Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs Protest

To the Senators and Representives of the State of Tennessee:

There are over 40,000 Native People in the State of Tennessee and untold thousands who are yet to awaken to their Native blood. These are voters and we can make a difference when it comes election time. Even one vote can change the outcome of an election and, the Native vote counts just as any other.

We are the First People in this great state of Tennessee and we are tired of being put down by a small group of people calling themselves T.C.I.A (TN Commission of Indian Affairs). They oppose everything anyone tries to do to better the situation of the Native American population in the State of Tennessee. They are supposed to represent the Native People in Tennessee but are working only for their own personal benefit. They are doing all they can to hold the Native Americans down instead of helping them as they were designed to do. They are looking out only for themselves and not the Native Americans in this state. When anyone works to hold the Native Americans in Tennessee to a sub-existence, it also sets precedence for all the states in the United States of America. Is this what you wish for the First People of this great state as well as this great land of America?

In todays age, would you set up an office for Jewish Affairs and put someone from the Neo Nazi in charge of recognizing who is a Jew and who is not? Would you set up an office for recognizing our African brothers and sisters and put a member of KKK in charge of that office? Would you set up an office to handle Catholic affairs and put a Baptist in charge of recognizing who is a Catholic and who is not What I am getting at is why would you set up an office to handle Native American Affairs and put in non-Natives and atheists to tell us who is Native and who is not. We are perfectly capable of handling our own affairs and bringing our own matters before the government of this great state. We do not need a go-between that does not have our interest at heart but only concerned about self-importance and how much trouble they can create for us Native Americans. We feel the office of the T.C.I.A. should be dissolved as it is to the benefit of no one except those located within the office itself. It does not benefit the Native America population of the State of Tennessee. In the years since it was established, the T.C.I.A. has not recognized or done anything for any Native Americans. Their main concern is the battle among themselves as to who is most important or who has more power. This is the reason that former Gov. Sunquist signed them out of office during his term in office.

We want and need for you to prevent this group from trying to get the power to control the Native American people in this great state. The Native American people are free people, both in spirit and body. We wish to retain this freedom.

You can help us regain our dignity and self-respect by giving your support and help in keeping us free of this organization, which is nothing but a yoke around the neck of hard working Native American People. Let us hold our heads up and be proud to be what we are, Native Americans of the Great State of Tennessee.