Did President Nixon write my dad a letter?

 Ever since I was 13 years old I have had a story that I told people - only recently did I actually ask anyone in the family about it and now I am not sure what or how much of the story was true. Sometime after my brother and nephew were killed by a drunk driver in August of 1973 I recall my dad showing me a letter he had received from President Nixon. What I thought was that dad had sued the state of Washington and won. While taking this Business Law class I was looking up cases for a project and searched for my own family name. I didn't find anything about my dad suing anyone. So, I asked my mom. She didn't remember anything about a letter from the President or about a lawsuit, but after talking for awhile she said she had a vague memory of something about a letter. I asked her to look. Today I received a copy in the mail. This letter was written to the Tribal Council of the Colville Confederated Tribes by my dad.  Copies of the letter were sent to The Bureau of Indian Affairs in both Portland and Washington D.C., Senators Jackson and Magnuson, Governor Dan Evans and Representative Foley.
Mom didn't find a letter from Nixon, but I am still pretty sure there was one - it was basically condolences. There may never have been a law suit, but I do know that the accident - and the letter dad wrote - did make a difference.
Here is the letter - dated August 22, 1973:

Members:
      A week has now passed since seven more persons (four tribal members) have been sacrificed to your brand and interpretation of "law and order". My son and Grandson were among this latest group classified D.O.A.  Just how much longer must this senseless destruction of mind and body continue before the Council will join with existing society in cooperation toward effective law and order so that instances such as last week's head-on auto collision will not be summarily dismissed as another drunken Indian "bit the dust"?
    Accidents dismissed without determining fault, assessment of penalty without collection, release to Tribe without outside authority of drunken Indian for rehabilitation with no effort what so ever to establish effective progress, wanton raising and distribution of "pot", disregard of property, real and personal, of both Indian and Non-Indian on our reservation are enough to sicken the coarsest Indian and make us ashamed to be a Colville.
   State Highway Patrol, local sheriffs, their deputies, established law enforcement officials not only are completely frustrated in efforts at establishing reasonable order but are requesting transfers, resigning from the force, or moving away from the area for fear of life and limb both of themselves and their families because of threats made on and to their person.
    National scandals of Indian in South Dakota, Arizona, Western Washington are no greater in scope than our tribal outrages. It is just that no reporter has had the courage to put our local problems in print. 
    Non-payment of taxes, defiance of law, inability to maintain order, exploitation of Indian by Indian and non-Indian, continued degradation of Indian property and person, claiming of "rights" without respecting another's equal "rights" can do nothing to improve the image of Colville Indians in the eyes of America, not to mention citizenry of Washington, Oregon, British Columbia and others that visit our area. A colorful and beautiful pageantry of Indian lore is offset immediately by a drunken Indian climbing into a derelict vehicle.
   Just because the U.S. Congress, State legislature, and local city government have not had the courage or ability to enact intelligent legislation, discussion, or action in working toward treating the Indian as a person with the equal right and ability of any other American citizen does not mean a local council has to be the same "do nothing". It is well past time that a gutless tribal council stand up and be counted as having common sense, showing they have the right to represent their people, or resign and let the tribe elect someone that will act with a will and not as a fool.
   Any and all of the above charges can be supported with names and places, but only to those who will guarantee that appropriate and effective action will result.
                                                     
The letter was signed -   Angrily yours,  Ben L. Aubertin


I can't tell you exactly the effect this letter had - but to my memory it wasn't long after the death of my brother and nephew that a lot of changes took place on the reservation. There was no police presence the day the "drunken Indian" climbed into her "derelict vehicle" with her 3 small children,  in front of a community of people and drove away. After she plowed head-on at 80 mph into my brother Brad, his wife Connie and my nephew Aaron, there were no emergency services for over 2 hours. Finally Brad was taken by ambulance to Republic and Connie to Coulee Dam. Little Aaron, who was only 20 months old never did get put into an ambulance - a friend finally drove to Coulee Dam with him against her shoulder. Only Connie survived - but had to have half of her brain removed and was permanently disabled. The driver of the other vehicle and 2 of her children also died at the scene.
I am not sure what I hoped to feel after writing this down. Right now I just feel sad. I was only 13 years old when this happened. I know how much it impacted my entire family, and I think especially my dad.
Times have changed and not only are there many EMTs, police and ambulances on the reservation, there are also trauma units in those hospitals, as well as seat belt and car seat laws. I guess some bad things have to happen in order for some positive changes to come about. I am proud of my dad for writing the letter, whether he sued anyone or not. I don't know if President Nixon wrote to my dad - (I think he was pretty busy with Watergate right around that time) - and I guess it doesn't matter. I am so glad my mom looked for the letter from the President, and found instead, the one written by my dad.

I think this was our last Christmas 1971.