On March 25th, 2021, I published an article in The Conversation offering a brief overview of the Cherokee/U.S. struggle over defining tribal citizenship. The Cherokee Supreme Court in February 2021 unilaterally struck the words “by blood” from the Cherokee Constitution, ostensibly granting Freedmen the right to run for tribal office – a right they already […]
Holding the Government to its Word: McGirt v. Oklahoma and Tribal Sovereignty
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority in McGirt v. Oklahoma, answers the question “whether the land [previous] treaties promised [the Muscogee (Creek) Nation] remains an Indian reservation for purposes of federal criminal law” with a resounding “yes.” The 5-4 decision reaffirms the Creek Nation’s sovereignty over lands long practically-administrated by the State of Oklahoma, […]
Republicanism – A Going Concern
In Philadelphia, at the recently opened Museum of the American Revolution, there is an exhibit that proclaims “a republic means the well-being of everyone.” Surrounded by artifacts, both physical and theoretical, from the American war for independence, this statement stands out. If republican government ensures the well-being of everyone, was the United States a republic […]
