Letter: Cherokee Freedmen dustup about sovereignty not race

Friday, September 23, 2011  

"Bill John Baker says Chief Chad Smith caused this problem over the freedmen descendants. A Baker supporter, Councilwoman Fishinghawk, started the petition to vote on freedmen. In 2007, a majority of Cherokee citizens voted against continuance of services to those freedmen descendants who were not Cherokee blood — a requirement for any other person to verify their inheritance for citizenship.

A district judge was to assess this decision. He is know

n as a supporter of Bill John Baker. Good sources state this judge deliberately held the decision, after the first election, since Baker had gained the freedmen votes. The Cherokee Nation Supreme Court finally received this judge’s brief in August, which provided a limited time to make a decision. Their final decision was to stay with the Constitution, which states that the Cherokee Nation citizens’ votes must stand."

Get the Story:
Julie Kiddy-Ross: It’s sovereignty issue not politics or race (The Muskogee Phoenix 9/22)

More Letters:
L.G. Goodnight: Baker campaign gets down and dirty (The Muskogee Phoenix 9/22)
K.G. Kaad: Cherokees should dig out real truth

Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Decision:
Cherokee Nation Registrar v. Nash (August 22, 2011)

Related Stories:
Judge approves order for Freedmen vote in Cherokee election (9/22)
Cherokee Nation allows Freedmen to vote in Saturday's election (9/21)
Federal judge to hear arguments in Cherokee Freedmen lawsuit (9/20)
NPR: Cherokee Nation facing scrutiny for ousting the Freedmen (9/20)
Cherokee Nation starts sending provisional ballots to Freedmen (9/16)
NYT: Tribal rights vs. racial justice in Cherokee Freedmen battle (9/16)
Blog: Rush Limbaugh offers take on Cherokee Freedmen dispute (9/16)
Steve Russell: The circus that has become the Cherokee Nation (9/15)
Cherokee Nation to allow Freedmen to cast provisional ballots (9/15)
Editorial: Cherokee Nation faces pressure on fate of Freedmen (9/15)
Acting Cherokee Nation chief vows to protect tribe's interests (9/14)
BIA warns Cherokee Nation about disenrollment of Freedmen (9/13)
Lawmakers want HUD to restore funding to Cherokee Nation (9/12)
HUD won't release funds to Cherokee Nation in Freedmen flap (9/8)
Judge sets hearing on Freedmen motion for Cherokee election (9/6)
Freedmen eye lawsuit in federal court over Cherokee election (8/30)
Freedmen seek appeal for loss of Cherokee Nation citizenship (8/29)
Jay Tavare: Divide and conquer -- disenrollment among tribes (8/25)
Turtle Talk: Tribal courts, treaty rights and treaty rights disputes (8/25)
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Decision allows Cherokee Nation to remove Freedmen from rolls (8/23)