SPECIAL WEBSITE

AT THE LAST TRIBAL QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBE, ON OCTOBER 19, 2008, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE TWO MOHEGAN WEBSITES (FEATHER NEWS AND BROKENWING EDITORIALS).

THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT THE TWO WEBSITES ARE DOING. THERE WAS A LOT OF CONDEMNING THE WEBSITES. ONE TRIBAL MEMBER SAID HE WAS OKAY WITH A SECURE SITE TO PROTECT THE INFORMATION THAT THE TWO WEBSITES PUT OUT, SO THEY COULD NOT BE ACCESSED BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THERE WAS COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW THE TWO WEBSITES HANDLED THE SAGAMORE WHO FELL DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE WAY I HEARD IT, BRUCE "TWO DOGS" BOZSUM, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL COUNCIL, SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT IF ANYONE DID TO HIS FAMILY WHAT HAD BEEN DONE TO THE SAGAMORE HE WOULD GO AFTER THEM.

I BELIEVE, CHAIRMAN BOZSUM SAID THAT THE TRIBE COULD NOT CONTROL WHAT THE TWO WEBSITES WERE PRINTING. I BELIEVE HE REALIZES THAT WE HAVE OUR FREEDOMS OF THE PRESS AND SPEECH. I THINK THE CHAIRMAN UNDERSTANDS WE (BROKENWING EDITORIALS AND THE FEATHER NEWS) INTEND TO EXERCISE THEM.

I BELIEVE AFTER THE DISCUSSION, CHAIRMAN BOZSUM OFFERED A SECURE SITE TO THE TWO EDITORS OF BROKENWING EDITORIALS AND THE FEATHER NEWS. A TRIBAL MEMBER IN THE AUDIENCE SAID WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DO IT. WHY NOT SOMEONE ELSE. ANOTHER TRIBAL MEMBER SAID WHO IS GOING TO CONTROL WHAT THEY SAY.

I BELIEVE, BOTH MYSELF AND THE EDITOR OF THE FEATHER NEWS, REALIZE THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN READ OUR WEBSITES. HOWEVER, HOW ARE TRIBAL MEMBERS IN PLACES LIKE TENNESSEE, TEXAS, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, AND OTHER PLACES GOING TO GET THE ENTIRE PICTURE OF WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING, IF THE WEBSITES DID NOT EXIST? ARE TRIBAL MEMBERS TO RELY ON A TRIBAL EWSLETTER? DOES THE NEWSLETTER TELL EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING IN UNCASVILLE? DOES IT TELL THE ENTIRE PICTURE OF BUSINESS DEALINGS OF THE MOHEGAN GOVERNMENT? IS THE NEWSLETTER CENSORED? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

ONE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS THAT THE TWO WEBSITES DO TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS. THE FEATHER NEWS TAKES CURRENT NEWS ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO MOHEGANS AND OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. IT IS MORE LIKE A NEWSPAPER. BROKENWING EDITORIALS IS AN EDITORIAL PAGE, EXPRESSING THE EDITOR'S FACTS, IDEAS AND OPINIONS. I DO NOT KNOW IF BOTH EDITORS COULD WORK ON ONE WEBSITE.

AT THE PRESENT MOMENT, SPEAKING ONLY AS THE EDITOR OF BROKENWING EDITORIALS, I AM CONSIDERING THE OFFER BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL COUNCIL.