"Of course, indifference can be tempting -- more than that, seductive. It is so much easier to look away from victims. It is so much easier to avoid such rude interruptions to our work, our dreams, our hopes. It is, after all, awkward, troublesome, to be involved in another person's pain and despair. Yet, for the person who is indifferent, his or her neighbor are of no consequence. And, therefore, their lives are meaningless. Their hidden or even visible anguish is of no interest. Indifference reduces the other to an abstraction.
In a way, to be indifferent to that suffering is what makes the human being inhuman. Indifference, after all, is more dangerous than anger and hatred. Anger can at times be creative. One writes a great poem, a great symphony, one does something special for the sake of humanity because one is angry at the injustice that one witnesses. But indifference is never creative. Even hatred at times may elicit a response. You fight it. You denounce it. You disarm it. Indifference elicits no response. Indifference is not a response.
Indifference is not a beginning, it is an end. And, therefore, indifference is always the friend of the enemy, for it benefits the aggressor -- never his victim, whose pain is magnified when he or she feels forgotten. The political prisoner in his cell, the hungry children, the homeless refugees -- not to respond to their plight, not to relieve their solitude by offering them a spark of hope is to exile them from human memory. And in denying their humanity we betray our own."
Elie Wiesel
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Ryan Roberts stole ~$480K!! (probably more than that but who knows how much exactly!?!) what about the embezzled money that Mr. & Mrs. Roberts has/had? will we ever see any of that money returned? i am sure his wife has an idea of where it is or where it went.
ReplyDeleteseems that this story was swept under the rug as well. i did not see that story make the "Meskwaki Nation Times" as other criminal stories were posted in the newsletter.
whoever you are, say that to my face!
ReplyDeleteI believe that Ryan was a Scapegoat and there is more to the story...Ryan will sure someday and someway bring the truth out and then we will see who truly should be behind bars. What we need is a forensic Audit...this is what we need to get in deep into our finances and finally find out the Truth...I wish that would take place soon...before any evidence is all hidden or destroyed.
ReplyDeleteif he was a scapegoat, surely he would have brought that to light? why would anyone WANT to go to FEDERAL prison for 10 years for something "they didn't do"? and please don't give me they set him up or he didn't want to "tattle" on anyone.
ReplyDeletehe admitted "he had a gambling problem" and pled guilty. That was the premise of his defense.
OR if he did discern who was involved, then he is guilty and continues to remain guilty by obscuring the truth. surely that ~$480K (or what is left!!) is sitting somewhere; be it in some hidden account or another co-conspirator's account.
I would gladly say anything to "your face" BUT you are Anonymous......
In the first post meskwaki ndnd accuses someone else in addition to ryan as the beneficiary of the stolen funds. Do you have proof or evidence? just wondering. There is saying.."sometimes a person will speak because he/she has something to say; some will speak because they HAVE to say something" You should consider your posts (voice) at least important enough to think before you speak. If what you say is true..no doubt..bring it out. if not..well, you know what to do. So far only one individual was tried/convicted of that particular crime. You should refrain from adding the names of others if you have nothing concrete to offer. It shows how shallow and emotionally attached (personally) you are to current events that are not going your way. Let's stop this stuff since it only results in further division in our tribe. Agreed?
ReplyDeleteif you can't figure out who annonymous is, you have no brains!
ReplyDeleteYeah meskwaki ndnd, your a effing freak and scaredy cat if you cant sign your name to your posts, bet if you did we would see your hands aint so clean to be pointing fingers at anybody. Fess up to your crimes first, loser!!
ReplyDeletethe initial question was asked, "who stole it all?" meskwaki.ndnd answered. there is one known person who stole from every enrolled tribal member. considering the users of this site and their family affiliation, of course they will not respond accordingly, but rather attack someone who posts.
ReplyDeleteattack the post, not the poster.
You know anonymous, (and others) i don't think the original intent of the question.."who stole it all?" applies to the resulting dialogue about THAT particular case. What we should find disturbing is the "play" of charts that DO NOT, OR DID NOT include the casino financial picture. It's like me having two (2) incomes...you ask me how much i make and i show you only one set of books (or a chart of limited information). What are you/we left to believe?
ReplyDeleteLet's all try to leave alone the "stuff" that does not really matter or apply, and look to the real issues at this time. We really need to focus on the upcoming changes and the emerging candidates and their approaches to the issues themselves.
What are the real issues here? Money? There are other issues that need to be addressed on the settlement. Like diabetes, alchoholism and the recent epidemic of "dusting". The steady loss of our language should rate above our loss of money. And don't give me any of that "people living away from the sett know more than people living there BS" because you don't. You probably could care less if we lost our language or when we lose a tribal member from drugs, alcohol or complications of diabetes. You sure do care about the "books" and "casino financials". How shallow you are. We, ON THE SETT, have more pride in being Meskwaki because we just don't cash a check that says "Meskwaki" we live the life!! I'm proud to be a Meskwaki. I love my people no matter who or what they represent. How about you? Attaks on me can start now!!!
ReplyDeleteThe REAL issue is the one asked by the author of this blog. And yes, it was about money. I see your point though. There are alot of other concerns that the members of this tribe face. you bring some up. I have heard many others. I really doubt all your anguish of who lives where is accomplishing anything useful. This is a time when we all as MEMBERS need to be better at getting along. While i do not live on the SETT, i still visit often and have many friends and family that do. I too have lost relations to suicide, alcohol, diabetes, crime, and "batu",ice,or meth. A Meskwaki is a Meskwaki no matter where he or she might be. Sad that there are those who continue to create division based on geographical differences. Sorry you feel that way. So, no one is gonna ATTACK you. sheeesh..so much more important things to do, Don't you think??
ReplyDeleteHowever, living away from the Sett, you only have access to whatever info is being "given" to you and do not see the day to day life here in Tama.
ReplyDeleteAlso, compared to those living here, you have no voting privileges on key issues surrounding the tribe; so geographics do play a key role in tribal functions.
This leads me to also believe that given all of your previous posts concerns with only the financial side of the tribe, you are only concerned with money.
anonymous1
I think you might ask around to know who and what i talk about DAILY.Many will tell you it's more than about money with me. Sure, we have absolutely no vote, but izz ok. We can still help make a difference. The most important thing we see and want to change is all the divisiveness that you are so prone to propagate. I have approached many issues in all my posts and writings that many tribal members have read and appreciate. What are you doing that is really contributing to the welfare of the tribe? I would suggest to you that you try a little to make things better for ALL tribal members. it is a goal of some that the day will come that we all might get along and truthfully be able to meet our challenges together. Think you can contribute to that? i hope so. Try it.
ReplyDeleteI am about to ramble, so please bear with me.
ReplyDeleteHow can they release Ryan Roberts from prison only after 6 months? I don't like to see or hear of any tribal member being locked up, but come on. He stole $480000 from the tribe and he gets a slap on the wrist. I suppose if they can get away with it in Wall-street, why not in Tama?
The new school is outrageous!! Why do we need a school of that magnatude for so few students? Why is it off limits to tribal members if the Tribe paid for almost all of it?? Why not have open gym or allow the use of the computer lab or weight equipment or even access to the grounds after hours for recreation? Why are there 2 principals for that school? STC has hundreds more students and only requires 1 principal per school. Waste of money!!
Whats going on in tribal HQ? 3 employees being let go/terminated? Probably for the best as one family should not "control" HQ. Maybe there friends and family will quit receiving special privilages now and picked over for other more qualified individuals. That leads to the question: Whos is running the show over there??
Tribal natural resources sending out a letter stating mountain lions are on the SETT. I LMAO when I read that!! How incompitant are the employees working there? Or other departments for the tribe? How much did it cost to send the WRONG INFO to all in the community?!?
That is all for now. I just spit milk out of my nose from thinking about the dumb letter regarding the mountain lions!!
E na i!!!! Quit bitching everyone. Not getting the tribe anywhere. Maybe if we all thought positive and work on getting along we would actually be moving forward, rather than standing still. Lets start thinking about our future and not just regarding money!! Money comes and goes. Everyone in the world is having a hard time right now not just us, but it is getting better. Lets let go of all our differences and move ahead. Lets forget about our mistakes and the past. Together we stand, divided we fall. Who's with me??
ReplyDelete