James Everett Meeks, Middle Tennessee

Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Category

Reference:

Cherokee Nation: What is a real Indian Nation? What is a fake tribe?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp7Z4eiEuaw
Fraudulent groups passing themselves off as tribes have become big business during the past two decades, with more than 200 that claim to be some sort of Cherokee tribe. However, there are only three federally-recognized Cherokee tribes: the Cherokee Nation, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Many of the would-be Cherokee “tribes” are cultural societies or history clubs, whose members may or may not belong to nay of the federally-recognized tribes. Still others are harmful, and some are even created for criminal purposes.

Response

From the Constitution of These United States of America
Article I
Section 8.

The Congress shall have power
to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

While I am sure that some will challenge the use of “words” in this review, the actual operative word in the litany above is

shall

or “have the ability to”
or “will have the” (have the necessary)

The ultimate challenge is that people today do not know or understand that there is _NO_ Such thing as “_The United States of America_”.  This misunderstanding did not start with but was perpetuated by, of all people, Andrew Jackson.

_It is amazing that any American Indian would adhere to a policy which Andrew Jackson championed!!_

The correct designation for this “entity” wherein there are 49 States resident upon the North American Continent, one State in the Pacific Ocean and other “territories” “managed”, “operated” by said entity IS

_These United States of America_

Plural “These” is the measure in which the Constitution of These United States was incorporated.  

Regardless of how one may feel about this _collection of entities_ known as _These United States_, the rights of the Central Government of _These United States_ rests solely on Interstate Commerce, Protection of the citizens of the _several states_ which comprise _These United States of America_ and the perpetuation of the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution of _These United States of America_ to the “Citizens” of the _several states_ which comprise _These United States of America_.

That “certain” American Indian entities continue to decry any American Indian whom they have denied begs the question of “Who do they ‘allow’ to be on their rolls?” (Some of these “Federal Entities” seem to be genuinely interested in repatriating historic citizens, but these are few.)

That they continue to deny the heritage of those who are lineally bound to ancestors who were members of Historic North American Indian entities and who were listed on rolls prior to the “Dawes” roll (or limit to “some other roll”) for the sake of Money, establishes the idea that they would rather have a dollar than to embrace American Indians of Lineal descent from “other” rolls.

• If they are sovereign, where are their border crossings?
• If they are sovereign, where are their Tribal Passports?  (I have seen only one (1) American Indian Passport in my life, it was not from a Cherokee based “nation”.)
• If they are sovereign, why do they need a “foreign power” (These United States of American) to create laws to protect them?
• If they are sovereign, why do they take the Indian Child Welfare Act money (which they use as a stipend) instead of establishing Profitable means separate from taking a “dole” from the Central Government of _These United States of America_?
• If they are sovereign, why did they not continue to maintain a “Government” from time immemorial, instead of “re-creating” themselves every so many years to placate the Central Government of _These United States of America_?
• In 1924, Why did the individuals from these entities choose citizenship in the Central Government of _These United States of America_ instead of in their “Sovereign” nations?
• Would “Sovereign” entities become “BIA Indians” so that they could manage the funds of the “Indian Child Welfare Act Funds”? (where does this money go?)
• If they are sovereign, Well maybe you are getting the picture.  Each is, as written by a previous writer, a _Ward_ of the Central Government of _These United States of America_ and are, by definition, _wards_ of the Citizens of the _Several States_ of _These United States of America_.

Ward (as used in the text above)

Law.
a.   a person, esp. a minor, who has been legally placed under the care of a guardian or a court.
b.   the state of being under the care or control of a legal guardian.
c.   guardianship over a minor or some other person legally incapable of managing his or her own affairs.

So, do the _Several States_ have the “power” to manage interests of the native born Citizens of each State?

Well, the Constitution of _These United States of America_ addresses this as well:

 Amendment X (Ratified as a part of the Bill of Rights in 1791)

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

And, yes, a person not born in the State of Tennessee, by definition, is _Not_ a Citizen of the State of Tennessee unless he/she has renounced his/her citizenship in the State wherein he/she was born.

Tennessee has exercised its right of management of Intra-State Commerce as defined under the Tenth (10th) Amendment of the Constitution of _These United States of America_ with the most recent Fire-Arms manufacturing law.

California has exercised the same right with its management of Medical Marijuana (whether or not you agree with California, it is its right).

I pray that Tennessee exercise its Tenth (10th) amendment rights again to affect the Suffrage and Actualization of its Native Born Tennessee American Indian Citizens.

The following is an excerpt from an email I received from a friend (some changes for clarification):

It can be and is said that Foreign interests (American Indians who are not Native Born Citizens of Tennesseans) attempt to keep any of them (American Indians who are Tennessee Native Born Citizens) from receiving actualization and suffrage within the American Indian Community. Such was done prior to the Civil Rights act of 1964. Then as it is today there were those who had “privilege” did not wish to lose their “privilege” and sought to maintain their status quo.  Yet, the brave leaders of the Congress brought forward this legislation to further the cause of suffrage of our brothers and sisters in the African American Community as well as for American Women.

Shall it be said of Tennessee that Tennessee fell to the same strata as those who sought to derail the Civil Rights act of 1964.  We, Native Born Tennessee Citizen American Indians, pray not.

Peace