Tax Paying Citizens

Washington State Representative Jim Buck announced that he will look after the rights of the tax paying citizens in the issue of the graving yard, or the ancient village of Tse Whit Zen. I am a tax paying citizen. I assume he meant he will look out for my interests.

I told him that I assume that he did not use the term "tax paying citizens" solely to mean white people. He accused me of trying to turn this into a racial issue and it's not.

It's funny how racists do that. On Dan Spomer's blog a woman asked a Makah if they really believe that anyone who disagrees with them is a racist. He didn't answer her but I did. I said that anyone could disagree with Indians. If you use racist slurs or racist stereotypes, then you are a racist.

Insinuating that Indians don't pay taxes is a racist stereotype. Insinuating that only white people carry the tax burden for this country is racist. Everyone pays taxes. You don't get your paycheck until the IRS gets their cut. That is unless you are extremely wealthy. Then you get all kinds of tax breaks denied to the poor.

Isn't it interesting that those who try to incite the community against Indians over taxes don't say anything about the wealthy not paying taxes. Maybe that's who funded the anti-Makah campaign.

I have decided that I am going to call Jim Buck and Dan Spomer on their racism everytime they use the term "tax paying citizens" to mean white people.

The city and state politicians have taken advantage of the issue of the graving yard. They have used it to turn focus away from the fact that they have done nothing to attract jobs to Port Angeles and Clallam County. It's easier to blame the Indians for stopping jobs.

The simple fact is that Timber and Fishing have crashed. They may not come back in our lifetime. Another economic base must be created.

Politicians should know better than to use polemics. It could become their downfall.