Module 7 Activity 3: Timeline by Logan Varga

5 of the important events

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:17:36 UTC

2 town ordinances violations

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:17:54 UTC

2 offered defenses

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:18:13 UTC

The most recent legal ruling

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:18:25 UTC

Superior Court Judge Roy F. McGeady Ruling

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:28:20 UTC

Here in this case from the violation of local zoning laws, it was ruled that the Ramapough Indian's are required to pay $13,000 dollars in fines for using property owned by them. Even though this was unjustified, the Judge Roy F. McGeady ruled that they can keep religious structures there

Citation: "Superior Court Judge Roy F. McGeady ruled last month that the Ramapoughs violated local zoning laws and must pay $13,000 in fines, but that they can continue to use the property for religious purposes and have tents there."(Daniel Hubbard)

Article: Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs

Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs | Mahwah, NJ Patch

Buried Remains belonging to Native American

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:32:52 UTC

At a special planning board meeting at the town of Poughkeepsie, in that meeting native American buried remains were discovered near to the sacred site. This evidence bolsters the possibility for federal government recognition, yet bureaucrats fight tooth and nail to not accept it.

Citation: "An Archeological investigation... We Identified human remains... Archeologist brought in by the police department confirmed it was human remains on the site"

Film: American Natives

The "Jackson White" discrimination

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:32:57 UTC

Genealogy and tribal descendance is a way for the Bureau of Native American's to halt recognition for many native American's. DNA tests are not enough, there needs to be proof of tribal communities in written down history. When the basis of that community is under question by the racist notion of the "Jackson White" (Non-Native) being a label for Ramapough Indian's instead.

Citation: "When you look at the demographics of that community, it's pretty obvious that they're enthic communiy has survived over these hundreds of years. The department of interior should be able to make some common sense judgements. Same family names, same churches, same area. Unfortunately, with all those factors and oral history, the department will say that is not enough"

Film: American Native

"Violation" of assembling

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:33:04 UTC

On December 15th, the Ramapo Hunt and Polo Club Association tried to cite a town ordinance violation on the Ramapo Indians for any activities, including religious, on their land. Judge Charels Powers denied this injunction by the club and has been thrown out of court.

Citation: "Superior Court Judge Charles Powers denied the injunction Dec. 15. The club tried to prevent the tribe from conducting various activities on the 95 Halifax Road property. The land is located near the club"(Daniel Hubbard)

Article Title: Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs

Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs | Mahwah, NJ Patch

Building on areas of land deemed a flood zone

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-27 20:33:11 UTC

Building on land owned by the Ramapough Indian's came to a conflict when teepees and other structures were built on it. This town cites the area as a flood zone and many other excuses for attempting to halt Ramapough Indian's from constructing anything.

Citation: "The township issued summonses against the Ramapoughs Dec. 13, 2016 for not getting the required zoning permits and permissions before constructing three 15-foot tall tepees, several tents, several totem poles and a cooking pavillion on the property earlier that month."(Daniel Hubbard)

Article: Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs

Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club's Injunction Against Ramapoughs | Mahwah, NJ Patch

Polo Club Discrimination

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-28 20:45:51 UTC

So much discrimination has occurred to the Lenape Ramapough native american's by the polo club, including non stop racial remarks. The tribe has cited such indecent behavior by the township in a lawsuit against the town.

Citation: "Polo Club members have reportedly shouted racist remarks at the Ramapoughs, have a security camera directed toward the Ramapough property 24 hours a day, threatened members, and demanded the town impose fines and jail time in an attempt to have the Ramapoughs forfeit the land, according to the complaint"(Daniel Hubbard).

Article: Mahwah Violated Ramapough Tribe's Religious Rights: Justice Dept.

Donated Sacred Land to the Ramapough Indian's

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-28 20:46:02 UTC

The beginning of the legal issues is the transfer of land from the developer of the Polo Club to the Lenape Ramapough Indian's. Later the town and the club itself became hostile to the native American's because of worrying about the wellbeing of how much they're houses, or property is going down in worth for the nearby sacred site.

Citation: "Everyone is concerned about the value of their homes. (A different person here) The tribe obtained the largest land plot by the Developer of the Polo club and gave us the land, out of the goodness of his heart"

Film: American Native

Trespassing Signs

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-28 20:46:10 UTC

The signs are posted all over the location of the sacred site of the Lenape Ramapough Indians to stop people from trespassing. Here with these signs, it creates many conflicts between the Polo club right next door and the split rock sweet water location.

Citation: "So I get some emails and calls about the signs, one of them was directed to the HOA's house. (Another person) if they choose to come on to our property, we will charge them with trespassing"

Film: American Native

New Jersey Bill Shot Down

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-28 20:46:23 UTC

The Lenape Ramapough Indian's asked the NJ state senator for a vote to get federally recognized and attain the proper infustructure for the native community. Any legislation that gets passed will be Veto'd by the New Jersey governor and state senator James Whalen. All of these denials are from the hypothetical scenario where the native American's set up a casino with the new rights they have.

Citation: "Denied access to medical facilities, not much has changed for my people... We only come to you today for a vote, and a yes to that vote... (Senators response) If a splinter group goes off and sets up a casino... the governor will veto it"

Film: American Native

US Justice Department Response

lvarga01_1_1 — 2024-09-29 16:22:25 UTC

The town of Ramapough violated the Ramapough Lenape Indian's rights under the federal religious land use Act of 2000. With the case dismissed the tribe sent a lawsuit to the township for violation of constitutional rights and added in how the township costed the Lenape $480,000 in legal fees.

Citation 1: "In a statement filed on Monday, federal officials said the township of violated the tribe's rights under the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person's Act of 2000"(Daniel Hubbard).

Citation 2: "The tribe filed a 12-count federal lawsuit against the township in May 2018. The Ramapoughs claim in their complaint that their First and 14th Amendment constitutional rights were violated and the town has illegally fined them $480,000 in summons fines for illegally erecting structures on the land, which is at the mouth of the Ramapo and Mahwah rivers."

Article: Mahwah Violated Ramapough Tribe's Religious Rights: Justice Dept

Citation: Mahwah Violated Ramapough Tribe's Religious Rights: Justice Dept. | Mahwah, NJ Patch