Is It Better to be Loved or Feared?

Political wisdom often dictates that it is better to be respected and feared rather than to be loved.  This goes all the way back to the 16th Century when Niccolò Machiavelli wrote The Prince instructing would be leaders on how to gain and maintain political power.

This theme of being feared rather than being loved permeates our popular culture including movies such as Star Wars and The Godfather.

Here is a quote from the movie A Bronx Tale:

Is it better to be loved or feared?

That's a good question.

It's nice to be both, but it's difficult.
But if I had my choice...I would rather be feared.
Fear lasts longer than love.

Friendships bought with money mean nothing.

You see how it is.  I make a joke, everybody laughs.  I'm funny, but not that funny.

Fear keeps them loyal to me.  The trick is not being hated.

I treat my men good. But if I give too much, I'm not needed. 

I give just enough where they need me but don't hate me.

There is a clip a clip from the movie with this scene toward the end that you can watch on youtube here

Corruption Exposed At California Indian Casino

This article appeared in the Fresno Bee on August 17th, 2012.  The casino is the Thunder Valley Casino owned by the United Auburn Indian Casino.  For those keeping tabs on this kind of stuff you may recall Howard Dickstein is an attorney for United Auburn.

The article is titled:

3 charged with defrauding California tribe of $18M By DON THOMPSON - Associated Press

Here are a couple of excerpts:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Three men have been indicted on federal charges of defrauding a casino-operating Indian tribe of more than $18 million through a kickback scheme involving the tribal administrator, federal prosecutors said Friday.
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They are charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering in indictments unsealed Friday. The indictment charges that they inflated bills related to a construction project that included new headquarters for the tribe.

Volen, the contractor, is alleged to have paid about $7.5 million in kickbacks to Hinz. Prosecutors say Hinz, the quality-control expert, then used part of his money to buy tribal administrator Baker a Lake Tahoe vacation home, a $54,000 in-ground pool, a $70,000 BMW and a trip to Hawaii, among other things.

In March, the Internal Revenue Service moved to seize 23 properties, including vacation homes in Lake Tahoe and Maui, as part of the investigation.

Read The Full Article Here

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/17/2956109/3-charged-with-defrauding-california.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/08/17/2956109/3-charged-with-defrauding-california.html#storylink=cpy

Margarita Brittain - Fullblood Kupa Indian

This is an informational booklet on Margarita Brittain.  She was a fullblood Kupa (Cupa, Cupeno) Indian from Warner's Hot Springs.  Her and her children were removed from the village of Kupa at Warner's Hot Springs in 1903 during the Cupeno Trail of Tears.  Margarita and her children received allotments at Pala and became part of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

162 of Margarita Brittain's descendents were wrongly disenrolled from their tribe by Pala's Executive Committee.  The preponderance of evidence demonstrates Margarita Brittain was a fullblood Kupa Indian and her descendents are entitled to be enrolled at Pala.   The BIA Agrees.


Margarita Brittain Booklet

BIA Recommends All 162 Pala Members Remain Enrolled

I am posting this again as I think it is important.


Bureau of Indian Affairs Pacific Regional Director Recommends All 162 Disenfranchised Pala Members Be Enrolled

What Are The New Membership Requirements For Pala?

For over 50 years the membership requirements for the Pala Band of Mission Indians was that one had to be a lineal descendent of someone on the 1913 rolls and be at least 1/16 blood of the band.

All 162 disenrolled members of Pala meet the membership requirement.  The BIA agrees that all 162 members should be enrolled.

Margarita Brittain is listed as 4/4 on the 1913 Pala Allotment Rolls. Her children are listed as 1/2.

Over 50 years of Custom and Tradition, the Articles of Association, and even the Pala Constitution list membership requirements as being a descendent of someone on the 1913 rolls and possessing at least 1/16 blood of the band.

So what has changed?  Are there new membership requirements?  People of Pala should be concerned since it seems the membership requirements have changed.  The Pala Executive Committee is going against over 50 years of Custom and Tradition, the Articles of Association, and the Pala Constitution by disenrolling 162 of its members.

It now appears anyone can be disenrolled or enrolled based on a vote by the Executive Committee.  Is this really what the tribe wants?

1903 Pala Census

Here is the 1903 Pala Census 1903 Pala Census

1910 Federal Census for the Pala Township

Here is the 1910 Federal Census for the Pala Township.  Margarita is on page 4.


1910 Federal Census Pala Township

1924 Pala Census

Here is the 1924 Census for Pala

Margarita and her children are on page 3


1924 Pala Census

Summer Doldrums

I was hoping to get a few more documents this weekend but it didn't come through.

This summer feels like it's going in slow motion.  I'm trying not to put my life on hold and trying to just keep going.

For all the disenrolled I hope you are doing as well as you can.  Thanks to all our family for being there with support.  I have to believe that in the end the truth will win.  We are who we are and no one can take that away from us.

Pink Floyd - Lost For Words

I will resume some more document posting tomorrow.