Cherokee Nation To Vote on Expelling Slaves' Descendants

The Washington Post ^ | Saturday, March 3, 2007 | Ellen Knickmeyer

[rabidralph]

VINITA, Okla. -- J.D. Baldridge, 73, has official government documents showing him to be a descendant of a full-blood Cherokee. He has memories of a youth spent among Cherokee neighbors and kin, at tribal stomp dances and hog fries. He holds on to a fair amount of Cherokee vocabulary. " Salali," Baldridge says, his face creasing into a smile at the word. "Squirrel stew. Oh, that was good."

What Baldridge, a retired Oklahoma county sheriff, also has is at least one black ancestor, a former slave of a Cherokee family. That could get Baldridge cast out of the tribe, along with thousands of others.

The 250,000-member Cherokee Nation will vote in a special election today whether to override a 141-year-old treaty and change the tribal constitution to bar "freedmen," the descendants of former tribal slaves, from being members of the sovereign nation.

"It's a basic, inherent right to determine our own citizenry. We paid very dearly for those rights," Cherokee Principal Chief Chad Smith said in an interview last month in Oklahoma City.

But the Cherokee freedmen see the vote as less about self-determination than about discrimination and historical blinders. They see in the referendum hints of racism and a desire by some Cherokees to deny the tribe's slave-owning past.

[frankenMonkey]

Funny (can I say that?) tag line...! You an old Lennon fan?

[okie01]

I'd offer up that it is by design and not so much incompetence.

Good point. When you're pushing an agenda, intelligence and research only get in the way...

[dfwgator]

Now I got that damn Paul Revere song in my head.

[cougar_mccxxi]

"PROTECT CHEROKEE CULTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. FOR OUR DAUGHTER[S] . . . FIGHT AGAINST THE INFILTRATION."

Very interesting coming from the Cherokee nation. A few things come to mind while reading this story.

First, why are the Indian tribes allowed the right to self-determination when white Americans are not?

Second, I think I can hear the tribes laughing at how stupid American people are for not having the same sense of self-determination by filling the coffers of those that would do them and their children harm with a smile on their face.

Third, didnt the US have a stroke during the 80's over South Africa doing very similar things, aka apartheid?

Fourth, where the heck is the outrage from such pivotal (tongue in cheek) black leaders and groups such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, the NAACP, Rainbow Coalition?

Fifth, the Cherokee statement of self-determination when used by whites is called racism. Why is it ok for minorities to have an agenda of self-determination while whites are only allowed to have an agenda of multi-culturalism?

Sixth, I'm sick of hearing people complain about the cost of living and in the next breath planning their casino getaway for the weekend.

Did I mention I'm not a big fan of the Indian gambling racket?

[Osage Orange]

Actually it should be spelled Bode'Wadmi....which means fire keeper. But somehow it got translated and spelled the way we see it now....

Megwetch nican!!

[Osage Orange]

No they didn't...they held them captive not as slaves.

Really? Got proof of that?

And is there a difference between a "captive" and a "slave"?

FWIW-

[Osage Orange]

FWIW-----

I think this amendment..or whatever they are calling it passed.

IOW, the Freedmen have been voted out of the Cherokee tribe.

[rabidralph]

How is that pronounced? I recently moved to Wisconsin and am having trouble with the Indian names around here. I grew up in Maryland, so I am used to saying Pomonkey, Mattawoman, Chickamuxon, Potomac and Picowaxon, even if I can't spell them.

[Beckwith]

PROTECT CHEROKEE CULTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. FOR OUR DAUGHTER[S] . . . FIGHT AGAINST THE INFILTRATION

Do these people own casinos?

If so, that's why they are doing this. It's all about the money.

[rabidralph]

I have no problem with anything you've said. I don't know why minorities continue to get a free ride when they want live in their own neighborhoods (Chocolate City), exclude others due to race (Black Caucus) and all the other reverse racist ideas that whites are vilified for. And why no one honestly and gently calls them on it and explains the hypocrisy, beyond the talk radio types.

[rabidralph]

You are correct. The new information is posted on another thread. It appears that they just kicked out blacks with no Cherokee blood--their only connection was once being owned by Cherokees? Is that right?

[stand watie]

actually NEITHER is true.

Mexico is controlled by about 3-5% of the overall population. it is not now, nor has it ever been a democracy, other than in word. the reality is that it is a PLUTOCRACY!

also, my people, the American Indians held slaves for THOUSANDS of YEARS.

fwiw, as an enrolled member of the Tsalagiyi Nation, i think this "vote to expel" the descendants of the FREEDMEN STINKS!

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

as a Tsalagiyi "mixed-blood", i completely AGREE.

i hope the day NEVER comes when i'm NOT considered "RED enough" to remain an enrolled member of the nation!!! (IF the "pins" decide to try that, they will have a FIGHT on their hands!!!)

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

as well we SHOULD have!

according to Dora Gray, by the time the war was over EVERY male over the age of 12 (who was physically ABLE to bear arms) had served in the CSA or tribal military forces.

fyi, NUMEROUS Tsalagiyi ladies had also served. (fwiw, Tsalagiyi women have always been FREE to be WARRIORS! there is even a WOMAN's WARRIOR SOCIETY. my niece can hardly wait to be old enough to join.)

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

YEP. and i told him so in another post.

also, see my post to "Varina Davis".

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

fyi,to quote Mel Gibson's character in the Patriot:

"DOG is a GOOD MEAL."

free dixie,sw

[stand watie]

figured that out, did ya???

free dixie,sw

[Balding_Eagle]

Huh!

Should we (America) do that too? Cast out any decendents of slaves?

[Fiddlstix]

[pepperdog]

I'd like to know the correct spelling, is it Pottawatomie, Pottawattomie or Potawatomie. I've seen it all three ways. Or are these three different clans or tribes or whatever? Used to be the county in Oklahoma was abbreviated as Pott County, so now is it Pot County? Confusion reigns. (And FR spell checks doesn't like any of them)