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Leaders of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole and Muskogee (Creek) Nations unanimously supported a resolution opposing the Oklahoma ballot initiative that would not allow the state to spend money to conduct business in any language other than English.

"I don't know what we'd do with the name of the state", said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. "Oklahoma is a Choctaw word. I'll guess if this passes, we'll just have to come up with something else to use."

The resolution by the tribes, which represent more than 400,000 members, states that the proposed initiative "targets individuals for discriminatory treatment based solely on their language minority status."

"English is not in any danger of becoming extinct," said Hastings Shade, Deputy Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "And if this ballot initiative were just a vote of confidence for the English language, I wouldn't be speaking against it. Instead, the hidden intent of this law is to make it harder for people for whom English is not their primary language to remain a part of Oklahoma's society."

This initiative would have a strong negative impact on Oklahoma's economy. At a time when Oklahoma, and the Tulsa area in particular, are trying to increase tourism, this ballot initiative would do just the opposite. Oklahoma currently spends $2.5 million on tourism annually. "For every one of those dollars spent, foreign tourists spend roughly 550 dollars in Oklahoma, more than $1 billion in all," Shade said. "The state would have to shut down tourism offices in Japan, Brazil and Germany and stop marketing programs in Switzerland and Austria. I think that the tourism industry would be strongly against this initiative."

The tribes' resolution opposing the initiative also states: "Native American languages have been used by the United States government in defending the United States and its citizens," referring to Cherokee, Comanche and Navajo code talkers in the World War I and World War II.

"English is my second language," said Shade, who is a bi-lingual Cherokee. "It shouldn't have to be my only one."