Opinion: Being Cherokee more than the blood
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Filed Under:
Opinion
"Being an Indian is certainly about blood ties, but it is more than that. It is culture, it is tradition, it is language. To me the Freedmen suffered alongside the Cherokees and even under the Cherokees. To kick them out now is the ultimate insult.
The Cherokee were sent on a genocidal death march by the US Army. That flag was carried by the troops who took the Cherokee to Oklahoma, and that flag flew over the White House where racist President Andrew Jackson defied the Supreme Court and ordered the Indian removals to continue.
But now, the great Cherokee Nation is willing to sell itself out and have their children be used as a propaganda tool in favor of disenfranchising the Freedmen, by playing to the presumed "common values, common ground" between racist pro-exclusion Cherokees and the dominant white culture.
I am proud to be Cherokee (I'm not a citizen though because my Cherokee ancestor wasn't allowed to sign it by her white husband, but that doesn't change my heritage), but I'm not proud of what the Cherokee nation is doing.
I stand with the Freedmen and will continue to stand with them. There is a move by members of the Congressional Black caucus to take away federal funding for the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. I hope it doesn't come to this, but if the Cherokee nation will not back down then I think the funding should be yanked. I don't think it is right for the Federal government to aid and abet racism, and if the Cherokee nation will not live up to its treaty obligations to the Freedmen then I don't see what the alternative is."
Get the Story:
J. M. Branum : Cherokee Nation Sells Out
(OpEd News 3/26)
Cherokee-Related Legislation:
H.R.2786
|
H.R.2895
|
H.R.2824
|
H.R.3002
BIA Letters:
August
9, 2007 |
July
11, 2007 |
June
22, 2007 |
May 21, 2007 |
March 28, 2007 |
August 30, 2006
Sovereign Immunity Court Decision:
Vann v. Kempthorne (December 19,
2006)
Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal Decision in Freedmen
Case:
Allen
v. Cherokee Nation (March 7, 2006)
Relevant Links:
Cherokee Nation -
http://www.cherokee.orgFreedmen
Of The Five Civilized Tribes -
http://www.freedmen5tribes.comFreedmen
Conference -
http://www.freedmenconference.com
Related Stories:
Lawmakers press Artman on Freedmen issues
(3/19)
Freedmen protest outside of Rep. Boren's office
(3/3)
Black lawmakers to meet with Artman over
Freedmen (1/23)
Cherokee Nation takes
more control of housing (12/19)
Opinion:
Disinformation on Cherokee Freedmen (11/30)
Mike Graham: Ethics complaint against Rep. Watson
(11/28)
NCAI backs Cherokee Nation in
funding fight (11/15)
Chief Smith: Let
courts decide on Cherokee Freedmen (11/2)
Rep. Watson: Cherokee Nation maintained slavery
(10/29)
Chief Smith: Cherokee vote on
Freedmen not racist (10/23)
Opinion:
Playing the nation card over Freedmen (10/19)
Opinion: Ross Swimmer to blame for Freedmen
(10/18)
Letter: Anger and disgust at
Cherokee Nation (10/18)
Cherokee Nation
lobbyist was Black Caucus official (10/17)
Opinion: Cherokee Freedmen dealt a cruel blow
(10/17)
Opinion: Bill cuts health care
for Cherokee Nation (10/12)
Letter:
Chief Smith brings down the Cherokee Nation (10/2)
Cherokee Nation faulted on Freedmen (10/1)
Congressional Black Caucus to host Freedmen
panel (9/26)
Cherokee Nation hurt by
Freedmen dispute (9/24)
Chief Smith:
Cherokee Nation helps UKB members (9/17)
Editorial: Wait for courts on Freedmen dispute
(9/17)
Editorial: Common sense in
Freedmen dispute (9/11)
House approves
NAHASDA reauthorization (9/7)
Column:
Cherokee citizenship about sovereignty (9/6)
Cherokee chief blasts 'hostile' members of Congress
(9/4)
Rep. Watson: Congressional
oversight of Freedmen (9/4)
Opinion:
Cherokee Nation wrong on Freedmen (8/31)
NAACP denounces Cherokee Nation over Freedmen
(8/27)
Editorial: Cherokee Nation takes
the heat (8/24)
Copyright © Indianz.Com
Subscribe