Editorial: Free press on the Colville Reservation

Thursday, January 24, 2008  

"Leaders of the Colville Tribes, and the people themselves, should think hard about exactly what it is they want out of the publication called The Tribal Tribune.

If it is only a newsletter intended for the most innocuous of news - births, deaths and official positions stated and unchallenged - then there may be nothing wrong with following a purported resolution that gives the top administrator final say on what gets printed.

If, on the other hand, tribal members expect an actual newspaper, one that delivers them good news and bad, no matter who benefits or suffers, change needs to be made.

News cannot really be controlled, after all. It will come out, although in various degrees of accuracy. Those in power always fool themselves to think otherwise, unless they rule like a Putin in Russia, ruthlessly. And that undoubtedly would never work on an American Indian reservation, where fairness is deeply ingrained in the culture and everybody knows everybody."

Get the Story:
Tribes should be careful with editorial control (The Grand Coulee Star 1/23)

Related Story:
Former tribal editor still in dark (The Grand Coulee Star 1/23)

$rl Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation - http://www.colvilletribes.com