Letter to the Editor

Last week on page 17 of this paper, a full page listing appeared entitled, “ELDERS BENEFITS FAQS.”

PLEASE NOTE. This listing was a product of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe only. Although my name and that of Lois Thomas appeared as “Contact Information,” neither one of us were consulted in the writing of this article and we did not agree to, or approve the content.

In error, the listing suggests that Tribal Programs mainly benefit elders.

Not true. We all benefit from these services, the young, and old, healthy and disabled. We are one people, all drinking from the same spring.

Additionally, the listing omitted the fact that many of these programs cost the Tribe nothing. They are paid for by State and Federal monies.

If we as a tribe do not support our elders, we are setting upon the same sad path that Carolee Jacobs told about in a story heard from her own mother.

“A longtime ago, this man lived with his father. The man married and brought his wife home. His wife got tired of the old man living with them.

So the man sent his son to take the old man into the woods and leave him there. But before they left, the man gave his son a blanket to wrap the old man with.

So the boy took the old man into the woods. Before leaving for home, the boy took the blanket and tore it in half and took one half back home with him.

On returning home, he was asked by his father why he had brought back half a blanket. The boy said, ‘I am saving it. When you get old, I will use this half of the blanket to wrap you with when I leave you in the woods.’ The man thought over what he had just done. So he told the boy to go back into the woods and get his grandfather.”

There is a moral to this story. We should treat the old people kindly, for we too, someday, shall get old.

We stand by our belief that there ARE a great deal of monies available to support our seniors. It just requires that our leaders make wiser purchases and better use of tribal funds. Vote “YES’’ December 3rd on the Senior Referendum.

Philip Tarbell