Black caucus questions Cherokee vote(catfight)

Yahoooo ^ | 3/13/07 | BEN EVANS ap

[mdittmar]

WASHINGTON - Black leaders in Congress asked the federal government Tuesday to weigh in on the legality of a vote by the Cherokee Nation earlier this month to revoke citizenship from descendants of former tribal slaves.

Saying they were "shocked and outraged," more than two dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus signed a letter to the Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs questioning the "validity, legality, as well as the morality" of the March 3 vote.

"The black descendant Cherokees can trace their Native American heritage back in many cases for more than a century," said Rep. Diane Watson (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif. "They are legally a part of the Cherokee Nation through history, precedent, blood and treaty obligations."

Watson emphasized that the federal government spends billions of dollars a year on Native American programs, including for the Cherokee.

In the special election, more than 76 percent of those casting ballots voted to amend the tribal constitution to limit citizenship to descendants of "by blood" tribe members and remove an estimated 2,800 freedmen descendants.

The vote followed a March 2006 ruling by the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court that said an 1866 treaty assured tribal citizenship to freedmen descendants.

Descendants tried to stop the ballot measure in court but were denied. They have vowed to continue fighting.

Cherokee officials have said the vote is a matter of self-government and the tribe's sovereign right to determine its membership. Critics have called it racist.

Mike Miller, a spokesman for the tribe, could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Along with Watson, Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., civil rights movement veteran John Lewis (news, bio, voting record), D-Ga., and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., were among 26 lawmakers to sign the letter.

They asked for a legal interpretation of the vote and requested possibilities for government recourse.

[mdittmar]

I'm a victim
No I'm a victim
I'm a bigger victim,I was here first
You made me come here,that makes me the bigger victim

blah,blah,blah.;)

[cripplecreek]

Caucus Chairwoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick

Say that 3 times fast. lol

[af_vet_1981]

In the special election, more than 76 percent of those casting ballots voted to amend the tribal constitution to limit citizenship to descendants of "by blood" tribe members and remove an estimated 2,800 freedmen descendants. The vote followed a March 2006 ruling by the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court that said an 1866 treaty assured tribal citizenship to freedmen descendants. Descendants tried to stop the ballot measure in court but were denied. They have vowed to continue fighting. Cherokee officials have said the vote is a matter of self-government and the tribe's sovereign right to determine its membership.

This is an internal Cherokee matter. The United States should stay out of it.

[RegulatorCountry]

"They are legally a part of the Cherokee Nation through history, precedent, blood and treaty obligations."

The vote pertained to Freedmen who are not Cherokee by blood, as far as what I've read would indicate.

[LongElegantLegs]

Ooooh, this should be interesting!

[Stand W]

Now that the Cherokee nation is making heap big wampum from casinos, they want to tidy up the rolls. Those dropped will no longer be in line for the considerable largesse.

IT'S THE MONEY!!!!

[HiTech RedNeck]

injuns had slaves?

[Wally_Kalbacken]

 

[cripplecreek]

Thunderdome.

Two minorities enter, one minority leaves.

[ArmstedFragg]

So the guys who pander to the tribes every time it's to their advantage want the administration to solve the problem so they don't have to be the bad guys. Hopefully, the administration's response will be, "Gee, we don't know, what do you guys want to do?"

[nctexan]

Buffalo Soldiers strike again!

The Indigenous-Americans should stand up. REPARATIONS from the black community. The rape of these people can not stand!

[Eagles6]

Let's see now, the congressional black caucus refuses to let in anyone who isn't black. The Cherokees are revoking tribal citizenship of those who don't aren't Cherokee. Lewis, conyers and the rest are upset that blacks are being treated as they treat others?

[af_vet_1981]

Saying they were "shocked and outraged," more than two dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus ...

When are they not "shocked and outraged" ?

Oh yeah, When William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, takes a bribe. They call that "the peoples' business."

[fish hawk]

They can question it all they want but there is absolutely nothing they can do about it.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Auntie's Choice.

[fish hawk]

Some had slaves and some were slaves.

[Bernard]

Maybe the Cherokee could offer the caucus Ward Churchill and a first round draft choice.

[cripplecreek]

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, diein' time's here.

[Atchafalaya]

LOL!!!

[hophead]

"...more than two dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus..."

"Cherokee officials have said the vote is a matter of self-government and the tribe's sovereign right to determine its membership. Critics have called it racist."


So....according to the CBC, it is "racist" for a group of people to pick and choose their membership ranks. Isn't that what the CBC has been doing for years?
Answer me this Mr. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers. Will you allow any Caucasians to join your little racist group?