same old story...
kurux
Jan 16, 2009 10:39 PM
I've listened quite well, and I have heard this story over and over again. Those who have a drop of indian blood continually try and find some remnant of their "indianess" and then want to build this up and qualify themselves as the "indian authority".
As I said I am Cherokee. Our tribe is the case study of what happens when you open up enrollmetn and allow thinbloods to overrun the tribal govt. Most of our Tribal "citizens" grew up as white people. they can pass for white, grew up in white society, with those values, some were outwardly racist against even indians, but now because we get some small benefits, they turn around, and run to enroll. I have seen these people enroll, once they do, they quite frankly ask: "so where is my indian money and house?". these are the majority of the people trying to enroll. Us fullbloods who grew up in our small poor communities have been pushed to the back of our own tribal govt. We dont get the healthcare, or the small benefits that were intended to go to "indians". it is now bloated with the administrators, and recipients being the white cherokee who would never be mistaken for being indian and who sometimes just enrolled. The White Cherokee administrations have found a way to enroll as many "indians" as possible in order to use the tribes' bloated headcount to expand the federal monies which fund the tribes' budget. This year the Cherokee Nation's annual budget of $485 million dollars; most of this is from federal $$ based on our headcount. It is a "citizrn mill" with no respect for "culture" or language. They are white people exploiting the federal handouts by enrolling with a minute drop of blood. Currently the CN BQ is down to 1/9,064ths. Would you consider this person an Indian? there are also adopted and intermarried whites who bought their way onto our "by blood" roll and are considered Indians.
A side note here is that this is what makes the freedmen issue so blatantly racist. When the african amer. freedmen found a way for them to be counted, the white cherokee voted them out in a second; only for getting what is rightfully theirs, and doing the same exact thing as the whites have been doing for a hundred years.
SO speaking as a Cherokee, I believe no big tribes should ever drop their BQ. I think the Cherokee Nation should raise ours.
Smaller tribes are different, in CA some are basically families, and so they must have descendency requirements. BUT, for the most parts these small tribes are communities and know eachother.
I believe a huge blanket statemen to just enroll everyone with indian lineage (or supposed) is just wrong. And I beleive our elders, and ancestors would think it was wrong to.
If there is no bar for enrollment, anyone can be indian, and everyone will try.
As I said I am Cherokee. Our tribe is the case study of what happens when you open up enrollmetn and allow thinbloods to overrun the tribal govt. Most of our Tribal "citizens" grew up as white people. they can pass for white, grew up in white society, with those values, some were outwardly racist against even indians, but now because we get some small benefits, they turn around, and run to enroll. I have seen these people enroll, once they do, they quite frankly ask: "so where is my indian money and house?". these are the majority of the people trying to enroll. Us fullbloods who grew up in our small poor communities have been pushed to the back of our own tribal govt. We dont get the healthcare, or the small benefits that were intended to go to "indians". it is now bloated with the administrators, and recipients being the white cherokee who would never be mistaken for being indian and who sometimes just enrolled. The White Cherokee administrations have found a way to enroll as many "indians" as possible in order to use the tribes' bloated headcount to expand the federal monies which fund the tribes' budget. This year the Cherokee Nation's annual budget of $485 million dollars; most of this is from federal $$ based on our headcount. It is a "citizrn mill" with no respect for "culture" or language. They are white people exploiting the federal handouts by enrolling with a minute drop of blood. Currently the CN BQ is down to 1/9,064ths. Would you consider this person an Indian? there are also adopted and intermarried whites who bought their way onto our "by blood" roll and are considered Indians.
A side note here is that this is what makes the freedmen issue so blatantly racist. When the african amer. freedmen found a way for them to be counted, the white cherokee voted them out in a second; only for getting what is rightfully theirs, and doing the same exact thing as the whites have been doing for a hundred years.
SO speaking as a Cherokee, I believe no big tribes should ever drop their BQ. I think the Cherokee Nation should raise ours.
Smaller tribes are different, in CA some are basically families, and so they must have descendency requirements. BUT, for the most parts these small tribes are communities and know eachother.
I believe a huge blanket statemen to just enroll everyone with indian lineage (or supposed) is just wrong. And I beleive our elders, and ancestors would think it was wrong to.
If there is no bar for enrollment, anyone can be indian, and everyone will try.
Replies
Need to read all seven pages to get to the comments:
http://www.hcn.org/issues/41.1/blood-quantum
This is so funny, I don't know the guy ...but he is a so funny in his wisdom! He speaks for me and my children's children children...mahalo with lots of super aloha!