I have kept up with this situation it is a semiular one for the western cherokee old settlers in 1869 when the emigratin group of the trail of tears were brout in to okla. it was established by the government and the two tribes at that time we were concederied one nation and the westerncherokees were to be represented by the Chief of the CNO to keep our conection to the government and through the years sence the CNO or the John Ross Group has taken over all holdings of the WesternCherokee old settlers and jus a good example the last strong hold we had in Okla. which states on the bill boards at Gore Okla. that this was the tribal HQ. and court house of the western cherokee old settlers the last old settler chief that was in office went back to our reservation in arkansaw to die and from that time until the present the CNO has made a meauseum of our H.Q. and at the time of the transaction of John Ross becomming principla chief the western cherokees old settlers were supposed to get two thirds of the Yearly Moneys to run said nations on, from that time till now we have not received our part of said Moneys or have we Been acknowledged as a part of the CNO Most of our Peoples went back to ark. or to texas Ibeleive my Brothers and sisters that ore black and can prove there right s as haveing native american blood they should be given the rights that the treaty set up for them and I think Chad Shith misread the traty and also after two terms as Chief You are not elgible to run for a third term until you have stepped back for at least 2 years then you can run again. But Mr Smith (?) adopted does an eligal thing to be able to run for the third tearm He changes the Constitution with the hel of a group of tribal council leaders that work for Chad and not the people of the Tribe. If the Council and the supreme court of the Cherokee nation does not protect the tribal members the Freedman will suffer like approx. 50,000 other tribesmen have suffered with out the funds that are rightfully theirs according to treaties same as the treatie between the Fed, Gov, The CNO and the western cherokees Old settlers of ark. Mo. and okla. and the CNO Should Take Notice that the Lands that were traded for the lands in Okla. were owned by the Westerncherokees of Ark. Mo.and Okla. The lands that were traded for the lands in okla. were the Western Cherokees Old Settlers There Reservation in ark. was traded for what we were supposed to own in okla what the CNO and The fed. Gov. stole from the Western Cherokee Old settlers nation. Mr. Smith what is your real background? A member of the Western Cherokee Old settler nation,And one who has a history befor the Trail of tears and the Dawes Roll Book that is ileagle even the fed. gov. didn't recognize it until Ross Swimmer started useing a bogus Roll book to say who was Cherokee and who wasn't there were roll books with the Cherokee people listed such as the Henderson . and Siler. and chapman Rolls that were already in existance just to name a few. Wado for letting me get this off my Chest as my Ancestors are western cherokee as i my sleph am and 3/4 blood. ps. didn't the Cherokee people exisist befor the DAWES Commisiond indans cane along I think if the Freedman can show a blood quantum they should get their rights as cherokees and I also think if they Don't the the Whites that are drawing the moneys that dont' belong to them because they are not natives, nedds to be checked out. the lady that started the mess on the freedman is something like 1005th native she cuts her finger ot drops on the floor OPPS she is native no more it is laying on the floor.

If thats what the Cherokee People Want, Then thats What they Should, They are a Strong and Proud People Who should Make Decisions for themselves, without the Federal Government Breathing Down their Backs. Besides, The Federal Government Has broken treaties Before. I Love America, But I do have a Right to Disagree and Speak out about my opinions, and No im not Cherokee, Im Chickasaw.

Who the Cherokee decide is Cherokee, is up to the Cherokee.

Let me begin by addressing the whole "the treaty is the highest law in the land." That's the American Constitution, and even America has, on many occassions, ignored it. When America sucks up its mistakes and makes recompense to all the Native Americans who it has screwed then it can start telling other nations that they should honor their treaties. America doesn't have the right to tell other nations what to do, and the sooner America learns that the sooner we'll get out of Iraq and the better off we'll be.

Secondly, to the people who are trying to say that Cherokee Nation doesn't like black people, get your story straight. There are still many people of African decent in the Cherokee Nation, however, those people are also of Cherokee decent. It doesn't matter if you're white, black, or olive green, just so long as you are Cherokee.

There was a Great Governor in Oklahoma, I think his name was Winchester Colbert, who was an adopted son of Benjamin Franklin Colbert and he was considered the same as any other member of the Chickasaw Tribe even though his mother was of a different race.

I tried to stay out of this issue and I apologize for ticking anyone off from the get go. Norman Hightower, if you read this statement in the treaty, According to the US. Constitution it is the "SUPREME" law of the land. The Cherokee Nation exists because of treaty rights. The Freedmen are recognized and if the Cherokee Nation wants to be rid of the Freedmen they are endangering their own existence as a sovereign nation. The treaty falls directly under the jurisdiction of the US. Constitution, read it. If they want to revoke the citizenship of the Freedmen, they also put all of their treaty rights into jeopardy!

http://www.thecreekfreedmen.com/index.html

Learn the truth!

"ou office has been instrumental in keeping funding available to both the Cherokee Freedmen and the Cherokee Tribe"
Dan Boren is a idiot or playing the fool.
First point, if you will notice he separated the freedmen from the tribe. hum Dan, do you also say the black folk from the Oklahomans. Pure Jim Crow thinking.

Second, Dan, name a Cherokee Freedmen who has received a Indian house? Name one Dan, just one. Dan name the services that the Cherokees give to their freedmen descendants....name them Dan.
third, Dan the point of the bill is to stop the Federal tax dollars in supporting this racist regime. BTW Dan, how much money has your campaign recieved from the good ole boys of the Cherokee Nation?

We are not as stupid as you think Dan...see you at the election polls.
CF

Wow, this is a divisive issue. First, not many tribes get along with each other. A pastor in Southeast Oklahoma who is 100 percent tribe X will get into an argument with anyone from tribe Q about their authenticity as a tribe. Wow, they never taught this in school. I witnessed an almost knock-down fight at a Kiamichi Baptist Assembly a.k.a. KBA between the camp pastor and an Indian kid who was defending his heritage. The pastor insisted that his tribe never officially existed and he was truly a member of another tribe that was one level higher in the hierarchy. Wow, I was still confused. We were at KBA to celebrate life and here's the Native American camp pastor just about to ruin a kid's image of himself and his heritage. The pastor does not mince words, he's fully convinced that certain Indian tribes in Oklahoma do not have the right to exist. He is still preaching at a moderately sized church just South and West of McAlester on US69. As for the kid, he is now out of college and even more strong in character and stature in regards to his heritage. It is funny though, when he attends an event with archery or canoing, people often look to him as a leader. He is quick to point out that he cannot shoot a bow and will sink any canoe. However, he will out hit you in any softball or baseball game.

You either is or you ain't....