Blood Quantum Does Not Determine Identity
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Bureau of Indian Affairs
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Native Americans and all people -
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Native America does not believe that the BIA or any other government organization has the right to determine who is or is not Native American by degree of blood. There is no other group in America that is ever asked who they are by how much blood.
This archaic process began in 1705 in Virginia as a way of denying civil rights to blacks and Indians who at that time were assumed to be inferior races. Many states instituted these laws as a way of deciding who had equal rights to whites and encouraged people of color to relinquish their identities so as to be able to enjoy the rights freely given to others. In this way, it was assumed that Native people would eventually become extinct through assimilation and intermarriage. But this did not, and will not, happen. Native people, even through intermarriage and assimilation will not disappear. Even through intermarriage and assimilation, Native people still hold tightly to their culture and their lineage and must be honored and recognized by their own determination alone, not by degree of blood.
The idea that any government can identify who is Native and who is not by blood quantum is an out dated and unnecessary ideology that is held today because of the governments unwillingness to provide services to people with certain degrees of blood. It is time to do away entirely with this process. Blood quantum does not determine who and what Indians are. Only Native societies and /or communities have the sovereign right to determine who is and who isn't a part of their nation, tribe, clan, or community. Because it has always been an Indian value to be inclusive, high numbers of black Indians, Hispanics and Anglos have been accepted through various means into many Indian communities, in addition to those who are Indian, with mixed ancestry. Every indigenous nation had and has a process for accepting, or adopting outsiders into the fold. From mixed blood Indians through intermarriage, to like-minded people of other races, indigenous communities and nations must determine "who is Indian".
It is no mystery that America has financial obligations to its Indian nations and "certified" Indian people, but these are doled out
intermittently and begrudgingly. Simply put, the fewer indigenous citizens, the less money will be paid out. And the more difficult it is to be legally certified "Indian", the less Indians there will be. Not only is this racist economics in action but it is also blood quantum genocide. By allowing America to determine who is Indian, simply because the government doesnt want to be held accountable, to their word, by meeting their obligations, we allow the US government to legislate Indians out of existence. No other group including African Americans, Asians, Latinos need a card to prove who they are.
With this petition, we are declaring that the only recognition necessary is that of community acceptance and involvement. This is the right of our sovereignty and self determination. As with all other people in all other social programs in this country, the people that should be the recipients of Indian government programs should be determined solely by need, not by blood quantum and not by association with reservations.
Submitted by:
Christine Rose/STAR
www.egroups.com/group/STAR-STAR
Lawrence Sampson/SETAim
www.setaim.com
This archaic process began in 1705 in Virginia as a way of denying civil rights to blacks and Indians who at that time were assumed to be inferior races. Many states instituted these laws as a way of deciding who had equal rights to whites and encouraged people of color to relinquish their identities so as to be able to enjoy the rights freely given to others. In this way, it was assumed that Native people would eventually become extinct through assimilation and intermarriage. But this did not, and will not, happen. Native people, even through intermarriage and assimilation will not disappear. Even through intermarriage and assimilation, Native people still hold tightly to their culture and their lineage and must be honored and recognized by their own determination alone, not by degree of blood.
The idea that any government can identify who is Native and who is not by blood quantum is an out dated and unnecessary ideology that is held today because of the governments unwillingness to provide services to people with certain degrees of blood. It is time to do away entirely with this process. Blood quantum does not determine who and what Indians are. Only Native societies and /or communities have the sovereign right to determine who is and who isn't a part of their nation, tribe, clan, or community. Because it has always been an Indian value to be inclusive, high numbers of black Indians, Hispanics and Anglos have been accepted through various means into many Indian communities, in addition to those who are Indian, with mixed ancestry. Every indigenous nation had and has a process for accepting, or adopting outsiders into the fold. From mixed blood Indians through intermarriage, to like-minded people of other races, indigenous communities and nations must determine "who is Indian".
It is no mystery that America has financial obligations to its Indian nations and "certified" Indian people, but these are doled out
intermittently and begrudgingly. Simply put, the fewer indigenous citizens, the less money will be paid out. And the more difficult it is to be legally certified "Indian", the less Indians there will be. Not only is this racist economics in action but it is also blood quantum genocide. By allowing America to determine who is Indian, simply because the government doesnt want to be held accountable, to their word, by meeting their obligations, we allow the US government to legislate Indians out of existence. No other group including African Americans, Asians, Latinos need a card to prove who they are.
With this petition, we are declaring that the only recognition necessary is that of community acceptance and involvement. This is the right of our sovereignty and self determination. As with all other people in all other social programs in this country, the people that should be the recipients of Indian government programs should be determined solely by need, not by blood quantum and not by association with reservations.
Submitted by:
Christine Rose/STAR
www.egroups.com/group/STAR-STAR
Lawrence Sampson/SETAim
www.setaim.com
6030 Signatures
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Antoine M
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Sharon I
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- Cherokee, "Black Dutch" from family history, difficult to prove for blood "quantum"...but I feel the blood.
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jennis darlene f
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- I do not agree with the governments way of measuring the native american blood.I am from the Delaware and Shawnee blood line and am proud of my ancestry.I think the testing to be done should be by D.N.A.
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Helen C
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- if a person has one ounce of Indian blood in him, he is indian.
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M. Susie G
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Linda H
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- My Great grandparents on my my Mom's side were full blood Cherokee,my grandfather Millett was full blood but my grandmother was 1/4.But I dont think that the government should make one prove his blood quantum...nobody else has to prove how much scott,or english or african american etc..This is just not right.
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Kenneth S
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Paul l Baukman (
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- Both my grand parents, and parents were cherokee/cheyenne.
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Steven W. B
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tracy c
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Jessica M
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Jeff B
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- I am a Canadian Indian
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Sandy (Miller) S
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- I traced my family back to the First Families of the Cherokee Nation-my verified photo copied documentation is in the Archives of the Cherokee National Historical Society in Tahlequah Oklahoma. The First Familes of the Cherokee Nation certificate hanging on my wall is my proof that I am Cherokee, I would like the United States Government to respect and acknowledge who I am, and who my people are.
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Sybilla M
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- I want my tax money to go to helping my Native friends ,not to find new ways to cheat them.
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Bruce A M
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lenny
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- skins!!!!!!! we need to stop the hate!!!!!!!! if those come to you with an ounce of proof suport them stop turning our voices away!!!!!!!! are you crazy. live by your own teachings and stop doing what the gov't want you to do , and that is to turn any one away just so the gov'nt can pocket more of what is owed to us. allthat you're doing to keep out those who wants to find their roots and we just turn them away because their hair texture and skin color dose'nt meet our criteria of physical appeareance NOW ISN'T THAT STUPID!!!!!!! when we all once were so dark you couldnt tell what we was. look at some of those old indian photos. oneida
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Nancy G
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Lloydine S
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Brandy L
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- why should we prove what is in our hearts
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cyndy
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- When our people accepted the 'settlers' to our country, we did not ask where they came from or what thier intentions were...if we had we would have saved ourselves a lot of grief. By signing this petition, I am in agreeance with all those who joined me, I believe your lineage should determine what lands are granted to you, not your blood degree.. I am first and formost my fathers daughter, my mothers daughter, and my daughters mother. Those who know me call me by my name, and never ask 'how much' I am.
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Carlene Coney S
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Lewonna W
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- Thank You ! Perhaps this will help those who are blinded by predjudice on both sides to see what they have forgotten. That what is carried in the heart is more important than the kind or amount of blood.
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Nikki S
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- No other group in America is EVER asked who they are by how much blood
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Christi D
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- A trickle of blood should not be demanded to prove a persons Native American heritage. No other man has to prove his heritage.
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John A
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Mike Two H
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- This is one of the most divisive issues in Indian Country. My personal feeling about it is that the imposition of the blood quantum idea was nothing more or less than the imposition of a process to have American Indians breed ourselves out of existence.
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Larry C. W
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- I am Metis Cherokee 17/32 blood yet i cannot enroll. I do not agree with cdib or any regulations as to who i am. I am Indian and Proud of it.
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Tom Z
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Soaring Eagle D
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- The government has NO Right to say who is and who is not Native American. It's not always in the blood but in the heart that counts.
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Angie W
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Vicki Lynn Martin - T
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- All my life, I have known of the Cherokee in my family. yet, due to the white man laws, I am destined to be called white. This is as unfair today as it was when the Native Americans were moved to the rez. Please tell me why I must abide by the laws set forth by white society? Have we the Native American and descendants not been crucified enough?
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Kris O
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- I totally agree with this!! I dont have enough documentation to "prove" i am Native American"..but dont need it! I am Indian by birth, not a piece of paper issued by the government!
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Kim D
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- Tsi Tsalagi
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John Tawodi H
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- I am Cherokee!
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Christine Tree P
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- This discriminatory practice neds to end NOW. Either insist that ALL people apply for, and recieve, a Certificate of Blood Quantum card to prove their ethnicity, or STOP forcing Native Americans to prove ours! This should be a decision of the individual tribe and NOT the imposing government
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Ray A
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connie jo s
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- How can our country continue such a blatant racist policy? If this practice was conducted on our black americans, there would be such an out-cry against it, that the government would have to abolish the practice !! Why are some voices raised in righteous protest against unfair treatment heard and responed to, by the lawmakers of this land, and not others ? I used the "black's" in our land as an example; because even tho, it took a long time, the government has responded to their protest's against racisim and the unfair laws of our land. As someone of many races, I view the Native American's plight in this great land as being, the most abusive and shameful, but their dignified pleas for equal rights and recognition with-out-discrimination have fallen on deaf ears, why ?
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Littledeer
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- If The Cherokke Have to prove their Blood ,All other races should have to .Why dont you quit picking on the Cherokee or other Native American Indians.
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cheryl s
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- It is time that the children of Native Americans in this country are given the respect denied their ancestors. It is time for the bigotry to be done away with, the Trail of Tears did not wipe us out! Time will not wipe us out! It is time for a change.
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Norman R
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Karen S
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- I don't want anything, just recognition, but this quantum stuff is ridiculous.
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Lisa D. Y
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Madeline C
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George R
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Sharon W. M
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- No one can "white wash" the spirit/heart.
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Yona E
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- The truth is the truth and this is truth
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Danielle C
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Eric D
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Shannon W
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Anjolette S
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6030
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