[Dryerase] Casino Kingpin Terrorizes Oneida Families

[annie v]

Casino Kingpin Terrorizes Oneida Families 
by A. Venesky  
 
Danielle Shenandoah Patterson’s home has been
demolished. She has been illegally held in a
Pennsylvania prison and denied needed medicine. Now
homeless, she may lose her three young children.
Meanwhile, the rest of her family and other community
members are threatened with the same fate: the
destruction of their homes, their community and the
ability to practice their Native Oneida heritage. 

"This," says the resilient 31-year-old with a stern
anger in her voice, "is cultural genocide." 

The conflict, occurring on a 32-acre territory in
upstate New York, between Syracuse and Utica, pits
Patterson and other Oneida traditionalists against an
illegal tribal leadership led by Ray Halbritter,
Harvard-trained businessman. 

On this small territory, Patterson’s community
practices the traditional culture designated for it by
two Oneida clan mothers in 1961. It is the only
undisputed piece of Oneida land that remains of the
original 6 million acres occupied by the nation before
the influx of European settlers displaced many Oneida.
The entire nation, which consists of 11,000 in
Wisconsin, 2,000 living in Canada and 1,100 New York
residents, claims 250,000 disputed acres in upstate
New York. 

Since 1993, the 52-year-old Halbritter has forced more
than half of the territory’s approximately 160
residents off of their land. His 40-man non-native
paramilitary force has also forcibly "inspected,"
condemned and destroyed the homes of 12 traditional
families, including Patterson’s. 

"We are a community of women, elders and children, and
a few older men… We are under 24-hour surveillance,
and they the police] are heavily armed… even though
they have no deputation in New York State," Patterson
noted in September. It’s ridiculous." 

Halbritter usurped the traditional matrilineal
government and has ignored the Iroquois Grand Council
of Chiefs, the confederacy to which the Oneida have
belonged since the 14th century. He instituted an
undemocratic and secretive Men’s Council to govern the
nation’s affairs. Halbritter then locked the
traditional longhouse and closed down the community
food bank that served 280 families. 

Having incorporated the nation as the Oneida Nation of
New York, Inc., he established himself as CEO and
built the Turning Stone Casino — the largest in the
state, raking in $167 million a year — as the
cornerstone of an expansive business enterprise. 

Danielle’s sister, Diane Shenandoah, has spoken out
against Halbritter’s engagement in gambling. "Our
spiritual tradition does not condone gaming," she
said. As a result, Oneida Nation, Inc. has been kicked
out of the Iroquois Confederacy, which is opposed to
gambling. 

The Grand Council of Chiefs removed Halbritter in 1993
as the Oneida representative and then notified the
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The BIA accepted, and
then quickly reversed, the decision, reportedly under
pressure from Congressman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY). 
Boehlert allegedly cut a deal with the Clinton
administration, voting for the North American Free
Trade Agreement in exchange for BIA recognition of
Halbritter as the Oneida representative for life. 

Many suspect that official state support of Halbritter
— including Gov. George Pataki’s — is driven by a
scheme in which Native American land claims are traded
for casino contracts. According to a March report in
the Rochester, NY Democrat and Chronicle, "Halbritter
wants to run two of the three casinos in the
Catskills" in a deal that would give "a 25 percent cut
off the top to the state." 

Patterson says the BIA’s refusal to acknowledge the
Iroquois’ rejection of Halbritter violates the Two Row
Wampum Treaty, which has existed since the 17th
century and "clearly states that both parties, the
U.S. and the Iroquois Confederacy will not interfere
in each others’ affairs." 

The Oneida Wolf Clan, headed by Patterson’s mother,
Maisie Shenandoah, disavowed Halbritter’s leadership
in 1995. 

While Halbritter reaps his millions, the other Oneida
remain dependent upon nation benefits — dispensed by
Halbritter. This is why other non-traditionalist
Oneidas haven’t come out in support of the traditional
community. "He uses benefits from the nation to make
people silent," says Patterson’s sister, Vicki
Shenandoah. "Halbritter has said he will make examples
of us. More people would stand up, if not for fear." 

Patterson says Halbritter’s intimidation tactics
include assaults by his police force, including one on
herself in November 2001. The incident was caught on
videotape, prompting Halbritter to ban all media from
the territory. In response, Patterson and others
launched a request for legal observers and set up a
Peace Camp. Patterson says as many as 200 activists
came from as far as Canada to participate. The
presence of 100 observers this past Sept. 15 helped
prevent a threatened demolition at the time. 

But on Oct. 18, tribal police arrested Patterson,
without notifying her lawyer. She was flown in one of
Halbritter’s private jets to Cambria County Prison in
Pennsylvania, 300 miles away. Patterson was held for
three days, during which she was denied needed
medication for her thyroid condition. "This was
kidnapping. This was not legal," she attested. "I was
a political prisoner." 

Patterson was also denied her right to consult with
her attorney, Joe Heath, in confidence. "After a
seven-hour drive, we were only allowed one 10-minute
insecure conversation," says Heath. "My ability to
prepare her case was hindered." Patterson regained her
freedom only by accepting a plea bargain in which she
promised not to interfere with the demolition of her
home. 

Her ex-husband, one of Halbritter’s associates, has
now challenged Patterson for custody of her two
daughters and son on the grounds that she is homeless.


Halbritter representative Jerry Reid refused to
comment on Patterson’s case, saying only, "That
situation is over." 

Patterson adds that the many criminal reports that the
Oneidas have filed against the tribal police —
including a 1996 assault on Patterson’s 70-year-old
mother — to the local Madison County District
Attorney’s office have "all been ignored." "This is a
severe violation of … international law. All
indigenous people have right to be free of cruel and
inhumane treatment," she said. 

Since Patterson is now homeless and has been denied
compensation for her destroyed home and belongings,
she and her family are looking for a seasonal home. 

For more info on how to help, go oneidasfordemocracy.org.

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