American Indians/tribes were designated as “sovereign nations” for treaty purposes, and when a lot of this started in the 1850’s, they liked that status.
Over time, this relationship re US citizen changed, but even today Indians have “tribal/reservation sovereignty” with the US. That is why they have Tribal Councils and Tribal Police who are independence of the U.S. political systems.
One of my friends is a Muscogee Chief but as good an American citizen as there is.
Remember, Ira Hayes, one of the flag raisers of Iwo Jima was an American Indian. We also had the famous athlete Jim Thorpe who represented the USA at the Olympics (as well as bringing pride to his tribe), and we lost, in action, an American female Indian soldier in Iraq.
She wore the uniform of the US Army but was also buried with her tribal trappings, symbols of pride and devotion to her country and her people.
She was no “anchor baby”. She was a red-blooded American soldier.
Thanks for the post. Very little of this is well understood. We all need a little more education on the subject.