YouTube: Phone call to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe

A telecommunications executive who left a racist voice mail for the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan turns out to be Native American.

According to a spokesperson for ACD.net, chief financial officer Kirk Shewchuck is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, also based in Michigan. He reportedly wants to apologize to the Saginaw Chippewas and to Chief Steve Pego.

“Our chief is not willing to sit down with them,” Saginaw Chippewa spokesperson Frank Cloutier told The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun.

Shewchuck had called the Saginaw Chippewa planning department to talk about a cell phone tower on trust land. He apparently forgot to hang up the phone and can be heard making disparaging comments about Native people. Another employee can also be heard on the message.

At one point, Shewchuck said he wanted to start a "good old fashioned Indian war" between the Sault Tribe and the Saginaw Chippewas. He also said threatened to jam the cell signals on the Saginaw Chippewa Reservation.

Get the Story:
Lansing firm wants to meet with chief over message; Tribe declines (The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun 5/30)
Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe receives response from ACD.net CEO, ‘not interested’ in hearing apology (Central Michigan Life 5/29)
After derogatory comments caught on tape, Saginaw Chippewa Tribe criticizes Lansing telecom company (MLive 5/29)
Indian Tribe Uncomfortable After Threatening 'Hate' Voicemail (WLNS 5/29)

An Opinion:
Here’s the message: Racism is not acceptable (The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun 5/30)

Related Stories:
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe denounces racist message from firm (5/29)