Marilyn Vann, president of the Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, has long fought racism from both governmental officials and indigenous figures. In this instance, she claims, Cherokee leaders misled voters by insisting "freedmen don't have Indian blood", "the freedmen were forced on the tribe", "the freedmen do not have a treaty right to citizenship", "the people have never voted on citizenship provisions in the history of the tribe", and "the amendment will create an all Indian tribe." Cherokee voters were also influenced by the racist charge "that the freedmen if not ejected, would use up all of the tribal service monies."
for the rest of the story:
http://counterpunch.com/katz03172007.html
(Cherokee leaders didn't mislead me about freedmen, not being of Indian Blood, that came down in my family, freedmen weren't Indian but they got on the Dawes Roll and got land, although I have a white great grandmother that didn't get on the Dawes because she was not Indian, she was intermarried Cherokee, my Cherokee family didn't have any slaves - Cherokees do that, pass things down in their families - that's come down at least 6 generations now - whites intermarried - Cherokee didn't adopt folks - so I guess our version according to the Freedmen is wrong - hmm, this is interesting - is congress going to give my grandmother's descendants reparations? I doubt it.
The other things she lists here, I've never heard from any Tribal Official either.
It is true however, that Congress sets out certain Tax funds for Indians, so if they're not Indian they're taking funds that Indians can use else where, *use up all* is a bit exaggerated. At least this writer believes that funding set aside for Indians should be used by Indians - and to call that racist is indeed a tiresome rally cry. Just watching my Tax dollars here - I mean isn't that what Watson claims she's doing by getting involved in this - watching our Tax dollars. I think it was Bob Jones University that lost it's funding because of a Black discrimination issue, however, that was a majority white school, not an ethnic Nation with about 200 years of Indian Policy shoved down it's throat.
However, I've never heard this from any of our Tribal Officials - rumors abound in Indian Country and you really have to be careful whose saying what, which would seem to indicate she's not quite as familiar with Indian Country as she claims. Indians are known for having independent opinions and in most cases we don't hesitate to speak out, maybe not in such a public way but their opinion is known and we respect each others opinions and move on.
I think this is whistling in the wind on her part.
And speaking of historical facts and the right to vote - Indians were not even considered US Citizens until around the 1920s - my grandfather who was born in 1902 wasn't even a US Citizen until he was in his 20s - and I don't recall any Civil War to gain him the right to vote.)
for the rest of the story:
http://counterpunch.com/katz03172007.html
(Cherokee leaders didn't mislead me about freedmen, not being of Indian Blood, that came down in my family, freedmen weren't Indian but they got on the Dawes Roll and got land, although I have a white great grandmother that didn't get on the Dawes because she was not Indian, she was intermarried Cherokee, my Cherokee family didn't have any slaves - Cherokees do that, pass things down in their families - that's come down at least 6 generations now - whites intermarried - Cherokee didn't adopt folks - so I guess our version according to the Freedmen is wrong - hmm, this is interesting - is congress going to give my grandmother's descendants reparations? I doubt it.
The other things she lists here, I've never heard from any Tribal Official either.
It is true however, that Congress sets out certain Tax funds for Indians, so if they're not Indian they're taking funds that Indians can use else where, *use up all* is a bit exaggerated. At least this writer believes that funding set aside for Indians should be used by Indians - and to call that racist is indeed a tiresome rally cry. Just watching my Tax dollars here - I mean isn't that what Watson claims she's doing by getting involved in this - watching our Tax dollars. I think it was Bob Jones University that lost it's funding because of a Black discrimination issue, however, that was a majority white school, not an ethnic Nation with about 200 years of Indian Policy shoved down it's throat.
However, I've never heard this from any of our Tribal Officials - rumors abound in Indian Country and you really have to be careful whose saying what, which would seem to indicate she's not quite as familiar with Indian Country as she claims. Indians are known for having independent opinions and in most cases we don't hesitate to speak out, maybe not in such a public way but their opinion is known and we respect each others opinions and move on.
I think this is whistling in the wind on her part.
And speaking of historical facts and the right to vote - Indians were not even considered US Citizens until around the 1920s - my grandfather who was born in 1902 wasn't even a US Citizen until he was in his 20s - and I don't recall any Civil War to gain him the right to vote.)