Tribal elections were imminent. A group of bullying, threatening dissidents were trying to gain control of the tribal government. A significant portion of the dissident group were alleged to have ties to Mexican gangs. One of the dissidents had recently brandished a loaded pistol and threatened to blow the head off of a member of the opposing incumbents. A recent protest had ended with an assault on a tribal official. Telephone calls were made to the tribal offices threatening a violent takeover.
Against this backdrop, the Tribal Administrator convinced the council that the tribe's offices should be closed until after the elections in the interest of public safety. One of the Council vocally objected, saying the Council shouldn't be intimidated by the bullies. He dismissed the facts that the rear door to the building had been found mysteriously unlocked, that members of the dissident group had been taking pictures of the outside and inside of the building the day before, and that one of the dissidents had been bragging about the fact that she soon was going to be the new person in charge. Law enforcement agencies and the Bureau of Indian Affairs were notified of the threats and the office closure.
Election day came and went without any incidents at the tribal offices. The council member who had voted against closing the office reminded everyone of his displeasure. "I told you it was a dumb idea! Nothing happened!"
That nothing happened probably had more to do with the proactive observations and actions of the Tribal Administrator than the council member realized. Just a few years before, another dissident group had stormed the office and taken financial records, membership lists and other important government documents. The ousted and proper government spent months in trying to regain control, while the Federal government froze vital funding to the tribe and members were left without vital services.
Vigilance is not dumb. The fact that there have been no more World Trade Center disasters since 2001 is more a testimony to proactive steps taken in its aftermath than any other possibility. There have been countless, but rarely mentioned, attempts to bring injury to our country since September 11, 2001. Those attempts were thwarted due to improved detection methods, better intelligence gathering, and intensified training.
Anyone who suggests that we scale back our national security because there have been no further internal attacks IS dumb.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
Against this backdrop, the Tribal Administrator convinced the council that the tribe's offices should be closed until after the elections in the interest of public safety. One of the Council vocally objected, saying the Council shouldn't be intimidated by the bullies. He dismissed the facts that the rear door to the building had been found mysteriously unlocked, that members of the dissident group had been taking pictures of the outside and inside of the building the day before, and that one of the dissidents had been bragging about the fact that she soon was going to be the new person in charge. Law enforcement agencies and the Bureau of Indian Affairs were notified of the threats and the office closure.
Election day came and went without any incidents at the tribal offices. The council member who had voted against closing the office reminded everyone of his displeasure. "I told you it was a dumb idea! Nothing happened!"
That nothing happened probably had more to do with the proactive observations and actions of the Tribal Administrator than the council member realized. Just a few years before, another dissident group had stormed the office and taken financial records, membership lists and other important government documents. The ousted and proper government spent months in trying to regain control, while the Federal government froze vital funding to the tribe and members were left without vital services.
Vigilance is not dumb. The fact that there have been no more World Trade Center disasters since 2001 is more a testimony to proactive steps taken in its aftermath than any other possibility. There have been countless, but rarely mentioned, attempts to bring injury to our country since September 11, 2001. Those attempts were thwarted due to improved detection methods, better intelligence gathering, and intensified training.
Anyone who suggests that we scale back our national security because there have been no further internal attacks IS dumb.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
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