CN is a do-nothing tribe
I read Staff Writer Will Chavez’s column on poor Cherokees, and I was shocked that anyone from Cherokee Nation would dare to commit the truth to writing. The CN makes millions of dollars per year yet the poorer Cherokees are still living on the brink of survival. No one realizes anything from the casinos except CN executives and the wealthy white investors. The only assistance offered is government program services. There is nothing above and beyond. Keetoowahs have never been provided services from CN and wrote off CN as a do-nothing organization. In its service population count, the CN counts the Keetoowahs for purposes of funding but have not provided any services to them.
I have family members in poor financial circumstances, and I help when I can but much more needs to be done for all of those who live in dire conditions. I believe the answer is for the poorer full-blood class to be able to participate in the decision-making process. In defiance of being pushed aside early in the 20th century, the Keetoowahs, who were among the poorest, continued their organized efforts to assist one another and survive by doing for themselves. For years the full bloods have not been trusted to have intelligence and are seen as backward. I get so angry with people putting down full bloods when they are as intelligent as anyone else, but when CN aligns itself with wealthy bankers, business executives and other white investors, there will never be any progress against poverty.
As small as the Keetoowah casino is, the Keetoowahs pay out per capita to the elders and financially assist their youth with education expenses. Everything is handed to the CN on a silver platter and still it fails in providing anything to Cherokees in need.
A few years ago when Sen. Tom Coburn came to Kenwood, Okla., he saw the living conditions of some Cherokees living there and was amazed. He knew the CN received hundreds of millions in federal money and made millions with its casinos. He wondered what happened to the money from Washington. He walked away in disgust. We all are puzzled by why the CN has so much and does so little.
Ramona Williams
Via e-mail
Editor’s Note: Cherokee Casinos are wholly owned by the Cherokee Nation and do not have outside investors.