Brochure

Good Evening Brothers & Sisters,

Many of you have requested to see the information that will be distributed at this year’s Labor Day Festival. We have been granted a space after explaining that our right to have a space is protected in our current constitution. Our intent is to peacefully distribute information. We don’t want to be arrested or harassed and we plan on occupying our 10 X 10 space and going no further. You my family must come to us. We will be by the amphitheater.
I apologize for getting you this information so late but we have been debating the issue of removing the blood quantum limits for elected officials. I will not ever support such a move but I agree with all of the other proposed amendments so what you see below is true compromise. We must not let this one issue (designed by the federal government to eventually separate us) curtail our efforts at regaining are inherent freedoms. I believe this issue is one for the people and not for a few lone voices.
Below is the brochure in a plain text form. The petition is as we speak (per/say) is receiving last minute polishing and editing before going to the printer. The proposed amendments will be there for all to see at Labor Day. If we gather enough signatures (we need approximately 7000) we will be able to vote for each amendment separately. They are not rolled into one big bill like you would see in Washington. I encourage you to speak with a Cherokee Citizen to find out how they feel they are being represented since the removal of the blood quantum restriction for their elected officials. I know I will.

CW

Did You Know?
A non-Indian Tribal Attorney has represented both the Chief and the Council for nearly 40 years? In 1991 his “salary” was raised to more than $30,000 every month. Just since 1991, that is well over $8 MILLION Dollars. It is believed that this lawyer has been paid over $30 MILLION while the Choctaws have suffered. This non-Indian attorney controlled Hollis Roberts and Greg Pyle and many believe he controls Gary Batton.

Your Tribal Councilor makes as much as $175,000 per year?

The Chief sets his own salary and the salaries of high-ranking employees and you can never see the tribal budgets?

For the last 40 years, all our chiefs, except one, was “chosen” and not elected by the people?

Chief David Gardner, who died in office in 1978, was the last chief elected by the people? He was the last chief to serve who was not first appointed as Assistant Chief.

The Chief appoints the Assistant Chief and can fire him whenever he wants?

We don’t have term limits for our Chief and Council and that most of the current council has served more than 20 years and some more than 30 years?

All 12 members of the Council are men and that’s exactly how they intend to keep it?

The Chief and the Council used this corrupt system and all the power of the tribe to make sure the last three women who ran for Council did not win?

The Tribal Council conducts all its business behind closed doors and Choctaws are not allowed to attend the meetings where legislation, issues and spending are discussed?

Dozens of non-Indians are running the Tribe, drawing enormous salaries and these “bosses” treat tribal employees terribly?

Tribal employees have no employee rights, live in fear for their jobs and know the Chief can fire them at any time without recourse?

Our tribal Constitution was forced on the Choctaw people in 1983 and was created by former Chief Hollis Roberts to give more power to the Chief’s office?

Our previous Constitution, adopted in 1860, had term limits and didn’t have a blood quantum to run for Chief or Council?

About 130,000 or 2/3 of the Choctaws live “at-large” or outside the tribal boundaries?

These at-large Choctaws have no direct representation on the Tribal Council?

78% of Choctaws are less than ¼ blood and they cannot run for office?

The Chief, Assistant Chief and almost every member of the Council does not want to remove the blood quantum and allow any Choctaw to run for office,but they are counting on you to keep them in office to continue this corrupt government?

Of Course You Didn’t Know Because:
Those who do know, can’t tell those who don’t know.

The Chief and Council will not allow Choctaws to freely exercise our Freedom of Speech at Tvshka Homma except in a 10 x 10 square foot stockade. If we step foot outside of this tent and talk to anyone about these issues, we will be arrested and/or ordered to leave our sacred capitol grounds.

The Choctaw Nation does not have a free press and the tribal newspaper, the Biskinik, is simply a propaganda machine for the Chief’s office.

Candidates who run for tribal office cannot buy an ad in the tribal newspaper and the Biskinik will not print any letters to the editor that are critical of the Chief or Council.

The Chief and Council will not give the list of registered voters names and addresses to candidates running for office, so their opponents cannot tell you about their campaign platforms and vision for the tribe.

The Nation has absolutely no campaign fundraising or reporting laws. Companies doing business with the Tribe can give unlimited money to the Chief and Tribal Councilors to keep them in office so the non-Indians can continue cashing huge checks and running our tribe.

There is no Freedom of Information law in the Choctaw Nation. You cannot write the Chief or Council and ask for information and expect a response. They don’t have to and they won’t answer your questions.

What Can You Do?
You can help change all of this by signing the petition to amend our Constitution. Together we will bring great change to the Choctaw Nation, honor our ancestors, elect our own leaders and implement an open and transparent government that serves the Chahtas, not the Nahollos.
Choctaws Rising
choctawsrising.com
info@choctawsrising.com

Your Opportunity to Change the Lives Of Our People

Halito Chahta Family,

“I want to become the number one employer in Oklahoma and love for the Choctaw Nation to become world renown in the future, said Gary Batton”, http://www.newson6.com/story/25378662/gary-batton-sworn-in-as-new-choctaw-nation-chief

This is a quote from our new Miko.  I respectfully say, number one employer of whom?  World renown to whom?  Love for the Choctaw Nation by whom?  This can’t be directed to us, the Chahta people?  I don’t know about you, my brothers and sisters but I don’t want the world to “love” the Chahta.  I would rather have freedom to vote, freedom to run for election, freedom to work and prosper without henchmen to tear down signs, to intimidate and pay voters, to pistol whip candidates at our annual gathering. I want a workplace that doesn’t see the Chahta as stupid or threatening to those non-Chahta in power.  I want our Chahta people to be informed of the true goings on within our government, I want those Chahta who have left our land boundaries to have incentives to come home or at least know that their sisters and brothers welcome their input on tribal affairs.  I want candidates to not have to be wealthy to run for office.  I want our tribal paper to present both sides of the story and hold accountable our leaders.  We all know what I want.  I have written about it over and over.  I have also prayed to our Creator God for relief from the tyranny and embarrassment of our Chahta government.

Now, I once again respectfully request you read the following letter from attorney and Chahta tribal member, Kalyn Free requesting the desperately needed changes required to truly give our people the freedom we not only deserve but are entitled to as Chahta people. To find out how to sign this petition please see Ms. Free’s email address listed at the bottom of the last page.  It’s not requested as a favor it’s requested because for the first time in forty plus years you may actually have a say in the future leadership of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  Please pay special attention to the “CC” at the bottom of the letter.

I hope this is the Miko who will change our decades long history of being one of the most oppressed and violently controlled tribes in the United States.  We will see…

CW

KALYN FREE

ATTORNEY AT LAW

May 1, 2014

Principal Chief Gary Batton Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr
Speaker Delton Cox & Tribal Council PO Box 1210
Durant, OK 74701

Dear Chief Batton, Assistant Chief Austin, Speaker Cox and Councilors:

This is an historic opportunity for the Choctaw Nation and our people. As we enter this unprecedented time in our nation’s history, my hope is for this new administration to be imbued with the wisdom, integrity and compassion of those who came before us. My prayer is that you, our elected and appointed leaders, will find it in your hearts to embrace the Choctaw people, to engage with us and to welcome participation in our government.

I listened intently to Chief Batton’s inaugural address and his closing words to always “do what is best for the Choctaw people” brought hope to my heart. This chief and council have the ability to right the wrongs of the past and to chart a new and promising course for the future of our great Nation.

During the course of my career, I have been particularly blessed to have traveled extensively throughout Indian Country, having visited almost every reservation in the lower 48. Literally hundreds of times over the years, when people learn that I am a proud citizen of the Choctaw Nation, I have heard remarks of “Oh yes, that’s the tribe that doesn’t have real elections”; “that’s the tribe that is ruled by a dictator”; “that’s the tribe that appoints their chiefs”; “that’s the tribe that won’t let their people participate in elections”; “that’s the tribe that won’t let candidates communicate with the voters.”

Most of Indian Country and engaged people in the state of Oklahoma are fully aware that the past two chiefs, both of whom ascended to office by virtue of appointment, Greg Pyle and Hollis Roberts, adamantly opposed fair elections and the release of contact information for Choctaw voters. In fact, since our removal to Oklahoma, we have only had one chief, C. David Gardner, elected by the people when he took the oath of office as Principal Chief.

Countless Choctaws are cautiously optimistic that Chief Batton and the Tribal Council will reverse this medieval position and release the voter lists so Choctaw citizens can be fully informed, communicate with one another, participate in the electoral process, have a true voice in tribal government and move our Nation forward.

Some tribal councilors and the Choctaw Nation Registration department have told me that the Election Board “does not meet until shortly before an election is called.” In other tribal governments, the requests below would be made to the election board or commission. However, Article IX Section 5 of our Constitution fully empowers the Council to prescribe election procedures and regulations. Given the unique nature and composition of the Election Board, coupled with the Tribal Council’s history on these issues and the timing restraints, I am requesting this information and cooperation from the Chief and Tribal Council.

Article XVI of the Choctaw Constitution sets forth specific procedures for our citizens to propose legislation through the Initiative and Referendum process. Section 1of this Article mandates stringent timelines on the filing of petitions and the timing of special elections, which must be called if the petition is filed more than a year before the next chief s election.

Article XVIII Section 1 of the Constitution mandates that amendments to our Constitution may be proposed by the Tribal Council or by the filing of a petition signed by the requisite 30 percent of the voters who voted in the last chief s election, which was the 1999 election.

In order to propose legislation or amendments to the constitution a citizen must know certain factual information that is not publicly available and which only the Nation maintains records of.

Thus, I am requesting the following information:

1. Total Number of Choctaws aged 18 and over
2. Total Number of registered voters
3. Total Number of Choctaws in each county in Oklahoma
4. Total Number of Choctaws aged 18 and over in each county in Oklahoma
5. Total Number of Choctaws aged 18 and over in each state
6. Total Number of registered voters in each state
7. Total Number of Choctaws aged 18 and over with valid addresses
8. Total Number of Choctaws aged 18 and over with invalid addresses
9. Total Number of registered voters with valid addresses 10. Total Number of registered voters with invalid addresses
11. Total Number of voters who voted in the 1999 chief s election
12. Tabulated results of the 1999 chief s election; specifically, the total votes received by each candidate
13. Total votes received in each precinct by each candidate in the 1999 chief s election
14. Total votes received by each candidate by absentee ballot in the 1999 chief s election

15. If absentee ballots were segregated in the 1999 chief s election, I am requesting the total absentee votes received by each candidate by voters residing within the Choctaw Nation
16. Tabulated results of the 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011tribal council elections 17. The names of all candidates who appeared on the ballot in the elections
referenced in #16 above and the results for each candidate by precinct and the number of absentee ballots cast for each candidate
18. A list of voters who voted by absentee in the 1999 chief s election and/or any of the subsequent tribal council elections, which include 2003, 2007 and 2011
19. A list of voters, including names and addresses, who voted by absentee in the 1999 chief s election and/or any of the subsequent tribal council elections, which include 2003, 2007 and 2011
20. A list of voters who voted in person in the 1999 chief s election and/or any of the subsequent tribal council elections, which include 2003, 2007 and 2011
21. A list of voters, including names and addresses, who voted in person in the 1999 chief s election and/or any of the subsequent tribal council elections, which include 2003, 2007 and 2011
22. A list of registered voters, including names and addresses, eligible to vote in tribal elections; please segregate this list by valid and invalid addresses
23. Total number of households the Biskinik is delivered to; it has been rumored that this number is 80,243
24. A list of all Choctaws who receive the Biskinik
25. A list of all Choctaws with complete mailing address who receive the Biskinik
26. Election Procedures or Ordinance that the Tribal Council contends are effective and will govern a special election and/or the 2015 chief and tribal council elections.

If the Tribal Council maintains that the Election Ordinance, referenced in # 26 above and currently displayed on the Nation’s website, is in effect and controlling, please provide documentary evidence that this Election Ordinance was approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. If there is a different set of election procedures, other than those currently on the Nation’s website, that the Council contends will govern special elections and the 2015 chief and tribal council elections, please provide those.

Article V, Section 1 of the Election Ordinance, which appears on the Nation’s website, purports to fully empower the Election Board with the authority to determine the date of the 2015 election, subject to approval by the chief and tribal council. Assuming only for this limited purpose that the referenced Election Ordinance is valid, please advise as to the month and year the Election Board and/or the Tribal Council intends to hold the next chief and council elections.

While I have faith that a majority of the Tribal Council will ultimately do the right thing and enact a new Election Ordinance that provides for full and open participation by all Choctaws, I recognize that this will take some time. Thus, during

the interim, I am requesting a list of names of all Choctaws who have voted in every election including and since 1999. The Election Ordinance provides at Article VIII, Sections 1and 2 that any candidate who has filed for office, upon request, will be provided a list of the registered voters in each district. The incumbent tribal councilors, some of which have served more than two and three decades, have each had multiple opportunities to acquire and refine said lists. Thus, immediately releasing only the voters’ names to allow the citizenry to participate in the Initiative, Referendum and Petition process is only a small first step in allowing Choctaws to exercise our constitutional rights.

Because the Election Board is not available, I am asking the Chief and/or Council to designate an office or person( s) that I can communicate with and that can assemble the information I have requested. Clearly, there are certain parts of my request that should not be controversial and I am hopeful that I can get responses to these requests quickly. The requests that I believe can be quickly responded to are: ## 1- 14, 16, 17, and 23.

If the requested information is available in an electronic format, please provide it in the same format. For example, lists of citizens and voters are maintained in a digital format and thus are requested in this medium. Other documents, such as election results may be maintained in “hard copies” or pdfs. To the extent possible that these documents can be scanned and sent electronically, I am requesting this be done.

I will gladly pay for any research, scanning, copying or labor costs associated with fulfilling this request. I will be happy to travel to Durant and review records from our previous elections that are publicly available and make my own copies or designate for your staff which documents I wish to copy. If you have any questions about my request or wish to discuss this matter, please call me at 918.916.0716 or email me at kalyn@kalynfree.com .

In closing, Chief Batton I believed you when you said you want to do “what is best for the Choctaw people” and thus pray that you will lead by example and support the Council in their efforts to have a transparent and fair election process. My hope is that each of you will listen to your hearts, your people and pray on these things. If I may ever be of service to each of you or the Choctaw people, please call on me.

Yakoke,

cc: DOI Solicitor General Hilary Tompkins
      Assistant Secretary Kevin Washburn
      BIA Area Director Bob Impson

A New Era?

Halito Brothers and Sisters,

As most of you know Chief Greg Pyle is retiring. Love him or not it’s the end of an era, or is it? Since former Chief Roberts created the Assistant Chief position the election of Chief has been a carefully, ardently controlled process and we, the voters, have not had any say. Our votes are controlled by those who would lose the most if their regime was voted out. Remember money and power are aphrodisiacs to even the strongest most moral of men and women.

I see that even some members of the opposition to this one party system have crossed their fingers and bowed their heads hoping that Chief Gary Batton will change the way Chahta leadership does business. He is the first Chief to publicly support the opposition to the pipeline across our tribal jurisdiction. This is significant because he has put his name beside members of the opposition, traditionalists who are calling for change. Is this a sign that Batton is more supportive of Chahta rights? Were his hands tied all this time in making true significant change? Will he be able to call off the goons who intimidate, rip up signs, threaten and ridicule opposition candidates? Will he provide space in the Biskinik for ALL candidate platforms? Will he truly let the people decide? Will he enact a TERO department?

This is what I know he has done:
* He plays stickball (I happen to like this)
* He supported and implemented a Choctaw University for CNO employees
* He supported the opposition to the pipeline
* He implemented audits throughout the CNO (several incidents of embezzlement were found)
* He and his wife have adopted Chahta children
* He is a hard worker and his right hand people have good work ethics – they are Chahta

This is what disturbs me:
* He has promoted known liars and greedy leaders into high positions of power
* Some who were revealed in those audits to be unethical were moved to different positions or their involvement kept quiet
* Due to the audit lower level leadership took the fall to cover the true criminals
* He has continued the same managerial style that gives employees no recourse against an unethical manager or supervisor

So we are back to the question of hope. We are back to the questions of transparency and true democracy. We are back to the questions of truly serving the Chahta people.

It is no secret that I am a religious person. I believe in the power of prayer. I think we should pray for our new leader to have the moral armor to lead us into an era of Chahta rights and a redistribution of power. What is there to be afraid of? By opening our elections, by ending the oppression he could RIGHTFULLY be Chief for many many years. However, if it’s more of the same corruption, secrecy and greed then we have nothing but what we have had for almost four decades.

Yakoke,
CW

TED DOSH Buying Votes & Hiding Secrets

Halito,

Yes for the first time I am writing twice in a 24 hour period. Those who know how to get in touch with me are doing so in secret. I can’t say I blame them. I have always tried to protect my sources identities. However, I am going to ask a favor of Ted Dosh’s family – contact me I may be writing a book about the CNO seeing how I am in hiding anyway. A book with documents thanks to Chahta’s who are fed up with the corruption and the treatment of Chahta people. Maybe I’ll start out with the Chahta Candidate who dared run for Chief and was beaten outside of Tushka Homma during our festival, beaten by Roberts and PYLE’s goons. Chapter Two the mysterious vehicle fire death of a high ranking executive. Chapter Three BUYING THE VOTE.

Speaking of Buying the Vote let’s talk about Ted Dosh. Close to half a million dollars in bankruptcy was filed in his past. Former high school classmates have been very vocal about his words, “I aint no Indian” and “And I sure as hell aint no damn Choctaw” – of course those were words uttered by a very young teen Ted Dosh. However, the bankruptcy was as an adult (its public record). Oh and there is a corporation that loans money to people using their homes as collataral. This corporation loans the money (usually fairly small sums say $500 or so) and kind of like one of those loan places that loans on the deed to your car if you don’t pay criminally high interest loaded loan payments they come in and take your house. A major partner in this corporation, Ted Dosh.

Today, CNO goons ripped down Berdie Williams signs outside a diner/filling station in Bennington (thank you to the eyewitness who graciously shared this information). What are they so scared of? Just the other day I was reading what a wonderful man Ted Dosh was, how he brought in the daycare center, the fitness center, the community center (these were almost all FEDERAL GRANT MONIES). Did he write those grants, of course not. What he actually does is run interference for the Chief and his goons. Actually I think Chief’s goons are on loan to Ted so they can pull up all of Mrs. Williams signs before tomorrow. Ted Dosh is the councilman who has in his district billions of dollars and where does all that money go? How many scholarships did you give out in the past four years Ted? I would have liked to have seen that in an article? I know they don’t use those billions to buy our elders lunch every day. Who out there in Chahta Country thinks the CNO can afford to at least supply one meal a day for the seniors? It’s hard to conceive a billion dollars – try this- there are a billion seconds in 32 years. That’s just one billion and the CNO clears BILLIONS with an “s”. Yeah that could buy at least flour for fry bread every day.

Lets look at Ted Dosh’s campaign in terms you can see from wherever you are. The CNO (not necessarily TED DOSH) is paying thousands upon thousands for a major marketing campaign. You see his glitzy adds in the papers, hundreds of CNO workers are being forced to campaign for him whether they live in his district or not, hundreds of CNO workers are being forced to vote for him whether they are in his district or not (why? Distric 9 is the richest most powerful district). How much would the time of those hundreds of employees be worth to someone like Berdie Williams who is running on her own family’s money which isn’t an unlimited source totaling in the billions? You know what else the head of the CNO election board was seen wearing a Ted Dosh campaign shirt and getting a rest from the heat in his trailer. The HEAD OF THE ELECTION BOARD! The election board is a farce controlled by Greg Pyle. Step down traitor. Look at the Biskinik you haven’t read one word about Berdie Williams have you? Ever ask yourself why not?

You know what my people if you are being forced to vote then take a stand and just don’t vote at all. At least you wouldn’t be contributing to the demise of the Chahta people’s right to a fair election. If Ted Dosh is paying your bills because of your injury in a bar fight don’t vote. You know why he’s paying your bills because you come from a large Choctaw family. You think he really cares whether you live or die past election day?

You know what I suggest to all of you in District 9, on your way to the polls show up at Ted’s house and ask for your money, he’s giving it out but you can sure bet it will dry up day after tomorrow. I really do encourage you to go ask Ted where your money is because we all know the CNO doesn’t give out much money only if your about to lose your residence then it’s $350 plus a few utilities once a year. Maybe a small scholarship or two – think billions and where does it go? If this man wants to buy votes then go get your money!

There is a man who is ill and is treated on a regular basis at the hospital so the family called to see if they could get his ballot mailed to him. The CNO being the angel organization it is offered to hand deliver it – only if he were voting for Ted Dosh. If he were voting for Berdie Williams well sick or not that’s just too bad. Big hearts huh. More like BIG CORRUPTION.

What do we have to do petition the President of the United States? I mean they help countries like Egypt with toletairian regimes? It’s pitiful that our own Choctaw leaders would trample our rights but it’s even more pitiful to see Choctaw people sell themselves so cheaply, sell their children’s rights for dollars, for low paying jobs. YOU ARE WORTH MORE THAN THAT. Our peole have had forty some odd years of this corruption when my people will it end? Ted Dosh has had decades in this office. TED DOSH will NEVER have to worry about how he will live when he retires because his nest is cushy from the sovereignty of our people.

When you cast that vote tomorrow think beyond yourself and if you think about what it means to have real true Chahta blood running in your veins there is no way you could vote for a man who for most of his life was ashamed to be Chahta.

Praying you do whats right for our people,

CW

Ostracized from the Community Center

Halito Brothers & Sisters,

A chim achukma! Am achukma.  Actually I am not well I am saddened and sickened by a story told to me only in the last few hours.

Who are we?  I know who I am.  I am a Chahta ohoyo who saw the way Chahta were treated and decided to raise a stink.  I know who we are.  We are Chahta people and respecting our elders is ingrained into our psyche’s.  The nahullos, yes I know who they are as well.  They have scorned us for hundreds of years but as soon as the farm land, oil and gaming revenue came to us flowing like a river they sneak in amongst us so they can be sure to get their fair share.  Except their definition of “fair” is far from what we would call fair.  But some of us are content to sing our songs, play our stickball, draw our checks and hope for the best.  I know because I was one of them.  If I prayed and hoped for the best it would all be okay.  We would get the respect we so deserve and our little sovereign dependent nation would continue to thrive.  My blinders were yanked off and it was not a pleasant experience.  My anger has turned to resolve and those who share in this need to make change are quietly coming together.

Back to tonight’s story of disdain.  One of our elder Chahta ohoyo’s wanted to sing Chahta songs at the community center.  This did not sit well with the representative (the representative is kind of like a class president in a high school – just thought I would clear that up) and the elder was told she could not sing Chahta songs.  I believe her words were “no one wants to hear that”.  From what I was told others not only wanted to hear it they wanted to participate.  Those that could participate wanted to sing.  The rep was thin blood but she was by her CDIB a member of the Choctaw tribe.  Our elder said, “If I want to sing a Chahta song I will sing it” and began to sing and the thin blood shoved her seriously hurting her jaw.  The tribal police were called and the rep was taken away and charged with assault.  So you say, good that’s how it should have went.  Just wait…unfortunately there is more.  Then council member JAMES FRAZIER finds our hurt elder and gives her a letter explaining why she is barred from ever going to the community center again.  He said she was causing trouble.

So our little elderly Chahta ohoyo was banned from the CHOCTAW community center for singing Chahta songs.  I have to invoke my smart arse button and say, was this at a Little Dixie Community Center?  Because I thought this was at a Choctaw community center?  Why did councilman Frazier decide to step in on an elder fight, yet can’t possibly get involved with the hiring and firing of Chahta employees?  AND what pray tell is next banning all Chahta citizens from the hallways and waterways of the CNO empire?  Did councilman Frazier investigate?  Did he go to the center and talk to each and every Chahta citizen there before he banned her for life?

I discussed this with one of our absentee voters and she said all Chahta’s should just boycott every program, every handout given by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  She was a little angry – Let’s say we, as Chahta people, did just that we withdrew our participation from anything to do with the government of the CNO.  Let ’em have it.  Well we are still card-carrying members and they would use our individual sovereignty as Chahta tribal members to keep the CNO going.  All the nahollo’s would still get paid, and our community centers would be open to everyone and the CNO would boast about having close to a quarter million members – whether we boycotted or not.

Our nation is infiltrated by non Chahta people and they are in there like burrowed ticks.  First of all, who is willing to run against James Frazier before he bars all Chahta’s from the community center?  Anyone brave enough to try to make a change?  And believe me I get it.  You could potentially face an ostracizing of your own but maybe you won’t.  Perry Thompson in his run against Winship was not supported by the CNO leaders.  Winship had the support and the funds and yet he lost.  Tony Messenger was not supported by the Chief’s office yet he won (oh by the way Tony the people of your district are wondering why you don’t live in the community – just saying).

Men and women of the Chahta Nation we have GOT to make this move.  The only other way we will get our nation back is if Texas passes gaming legislation and we become poor.  Then the greedy and hungry for power will go elsewhere and what will we be left with?  Same as before – each other.

Yakoke am akana,

CW

 

 

Guest Editorial – About Blood Quantum

Halito Brothers & Sisters,

Today we have a special guest editorial.   Writing  anonymously and using the name Aiokpachi (Chahta word meaning “thankful”) our guest will share thoughts on the discussion of blood quantum.  This particular issue is a hot button and the Choctaw group on Facebook has been hotly debating this topic for quite some time.  In my opinion, it is a referendum for the people because it’s a very important step for the tribe and therefore should be decided democratically.  Either way it will continue to arouse much debate for decades to come.

Blood Quantum

Blood quantum is a volatile topic in Indian Country these days. You hear talk of everything from lack of services for full bloods to Freedmen asking for citizenship rights in the Cherokee Nation.

Is blood quantum relevent? 

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw has one of the highest blood quantum requirements in the United States at 1/2. They also have fewer than 20,000 Citizen Members. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has more than 200,000 members with only a fraction of 1/2 blood and up tribal members. We have no blood quantum limit and we have fewer than 10,000 fluent speakers, the majority of whom are over the age of 50. What does Chahta language have to do with blood quantum limits? 

Without our language and traditions we are a dying Nation.

In less than one generation we will no longer be able to fill one of the seven requirements for Sovereign Status and Federation Recognition.  Those requirements are as follows:

• Criterion 83.7(a) requires that external observers have identified the petitioner as an American Indian entity on a substantially continuous basis since 1900. 
• Criterion 83.7(b) requires that a predominant portion of the petitioning group has comprised a distinct community since historical times. 
• Criterion 83.7(c) requires that the petitioning group has maintained political influence over its members as an autonomous entity since historical times. 
• Criterion 83.7(d) requires that the petitioner provide a copy of its governing document. 
• Criterion 83.7(e) requires that a petitioner’s members descend from a historical Indian tribe. 
• Criterion 83.7(f) requires that the petitioner’s membership be composed principally of persons who are not members of another Federally recognized Indian tribe. 
• Criterion 83.7(g) requires that the petitioner not be subject to legislation forbidding the Federal relationship.

 
Again, what does language retention have to do with blood quantum?  Unfortunately,blood quantum is a two edged sword. It was designed with our extinction in mind and it is also a good indication of culture as well. The majority of 1/1000th citizen members do not know their language. Their parents did not go to boarding school and they identify themselves racially and culturally as caucasian.

In a recent post you may have been surprised to see talk of adopting a lower blood quantum requirement. We have Citizen Members who no longer have ties to our Great Nation. We have Citizen Members at 1/256th Blood quantum receiving services while our 4/4 Elder Citizen Members go without a per cap which can be the difference between solvency and a state operated institution.

The choice is clear. When we can no longer highly cherish and care for our Elders it is time for change.  When the vast majority of a tribe’s citizen members no longer speak the language or have any interest in the culture it is time for change.

We are recommending a 1/64 blood quantum requirement be sent to our Tribal Council and voted on expeditiously. Why 1/64? Because a Citizen Member at 1/64 has at least 1% Indian Blood. Is a person with less than 1% Indian Blood an Indian? You think on that and let us know your opinion, but it would guarantee that the grandchild of a 1/16th blood quantum Citizen Member falls under the jurisdiction of the Indian Child Welfare Act.  This would solidify our link to the future and protect our children.
Due to errors in blood quantum calculations this would also allow ANYONE at more than 1% blood quantum to retain their status. The reality is that the children of 1/64 Citizen Members do not know their language. They no longer have ties to the tribe. For those that do, it would not be unfair to request a vote to the Tribal Council.

Our tribe is growing in money, vibrant and strong but if we want the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to be run for and BY Choctaws it is obvious that radical change is desperately needed.

It has been more than 100 years since the Dawes Roll was taken. It’s time to take another look at what it means to be Choctaw in this modern age and let’s be clear: The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma must be a Tribe run by AND for it’s Citizen Members to meet the federal requirements for tribal recognition.  We need health care, jobs and education for all our Citizens. We need to care for our Elders and our children. We need schools where Elders are involved and children are being taught their language and history. This is a new era and our Sovereignty is at stake. If we do not take drastic measures now there will no longer be a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in the future.

Aiokpachi

Yakoke Aiokpachi your thoughts and your bravery are appreciated.

If you would like to write an editorial to appear on this blog please feel free to contact me and I will see that it gets done.

Yakoke Sisters & Brothers,

CW