Bozho nikan
(Hello friend),
The last several months for Texas, Florida, and now Puerto Rico, have been disastrous for many citizens of our country. Also, there have been some breaches of security systems of several firms with the hacking of their systems. As a result, you may want to put a freeze on your credit and credit history. To freeze your credit, you will need to contact each of the three firms that maintain your credit history. Contacts for each: Equifax, 1-800-349-9960; Experian, 1-888-397-3742; and TransUnion, 1-888-909-8872. The fee is $5-$10. To get in-depth information about the dos, don’ts, etc., I suggest you visit cpn.news/credit.
I am suggesting this for anyone who has lost everything since there are predators out there that will prey on those who have been affected by the above since their focus is on the problem at hand and they are easy targets. Hopefully, no one reading this is at risk, but I felt this information needed to be offered.
On to another area. Sept. 28, we held our Legislative session where we had over 30 items on the agenda, one of which was to review and approve the 2017-2018 CPN budget. I happened to be away on vacation on a cruise, and fortunately, due to the technology we have at hand, I was able to connect and participate via the use of internet through a satellite connection. I am frequently amazed that you can be out on the ocean and can still use your phone as well as your computer for your internet, let alone an audio-visual conference connection. I think back to the 1960s when one of the first computers required a room about the size of a football field. Our small, hand-held phones can do many thousand more things than that new technology was able to do then. And we are moving along even more as we progress into the future.
I am still en route home and therefore will keep this month’s column short. One of the cruise stops made, and the reason we chose this trip was to specifically visit the area where our Nation first inhabited North America was to see Nova Scotia, and we stopped in both Halifax and Sydney. At Sydney, while walking down the street, I noticed a gentleman in front of me who was wearing a black jacket with what appeared to be red bear claw image on the back and front. Further inspection revealed that he had a small ring of sweetgrass on his hat. I asked him politely if he was First Nation and his reply was yes. He advised he was Mi’kmaq. I told him I was Citizen Potawatomi and that many centuries ago our ancestors had lived in Nova Scotia. He shook my hand and seemed pleased that I had taken the opportunity to speak. Canada is working more closely with their First Nations, and this particular First Nation has done very well financially. It was great to see that there are other Nisnabe in North America who are becoming successful.
I bring this up to say, when you are in a new area, look at the people around you. There may be someone from another Nation near you, and they may be happy to have you recognize them.
In closing, I thank each of you every day for allowing me to represent District 3 and proudly serve as your elected representative. By the end of October, I will be attending the National Congress of American Indians in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I will be there looking for new areas that may help our Nation and possibly you. Until I write my December column.
Bama pi
(Later),
Bob Whistler
Bmashi (He Soars)
District 3 Representative
112 Bedford Rd., Suite 116
Bedford, TX 76022
817-282-0868 office
817-229-6271 cell
817-545-1507 home
rwhistler@potawatomi.org
cpn3legislator@yahoo.com