Hello Star boy: I do not claim to have all the answers, nor do I claim to be anyone important, an authority on anything, or be the only one who recalls the historical facts I experienced. I do not need to use anyone else's lifetime to prove my own validity. What I posted is exactly what I experienced, not from what anyone else told me, or their version of it. The historical events as I relayed them are exactly what happened no matter how much you may NOT want them to be or how uncomfortable it makes you. The information I posted simply is what it is, and I will not "color" it up to make it more or less than what it is. I have to say that your attempt to discredit and add in less than honest information to my post sincerely makes me wonder how much of the other information you have posted has received the same treatment.
You stated that I claimed to be a part of conversations with Godfrey. I never once stated that I was a part of any conversations with Godfrey, nor did I imply it. It simply isn't true. I was however at the Pilot Rock dance when Godfrey came out to run the dance with Michael and the several hundred people there can legitimize that Godfrey passed the bundle to Michael for him to continue that ceremony even in Godfrey's absence. I also made no statements regarding the treatment of anyone in Europe, either the Two Feathers or other people. I was not there and can not say what happened.
As for your statement regarding "stealing a Lokota Sundance ceremony", the only time in all these years that I heard talk of "taking the Sundance ceremony" it was Charles. After several years of supporting Michael, it was Charles who began lobbying people to take over the Pilot Rock dance, I was present at the Portland meeting when that lobbying began and again when Charles requested that dancers, helpers, and supporters meet and asked if it could be held at my home. I did not know at the time the true purpose of that meeting and agreed that my home could be used. It was at that meeting that Charles made all the plans about how it was going to be done, and when it would happen, and demanded that people play specific roles in his plan to take the dance away from Michael. Many people were very upset and left because they wanted no part in it. It was the people who attended those meetings that spoke to Michael about what had been said and the details of how it was to be done by Charles and that is what led up to him being asked to leave. So tell me... am I speaking to you Charles? or perhaps Kevin? The words you use are identical to Charles words. Is that what started all of this? The plan didn't work so the next best thing is to discredit Michael? Did you turn that into a personal vendetta? I sincerely hope not. I had considered you to be a whole different kind of person than that.
I also find it interesting that you "Star boy" or whoever you are, now mention having a complete set of all the documents including emails of the work I did regarding the sacred ground status. As it was Charles who stood before all those people he had called together to plan the over throw of the Pilot Rock dance and demanded that I turn all of those documents over to him I once again ask... is this you Charles who started all of this?. No one else has the complete information except Charles, and could not make that claim. Out of respect to who he was I did give him those documents, and I admit I had real concerns about what those documents might be turned into, or how they might be manipulated.
In regards to all of those documents, by all means provide them to any who want to look at them. Most of those documents are public record, others could only have been gotten directly from me and no other source, since I only gave those documents to Charles, it should be clear why all of this started about Michael and the motive behind it. There is nothing to hide in them. In reading them the persons interested will know without a doubt that it was my error that the Maka Oyate name got associated with the Namenha, not Michael's. It was myself that spoke with the man called Cloudpiler, not Michael. I made the mistake and I have accepted responsibility for that even though it embarrasses me terribly. At the time I did not know that associating with the Namenha was not a good thing, I knew very little about them, when I did find out about them I took immediate steps to disasociate them from the work I was doing. It is true that it came after the BLM posted their information, but I cannot change that. Some time later I was sent a link showing that they had used the Maka Oyate name without permission and I immediately requested them to cease. So by all means put the information out there, it will only serve to validate that it was my error and actions that show the connection between them and the Maka Oyate, not Michael's.
You should be very careful about your statements regarding John Snyder and congressman Walden. Once again you have taken information out of context and changed it into something it is not to try to validate your claims. I still communicate with those individuals and actually spoke with the congressman not long ago about the land and the dance. For any who view the documents I provided to this man, please note that all documents from congressmen, senators, state officials, BLM, and officials in Washington D.C. are on legitimate letterhead signed by those individuals. For any other documents that may be provided to you I can not validate that they have not been tampered with or that they are an official and true part of those records. This was a true concern when they were demanded from me.
As for your comments regarding Martin not having a motor home in an attempt to discredit me, I can't say that the motor home belonged to Martin. All I know is that the trailer I and others sometimes cleaned to get ready for his arrival no longer worked for Martin. It was old and falling apart. I don't know where the motor home came from or who owned it, frankly it was not my business and I never thought to ask. But he did arrive in camp in a motor home, stayed in it, and left in it. Why you feel the need to discredit that is beyond me. As for my conversation with him, it took place whether it makes you uncomfortable or not. Yes, he was ill, yes he was on oxygen, but that did not stop him from speaking with the people over the loud speaker set up for him, nor did it stop him from speaking with myself, or others in my presence or out of my presence. Who knew way back then that any of us would ever have to "legitimize" anything that Martin said or did. Back then life was much simpler, and when there was an issue or conflict they followed his teachings and prayed for one another and lived in quiet. They were not all puffed up with all this anger all the time.
It is my opinion that I do not need to protect Michael. I think if Michael needs protecting he is quite capable of dealing with it himself. If there were something I experienced, saw, or heard him doing/saying that I thought was inappropriate, I would state it, I have nothing to hide. My experiences over the years and what I related are exactly as they happened and are not a retell of what someone else said to me their experience was. I notice in your posts that you spend a lot of time stating what "others" supposedly said, but I don't see those "others" saying it. It would be helpful if you could state what it is that you actually saw, or heard Michael do himself that supports the claim of fraud.
As for allegations of him receiving money, or people gifting money, how many elders are we asking to account for times when they have received money? How many times have you recieved money for travel to and from ceremony? for transmission repairs on your car? When did it become terrible for people to gift our elders or to help them out? I never got the update that said we can no longer gift our people or help them, and if we do they will be called frauds if they accept it.
You seem to focus a lot on Michael's wife. Truthfully I don't care who her friends were, what she wears, how they met, the details of how they got together, or what she did at pow wow's. If you don't like her simply say that and move on.
I am interested in finding out the truth about why there are these allegations of fraud and if there is any validity in them. I respectfully requested some clarification from this site on some things, in hopes that I can get beyond the he said/she said part of all of this and understand the truth. I'm in hopes of being able to get that information.
I also find it interesting that you waited until Red Leaf, and Highhorse had crossed over before making claims that they did not support Michael. If you have all this knowledge of these terrible things they said then why didn't you voice them when those individuals were still here to respond? Larry Redleaf and his wife sat in my camp and so did Al Highhorse and talked about what a great dance it was, and how they supported the ceremony and Michael. It perplexes me to try to figure out why they would continue to come to that ceremony for so many years and speak openly about their feelings and support of Michael, if as YOU claim they did not support him or that ceremony. Larry and Al were both an integral part of those ceremonies, and they were highly respected, honored, and loved by just about everyone. Also your statement that the Klamath tribe does not recognize Michael is without merit as well. It was Gerald Skelton, Cultural & Heritage Preservation Director who openly spoke to BLM and other officials stating that Michael was an officially authorized and recognized representative. When you pass those documents out to everyone that information is in that material as well.
In the meantime take a deep breath and try to calm down. Please don't twist around my lifetime to give validity to your own. If I have misstated something or find that I was incorrect on something I will certainly take responsibility for it and apologize. However, at this time, what I have said stands as it is, there is nothing disrespectful intended in any of it.
