Chad Smith (politician): Difference between revisions
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'''Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith''' was elected as Principal Chief of the [[Cherokee Nation]] in [[1999]]. Smith holds a bachelor's degree in education from the [[University of Georgia]]; master's degree in public administration from the [[University of Wisconsin]] and a [[Juris Doctorate]], Law, from the [[University of Tulsa]]. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, he worked as a lawyer in various capacities. |
'''Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith''' was elected as Principal Chief of the [[Cherokee Nation]] in [[1999]]. Smith holds a bachelor's degree in education from the [[University of Georgia]]; master's degree in public administration from the [[University of Wisconsin]] and a [[Juris Doctorate]], Law, from the [[University of Tulsa]]. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, he worked as a lawyer in various capacities. |
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Chad Smith is a descendant of [[Keetoowah Nighthawk Society | Redbird Smith]], famous Cherokee Statesman and spiritual leader of the [[Keetoowah Nighthawk Society]]. |
Chad Smith is a descendant of [[Keetoowah Nighthawk Society | Redbird Smith]], famous Cherokee Statesman and spiritual leader of the [[Keetoowah Nighthawk Society]].The Smith family does not concur, the son of Redbird Smith (Kiah) denied fathering the chld of an unwed Cherokee woman, which she bore and named Nelson, the child was reared with her maiden name, and changed to smith later in life, when there none left to object.i.e (Kiha and Redbird) |
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Chief Smith is currently serving in his second term as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. |
Chief Smith is currently serving in his second term as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. And if you will go to [[www.cherokee.org]] then to the election commission site, If you will do the math you will see that Joe Byrd beat Chad within the Nation, and that it was the outland voters, who are in NO WAY affected by their vote, that put him over as DICTATOR of the Cherokee people another 4 years. |
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'''Smith also may face an uphill hurtle in the court of public opinion. In addition to his wife and three Children, ages 5, 11, and 18, Smith confirmed Wednesday he has a second family of three children, ages 6, 10 and 11. He said he loves all his children and financially supports all of them. |
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'''I’ve made every body aware and visited with a number of Cherokee elders,' Smith said. He said most of the elders told him they are interested in what he could do for the tribe rather than in |
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"this personal situation. |
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'''Smith said he would not give any more details because he doesn't want to bring embarrassment to any of his children. He added if the tribe wasn't in such disarray, he wouldn't be opening himself up to criticism over his personal life by becoming a candidate. |
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'''He said, he had hoped the subject wouldn’t come up until later in his campaign. This from the Muskogee Phoenix, by Staff Writer, Donna Hales. |
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[[Image:FlagofCherokeeNation.png|none|200px|right]] |
[[Image:FlagofCherokeeNation.png|none|200px|right]] |
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The Modern Cherokee Nation in recent times has excelled and has experienced an uprecedented expansion in economic growth, equality, and prosperity for its citizens under the leadership of Principal Chief [[Chad Smith]], with significant business, corporate, real estate, and agricultural interests, including numerous highly profitable casino operations. The Cherokee Nation controls Cherokee Nation Enterprises, a very large Defense contractor that creates thousands of jobs in Eastern Oklahoma for Cherokee Citizens. |
The Modern Cherokee Nation in recent times has excelled and has experienced an uprecedented expansion in economic growth, equality, and prosperity for its citizens under the leadership of Principal Chief [[Chad Smith]], with significant business, corporate, real estate, and agricultural interests, including numerous highly profitable casino operations. The Cherokee Nation controls Cherokee Nation Enterprises, a very large Defense contractor that creates thousands of jobs in Eastern Oklahoma for Cherokee Citizens. |
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Revision as of 12:42, 29 March 2006
Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith was elected as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1999. Smith holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Georgia; master's degree in public administration from the University of Wisconsin and a Juris Doctorate, Law, from the University of Tulsa. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, he worked as a lawyer in various capacities.
Chad Smith is a descendant of Redbird Smith, famous Cherokee Statesman and spiritual leader of the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society.The Smith family does not concur, the son of Redbird Smith (Kiah) denied fathering the chld of an unwed Cherokee woman, which she bore and named Nelson, the child was reared with her maiden name, and changed to smith later in life, when there none left to object.i.e (Kiha and Redbird)
Chief Smith is currently serving in his second term as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. And if you will go to www.cherokee.org then to the election commission site, If you will do the math you will see that Joe Byrd beat Chad within the Nation, and that it was the outland voters, who are in NO WAY affected by their vote, that put him over as DICTATOR of the Cherokee people another 4 years.
Accomplishments prior to and as Principal Chief
Smith also may face an uphill hurtle in the court of public opinion. In addition to his wife and three Children, ages 5, 11, and 18, Smith confirmed Wednesday he has a second family of three children, ages 6, 10 and 11. He said he loves all his children and financially supports all of them.
I’ve made every body aware and visited with a number of Cherokee elders,' Smith said. He said most of the elders told him they are interested in what he could do for the tribe rather than in "this personal situation.
Smith said he would not give any more details because he doesn't want to bring embarrassment to any of his children. He added if the tribe wasn't in such disarray, he wouldn't be opening himself up to criticism over his personal life by becoming a candidate.
He said, he had hoped the subject wouldn’t come up until later in his campaign. This from the Muskogee Phoenix, by Staff Writer, Donna Hales.
The Modern Cherokee Nation in recent times has excelled and has experienced an uprecedented expansion in economic growth, equality, and prosperity for its citizens under the leadership of Principal Chief Chad Smith, with significant business, corporate, real estate, and agricultural interests, including numerous highly profitable casino operations. The Cherokee Nation controls Cherokee Nation Enterprises, a very large Defense contractor that creates thousands of jobs in Eastern Oklahoma for Cherokee Citizens.
The Nation has constructed health clinics throughout Oklahoma, contributed to community development programs, constructed learning facilities and universities for its citizens, instilled the practice of Gadugi and self-reliance in its citizens, revitalized language immersion programs for its children and youth, and is a powerful and positive economic and political force in Eastern Oklahoma due to the leadership of Chad Smith.
Today the Cherokee Nation is a leader in the environmental protection field. Since 1992 the Nation has served as the lead for the Inter-Tribal Environmental Council (ITEC).The mission of ITEC is to protect the health of Native Americans, their natural resources, and their environment as it relates to air, land, and water. To accomplish this mission ITEC provides technical support, training and environmental services in a variety of environmental disciplines. Currently, there are thirty-nine (39) ITEC member tribes in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas.
Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Allow Cherokee Freedmen Tribal Membership
On March 7, 2006, the Cherokee Nation announced that the Cherokee Freedmen, the descendents of African Americans who were Citizens of the Cherokee Nation and who were adopted into the tribe after the Civil War, are now eligible for membership as Cherokee Citizens because they were classified by the Federal Government as Indians by being entered on the Dawes Commission Lands rolls during the early 1900's [[1]]. The Cherokee in ancient times did not view a person's race as relevant regarding adoption into Cherokee Society, and historically viewed the Cherokee Society as a politically rather than racially based organization. The Cherokee Freedmen, due to intermarriage with the Cherokee, are for the great majority also of Cherokee Blood and ancestry. There are many exceptionally talented Cherokee artisans of Freedmen descent who currently reside within the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Freedmen suffered many of the same hardships as other Indian groups because of their Cherokee Citizenship at the turn of the century and were viewed by the Federal Government as Indians, which led to the freedmen being placed on the Dawes Commission Rolls as Cherokee Citizens during the early 1900's.
Many Cherokee Traditionalists have opposed granting tribal membership to the Freedmen, however, the Cherokee Nation also grants membership to Indians of Delaware Blood based upon previous treaties and agreements with the United States. The Cherokee Nation Supreme Court recognized the unique role of the Freedmen in Cherokee history and the mutual hardships and common experience with the Cherokee People during pre-Oklahoma Statehood in rendering its decision, and upheld the Cherokee Nation Constitution guarantees of equal rights for all Cherokee Indians.
United Keetoowah Band Controversies
The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, also referred to as the UKB, have repeatedly sued the Cherokee Nation under Chad Smith's administration demanding the ceding of tribal land allotments and monetary damages over a variety of issues. All of these lawsuits have failed or been dismissed. The UKB also recently sued the Cherokee Nation for a share of HR Bill 3534, a bill that required the Government of Oklahoma and the United States to compensate the Cherokee Nation and was concerned with the illegal seizure of the Arkansas Riverbed by the State of Oklahoma for public use lands and hydroelectric power generation. The lawsuit filed by the UKB demanding disbursements from the Cherokee Nation from HR Bill 3534 was also ruled to be frivilous and without merit. During the State of Oklahoma lawsuit pertaining to the UKB's illegal casino operations (see United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians for more information regarding the State of Oklahoma prosecution of the UKB for operating illegal casinos), the UKB again sued the Cherokee Nation demanding cessation of tribal land allotments to the UKB to build casinos. These lawsuits were also dismissed, and it was ruled the UKB is not the successor of right to the assets of the Cherokee People.
The UKB held banishment proceedings against Chief Chad Smith, Chief of the Cherokee Nation who also had dual membership in both the UKB and the Cherokee Nation. Since the UKB scheduled the banishment proceedings at the exact time scheduled for the Cherokee Nation State of the Nation Address by the Principal Chief at the Cherokee National Holiday, the entire proceeding was perceived as a public spectacle by the majority of the Cherokee People and garnered disdain and disbelief. The UKB stated in a News Release that they were performing the banishment ceremony to punish Chief Chad Smith for failing to support the illegal UKB casino during the pendency of the State of Oklahoma prosecutions of the UKB Band.
The Cherokee People as a whole reacted unfavorably to the actions of the UKB regarding Chad Smith's banishment, and the event was widely viewed as a political embarassment and publicity stunt by the UKB. Many Cherokee believe the UKB is no longer an actual "band" but a social club, and have vocally stated as such in news announcements. Chad Smith criticized the UKB for disgracing the Cherokee People and behaving like a "social club" in response to their actions.
Modern Cherokee Societies, with the exception of the UKB, are true democratic societies which no longer allow banishment of tribal members.
Cherokee Nation Relationship with the Eastern Band
The Cherokee Nation has announced and participated in numerous joint programs with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and participates in cultural exchange programs and joint Tribal Council meetings involving councilers from both Cherokee Tribes which addresses issues which affect all of the Cherokee People. Unlike the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians adversarial relationship with the Cherokee Nation between the administrations of both tribes, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians interactions with the Cherokee Nation presents a unified spirit of Gadugi with the leaders and citizens of the Eastern Band.
Marriage Law Controversy
On June 14 2004, the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council voted to officially define marriage as a union between man and woman, thereby outlawing gay marriage. This was a decision made in response to an application for a union of a lesbian couple that was submitted on May 13. Furthermore, the decision kept Cherokee law in line with Oklahoma state law, which outlawed gay marriage as the result of a popular referendum on a constitutional amendment in 2004.
Cherokee Nation Warriors Memorial
The Cherokee Nation Warriors Memorial construction began in 2002 and was completed in 2005.
The Cherokee Nation Warriors Society is a society of Cherokee Nation tribal members who are also military veterans, and who were honorably discharged from military service. The society is based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and is administered by the Cherokee Nation Office of Veterans Affairs.
The Cherokee Nation Warriors Society members and those veterans who gave their lives in military service have bricks with their names inscribed paving the Cherokee Nation Warriors Memorial and Pavalion located at the Cherokee Nation Headquarters in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The memorial is dedicated to all Cherokee Citizens and their families who served in the United States Military and to those who gave their lives in defense of the United States and the Cherokee homeland.
External link
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