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O'siyo Brothers and Sister!
California Representative Diane Watson is a
member of the Congerssional Black Caucus, so it is understandable that
she wants to protect black constituents. She has, however, crossed a
line when she floats a bill to remove funding from the Cherokee Nation
of Oklahoma for voting to require members of their Nation to have
Cherokee blood.
The fact that this disenfranchises a large number of Freedmen, who have
enjoyed tribal benefits without having Cherokee blood, is what has set
Mrs. Watson on her personal vendetta. Apparently she has focused
entirely on the fact that the Freedmen who have been disenfranched are
of black ancestry, not on the key factor, that they have no Cherokee
ancestry by blood. Given their history, the Freedmens' dismay is
understandable, but given the general citizenship standards imposed by
most tribes, the exclusion can be seen as understandable as well.
It is critical that the reader understand not all Freedmen are now on
the outside looking in... only those who have zero Cherokee blood. Those
that have Cherokee descendancy are being continued on the rolls like all
other Cherokee Nation of Oklahome enrollees who are entitled to tribal
membership and benefits because of their blood ancestry.
This requirement is not one bit different from other federal tribes. In
fact, the blood quantum requirement for many tribes is far more strict
than that being imposed by the CNO. Until this issue arose, the US
government, through its BIA agents, has encouraged tribes to retain, or
even tighten "blood quantum" standards for tribal citizenship. The
government has never called the exclusion even of of children of
enrolled tribal members due to lack of a certain percentage of tribal
ancestry racist - until now.
To be a member of the Navajo Nation you must be Dine', to be a member of
the Oglala Sioux Tribe you must not just be Lakota, but Oglala. So what
is so unique about the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma requiring members to
be Cherokee? Only one thing... blacks who have no Cherokee claim are
being disenfranchised.
Mrs. Watson needs to study BIA regulations before she determines who
should should be a tribal member of any tribal nation. I have to wonder
if she pulls this little trick off, will she then float a bill to
require all tribal nations to accept any black resident of the United
States who wants to play Indian? And if Congress goes along with her,
then there will be no point in even pretending the US is or was anything
other than a "benevolent dictator" to Indian tribes, indulgently
allowing them the trappings of national identity as long as their
pretenses did not stray from US mandated standards.
Dohiyi Ani Oginalii
Gary Smith (*,*)
wotanging@bellsouth.net
P. O. Box 672168 (`-') gars@nanews.org
Marietta, GA 30006, U.S.A. ===w=w===
http://www.nanews.org
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CONTENTS LIST OF ARTICLES IN
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 033
FOR ARTICLES GOT TO
WOTANGING IKCHE-Native American News
Editorial Section: . Tribal Enrollment By Decree
- Red Like Me? Assailing Cherokee Sovereignty
- American Indians Plan Smaller Sturgis Presence
- BIA 'Mismanaged' Radio Equipment, Audit Finds
- No Child Left Behind Leaves No Room For Culture
- Ponca Proceed With Lawsuits Over Carbon Black
- Learning Indian Culture Helps Broaden Horizons
- Arizona Case May Redefine Sacred Land
- Steering Mescalero Kids On Course
- Navajo Lore During `Remembrance Days'
- Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Compensates Members
- Native American Dancers Swindled
- Duck Valley Fire Crisis Over
- Warm Springs Fires Burn, Costs Rise
- Ho-Chunk Suspensions Anger Tribal Members
- Tribe's Offer Of Citizenship Spurs Warning
- Tribal Firedancers Face Dangerous, Demanding Work
- Maryland Indians Seek Recognition
- Isleta Native To Headamerican Indian Law Center
- Tribal Wake Center Focuses On Family And Culture
- Giago: Hollywood Dashes Hopes Of 'Wounded Knee'
- Jodi Rave: Walking Program Enlightens
- Miller: Doctrine Of Discovery Alive In Modern Time
- Mittell: Corruption Of The Native American
- Graham: Watson's Resolution Insults Native People
- Kirst: Oren Lyons Keeps Onondaga Nation's Faith
- Jodi Rave: Democrats Partner With Native Bank
- Yellow Bird: Indian Youth Can Learn From History
- Speculation Over Fate Of Indian Affairs Minister
- Police Investigating Death Of Elder On Reserve
- Court Denies Indian Appeal On Water Regulation
- Village May Be On Its Own In Fight
- Native Justice-- Unequal Justice In Reservation Crimes
- Rustywire: Wingate Valley Boys
- Lee Goins Poem: A Poem Of Poetry
- Upcoming Events
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"A member of congress didn't like a
decision that a tribe made and then decided that the tribes' actions
warranted congressional intervention and basically tried to serve a
death sentence to the tribe. Congress is taking a step toward telling
the tribes how to run their nations and going so far as to tell a tribe
who is "Indian" and who is not." -- Mike Miller, Communications Officer,
Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma |