Richard Boyden Letter of Response to Teresa Two Bulls Slander Letter

September 7, 2009

Teresa Two Bulls

Tribal Chairwoman, Oglala Sioux Tribe  

Dear Mrs. Two Bulls, 

In response to your "cease and desist" letter, I will NOT do or say anything that is NOT true or CAN NOT be documented. As a investigative journalist in the media, teaching the same at Haskell Indian Nations University, I report NOTHING that I can not or have not personally verified including information shared with me by members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

This includes the living conditions that I have witnessed personally, that YOUR tribal members have shown me, let me live in, given me photos of and which they experience daily. This information is reported by the Native American Media, on American Indian Radio, and found in United States Government reports which I quote on my web page as well as all over the "internet". Did you send them a similar "cease and desist" letter as you have me?

My purpose of such exposure is NOT to "shame or defame or denigrate" the Oglala Sioux Tribe, it's members, or "damage" the "tourism or gaming" business of the Tribe as you accuse me of. What is on the Operation Morning Star web page is there to bring attention to the needs and suffering of the Tribal members due to the failure of the United States Government to honor the Treaties made with the "Great Sioux Nation" and of which, the Oglala Sioux Tribe is a "band of". As for the gaming situation, how is the Oglala Sioux Tribe under your leadership, paying back the $38,000,000.00 loan from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community when Cecelia Fire Thunder was Tribal President? Do you have any proof or documentation that what is on my web page is damaging to the gaming industry? Any letters, testimonies, or personal information? If so, I would like to see them personally or in any legal litigation that you imply "we" might be involved in.

Any "tourist" that comes to Pine Ridge and drives around the office of the Tribal President where you work and into the community of Pine Ridge, will see not only that which is exposed on the Operation Morning Star web page, but in fact WORSE! Such conditions exist in all the communities of the Oglala Sioux Nation. So to say that which is seen on my, has never been seen by "outsiders" is one of the most ludicrous comments I have EVER heard. What I report is found on the internet, was told to me by former Tribal Chairman John Steele, and by the hundreds of Tribal Members who over the years, shared with me their housing needs and their abject and miserable housing conditions. They also talked about the Tribal Government corruption which I have NOT exposed or discussed on my web page as for example, was reported in the "Black Hills Peoples News".

For the "records sake", in 1999 Operation Morning Star brought food and family size tents to those community members that lost their homes to the tornados in Oglala. This was witnessed by former Oglala Sioux Tribal Chairman Stanley Looking Elk who assisted Operation Morning Star in helping those members in need..

Later, when John Steele was elected Tribal President, I was asked by Steele to make a housing presentation of the geodesic dome homes found on the Operation Morning Star web page to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Housing Authority and this because he said they had $1,000,000 set apart for "Quad Housing". Steele was captivated by the "green" features, price, energy efficiency, and quality of the geodesic dome homes and wanted them to be built for tribal members. Unfortunately, that idea was ignored by Ernie Little after my presentation even though the members of the housing committee I met with liked the homes and the fact that at that time could be built for $9-15,000 and constructed, put in place, and usable within 2 weeks. .

Also, during this time, it was recently confirmed to me what I heard and this by former Tribal President Harold Salway, that over $2,000,000 came in from "outsiders" in response to the tornados and for the sole purpose of fixing damaged homes or replacing them. From what I understand and what Salway and others have told me, that money not only was not used for ANY of that, but also has NOT been accounted for. I ask you, where did it go and why did it not get used for the Oglala Sioux Tribal members who suffered housing damage and loss? Has anyone including you, tried to find out where those monies went and document it? Did anyone start an investigation? Have you? Did you or have you asked Chuck Jacobs who was in Tribal Government with Salway at that time and was "in charge" of THIS monetary "information, where those monies went? Is there a money trail you can follow to document the use of those monies? Is or was there an account with these monies set up at the Gordon Bank as Salway and others have told me? I think this is something that needs to be investigated by you as the present Tribal President.

Also during this same time, I was directed by Steele and another Tribal Member, Arlette Loud Hawk to go and see the then director of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Youth Organization, "YO".  I met with her, shared an idea to help the youth in terms of work and helping with the Oglala Sioux Tribe housing need. I shared with her that she and her organization could start a "youth vocational school" using the two million dollars in the "YO" budget, building homes for those who needed them. Oglala youth could be trained by Operation Morning Star advisors to put in place the tools, build the components for the dome homes, learn how to erect them, while learning a skill and having a job.

I told her that homes could be then sold to "outsiders" and she and her organization could use the profits to put in a "giveaway fund" which would allow for homes to be built for those members in need of one and then being given to those who needed them.  Also, this could also be a economic source of funding for the continued work on behalf of the Oglala Lakota Youth she was working to help and support while being under the control of.

Her answer was "not interested". This same woman I understand used monies from the "YO" fund for "personal and family needs", then either resigned or was removed from her position and that the Oglala Sioux Tribe took control of the remaining . Was she or the use of those monies investigated or will they be by you or the Oglala Sioux Tribe? Did those remaining monies EVER get used for future "youth projects"? IF so, what were they? I would hope you would launch an investigation concerning that and find out where the monies went and how and if they were used as designated and for the youth of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

As you know, there are Tribal Members who have been on the "Housing List", waiting for homes for 8, 10, and over 20 years with NO help in sight. So I ask you, is your attempt to "slander me" and falsely accuse me, an attempt to divert the TRUTH of what I as a WHITE MAN, has both exposed and tried to do in the area of addressing the housing needs of the "grass roots Oyate" while attempting to work with the Oglala Sioux Tribe? John Steele told me that 3000 new homes were needed on Pine Ridge. Is that information you want suppressed? Is he lying? Does the Oglala Sioux Tribe have the monies or means to build those needed homes? The $12,000,000 "stimulus monies" the Tribe has just received does not even begin to address the housing needs of Oglala Sioux Tribal members. So tell me, what are your plans to address these needs? Anything? What monies does the Oglala Sioux Tribe have to build the needed 3000 homes for it's members under your present leadership?

So your false, uninformed, and accusatory "assumption" about what I have done and attempted to do in the area of addressing and exposing tribal member housing needs and my attempts to address and remedy the same in attempting to work directly with the Oglala Sioux Tribal Government and organizations of, is totally without merit or substance. In fact, such accusations are in fact slanderous and unfounded.

As for the Operation Morning Star delivery of "gifts" to the community of Red Shirt and which you focused on in your letter, you should know that I was there and I did witness personally Roxanne Two Bulls telling Lisa Swallow that she and her family could NOT get ANY of the "gifts": that Operation Morning Star delivered. Is Roxanne Two Bulls a friend or family member? Are you condoning and approving of such HATEFUL and nepotistic behavior...to deny Oglala Sioux Tribal members of "free will gifts" during a Sacred  time of the year? Do you believe that the Swallow CHILDREN deserved to be deprived of the NEW toys, clothing and food, that they for sure saw other children receive and play with? Is this not "covert CHILD ABUSE to do such an evil thing?

It is to the denigration of your personal integrity IF you do...to even hint that you would approve of such an action on the part of Roxanne Two Bulls who unfortunately, also has the "Two Bulls" name and which is NOT my fault.

I also have the testimony of 3 young girls who told me what THEY saw concerning Mary Fast Wolf and 3 others taking items while I was gone. I was told by Two Bulls that everything would be safe and secure in the gym UNTIL the "give away" the next day. That was not true. I told her about what happened and she rejected that. Is Fast Wolf a friend or relative of Roxanne Two Bulls? 

On the day of the giveaway, I saw the obviously REDUCED size of the items as they were spread out on the gym floor in Red Shirt but I chose not to say anything until it was confirmed by what I was told. You also need to know that I have a class A CDL, have driven commercially and have loaded and unloaded hundreds of trucks. You should also know, that I personally helped both load and unload the gifts that went to Red Shirt and I do remember specific items which I personally loaded and unloaded and therefore, have a memory of what things were obviously MISSING the next day.

Why do you have a problem with Mary Fast Wolf being identified as one of the "thieves"? Is she a friend or family member? Of course she is!! Also A friend of Roxanne Two Bulls....who was aware of the theft by Fast Horse. And is that the reason you do not like what I posted? The fact is, she STOLE items from those of her people before they had a chance to get them, the BEST items in terms of small appliances, NEW clothing, NEW dishes, NEW shoes and the list goes on. Are you or do you condone such behavior? Is this something that you believe is moral, ethical, and being Lakota...to steal from your own people?

Did you know that Roylynne Chief Eagle has accused Fast Wolf's husband of molesting her son? Did you know that the OGST Police and BIA have ignored her. Chief Eagle told me about young girls in Fast Wolf's home that they say are being molested...do you care or are you going to cover that up too like you did with your cocaine dealing son who sold cocaine for 3 1/2 years out of YOUR HOME in Pine Ridge!

Maybe I should file charges against Fast Wolf since you are trying to make me look like the bad guy in order to protect her from what she did and because I told the truth. She is a THIEF...not me. Out of respect for me and YOUR OWN PEOPLE, she should have asked me if it was ok to take things but she did not. She disrespected me and her people in what she did. Maybe YOU should help me file charges as that is what Tribal members I have talked to said I should do. But I did not. I have done nothing in exposing this yet YOU are threatening me and accusing me of baseless things...outright LIES!

It is you who are potentially turning this into a BIGGER PROBLEM, not me. Instead of addressing me, you should address her and Two Bulls. In fact, since you now know more about the witnessed and documented truth, it is you who should apologize to the members of the Swallow family and the Red Shirt Community for what she did and state that as Tribal President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, you do NOT condone such behavior instead of implying I am a slanderer, liar, and hater.

As for the "sole purpose of raising monies for my organization" in posting what is on my web page, can I ask you a question? Have you really looked at my web page? Or did you have someone else do that for you? Do you see how I "raise monies" for members of your Tribe in the area of food and propane? Obviously not. Did you see the information on the adoption program and how Tribal members are assisted in the area of food? Obviously NOT. Do you know that "monies raised for food and propane" are NOT sent to Operation Morning Star or ME? Obviously NOT. Did you read that monies are sent DIRECT to Sioux Nations in the NAME OF THE OGLALA LAKOTA FAMILY...not to ME or MY ORGANIZATION? Obviously NOT.. The same is true with propane...direct to the Lakota Propane or other propane companies or utility companies and not only on Pine Ridge but also on Rosebud and Cheyenne River Reservations for Tribal members of.

Did you notice the $100,000.00 in wood burning stoves delivered to Tribal members of the Oglala, Rosebud, Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, and Crow Creek Tribes? Obviously NOT. Did you know how many families have been able to have heat in their homes because they had no money for propane because the Tribes had no money. Thank God for Chevez and his good heart and from what I have heard, not all of  the monies he gave through CITGO got to members needing propane. Of course, to bring that up is something that threatens the image of those trying to hide corruption.

I do not make a personal salary even though I am stipend for $1,700.00 a month. In fact, I have NEVER received that one time. I live in a 1975 22 ft camper trailer since the house I was renting in Missouri was sold out from underneath me and I decided to come to SD and help in the area of suicide when Todd Randall killed himself in in Wanblee in January. Operation Morning Star has not even qualified to send in a report because the "monetary donations" have yet to be over $25,000 in any given year. They have checked our bank records, my personal finance records, and see how I have lived and do live. They are also aware of my work and the sacrifices I have made personally in putting into Operation Morning Star thousands of dollars I have earned driving a truck. I do not have a savings account with large amounts of money, a big screen tv, do not have "dish or cable" or anything in my personal life other then what is basic and just.

You will get your IRS report. You should know that I have personally invested over $76,000.00 in my own monies into this work not including my time of 14 years. I have been slandered by Whites because of what I have done for the Oyate even as I have by members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe including you and others within your circle of friends who lie about me, cover up and deny the good work I have done and am doing and WILL CONTINUE to do among those in need and this in spite of the race hate agenda against me you now appear to be the "leader of"..

If you want me to "cease and desist", then I suggest you PERSONALLY and IMMEDIATELY introduce a "Banish Richard Boyden and Operation Morning Star From the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Resolution" at a "emergency Tribal Council  meeting" called by you as soon as possible if not at the next Tribal Council meeting. Not a problem with me in the least. In fact, if the Oglala Sioux Tribe under your Divine Leadership chooses to do so, then I suggest you ban ALL WHITES and WHITE CHARITIES from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and for the "same reasons" as stated in your letter.

That way you can be rid of and remove the "hand out-using-scamming" interactions with GOOD HEARTED LOVING WHITES who are used and abused and scammed by members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. This would also be a confirmation of the underlying race hate spirit that is directed at Whites such as me who's intentions are pure in heart and truly do care about helping Tribal members receive needed items that they do not have, can not get because they have no jobs and therefore no money etc.

Maybe in "banning me", you as the present Tribal President, can set a "racial precedence" concerning Whites who come to Pine Ridge Indian Reservation with good intentions and that can be used by other Tribal Presidents who think like you and your supporters. In fact, at least out of respect if for no other reason, Whites deserve to really know how members such as you and those slandering me REALLY feel about any and all Whites rather then hiding those feelings and being guilty of overt and covert hypocrisy and deception in pretending to be "thankful" for what they do. White Americans need to know...really they do.

It would be another confirmation of what I have stated above in this letter and in my meetings with you in sharing some of the problems I have had to endure and which you PERSONALLY IGNORED and which as a result, led to me being assaulted and threatened with death. But obviously that is not a problem with you and neither do you care and that is because I believe you are racist and hateful toward me personally as your letter indicates. In fact, if someone did kill me, I personally think you would rejoice in such an event and that you would "justify" the one who did it by regurgitating and fabricating lies about me, just as you have in your letter.

Another aspect about me which you choose to ignore is my work in the area of suicide among Lakota youth and adults, successful work in actually turning Lakota-Dakota youth away from that option. I have spoken with hundreds, on radio, in detention centers, and in homes and at schools. I have testimonies from mothers and youth and they would be happy to tell you personally what I did and with and only because God has been inspiring me in this work

Have you read the article I wrote about suicide and which was published..."Journey To The Spirit World By Suicide"? Over 3000 copies have been distributed on Pine Ridge, Rosebud, Crow Creek and elsewhere. NO ONE has said one negative thing about what is in that article and as one who knows about suicide personally, what I share is not just my personal experience but that of Lakota mothers who have lost their children to suicide and who I interviewed. No one addresses the spiritual realities of suicide and the connection to alcohol, drugs, and anti-depressants as do I including the infamous Sweet Grass folks and who's programs have shown to be ineffective as evidenced by the number of suicides and attempts just in the last 2 months on Pine Ridge.

I have been personally invited into homes and even yesterday, made a special trip to Rapid City Regional West to see the daughter of Lisa Two Bulls who is the wife of Terry Two Bulls. I met with her daughter for 2 hours. She has lost 3 close friends to death and suicide. I would be more then happy for you and the Tribal Council and all the other race haters of me as a White man, to make arrangements to meet with her and ask her IF my ministry was beneficial and helpful. I can get dozens of others for you to meet and who would testify to the fact that after our meetings and prayers together, they no longer entertain suicide as a "option" for dealing with the pain and realities of "reservation life". Do you want to arrange that?

Since we don't collect monies the way other charities do on behalf of helping Tribal members, I suggest you call Sioux Nations and ask them about all the adoptions over the years of Tribal members complements of Operation Morning Star. Do you want names of families past and present? Like to talk to them? Would the Tribal Council? I can arrange that for you and the Tribal Council if that is what you would like, not a problem.

When at Sioux Nations shopping last week, for some reason and don't ask me why, I saw what appeared to be YOUR NAME on the list of "bounced checks" totaling $3,800.00. Is that you? I would hope not. I asked the FBI agent I met with after I was assaulted about bad checks written by Tribal members and he said yes, it was a felony crime with $3,800 in bad checks.  So since there are so many members of the "Two Bulls" family and many with the same name, I am going to assume that the name on that list is NOT you. I did not ask anyone there if it was or not and am not going to assume the worst about you possibly being "fiscally irresponsible" to that degree.

I would hope that you would reconsider your view of me now that I have responded to your letter. I would hope that actually we could sit down and share and discuss productive ways to help your people rather then continue on this path which I have been unjustly placed on by friends and relatives of you and mostly lying women who's agenda against me are in my opinion, inspired by Satan himself and which in time, God Himself will address without any help or even prayers from me. He is my Protector and He is my avenger in both time and eternity and has proved that time and again in my life including 18 months in Viet Nam, drowning at 7, car wrecks, and a contaminated with Agent Orange in my body etc.

I have lots of testimonies of how He has vindicated me against my enemies and not because I have prayed or asked for or done or even wished for personally. I just wait and watch and hear. One man, who happened to be Black, threatened to kill me. This was in Viet Nam. He was a race hater. I still appointed him to take my place as a radio man when I extended my tour for 6 months and was given a 30 day leave. While home on leave for one month, my grandmother cried out while seeing a article in a Seattle newspaper. On the front page was my company commander sitting in a hospital with his legs gone. The race hater? Not enough of him left to put in a body bag. He activated a 155 MM artillery shell bobby trap.

Recently, a very prominent man in my Church lied about and slandered me in a letter when I was on radio interviewing people such as Susan Harjo, Vine Deloria Jr., Carl Gorman Sr., Lenny Foster, Charlene Teeters among others from Indian Country. The letter he circulated was extremely damaging to my character and work for the Oyate. He is now dying of cancer. There are others I could share about with you who have gone out of their way to falsely accuse me. My testimony to you is that Almighty God knows my heart and He will be the Judge of those who judge me with an unrighteous judgment.

I plan on continuing my work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I am not the author of the problems that have been taking place. I am not guilty of that which you accuse me of. Neither did I ask Amanda Takes War Bonnet to say something to her daughter Jennifer about me and who worked at the Kyle detention center where I was ministering to the youth about suicide and putting in place projects for them to do such as raise chickens, rabbits, and sewing. What was said in the beginning I am not sure but what former employee Candace Pourier told me is that in the "formal complaint" I was told about by the two Reddest Program Directors of the jail and detention center.

This complaint stated that I was "kicked off the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Reservation for "soliciting monies"!!! Another LIE. Fact is, my successful "suicide prevention radio program" was removed from the air by John Hatcher representing the pedophile infested Catholic Church in St. Francis and which law suits by Tribal members document the sexual abuse of Rosebud Tribal members.

For 4 days of the running of that one hour program on KINI in March of 07, I was being called by mothers to come and meet their suicide attempting children or those who were "thinking about it" because of the suicide of family members and friends. Since that program was removed, Rosebud is in the lead with the most suicides going back to March of 07. I spoke to youth at the Rosebud detention center and at the dormitory and the response was that all were affected in a good way to reconsider suicide as NOT the thing to do, over 75 youth.

It is to bad that War Bonnet had to say anything to her daughter in the first place. How it evolved into the lie as it did, I know not. I only know what was told to me and who it was attributed to and that was Amanda Takes War Bonnet. She should have known better and I question her motive.

Then Phyllis De Sersa sent in another complaint with a "endorsement" by a "council member". No one would tell me specifically what it was. She has slandered me with the lie I "pay Lakota women for sex", Devonna and Connie Conquering Bear of Wanblee specifically. She has sent emails to Capt. Biannis of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Police Department stating the same. Her cousin, Merriam White Mouse has assisted her with this lie. Both have tried to have me "banished". De Sersa once received $150 a month in groceries for 2 years until I found out about drugs and drinking in her home from her son during a ceremony conducted by Eric Cross. And her cousin White Mouse is the source of information about De Sersa's daughter being molested by Rodney Torkelson (sp), NOT me. I tried to tell him that but he was to drunk to listen while trying to engage me in a fight and assaulting me. I talked to Shorty Brewer about her and Paul Iron Cloud 2 months ago. She continued with no one saying one thing to her about what the results could be. No one cared. Not even you.

So I challenge you and any other Tribal member to document ONE THING that shows I am the author or instigator in ANY OF THIS! One thing please. Do it in conversations in private with me and whoever or do it in public, or in court, or at a Tribal Council meeting. I am willing and more then ready. I will be there to answer any and all questions with the media at my side as well as those members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who love and respect me for being the man I am.

I need to ask you one last question. Have you asked the organization called "Re-Member" what they are going to do with the monies they have collected from charging White students to come to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for one week at the cost of $700.00 per student. I calculated close to $ 500,000,00 will have been "made" this summer NOT including what comes in on their web page using their "membership" program. I know of DOZENS of Tribal members who have asked for help and were refused while they are documented to help Whites with housing needs though, using the monies they collect. Would you like to meet with these members? I can arrange that if you do. Have you asked them for an accounting of monies collected and where they have been used to help Tribal members using those monies and just how much? I would think that they are EXPLOITING in ways Operation Morning Star is not capable or is guilty of. I would venture to say, NO ONE has questioned that organization. Correct me if I am wrong.

Sincerely,  

Richard Boyden

Founder of Operation Morning Star