Posted on 11/26/2009 5:49:17 PM PST by HokieMom
Virginia Tribes: Recognition
When Capt. John Smith walked ashore at Jamestown, he did not encounter an uninhabited land. Indians preceded him. Numerous place names and other references attest to the Indian presence. Yet except for the retelling of quaint stories about Pocahontas, Virginia long pushed its original residents out of sight and mind. For the commonwealth’s tribes, federal recognition at least symbolically would help to correct the record.
Legislation to confer tribal recognition is working its way through Congress, and is given its best chance for success ever. Fears that recognition could lead to casinos apparently have been overcome.
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http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/opinion/editorials/article/ED-TRIB07_20091206-173604/309922/
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