Copyright © 1998 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

During the regular meeting of the Council Rules & Committee meeting Wednesday night Troy Poteete, Chairman, presented an initial plan to set up an oversight committee for a Constitutional Convention.

The good news is that the committee plans to include input and participation from all Cherokee communities. Communities from all 14 counties here in the Cherokee Nation, New Mexico, California and Texas Cherokees and other larger areas out of state will have a chance to participate.

Poteete said that they haven't found a method for choosing delegates so they are going to go directly to the people!

There will be an oversight committee that will not be politically active and all participants will be registered tribal members, by blood, and must be approved by the council.

Councilor Poteete said that the cost is estimated between $30,000 and $40,000.

Chad Smith, a Cherokee attorney, suggested holding a university-sponsored symposium, where scholars of Cherokee law would be invited to present papers examining and analyzing various aspects of the tribe's historical methods of governance, including the clan structure and early constitutional government. Smith's suggestion was met with positive agreement.

Plans for the convention are on a green light status and it appears the project will move forward according to all councilors at the meeting.

Possible locations were discussed and suggested such as University of Tulsa, Northeastern State University, University of Oklahoma and the University of Arkansas. Smith proposed that interested universities be allowed to submit proposals for the symposium. He stated that some would probably want to publish the results in a form that would be useful in many ways now and in the future.

Our current constitution called for a convention in 1995. The crisis and lack of leadership has caused a delay. News of moving forward on this much needed project is one of the most important events in modern Cherokee history.

We trust that all Cherokees get involved with the process because ratification for the new constitution will be on the 1999 ballot. We as a people must take an active and responsible role in planning for the future. I cannot think of a more important instrument in determining our future than that of our Cherokee Nation Constitution.

Please write to the Council members for information and support. The addresses and phone numbers for all council members are on the Cherokee News Path (link at top of this board)

We need our Indian law scholars and historians as well as all the rest of our people's input.

We will post any all information regarding the plans, schedules and locations as they become available. We will also post any information we receive as this passes through the various council meetings for approval and consensus.

Now is our chance to insure the integrity of our future as a tribe. We trust that the recent crisis has been a good training and that we take those lessons into consideration as we look at shaping up a stronger nation for the 21st Century.

Linda Turnbull-Lewis