Hi Ellen, Well I have to put my two cents in here.. <G> First, I love you too, but I want to say that this is not my list, but it belongs to Jacque. Jacque paid for the CHOCTAW list, and I paid for the CHOCTAW-SOUTHEAST list.. :) She and I just support each other, and help each other out when we can. Sorry Jacque. Now.. from what I understand, it doesn't matter who literally takes the pen in their hand, and fills out the 2000 census. The only thing that matters, as far as Native Americans are concerned... is... who is listed as "head of household"... wheither it is the husband, wife, grandparents, uncle, or whoever LIVES in that house that is Indian, then they would be the person "written down" as "head of household"... Over all, this will increase the count of Native Americans for appropriations of funds later. I'm not sure about the Tribal census cards that are being sent out. Does that mean you will only fill out one for the tribe and not the Federal Gov. one? If you are getting one from the Choctaw nation, then my daughters are getting one from the Osage Nation.... I need to call each one of them to make sure they fill it out correctly. You are correct on me not ever being enrolled. But, like Doug said, I am Indian. This is not something that I just learned about, or found out through genealogy, in the last few months, or years. I have known this my whole life. Everyone in my family knew it. So even tho I am not enrolled, I will fill out my census as Native American. It is honorable, I am honoring my grandparents, my parents. It is not a lie. My Daddy would roll over in his grave if he heard me telling a lie. <G> It is who I am. It will never benefit me in "any" way. It will not make me a tribal member, no way, no how. It won't make a difference for me personally if I put Indian, White, or Irish. But it may benefit my people. To me, that's all that matters. I hope it will help out my Osage grandchildren, but that is all it could possibly do for me. I "am" the head of household... just ask my hubby.. LOL I can't help it if all my great and gg, and ggg grandparents liked Louisiana so much they wouldn't leave!! Well they left Ms. and came "west" of the Ms. River, they must have figured that was far enough!! haha Markie >Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2000 18:48:10 -0600 >From: "Ellen Scott" <us2scotts@earthlink.net> >To: CHOCTAW-L@rootsweb.com >Message-ID: <412000231604810120@earthlink.net> >Subject: Re: [CHOCTAW] 2000 census >Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII > >Kelli, > >In no way did you offend me. I get a lot of questions and I try to answer >them to the best of my ability and as clearly as possible. I do not know >always where a person is coming from. I believe that most of us are kind >hearted (at least that is what I want to believe). In many cases I have >found that people such as Markie that can not prove that they are Indian >(the government's definition)but, I with less knowledge of the Choctaws >have the right to be a member of the Choctaw Nation because my Great >Grandfather followed up with registering my Grandfather and his Half sister >after the death of my Choctaw Great grandmother. Without both of them doing >their job, we would be in Markie's position. It's a shame but it happens. > >But, believe me I have made some of the closest friends on this list. I owe >it to the lady that put out the cold cash to start this list. She listens, >she cares, and she makes the flow of this mail list one of the best. > >Ask any question and someone of us will find a way to get a answer. > >Ellen >