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Ample reason for Congress to investigate
"Watson's view; Congresswoman states her case” (Our Views, Aug. 23) included the well-worn argument that Congress should hold off on looking at the Cherokee freedmen issue until legal challenges are allowed to play out in court. Cherokee Principal Chief Chad Smith has made this point the centerpiece of his public relations campaign to disenfranchise the freedmen descendants. He reminds us that the Cherokee Nation is a nation of laws and that it will abide by the decisions of the courts.

But the past actions of Smith belie his commitment to the rule of law. After the Cherokee Nation's tribal courts ruled in favor of Lucy Allen, a freedmen descendant who sued for citizenship, Smith chose to dissolve the court and pack the newly constituted court with his cronies, who proceeded to approve a referendum to overturn Allen's petition.

The Cherokee Nation receives roughly $300 million a year in U.S. taxpayer funds. It is also the beneficiary of a lucrative federal gaming charter. Congress, in addition to its lawmaking duties, has oversight authority on how federal programs are administered. Smith's failure to abide by the rule of law is ample reason for Congress to take a closer and independent look at the activities of the Cherokee Nation.

U.S. Rep. Diane E. Watson,

Washington, D.C.

Watson, a Democrat, represents a congressional district in southern California.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama has said if he's elected president he'll work with Republicans such as Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. At the end of the day, Obama is pro-abortion. He is anti-Second Amendment and has a socialist agenda, just like Sen. Hillary Clinton. At the end of the day, Oklahomans can't trust him; Coburn shouldn't either.

Eddie Rich, Moore

I'm sick of people saying "liberal” as if it's a bad word or an insult. Our Founding Fathers created this country and its government based on the ideology of liberalism founded in the 18th century. This ideology places basic human rights above all else. Jesus was, according to most accounts, fond of the ideas behind tolerance and basic human and civil rights. This is what it means to be liberal. I served in the Army with many liberal Democrats who were most definitely not anti-America. We proudly served and don't appreciate the implication that liberals are any less patriotic than anyone else.

Next time you bash liberal ideology or use the word "liberal” in a negative way, keep in mind that most of our Founding Fathers were liberals.

Edward Harrison, Oklahoma City

Iraq is one of the most fought-over frontiers in the history of the world. Think about it: It's been invaded by the Elamites, Akkadians, Kassites, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Medes, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Parthians, Sassanids, Mongols, Safavids. Ottomans, the British and now Americans.

Doris Patton, Oklahoma City

Visiting a home improvement center recently I was pleased to see many items priced at whole amounts such as $10 or $40. What a departure from the accepted $9.95 or $39.99. This weird pricing made sense 50 years ago when the almighty penny fit into the economy of the average family; 79 cents was important in buying a yard of cloth. The most flagrant of all these insults to an educated American is at the gas pump. What is nine-tenths of a cent? Now that we have the highest gas prices in history, wouldn't it be prudent to start calling a penny a penny?

Carl Thompson, Choctaw