Is the Republican Party racist & obstructionist toward American Indian issues?

The Republican Party's welcome mat for Native Americans is located at the back door. When it comes to American Indian issues republicans go out of their way to keep them out of site and mind. It's happening at the federal and state government level, the only issue they want Americans to hear about is Indian gaming. With this one issue their pumping out press releases with wording that's generating racial hate overall toward the Indian community. If you listen to republicans you would think American Indians are the "terrorist" attacking our country.

Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff was a republican's dream come true, even after he got caught. Now the republican party is using Jack Abramoff's action to pass more laws against Indians, Abramoff is their fall guy. In the end the Jack Abramoff lobbying scam will back fire on the republican party as it unfolds. Till then the republican party members are hard at work putting Indians down with their media propaganda by saying it's the Indian's fault, not our's.

Republicans most of all do not want a holiday in this country under the name "Native American Day" Oklahoma House Bill 1216 calls for Native American Day to be recognized as a state holiday, the bill is before the House Rules Committee headed by Sue Tibbs, a republican. Representative Tibbs refuses to deal with the bill and will not send it to the house floor for a vote. Democratic Representative Glen Smithson, author of H.B 1216, stated he repeatedly ask Sue Tibbs to send the bill to the house floor for a vote. Sue Tibbs informed Glen Smithson she would handle the heat for not sending the bill forward.

The Indian Mascot Bill was also shot down last year by Oklahoma republican representatives like Senator Don Barrington of Lawton, Oklahoma. He stated he didn't think people using the mascots were intentionally trying to hurt Indians. The Mascot Bill was introduced by State Senator Democrat Judy McIntyre, who said our government needs to be educated on the Indian mascot issue as to where the Indian community stands on this issue.

United Native America, an Oklahoma based national group, is trying to bring about a federal National Native American Day holiday with H.RES.76., plus bring it about as an Oklahoma State holiday. At every turn on the holiday issue, state or federal, there is a pack of republicans blocking the issue or refusing to have their name added in support of the holiday.

Oklahoma Republican State Representative Mike Reynolds told Mike Graham he did not support the holiday bill, citing cost to tax payers. Reynolds told Graham basically to do the representatives job for him and find a way to bring the holiday about at no expense to Oklahomans. Then he would think about it.

Well, Graham did some checking and he found that the state government recognizes Presidents' Day as a state tax paid holiday. Graham informed representative Mike Reynolds that this tax paid holiday did not mean much of anything to Oklahomans and was a waste of tax payer's money. Graham noted that some state offices were even open on the Presidents' Day holiday. Reynolds still offered no support for the bill. Oklahoma's government dropped Columbus Day as a state tax paid holiday so they could bring about Martin Luther King Day as a state tax paid holiday.

Oklahoma's republicans and federal republican representatives have stated to United Native America they will not sign on in support of bringing about National Native American Day. Oklahoma Republican U.S. Senator Tom Colburn's staff member, Brian Treat stated to Graham, that the senator sees no reason to support bringing about Native American Day and would not waste his time on the issue.

When the national holiday issue was before the last US Congress, twenty-five congressmen signed on in support of the issue. Not one republican saw fit to stand up for the holiday issue. Oklahoma U.S. Republican Congressman, Tom Cole, has told United Native America he will not have his name on H.RES.76 calling for National Native American Day. Oklahoma's only U.S. Democrat Dan Boren has signed on as a cosponsor of H.RES.76, there are now thirty U.S. Democrat Rep's supporting H.RES.76. If President Bush was for this bill, it would have became a reality during his first term in office.

The list of republican representatives against bringing about Native American Day is nation wide. Arizona Republican U.S. Congressman J.D. Hayworth, founder of the Congressional Indian Caucus with over one hundred members has stated he will not add his name in support of National Native American Day. Michigan Democrat U.S. Congressman Dale Kildee, Co-Chairman of the Indian Caucus, said he is proud to have his name on H.RES.76 calling for the national holiday.

"If America is going to have federal and state tax paid holidays then one of them should be Native American Day." said Graham. Mike Graham founded United Native America back in 1993 for the purpose of enacting a National Native American Day holiday. "One would think our states and federal government would jump at the chance to honor the Native American community with a national holiday. It has become obvious that this will never happen if it's left up to the Republican Party!"

America's true history starts with the Native American community. We all know of the holocaust that the Indians endured in the forming of America. People around the world know this true history. The Native American community has supported America from it's beginning in more ways than I can mention. Indians have been racially excluded from America's society.

It's past time for our elected representatives, republican or democrat, to stop looking for excuses for not enacting the Native American Day holiday! It's apparent that our government is afraid to set up the Native America Day holiday. Could it be that they know this holiday would bring out the true history of all the inhuman things our government did to the Native Americans? The Native American community has come to grips with the holocaust they endured at the hands of the federal government.

The American Indian community holds no hate against the federal government's past history toward them. They stand in support of the America we all want. Native Americans rate more than a holiday in America. Native American Day should be at the top of any holiday list in this country, state or federal. Indians are Americans and it's time for the republican party to get off their back!!

For more information about Native American Day holiday and other Native American community issues check out the United Native America web site:

www.UnitedNativeAmerica.com

Mike Graham, member Oklahoma Cherokee Nation

mikecherokee@aol.com