The "NEW" Tom Netz!

[Tom Iron Eagle]

This past week myself and three other friends took it upon ourselves to drive to Marion, Indiana and check out "Soft Shell Turtle" at the Mississsinewa Living History Event. We were only able to make it one day, but that was more than enough for this information.

We listened to Tom do two programs.

1. He was listed on the program as Soft Shell Turtle - the title Chief was not included.

2. He was listed as Storyteller, but spent most of the time talking about himself.

3. He told the audience that he was of Potawatamie and German Ancestry. He mentioned that his Great-Grandfather was German but married a Native.

4. He also told the crowd that he was taught all the Native Culture by his Grandmother - but it was not Grandmother Nitche this time, instead he mentioned some other person as his Grandmother. We could not catch the name very clear but it was not Grandmother Nitch.

5. He is now a Veteran.

So there we see yet more change of stories. If you are keeping up or if you can, it has been verified and documented that Tom himself has claimed to be Lumbee, Seneca, Cherokee, Shawnee, and now Potawatamie. (Not sure about the order of each claim anymore as there have been so many.) And there is rumor of him claiming Ojibway as well. He now has a new Grandmother that he learned all his teachings from. And I don't know what to say about the Veteran thing.

[Mato Winyan]

Just wondering.... Have you sought some counseling for this fixation with him?

It seems for several years you have been posting the same old rederic about him and at first people were glad you did..... now they complain about them and want these threads deleted. If I or anyone else does that you cry foul.

Hey .... don't take my word for it........ I hope that everyone that likes this info will post for you to keep it up... and those that don't like it will tell you to knock it off.

It's up to you people now...... let us know what YOU think.

[Tom Iron Eagle]

Understandable to a Point

Mato,

It is understandable. But this is an open forum for all. Those that wish to not read do not have to and those that wish to not post to not have to either.

We all feel that we must do want we can to make those aware of peple like Tom Netz and others and thus it is not a fixation. There are post about all kinds of miss-leads and mis-deeds and that is to each his or her own. I am doing what I can here and many other things out of cyberspace to make people aware of things like this. And I am going to continue because at any minute this idiot will soon be claiming another Tribe and another and another. No one said it will stop here, but it is a good place for information for many.

The information that I just posted is new as listed - especially the part about Tom now being a Veteran. And as you know if you are a Veteran, that is very serious claims and not to be taking very lightly in any sense of the word in any culture.

The Native Community needs to know these things and the Vets need to know this too.

[CandaePrincess]

I would think at this point with all the talk of this guy, if they don't know by now, they probably wouldn't believe you anyways. In the words of a great philosopher......
"Let it go......."

*L* :Chatter

[Mato Winyan]

I agree! It is a public forum. People do have a right to post what they want.

I agree that people need to know about the people out there that are bazztardizing the culture, whether it be for profit or not.

I agree that there have been and are other posts informing us about these people and the wrong doings that have hurt the community and culture.

I also believe this is not a Tom Iron Eagle forum and he has to follow the rules he accepted when he joined this site.

[KeetersCAT]

HEY! Anyone selling nachos at this circus? It's almost lunch time and I'm hungry.

[Tom Iron Eagle]

Because it is Working

The open forum is the reason for the site regardless of the topic. And for this reason it is working. Many have read these posts and have informed committees and organizations about the person in question. There are good results.

As far as letting it go - well, that can be subjective. There will always be "frauds, fakes, wannabes" and more. So putting and end to that is almost moot, but putting and end to some is not moot and can be done. We each fight the way we can - what is important to one may not be important to another.

But his new claim of being a Vet is something that another Vet and others should not let go.

[Wojapi4Me]

What did Tom Netz have to say when you spoke with him about these issues at this latest event?

[Blackbear]

I was gonna ask the same thing... did you confront him and ask him some questions? Hey why not fill us in on some other wannabe's working as indians? I know of one in Manitoba and one here in Alaska, and I KNOW the eastside of the states is full of them. Why just this one?

[kiyaanii mom]

I agree! It is a public forum. People do have a right to post what they want.

I agree that people need to know about the people out there that are bazztardizing the culture, whether it be for profit or not.

I agree that there have been and are other posts informing us about these people and the wrong doings that have hurt the community and culture.

I also believe this is not a Tom Iron Eagle forum and he has to follow the rules he accepted when he joined this site.

Isn't one of the rules that we don't post real people's names? Or something like that? If so then I think it is time to stick to those rules. Including the NDN celebs that have been posted about. Just cuz they are celebs doesn't mean they are not real people.

[River Spirit]

Mato,

It is understandable. But this is an open forum for all. Those that wish to not read do not have to and those that wish to not post to not have to either.

We all feel that we must do want we can to make those aware of peple like Tom Netz and others and thus it is not a fixation. There are post about all kinds of miss-leads and mis-deeds and that is to each his or her own. I am doing what I can here and many other things out of cyberspace to make people aware of things like this. And I am going to continue because at any minute this idiot will soon be claiming another Tribe and another and another. No one said it will stop here, but it is a good place for information for many.

The information that I just posted is new as listed - especially the part about Tom now being a Veteran. And as you know if you are a Veteran, that is very serious claims and not to be taking very lightly in any sense of the word in any culture.

The Native Community needs to know these things and the Vets need to know this too.

I hope you keep good 'notes'; by your own admission all his 'doings' are confusing. I say this because when he files suit for harassment you'll need 'proof'. As irksome as he appears to be to you, I think telling us once is sufficient. We aren't stupid. We'll do with the info what we will--or won't--depending on whether we have better things to do with our time. I would tend to agree with Mato; your persistence seems to border on obsession. And, I honestly don't see any 'positive results' from your publicizing this one man. Pick your battles, man. Do something more constructive with your time. The fact that you are aware he is full of BS just goes to show that if you were capable of forming your own opinion, so is everyone else. I'll echo 'let it go'.

[Tom Iron Eagle]

Confrontation

Strange, everyone argues about people like Tom and many others that are mentioned on this site, but they still read the post and still want to know about the people like him. In fact, if you take the time to read and I mean really read you will see many postings about people and names are mentioned all the time (present and in the archives).

Yes, I have confronted the man. And since I have confronted the man and heard his own words the concept of harrasment is totally moot.

He says that he was "duped" by the so called United Lumbee Nation in California into beleiving that they were the real Lumbee and a real nation. He says that he was told many things by many people that his family was Cherokee, Shawnee, etc. Yet he is very evasive when asked about why he denied that we was German for many years and how is admitting he is German. As far as being a Veteran, he would not go into any details of service or even branch.

And as many should know, there are new members on this site everyday. Not all have read or even heard of this man or many others like the Bogus Vendor, the Cherokee Shaman, The Woman Witch, and many many more. If it is not important to you them move on. We all do what we can to fight the many issues facing the Native Culture - including people claiming to be what is not.

Let it go - yes when the man admits the truth, especially about being a Vet - that is too serious, too many have served and died and sacrificed many things and they do not derserve to have this man claim to be on of them!

We fight our own way and if we use this forum then so be it.

[Bob B Bob Firechief]

As far as this goes about the branch of service or anything else, maybe he feels he does not owe you an explanation.
I know if someone I don't know comes up to me demanding to know anything, whether I'm right or wrong, I'm not telling them $hit!

[Smokin' Ace]

Mr Tom Iron Eagle, thanks for posting this information.

I don't see a need to keep it open, since it was just informational, so the thread is now closed.

Thanks again.