I Dear Markie: I really don't understand you. Your children are members of the Osage Nation and as such, have certain benefits. Obviously there are people who would like the card to have the benefits that you say that you don't need, but if you did need couldn't get anyway. I would like to be connected to a "Federal Recognized Tribe" (I absolutely abhor that phrase, but it is the one that is necessary to use) to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren. As a disabled, divorced, single parent of six (young adults, the youngest being 18), I would like them to have the advantages that my ancestors nor I could take part in. If having a CDIB card and blood quantum wasn't important, there wouldn't be so much ruckus about it. Carol Jean

Carol Jean, I didn't say it wasn't important. I was speaking for me personally. "I" can not get a card from any federally recognized tribe. Just me, I'm not speaking for anyone else except me. For me "personally", it would not change my life in any way. If I needed any of the benifits, like the old saying goes.. I'd be up the creek without a paddle! I can't change the government, so why get upset about it? I wasn't around in 1840 when my ancestors left MS. to come to Lousiana, and never went to Oklahoma. It's not my fault!! BUT, I feel that anyone else who can "prove" their descent from a Final Tribal roll "should" get a CDIB card, and hopefully they will be an asset to their tribes. I thought we were on the subject of... you're an Indian if you have a card, and you're not an Indian if you don't?? I got lost here in the shuffle somewhere??? I am leaving a legacy for my children and grandchildren by teaching them what I know, what I have learned from others. I have six grown children, and 13 grandchildren. I have taken my grand children to ceremonies at the crack of dawn so they will remember who they are. I tell them stories, I teach them history and what their ancestors lived through, and the struggles they had in their life time. I teach them to respect our Mother Earth, and what She means to us as human beings. I teach them about Prayer, and respect for our Elders, along with other things. To me this "is" their legacy. Again, this is me personally, but I believe that one of the greatest legacies we can leave our children or grand children are memories. Memories that they will never forget... memories that will make them proud of who they are and who their ancestors were. In turn they will pass this down to their children, after I am gone, so our people will continue to survive. Even tho I did have one daughter-in-law who though I was in some sort of cult!! LOL Markie At 08:51 PM 05/24/2000 EDT, you wrote: >I >Dear Markie: > >I really don't understand you. Your children are members of the Osage Nation >and as such, have certain benefits. Obviously there are people who would like >the card to have the benefits that you say that you don't need, but if you >did need couldn't get anyway. > >I would like to be connected to a "Federal Recognized Tribe" (I absolutely >abhor that phrase, but it is the one that is necessary to use) to leave a >legacy for my children and grandchildren. As a disabled, divorced, single >parent of six (young adults, the youngest being 18), I would like them to >have the advantages that my ancestors nor I could take part in. > >If having a CDIB card and blood quantum wasn't important, there wouldn't be >so much ruckus about it. > >Carol Jean > >