Seeing poverty first hand

I read Staff Writer Will Chavez’s opinion piece “Poor Cherokees being left behind” and thought it was a great article. I worked at the Cherokee Nation in the Office of Environmental Services from fall 2007 to summer 2008 before moving on to the Osage Nation.

While at CN, I was tasked to make site visits on Cherokees with water and sanitation needs. I knew the conditions out in Cherokee country, but seeing it first hand made it difficult to hold back the water in my eyes returning to the office, bringing on questions of “why.”

I am familiar with the CN leaders making comments as Will mentioned. I was disturbed to hear comments by individuals with Cherokee cards making disparaging remarks of full bloods. It seemed the card gave them the right to speak as they wished about full-blood Cherokees.

I’m full-blood Creek and was close to my grandparents. I saw in the elder Cherokee faces my own grandparents and their struggles.

Lyle K. Deere
Pawhuska, Okla.