Robert,
Thank you for your excellent commentary about the Cherokee Constitution in last week’s One Feather. I moved to Cherokee in 1978 and, shortly thereafter, became involved with the writing of a constitution while working at Legal Services. Over the years until recently, I worked with various committees in order to write and hopefully pass a constitution. It has been very discouraging and frustrating to me, as I know it has been for you, that no progress has been made in passing a constitution. I firmly believe that the EBCI (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) needs a constitution to protect and strengthen its sovereignty.
I hope the current committee will diligently pursue drafting a constitution for tribal members to vote on in coming years. I don’t know what more can be done than what you, Lloyd Arneach Jr. and others did the last time to inform people.
Thanks for all you are doing to promote a constitution and to educate tribal members about the importance of having one.
Keep up your good work!
Mary Herr
Elawodi (Yellowhill)
