By CHEROKEE ONE FEATHER EDITORIAL BOARD
We are not big believers in the “they are out to get us” mentality. During the Cold War, then-President Ronald Reagan, when dealing with the Soviet Union concerning nuclear proliferation, uttered the famous words, “Trust but verify”. We feel this is a good policy for the government and for the community that the government serves.
Relationships are built on mutual trust. If trust is in a relationship, then sharing information should not be an issue. The government and community are in a partnership, and with Cherokee people, it is as close as a family relationship.
There was a time in our community when we would have our internal disagreements, we set those aside if an outside threat appeared. The family and the community came together, and all minds and bodies were leveraged to meet the threat. Now it seems that we care more about disagreeing with each other than confronting the threats to our safety and sovereignty.
As co-equal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, we should have access to as much information as possible. And we should support the position of the elected officials that we have put in place as our public servants. We should trust those we have voted into positions of power, and they should be able to trust us to support and act in ways that support the official position of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
We will always have disagreements among ourselves, as any family does. But when we face entities and challenges that threaten our livelihood, sovereignty, and what it means to be a tribe, our efforts and actions should be carefully planned, expertly communicated, and executed in unity.
Now more than any time in our history since the Removal, we need to be a people focused on purpose and committed to each other in action. The government needs to be thoroughly transparent, and the community needs to be thoroughly committed to the tribal vision and mission.
