"This letter is in regard to all the letters I have been reading about the chief of the Cherokee Nation Chad Smith. In several papers – Muskogee, Tulsa, Tahlequah – I have seen stories about this man, nothing good in my eyes.

First, the story about Smith wanting to change the name of the Sequoyah High School Indians: I am very much for all schools changing their names if those names include Indians, warriors, chiefs, redskins, etc. But at a school where the students are Indians, like Sequoyah, why should he have a say in it?

In regard to the Oklahoma state law making English its official language: Chad does like getting his name in the paper. But why is he worried about this? Chad only speaks English; he doesn’t speak Cherokee. Now, if he said he is doing it to protect Cherokee citizens, that would be a different story. All I have seen him say is, “ I” – “I will fight this bill all the way.”

If he wants to do some good for the tribe, mention the tribal people once in a while.

The takeover of W.W. Hastings: Why would he want to do this? The hospital is fine as it is. Cherokee Nation cannot even run its own clinics well. Why was this issue not put to a vote of the people, the citizens of Cherokee Nation? He will put to a vote, the question to throw out people from the tribe. Why not have a vote on taking over the hospital?

The hospital will affect a lot more people than the number of people he is trying to throw out of the tribe."

Get the Story:
John Farris Jr.: Smith not doing job (The Tahlequah Daily Press 6/11)