Oklahoma: Cherokee Chief not allowed to speak in committee

[Harold Schiffman]

Published April 03, 2008 12:29 am -

Chief not allowed to speak in committee


OKLAHOMA CITY — The leader of the Cherokee Nation was barred from
speaking in the state House General Government and Transportation
Committee on Wednesday. "This is reprehensible," said Rep. Mike Brown,
D-Tahlequah. "The House of Representatives is supposed to be a forum
of free debate. To not allow the leader of one of the great native
nations who has contributed so much to our state is inexcusable."
"The bill, unfortunately, is more about politics than policy," said
Rep. Jerry McPeak, D-Warner. "The leaders of our state agencies, such
as the Secretary of State, have already taken steps to accomplish what
this bill proposes. The author claims that he is not aiming this bill
at Native Americans. Then who is his focus? Let's address the real
problem."

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith was in the committee to
express his opinion on the "English only" language being inserted into
Senate Bill 163. The chair of the committee, Rep. Guy Liebmann,
R-Oklahoma City, would not allow Smith to express his opinions and
concerns on the topic. "We have Indians in this state who have lived
under a regime of English only; that was the rule in Indian boarding
schools in Oklahoma for generations," Smith said in a release later in
the day. "My father told stories of Indian children having their
mouths washed out with soap at his boarding school for speaking
Cherokee. I can't say that his life was enriched by this experience.
We've seen what English only has done to Native communities, where
bilingual speakers are rarer today than ever. I can't see that
Oklahoma is a better place because whole generations were punished for
violating an English-only policy. The fact that the English-only
policy being put forward today will not be applied to Indian languages
does not mean that we think it is okay to do to another people what
was done to our fathers."

Committees are the only part of the Legislative process that allows
for citizens and other interested parties to give testimony and
opinions on pieces of legislation introduced in the Legislature.

"Earlier this session, we allowed foreign Iraqi nationals to speak on
the floor of the House of Representatives," McPeak said. "And I find
it absolutely outrageous that Principal Chief Smith was not allowed to
speak in a committee."

"Is this the way that we treat those who helped form the rich cultural
heritage of our state?" Brown said. "Our Native American tribes are
some of the biggest and most philanthropic entities in Oklahoma."

Smith said that while legislation designating English as the official
state language does not appear to impose any substantial requirements
on state agencies, local governments, or political subdivisions, it
establishes a policy that is not representative of Oklahoma's history,
people, and diverse cultures.

"Although legislative language designating English as the official
state language often includes an exception for Native languages,
Oklahoma was established and continues to function as a place of
various cultures and languages that cannot be accurately represented
by an official language," Smith said.

The amended bill will now go before the full House of Representatives

http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/local/local_story_094002959.html

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