Month: October 2012

CVB Anti American?

Good afternoon sisters & brothers,

It was brought to my attention that the Choctaw Voting Block party was considered anti U.S. government.  I want to set the record straight.  The Choctaw Voting Block party was founded with the following goals:

1.  CERO – Choctaw Employee Rights Organization

The CERO should actually be the CTRO or Choctaw Tribal Rights Organization because it wouldn’t be for Chahta employees only.  It would be an organization that would investigate, mediate and make recommendations in the event of a Chahta being dismissed from their position but it would also foster opportunity for Chahta citizens to get a job and progress professionally within their tribe.  It would also empower Chahta citizens by requesting bids for goods and services from Chahta and American Indian business owners.  Believe me CNO purchases millions upon millions of goods and services don’t you think it would be empowering to other Chahta’s to be given preference when bidding for these services?  And the CNO does move it’s lips about indian preference but …. oh well same old story.  If you would like to see a well run and EMPOWERING tribal rights organization check out the TERO established by the Cherokee Nation in the early 80’s.  Yep, they have had this same type of organization for over two decades and are thriving.  I guess true empowerment of their people didn’t crumble their civilization after all.

The Choctaw Voting Block party is also built on the platform of:

  • Elected official term limits (example: decades upon decades in office removes power from the people and shifts it to a dictator)
  • An elder pension plan (it may be only 800 a month but that could make a huge difference to our elders)
  • Constitutional changes to balance the system (without checks and balances then once again you have an all powerful autocratic system leaving democracy and the right to vote dead in the water)
  • Chahta people centered.  Instead of trying to be a corporation with values similar to the dominate corporate society we honor our Chahta history and make decisions that are best for the Chahta people.  I recently saw a billboard announcing the awakening and revitalization of the Choctaw Nation.  Who made it so that it needed a re-awakening?  Hmmm.  I tell you who keeps our traditions alive, the every day Chahta who committs themselves to learning the language, who plays stickball with passion and who identifies themselves proudly as Chahta people. We are the backbone and the foundation of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

There you have it that is the foundation of the Choctaw Voting Block party.  Now I want to distinguish between personal beliefs and party beliefs.  If a Chief candidate says “we will cut off all grant monies and binding ties to the federal government” then they are not a CVB candidate.  The CNO receives millions of dollars of grant money from the federal government to assist our people.  We have many Chahta workers who work for a grant program it’s not empowering to them especially to even attempt to cut our ties to the U.S. (we are U.S. citizens).

Also, a chief candidate who does not qualify to run for office by our own Choctaw Constitution is not a CVB chief candidate.  If WE do not abide by our current constitution how can we ask our tribal family to trust us to improve that same constitution?  Our party grows stronger each day and the time is coming soon to make our first big move.  The time for self promotion is not now we must do what is best for our people despite personal beliefs.  For example, I personally believe to provide the best possible services to our people we will someday need blood quantum limits.  I also believe to end shady election practices Chahta people should come home to vote.  However, my beliefs are separate from the CVB goals and objectives but I am still among the founders of the party and proud of it.

When I think of all the Chahta men and women warriors who have sacrificed for this country our tribe resides in it makes me so proud.  Has this country made mistakes in its dealings with the aboriginal peoples of the United States?  Of course it has and those mistakes cost us dearly.  We still feel the affects of near genocide today but our stories are completely and totally intertwined with this beautiful country where we have the freedom to write blogs such as this without worrying about getting run over by a tank.  The CVB does not advocate an anti American mentality.  We advocate for improving our Choctaw Nation.  We want a tribal nation that does all it can to improve and empower the lives of Chahta people.

 

Yakoke

CW/MW

 

RETRACTION – IHS BENEFITS

Halito Brothers and Sisters,

I would like to expand a little on the Indian Health Service offering services to people with very little indian blood.  I stated that if the CNO went to blood quantum limits then the IHS would still honor their CDIB and they could receive services.  This isn’t correct.

A CDIB is different from Tribal Membership, thank you “Sweet Bear” for clearing this up for me:

“That is the difference between a CDIB and tribal membership. A CDIB only states your degree of Indian blood. But most tribes, Choctaws included, require you to exclusively enroll in their tribe. That is tribal membership. And tribal membership is what is required to get services, because services are the result of either the tribe’s inherent power, or the federal-tribal relationship. It used to be that a CDIB was all that was needed to obtain services. But now many services also require tribal membership as well. That is why it may be inaccurate to say that folks can keep using IHS, for instance, because they have a CDIB, even if they lose tribal membership via a blood quantum requirement.” 

S. Bear

Now, S. Bear went on to say that the IHS tries to honor tribes who do have blood quantum limits for example if the Delaware have a tribal blood quantum limit of 1/8 (and they do) then the IHS would honor the tribal cut off point and deny services.

I wanted also to share with you via Wikepedia other tribal blood quantum requirements including the Choctaw requirement of lineage:

Tribes requiring 1/2 degree blood quantum for membership

(equivalent to one parent)

Tribes requiring 1/4 degree blood quantum for membership

(equivalent to one grandparent)

Tribes requiring 1/8 degree blood quantum for membership

(equivalent to one great-grandparent)

Tribes requiring 1/16 degree blood quantum for membership

(equivalent to one great-great-grandparent)

Tribes requiring 1/32 degree blood quantum for membership

Tribes determining membership by lineal descent

These tribes do not have a minimum blood quantum requirement; however, this does not mean anyone with any amount of Indian blood can enroll. Members must be direct descendants of original enrollees.

Yakoke,

CW/MW