GOP Candidate Says "Cherokee Not Real Indians" and Other Foul Nonsense

Just when you think you can't be any more disgusted by the GOP nutbags*, here comes this little piece of tripe: GOP Candidate Says Cherokees Aren't Real Indians. Let me break down the basics of this for you, my fellow bloggies:

There is currently a Senate race in Oklahoma between Tom Coburn (a former Congressman and GOP nutbag* galore) and his opponent, Brad Carson(D), a member of the Western Cherokee Tribe (and, should he win this race, the only Native American in the Senate...Republican Ben Nighthorse Campbell is retiring). Apparently, trying to win on the issues is beyond Mr. Coburn: he'd rather gain his seat on pure racism alone.

Mr. Coburn, at a town hall meeting in Altus, Oklahoma on August 21, made several erroneous and racially-driven remarks which made me wonder if he feels cold without his white sheet. Some of Mr. Coburn's statements and why they are utter filth:

1) "The average Cherokee (blood) quantum in 1/512." I don't know where Mr. Coburn is getting his facts...they aren't from the Tribe, the BIA or any reputable source. And besides that....what other ethnicity in America is expected to break down their ancestry into higher mathematics in order to "prove" their minority status? Why haven't we gotten past this antiquated and ridiculous BQ nonsense by now? It's a clear tactic on the nutbag's part to try to dishonor and illegitimize the Tribe.

2) "I mean, this is a joke. It's one thing for us to keep our obligations to recognize Native Americans, but it's a totally different thing for us to allow a primitive agreement with the Native Americans to undermine Oklahoma's future and that's what they're talking about and it's big money." Wow...legal contracts between the government and the Tribe are "primative jokes"? I think Mr. Coburn might be in standing for the Grand Nutbag of the Year award for that one. By the way, he's referring to an important issue for the Tribe: the right to assert environmental authority over THEIR OWN LANDS. Sometimes I just want to shake my head at it all....500 years later, and we're still fighting over our own damned land.

3) "Alright, listen, I know the Tribal issues. I was a Congressman where most of the Indians are in this state. The problem is, most of them aren't Indians." There's so much wrong with that statement, it's hard to know where to begin. One thing is crystal-clear, though: he's gone to the George W. Bush School of Nonsensical Statements....hell, he might have been Valedictorian!

4) "Good vs. Evil." This is how Coburn has described his race against Carson. How very 18th century of him.

Now why, dear bloggies, should you care about this? Besides the obvious (not wanting such a blatant racist in Congress), the outcome of this race will help determine the balance of power in the Senate. Do you really want THIS guy's vote to be a tie-breaker in ANY issue? Polls are showing these two guys are in a close race, but many an Oklahoman is undecided. Let's hope they are paying attention to Mr. Coburn and his racist, anti-Native agenda. Or that they have listened to the statments of Cherokee Principal Chief Chad Smith: "I'm a Republican, and it's hard to understand why Tom Coburn takes pride in....ridiculing people. If you disagree with him, you are evil. There's no discussion, no room for understanding." Or the words of former chief Wilma Mankiller: "Tom Coburn's extremist views on the basic rights of women and outrageous views of Tribal citizens and their governments are shocking and simply too far out of the mainstream for him to serve as our United States Senator." I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Mankiller on two seperate occasions; I've not always agreed with her policies...but we're in complete agreement on the issue of Mr. Coburn.

Please, dear bloggies: read this story at Indianz.com. And if you're a citizen of Oklahoma, be careful how you cast your vote on November 2nd. Don't send the message that your state is in favor of breaking treaties and racism. Don't send another nutbag to Washington.


*just a disclaimer...there are plenty of nutbags in both parties, and independant nutbags as well. I'm sure there will be plenty of both at my year-end Nutbag of the Year awards.