT? WE ARE APPLYING FOR FEDERAL RECOGNITION AND SPONSORSHIP. WE SHALL ALL BECOME WARDS OF AMERICA, AND BY EXTENSION, SUBJECT TO FBI INTERVENTION. WHY NOT NOW? CERTAINLY, THERE IS MORE THAN JUST CAUSE. THE DISSENTION IS BEING SPREAD BY SOME ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS. INTENTIONALLY, I BELIEVE. WHY? WHY NOT? LOTS OF MONEY AT STAKE. SEEMS TO ME THAT A PRECEDENT IS TRYING TO BE ETCHED IN STONE! WHAT PRECEDENT? WHY, AUTONOMY, OF COURSE. BUT THAT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN. WHY NOT CALL IN THE F.B.I.? WHY NOT HAVE H.U.D., B.I.A. AND WHOMEVER, INVESTIGATE? CLEAN OUT THE PLACE IF NEED BE. BUT AT LEAST WE CAN START OUT ON THE RIGHT FOOT, SO TO SPEAK. ILLUSION? YEAH? ILLUSION WORKS REALLY WELL IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO SEW THE DEEDS OF DISSENTION! AND THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED; BIG TIME! AVARICE, GREED, ENVY, ALL HAVE ENTERED THE ARENA. THEY THREATEN TO SWALLOW US UP WHOLE. TIME TO PUT THIS ALL OUT INTO THE DAYLIGHT, JUST LIKE DOCTOR WOODS HAS SAID. SHOW THE WORLD! BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, SHOW THE GOOD, DECENT LUMBEE PEOPLE WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. NEXT TIME, MAYBE THEY WILL DEMAND A FAIR AND OPEN ELECTION. MAYBE NEXT TIME, THEY WILL DEMAND THAT ANYTHING WE DO BE FOR THE CHILDREN. TOO LATE TO HELP ME, BUT I WILL NOT DISSENT IF WE ALL DO SOMETHING FOR OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN AND OUR OLD AND ILL LOVED ONES. BUT, REST ASSURED, IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AT THE PRESENT PACE, UNLESS SOMEONE WITH SOME BACKBONE AND AUTHORITY GETS INVOLVED AND CALLS IN THE STORM TROOPERS! "THAT WHICH IS CROOKED CANNOT BE MADE STRAIGHT"............WISE WORDS. ONLY ANSWER IS TO AIR IT OUT IN THE LIGHT OF DAY, AND LET THE CHIPS FALL WHERE THEY MAY! ME? REALLY? I PRAY FOR US. ALL OF US. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STEP UP AND LEAD! WE NEED A LEADER. WE DO NOT NEED MANAGEMENT, WE NEED LEADERS! "A MANAGER DOES THINGS RIGHT. A LEADER DOES THE RIGHT THINGS!" I SUGGEST THAT ONCE AGAIN, WE EMPOWER DOCTOR WOODS TO SEE TO THIS. AND, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARS, THE WHOLE WORLD WILL SEE HER FOR JUST EXACTLY WHAT SHE REALLY IS: OUR LEADER! GOD BLESS DOCTOR RUTH, AND GOD BLESS US! HARRY LOCKLEAR SPARTANBURG, SC U.S.A.