Cherokee People - Uncle Sam wants to end our Nation... AGAIN
Some members of Congress are attempting to terminate the existence of the Cherokee Nation as a federally recognized Indian Nation, eliminate all gaming operations for the Cherokee Nation and cut all federal funding. If the legislation threatening the Cherokee Nation makes its way through Congress, more than 6,500 employees of the Cherokee Nation and its businesses could lose their jobs. All programs that depend on federal funding would be in danger. The bill would close down all health clinics operated by the Cherokee Nation and stop funding for housing programs, including rental assistance. The legislation could stop education and cultural programs, end scholarship opportunities and close elderly nutrition centers. Many Cherokee citizens have taken a stand, and told their stories to members of Congress. They have shared why the Cherokee Nation is important to them, how they depend on Cherokee Nation to treat cancer, to help educate their kids or assist them in building homes for their own families. Please take the opportunity to tell your story and check out these other sources as well:
Send a letter to Congress regarding H.R. Bill 2824:
http://capwiz.com/cherokee/issues/alert/?alertid=10085201
Also, check out the Washington Office and sign up for the grassroots newsletter:
http://www.cnwo.org/
Following is further detail of the letter you can email to your congressman.
Required text:
(This text will be included in your message)
I am writing to express my opposition to H.R. 2824 and urge you to vote against this bill. H.R. 2824 was introduced June 21, 2007 by Congresswoman Diane Watson and proposes “to sever the United States’ government relations with the Cherokee Nation” because of the tribe's recent constitutional amendment to limit citizenship to those who descend from Indians listed on the U.S. census of 1906 known as the Dawes Roll.
I am outraged that a U.S. Representative would even consider introducing such a devastating bill singling out one Indian tribe. Unfortunately, this bill has been introduced based on the false notion that the amendment had a racial motivation. In fact, it had nothing to do with race and everything to do with the right of the Cherokee Nation to define who is a Cherokee.
As the National Congress of American Indians President recently said in opposing the bill: "This is an uncalled for response to a legal question of treaty interpretation ... Not since the Termination Era of the 1950's, when the official policy of the federal government was complete destruction of indigenous peoples, have we seen such a piece of legislation."
The bill leaves the false impression that the Nation's constitutional amendment expelled all African Americans from citizenship in the Cherokee Nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the Cherokee Nation proudly counts thousands of African Americans among its citizens, including more than 1,500 citizens who are descendants of Freedmen who have Indian ancestry. This bill will essentially punish the Cherokee Nation for requiring its citizens to have Indian ancestry-the same requirements enforced by more than 500 other Indian tribes in the United States.
I believe our courts - and not the U.S. Congress -- should decide the matter of non-Indian Freedmen citizenship. Currently, this issue is being litigated in the Cherokee tribal court and a federal trial and appeals court in Washington, D.C.
An attempt by the U.S. Congress to terminate the Cherokee Nation and deny vital federal funding to Cherokee citizens - including to the Freedmen descendants who are now citizens -- would only penalize those who need this assistance most and are among the population that the bill would seek to protect.
I urge you to oppose this termination bill, H.R. 2824. In this era of self-determination, no tribe should ever face such a destructive policy.
Send a letter to Congress regarding H.R. Bill 2824:
http://capwiz.com/cherokee/issues/alert/?alertid=10085201
Also, check out the Washington Office and sign up for the grassroots newsletter:
http://www.cnwo.org/
Following is further detail of the letter you can email to your congressman.
Required text:
(This text will be included in your message)
I am writing to express my opposition to H.R. 2824 and urge you to vote against this bill. H.R. 2824 was introduced June 21, 2007 by Congresswoman Diane Watson and proposes “to sever the United States’ government relations with the Cherokee Nation” because of the tribe's recent constitutional amendment to limit citizenship to those who descend from Indians listed on the U.S. census of 1906 known as the Dawes Roll.
I am outraged that a U.S. Representative would even consider introducing such a devastating bill singling out one Indian tribe. Unfortunately, this bill has been introduced based on the false notion that the amendment had a racial motivation. In fact, it had nothing to do with race and everything to do with the right of the Cherokee Nation to define who is a Cherokee.
As the National Congress of American Indians President recently said in opposing the bill: "This is an uncalled for response to a legal question of treaty interpretation ... Not since the Termination Era of the 1950's, when the official policy of the federal government was complete destruction of indigenous peoples, have we seen such a piece of legislation."
The bill leaves the false impression that the Nation's constitutional amendment expelled all African Americans from citizenship in the Cherokee Nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the Cherokee Nation proudly counts thousands of African Americans among its citizens, including more than 1,500 citizens who are descendants of Freedmen who have Indian ancestry. This bill will essentially punish the Cherokee Nation for requiring its citizens to have Indian ancestry-the same requirements enforced by more than 500 other Indian tribes in the United States.
I believe our courts - and not the U.S. Congress -- should decide the matter of non-Indian Freedmen citizenship. Currently, this issue is being litigated in the Cherokee tribal court and a federal trial and appeals court in Washington, D.C.
An attempt by the U.S. Congress to terminate the Cherokee Nation and deny vital federal funding to Cherokee citizens - including to the Freedmen descendants who are now citizens -- would only penalize those who need this assistance most and are among the population that the bill would seek to protect.
I urge you to oppose this termination bill, H.R. 2824. In this era of self-determination, no tribe should ever face such a destructive policy.