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More opinions

Hill, The
Washington, DC
05/06/2008
(would love to link to these but I couldn't find them at TheHill.com - although there are plenty of anti-Cherokee Nation opinions showing there)

Cherokee Nation, CBC Brutal attacks

From Gayle Ross

As a Cherokee citizen, I want to thank former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colo.) for his clear, well-reasoned op-ed, A move to destroy the Cherokee Nation (April 29). He is correct in pointing out that only in a court of law can all the facts of history and law be truly heard. They certainly have played no part in the carefully crafted campaign of disinformation to justify brutal attacks on our right to self-determination.

Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) has accused our Cherokee leadership of having no commitment to the rule of law, but she is the one ignoring the rulings of both Cherokee and federal courts, which have repeatedly held that citizenship is the province of the Indian nations.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) says there are consequences for breaking a treaty. I would suggest that we know that better than he does. If Rep. Frank truly wants to enforce American treaties, I would suggest he start with the international human rights treaties ratified by the United States that protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

The fact that 296 Cherokees once owned slaves did not exempt the Cherokee Nation from the same physical and cultural genocide suffered by other tribes. We simply ask that Americans of all colors respect our rights as an Indian nation, including our right to be Indian.

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Proves the point
From H.S. Rosser

Ironically, a recent letter to the editor (Cherokee chief goes astray in CBC battle over membership, May 1) about former Sen. Campbells op-ed actually proves the point that Mr. Campbell was trying to make.

The letter writer, Sean Nordwall, ran for Cherokee Nation Tribal Council in 2007 and was resoundingly rejected by the Cherokee people. His complaints about the makeup of the Cherokee Nations Tribal Council, the appointment of the attorney general and budget figures are internal matters for Cherokees to decide.

Shouldn't Congress listen to their esteemed former colleague, Sen. Campbell, rather than a rejected tribal council candidate who is trying to get Congress to impose his will on the Cherokee people?

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