Article in the 2.21.08 Asheville Citizens Times

Cherokee Abby Hoffman · Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Posts: 4

It's sad that an article like this would never find it's way into our government controlled newspaper but at least the rest of the world will begin to understand what is truly happening here in Cherokee.

WNC politicians: Refuse donations from autocratic tribal leadership
by Joseph Martin
published February 21, 2008 12:15 am

This is an appeal to the consciences of candidates who may be approached by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ leadership for the purpose of donating, particularly Rep. Heath Shuler.

There’s a movement among tribal members to hold their elected officials accountable, to have a truly democratic government where citizens all have an equal say with their rights guaranteed, where the people are sovereign, not the government. They have a long, hard road ahead of them.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has no ethics law for elected officials. It operates under a governing document that was forced upon the tribe’s membership with no approval from a majority of tribal voters. Laws that clearly violate civil rights remain on its books. Principal Chief Michell Hicks has shown little initiative to resolve any of this.

Speech unpopular with tribal government can be punished. Ask two former Cherokee Central Schools employees, Chris McCoy and Bear Allison, who on their own time produced the podcast, “The Shower Free Show,” which featured criticism of the chief.

Add to this the fact that Chief Hicks seemed to have no problem accepting the results of an election where the names of about 60 voters in one community mysteriously disappeared from the poll lists. Hicks’ margin of victory was 13 votes.

While the federal government was willing to send troops halfway around the world to free Iraq from tyranny, the Eastern Band has been goose-stepping toward autocracy with the U.S. turning a blind eye. It’s legal to donate tribal money to campaigns, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.

Shuler accepted $4,600 from the tribe over the last year. Shuler received a lot of votes from tribal members, despite Hicks’ clear-cut support for former Rep. Charles Taylor. The real Eastern Band of Cherokee is the more than 13,500 members, of which only about 14 percent voted for Hicks (if one believes the results of a botched election). The other 86 percent voted for his opponent, or didn’t or couldn’t vote. Do the right thing, Rep. Shuler. Return the $4,600 and refuse any future donations made on behalf of the tribe as a whole. Other candidates should do the same.

Joe Martin lives on tribal trust lands in Cherokee County.

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