Heb 10:24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” NIV

The federal government has struggled in its roles of negotiation and reparation for the damage done in previous generations through war and failed assimilation strategies.

Let me start by saying how much I appreciate the testimony of Ugvwiyuhi (Principal Chief) Michell Hicks at the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing concerning Senator Tillis’ bill S.107. You won’t see me doing that much. My personal ethics are that I keep my personal opinions out of the public area when it comes to our politicians, because I feel a moral obligation to be objective in my coverage of our leadership.

I write as a concerned citizen of western North Carolina to draw attention to the growing encroachment on press freedom under the current administration, and the implications this has for our local democracy.

I have known Micah Swimmer for years, and one thing that has always impressed me about him is his hope surrounding Cherokee culture and language.  Whenever I see him at events, he is always sharing and educating. 

Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) has co-sponsored a bill to grant recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina – a state-recognized group whose ancestry and identity have long been a source of deep controversy among neighboring Native nations.

During the Legislative Hearing on the Lumbee Fairness Act on the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 5, United States Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, made some remarks that are damaging to the Cherokee people – Cherokee Nation, United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians – and the rest of Indian Country.

Scripture References: Proverbs 14:12, Romans 1:28, Hebrews 5:14, 1Kings 3:9