If anyone has further INFORMATION about this bill, feel free to post
it here as a followup. If you want to say what you feel about it, do
so on the NATCHAT list ("natchat@gnosys.svle.ma.us" - to subscribe, see
the NativeNet Web page at "http://www.fdl.cc.mn.us/natnet/").
Those of you reading this article via Usenet ("soc.culture.native" or
"alt.native"), you can do as you wish - but your comments will probably
not be fed back to the NATIVE-L community - unless they simply supply
new information about this bill.
Thanks. --Gary (gst@gnosys.svle.ma.us) ]
ishgooda@tdi.net (Ishgooda) writes:
> I can well understand the concern this house bill which passed today
> engenders for our families and children. It appears that much continues
> to be removed from us as sovereign nations. However, It is my under-
> standing of this bill that it affects only those who do not maintain
> tribal ties and participation in their communities tribal communities.
The problem with this legislation is that it opens the door for even those
who are VERY connected to be deemed not so. This is now happening in the
Georgia case. Because they happen to live off the rez, they have to prove
that they are still Indian....which is pretty ridiculous don't you think?
I can't remember of any adoption case between non-native families where a
biological parent had to prove that he or she was Jewish or Catholic
enough let alone "US citizen" enough. Anyone that does not live on the
reservations can be accused of not being "Indian" enough...So if you don't
live on the rez, you could be told you're not Indian anymore. You see the
adoption agencies are looking for every and any excuse to get around the
ICWA. There are several families out there that are willing to pay a lot
of money for a child. This legislation has nothing to do with the welfare
of children. What this has to do with is business.
I believe that this legislation is completely misguided. If these adoption
agencies and attorneys were to have abided by the law, none of these cases
would be taking place right now. The ICWA would have gone into effect
immediately, and the processes of that law would have gone into motion.
However, they blatantly have broken the law, and now they're trying to
create legislation to cover their butts. In my opinion, this legislation
should be completely rewritten to focus on the true problems....adoption
agencies and attorneys.
There are people out there that aren't as connected as others, but does
this mean the government has the right to take away their Indian identity
based upon a criteria they have created?
Please start lobbying your Senators now...don't wait until the vote comes
up. Also, please send messages to Clinton....He has stated that he does not
support the amendments which will affect Indians, because he believes that
violates their sovereign rights. SUPPORT him on this, please! I have a list
of e-mail addresses if anyone needs me to look one up.
In Lak'ech Yelir,
Marie Fouche - fouche@rmii.com
http://rainbow.rmii.com/~fouche. If that doesn't work, please try
http://www.rmii.com/~fouche - The Lost Bird Page discusses the contentious
issue of American Indian adoptions.