Criminal Action

As a member of the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana I look forward to getting the Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Newsletter every once in while. It holds a special place in my heart because my mother was the editor of it when we lived on the reservation back in the day.

It's a community newsletter with a small budget. It has the feel of being done on the office copy machine.

I like checking in to see if there are any names I recognize. Once in a while there's some real news. For example, in this August issue I learned that we have elected a new Chief, who we officially call the Chairman of the Tribal Council.

Sometimes, I find something that make my jaw drop. This time I found a public notice way in the back of the newsletter, taking up the whole bottom of the page.

I quote this directly. The emphasis is strictly how it was printed.

Public Notice
As has been recently addressed in the surrounding communities, the Chitimacha Reservation is experiencing its own aggressive incidents involving certain breeds of dogs. These incidents impact the safety and welfare of the Chitimacha community as a whole, therefore, a revision of the Tribal Environmental and Criminal code is being explored which would implement certain restrictions regarding Rottweiler's, Pit Bulls, Dobermans, etc. Once adopted, failure to comply with these restrictions will result in criminal action being taken.

Further information regarding the specific revisions will be provided to the community as it becomes available.

Many thoughts came to me all at the same time:

#1: How does one "experience an aggressive incident"? I guess it sounds unpleasant. It reminds me of when someone with strong perfume walks past me. Or perhaps the time I was walking to my car with a bag of groceries, and some guy stopped at the traffic light across the street rolled down his car window and screamed at me "LOOK AT HIM WITH HIS BAG FULL OF GROCERIES!"

#2: I wonder about the substance of what was being said. I think that dog training had more to do with a dog's temperament than the breed.

#3: I wonder about the pluralization of Rottweiler and if the apostrophe was necessary.

#4: I also wonder which breeds the "etc." might signify. My dachshunds?

#5: Is it just me or does it sound like the tribe will commit criminal action in order to enforce its dog breed ordinance? If I have a Doberman on the reservation will they shoot out my windows and knock out both my shins with socks full of rocks?