OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - The nation's second-largest Indian tribe formally booted from membership thousands of descendants of black slaves who were brought to Oklahoma more than 170 years ago by Native American owners.
The Cherokee nation voted after the Civil War to admit the slave descendants to the tribe.
But on Monday, the Cherokee nation Supreme Court ruled that a 2007 tribal decision to kick the so-called "Freedmen" out of the tribe was proper.
Then comes the inevitable cries of racism:
"This is racism and apartheid in the 21st Century," said Vann, an engineer who lives in Oklahoma City.
It's hard to claim racism as the Cherokee nation is just that: the Cherokee nation. Membership in the tribe is based wholly and exclusively on race. No honky, kike, wop, raghead, chink, kraut or spic can gain membership because they lack the genetic heritege.
Yet, nobody calls that racism even though by definition that is exactly what it is. Yet, people are OK with that because they will tell you it is to preserve Cherokee culture just before they suspend your child from school because he wore an American flag t-shirt to his US taxpayer funded school on Cinco de Mayo. I'm OK with Cherokee racism becasue it is a distinct culture based on race but then again I also extend the same privilige to Jews in Israel, the Chinese in China etc because I'm not a hypocrite when wanting to rpeserve the distinct American culture.
But, as to the main story, perhaps there's another angle beyond race?
Actually, there is and it is the last paragraph of the story:
Removal from the membership rolls means the Freedmen will no longer be eligible for free health care and other benefits such as education concessions.
I'm told if you cut government services becasue of budget constraints there wil be riots.
http://news.yahoo.com/second-largest-u-indian-tribe-expels-slave-descendants-011650136.html