Indian Country Today: Elizabeth Warren Avoids American Indian Media

[OmahaBlueDog]

WASHINGTON – As the controversy continues to swirl around U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren’s self-reported Cherokee ancestry, she has dodged several interview requests from the Native American press.

A spokesman for the Warren campaign, Alethea Harney, said by telephone on May 15 that Warren would not do an interview with Indian Country Today Media Network at that time, but “want[ed] to keep the lines of communication open.”

ICTMN had by that point requested multiple interviews with Warren in order for her to clarify her statements on her ancestry, to explain how she highlighted that self-reported ancestry while working in academia, as well as to examine the fall-out that has occurred in Indian country regarding identity issues as her campaign fiasco has stayed in the news.

In the meantime, throughout the month of May, Warren continued to do interviews with the mainstream and local press, including national appearances on MSNBC.

Read more:http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/05/31/elizabeth-warren-avoids-american-indian-media-115802 http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2012/05/31/elizabeth-warren-avoids-american-indian-media-115802#ixzz1x5Pm3PvF

[Scootaloo]

1. Well... In all honesty?

The number of white kids who grow up being told "you've got Cherokee in you" is simply staggering. In my case it was Choctaw that I was told I'm related to, but after all this time of seeing so many other white people go "I've got Indian in me!" I have serious doubts about my own parents claim.

My advice to all the other white kids out there who honestly want to get involved with Native history and rights... Don't do like Ward Churchill and Liz Warren. it doesn't matter if you've got Indians in your family tree or not, so long as you're honest in your interest and willing to accept that the men and women who live on the rez are going to be the experts on what that's like.

[JDPriestly]

2. My family members told me I was related to a famous historical personage.

I feel very ordinary and certainly was never rich or powerful. Nor did I ever benefit from a relationship with a rich or powerful family member.

I scoffed. Turned out to be true, undoubtedly true.

So, you never know about these stories.

And it is nearly impossible to research Indian ancestry. People who intermarried hid the ethnicity of their spouses. People changed their names.

I don't think I am of Indian ancestry, but I have cousins who are -- and their mother was from Oklahoma. A lot of white people from families who lived in Oklahoma fairly early on have some intermarriage with Indian people.

And, some people with mixed Indian-Anglo heritage hid their Indian ancestry when it was convenient for them -- and vice versa -- claimed it if it meant for instance a tax exemption or some advantage.

[LibGranny]

4. With due diligence you can research your Native American family tree -

my brother-in-law spent years doing just that and traced our Native American ancestors back to the 1830's. Yes, there were name changes (due to difficult Native spellings and the attempts by the church to "Americanize" us) but he persevered and did a wonderful job. He spent a great deal of time at the National Archives, on Ancestry.com and public libraries doing research.

I also have nieces, nephews who are blonde with blue eyes and we're all "card carrying" Indians! (which means we're on a recognized tribal roll)!

[JDPriestly]

6. In our case, a search ended in a question mark at a name with no recorded ancestors.

The only person in our family history of the past few hundred years who was illiterate. But there could be some explanation other than that she was of Indian ethnicity.

[brzysunset]

8. With due diligence you can research your Native American family tree

It doesn't matter the quantum....if Indian blood runs through your veins...and your CDIB card says so...you are Indian. A Native American!!

[Arctic Dave]

3. My niece is half Native Alaskan and is blonde with blue eyes.

Most likely, my sisters ex-husband side had Russian mixed in at some point.

[jwirr]

5. And many of those uninrolled persons are Native. I have 9 great grandchildren. 2 are enrolled and

the rest are still Native American no matter what all the rest of the tribe thinks. And I actually have the genealogy to prove it.

[brzysunset]

7. Native American Media- Indian Country

It is good that we all know what people that supposedly represent our Native American rights are doing or not doing.