JANUARY 20, 2009

AS I TRAVELED ABOUT YESTERDAY, JANUARY 20, 2009, THERE WERE TELEVISIONS ON WITH OBAMA. OBAMA BEING SWORN IN, THE SPEECH TO THE NATION, THE RIDE IN THE NEW LIMOUSINE, THE OBAMAS AND BIDENS WATCHING THE PARADE FROM THE VIEWING STAND, AND OF COURSE THE DIFFERENT BALLS. IT WAS A DAY OF HOPE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

IN UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT, TRIBAL MEMBERS WERE WATCHING OBAMA ON TELEVISIONS THROUGH OUT THE GOVERNMENT BUILDING, MANY AT THE SAME TIME READING THE NEW "RESTRICITING OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE." OH, SORRY, I DID IT AGAIN, I MEAN "FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE."

TRIBAL MEMBERS, WATCHING THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SAYING HOW, HE WAS GOING TO BRING TRANSPARENCY TO GOVERNMENT. HE SAID, "TODAY I SAY TO YOU THAT THE CHALLENGES WE FACE ARE REAL. THEY ARE SERIOUS AND THEY ARE MANY. THEY WILL NOT BE MET EASILY OR IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME. BUT KNOW THIS, AMERICAN, THEY WILL BE MET."

WHAT WERE THE TRIBAL MEMBERS THINKING AS THEY WERE READING? THEY PROABALY WERE THINKING, HOW AN ORDINANCE WAS IN PLACE, THAT WAS RESTRICTING THEIR VERY FREEDOMS. IN MY OPINION, THEY HAD TO BE FEELING A WIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS. HOPE FOR THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON, D. C.,, AND A REMINDER OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT EVERYONE FELT WHO ATTENDED THE QUARTERLY MEETING LAST SUNDAY. THE FEAR, THAT MUST HAVE RUSHED THROUGH THEIR MINDS. BEWILDERMENT.

IN A HOUSE, IN UNCASVILLE, CONNECTICUT, TWO TRIBAL MEMBERS MANED THE POST TO GET A PETITION DONE , TO SEND OUT FOR REFERENDUM (VOTE) TO RESCIND THE NEW "FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE." AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS OVER, TRIBAL MEMBERS HAD COME TOGETHER AND COMPLETED THE TASK. PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIVE, PAST COUNCIL OF ELDERS, ETC.,

ONE TRIBAL MEMBER WE CONTACTED, SAID THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF HE WOULD HAVE A JOB. HE SAID HE WOULD SIGN IF WE NEEDED HIM TO BUT HE HOPED HE DID NOT HAVE TO. IN THE END, HE CAME FORWARD AND SIGNED, BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I GOT THE IMPRESSION, THAT WHEN HE LOOKED HIMSELF IN THE MIRROR, HE HAD TO LIKE WHAT HE SAW. GOD BLESS HIM FOR HAVING THE COURAGE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

IN THE END IS WAS A GOOD DAY FOR THE UNITED STATES. IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE. THE MOHEGAN PEOPLE, WILLINGLY PARTICIPATED AND WANTED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, FROM THE VERY GOVERNMENT WHICH IS THEIR TO PROTECT THEM. KIND OF IRONIC, DON'T YOU THINK..

TO EVERYONE WHO SIGNED, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NO GESTURE WAS TOO SMALL. WE ALL PITCHED IN AND MADE IT HAPPEN. WE STOOD TALL. IT WAS A GOOD DAY FOR MOHEGANS. WHAT DO YOU THINK?