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KAZOO RADIO STATION
Underwrites First Nations
Charlatanry
Part Two©

Charlatan:



Station Manager Wertz
Responds to the Hyatt Web Site
May 28, 1996

Date: 28 May 96 11:45:56 EDT
From: William Wertz <75120.363@CompuServe.COM>
To: JS Dill
Subject: Your "Kazoo Radio Station" Internet page

[My responses are in red.]

Jill:

First off, my name is Jordan, not Jill. I am male, not female.
I've looked at your headline "Kazoo radio station underwrites first nations charlatanry" on your Internet Home Page.
Yes...the headline is, in my opinion well chosen.

The fact that you are continuing to allow this "character" to sit at a microphone once a week is a crime. This self-purported "Chief" is an affront to all registered/unregistered, certified/uncertified, Federally recognized/unrecognized members of the First Nations.

For the record, I am an uncertified, unregistered, non-recognized Tsalagi (Cherokee). This is no way whatsoever makes me any less a member of the First Nations.

I have mentioned to you that, by allowing Hyatt to propound his philosophy one a week, you certify him in the public's eyes. Surely, when your station agreed to Hyatt's proposal you felt that he would be to your stations' advantage. This is common business practice, as I see it. Or, perhaps, did you feel that Hyatt was qualified to bring about a healing between those who rule and those who continue to be trampled upon in this country?

The real issue here is that you are participating in a charade!

I've tried, apparently without success, to be open to suggestions as to how everyone can win in settling the issue regarding Dale Hyatt. Obviously I'm failing in that attempt. You have, apparently, a lot more time and energy to devote to continue fanning the flames of this issue than I. You also apparently refuse to acknowdledge the possibility that there are no winners, only losers, in this. You continue to publish that Hyatt claims to "speak for all Native Americans" when in fact you know otherwise, both by listening on-air and in my mail to you. You obviously don't want to acknowledge this and print the truth! Please do so.

Yes...I do have the time to address this and will continue to do so. If you are surprised that one might do such a thing then you have severely underestimated the ire of the First Nations and their ability to electronically aim a spotlight on your station, you, and on Hyatt. I suggest to you that we have only just begun this fight...

There is no "everyone," as regards this issue. Of consequence - the only issue of consequence - is the First Nations.

And, for the record, it is not a question of "winning!" It is a question of what is right.

I WILL print the truth. SUPPLY me with transcripts! These have been requested a number of times before. One does not have to be a media whiz kid to imagine that EVERYTHING that goes through your mikes is recorded. GIVE ME the transcripts and you have my word there will not be one bit of editing...If you wish to resolve this issue let's present to the cyber-world Hyatt's words.

Regarding Matt Wesaw, and your comments to "not twist the situation" what more can I ask other than for you to acknowledge and print Wesaw's actual words printed in the Pokagon Band Newsletter. You've conveniently omitted this and, again, see and hear only what you apparently want to believe. I did not twist Matt Wesaw's words at all; you are simply refusing to read his own words and accept them. Why? I don't know unless, again, you only want to continue the fight and not seek a solution.

According to Matt Wesaw:

"You may recall several Council meetings ago, the Council passed a resolution 'requesting Fairfield Broadcasting System listen to the reasoning offered by the majority of the local Native American community. The negativity of Dale Hyatt's communication on a weekly radio show is uninformed, inaccurate, and deaming to our respected elders. We request his air time cease and equal time be offered to those we respect.'"

You simply say "it's talk radio" regarding my request that prospective protesters contact Hyatt, Wesaw, and Frank/Ann Bush and Rose Shalifoe directly. Again it appears to me that you are only interested in creating furthur unrest. With respect to Frank and Ann Bush, specifically, you completely avoid the issue that I was specifically asked by them to not divulge their mail address and their telephone number!
NO! YOU and YOURS are responsible for this! Without you Hyatt would fade away. YOU and YOURS are responsible and it is YOUR duty to right this wrong. Your continuing contention that we contact someone else is bullshit (pardon my crudity). You are the one responsible for the charade. It is you who has the power to right this wrong.
Regarding your response of "where are the on-air dissenters" you again totally miss the point. We devoted an entire hour, by request of Corky Blackwell (who at that time the Bush's said represented them; after that particular show Frank Bush said that Corky did not have authorization to do what he did) and the entire hour was anti-Hyatt. It ended, as requested, with an on-air apology by Hyatt to elders Frank Bush and Rose Shalifoe. They heard it but apparently chose to not honor their promise that the apology would end the feud. It was given! We have also specifically invited Frank Bush to come on-the-air, with or without (at his choice) Hyatt in the studio. Please don't continue to say we "refused to permit 'the people' air time" when in fact we did and continue to do so. Again why don't you print this? Is it only to continue to fan the flames of dissent and not seek a resolution that works for all 'the people.'
No...this is not the case. I tell you now that if you send me, over your signature, a solicitation that "the people" respond to Hyatt on the air I will print it.
Jill I respectfully ask, once more, that you consider both sides of the story. I also ask, formally, that you remove the word "Underwrites" as the headline on your web page. We do not underwrite him; I've told you that before.
I wish to consider both sides of the story...I cannot in good faith remove the "underwrites" comment as long as Hyatt is, in truth, underwritten by your station.
Finally, I also formally ask that you provide proof of your "certified imposter" claim regarding Hyatt. I'll accept your "alleged" accusation only under the guidelines of "Federally Recognized Native American" status; on that charge you are correct in that Hyatt is not a "Federally Recognized" Native. I'd like to ask that you clarify that as well. Many Native Americans are "alleged" in that they are not members of a Federally Recognized tribe.
YOU tell me how Hyatt qualfies for the assignation of "Chief." If in fact he IS a "Chief," I will retract.

...never for a moment imagine that because one is not Federally recognized he may not be a member of the First Nations. YOU tell me what qualifies this man and, if certifiable, I will retract both the terms imposter and alleged.

Jill I don't know what more that I can do. Sure...I can remove Hyatt and you'll be happy. I'm interested in fairness and that's a lot more complex than simply removing Hyatt.
Ah...yes, it is certainly is. And, I assure you it will become more so if this "situation" is not corrected.
In closing you say "WKZO fully backs Hyatt in spite of the consistant community outcry and direct contact from tribal and organizational leaders demanding he be taken off the air." I have repeatedly told you, and others, that...
  1. WKZO does not totally back Hyatt.
    He is there...ergo, you back him. You are not dealing with children or fools.
  2. Hyatt says each week that he speaks for his lodge and not for all Native Americans, yet you continue to claim that he says "he speaks for all Native Americans."
    Speaks for his "lodge!" And this is a claim to fame and justification for air time? Is this the station criteria used to determine worth? Christ...is this your contribution to Wasichu/First Nations dialogue? This is what your stations social activity is about?
  3. What community outcry. Most of the people who did physically protest were not local. Even Frank Bush does not live in Kalamazoo County. Almost all my E-Mail is from all over the country; I have yet to receive 1 that is local!
    I assure you that this is a very small world...we all are local.
  4. The direct contact by tribal leaders that Hyatt be removed has been formally withdrawn. Recognize this, please, and print the truth!
    Prove this and I will print it. I have a fax machine and am perfectly willing to receive hard copy at your convenience.
Jill I've given this far too much time, but I've done so in an interest to serve the listeners of WKZO Radio. I'll continue to do so but I need you, and those who read your Web Page, to know the truth. They're getting, for the most part, a distorted one sided opinion. Opinion is OK with me but...and it's a big but...label it as such! Bill Wertz WKZO Radio PS: I've been asked to grant permission to post transcripts of Hyatt's weekly hour long show on WKZO. I granted that with the condition that it be posted in its entirety, unedited, and that I be snail mailed, by U.S. Mail, a copy of each transcript posted. That means that, if you post it on your Web Page, that it be just that: posted "in its entirety and unedited." Any comments, or opinions, must not be interjected, as you have done with my letter of May 21. You can, at your discretion of course, say anything you'd like; just say it outside the body of the transcrip.

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