First of all, I thank you, Bobbie O, for your input and information on this matter. As stated in my first comment, I share in your joy about the Navajos endorsing Mr. Obama. I truly believe that Mr. Obama will do his best to carry out the concerns of Native American people in the same way that I hope he would be concerned about all of us as citizens.
I appreciate your response and yes, I agree that this entire thing is mainly about money. But, I also feel it has to do, regrettably, with race too.
And even though I understand the issue is very complex, I feel that if the Freedmen involved do share ancestry with the Cherokee nation, they should be counted along with other members who also share that same common ancestry. If they are not, then they would be denied a part of their family and their identity.
And yes, in 2006, the courts did rule in favor of the Freedmen. But, the Cherokee Nation had put the decision to a vote, and decided to deny membership to the Freedmen descendants.
The way I understand it the Congressional Black Caucus asked the Bureau of Indian Affairs to investigate the issue in 2007. Around the same time, a bill was authored to strip the Cherokee Nation of funding if they did not include the Freedmen among the Cherokee Nation.
And then, in 2008, this is the latest development from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_freedmen_controversy">wikipedia:
On September 26, 2008, Congress cleared the housing bill H.R. 2786. This bill, the reauthorization of the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act, includes a provision stating that the Cherokee Nation can receive federal housing benefits as long as a tribal court order allowing the citizenship for Cherokee Freedmen descendants is intact or some settlement is reached in the citizenship issue and litigation involving the Cherokee Freedmen descendants <62>.
The House Of Representatives version of the bill would have denied funds unless the Freedmen descendants were restored to citizenship. The Senate version of the bill had no mention of the Cherokee Nation or the Cherokee Freedmen.
I do not know what the latest answer to this action was. That is why I wanted to hear your take of what was truly going on with this issue.
Again, I really appreciate your response. It has given me more to think about in this issue. I have also bookmarked your blog and look forward to reading other news about Native American life, culture and politics. :)
Now I will truly sit back and read the other responses. ;)
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
