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dreams and legacies 275The rocky history could have made a cynic out of Billy or an angryman. “He just doesn’t get mad,” attests Sugar. “He just walks awayfrom it. He’s strong. He can have people yell and scream and call himall kinds of names, and he just smiles and walks away. Sometimes, Ican’t handle that.” Maybe patience and understanding run in theblood. “Grandpa was really calm and collected too,” surmises Sugarof the family gene pool. “He really didn’t get excited. I never did seeGrandpa get mad when I was a young kid.”After the Boldt decision in 1974, Billy rose to his potential.Ramona Bennett, a Puyallup Indian who led the 1970 Puyallupencampment, believes Billy’s contribution to history will never bematched. No future leader of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commissionwill have lived the struggle like Billy. “I know the otherpeople that the other tribes were pushing to the front,” Bennett says,recalling the candidates who competed for the top post at the nwifc.“For them, it would have been prestige and a job. For Billy, it’s hislife. They won’t have the life experience that he has. They’ll besomeone who stepped into the position after the resources havealready gained a high level of protection.”At eighty-one years old, assessing affairs and taking stock, Billylives with few regrets. He holds both an abundance of hope and continuingconcern for the Indian people. He longs for a balanced worldwith peace between Indian tribes. “What’s happening now is theIndian tribes don’t have an enemy out there. They’re their own enemy.We’re suing each other. We’re fighting one another. It’s tribe versustribe. And the courts don’t want any part of that. They’ve said that.”Poverty refuses to release its grip, and drugs continue to plaguefamilies.“Meth is one,” Billy says. “Them are problems that interferewith community, and it’s big time. It interferes with families. Wehaven’t got out of that rut we’re in. You’ve got to work on that. You’vegot to work on it and get the community together.”Billy remains encouraged that the tribes will turn the tide and that