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NATIONAL HOLIDAY FOR NATIVE AMERICANS 1-26-2001 This letter is to inform you of the national movement to bring about a federal recognized national holiday for Native Americans. The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma has passed a resolution 91-93 calling on the federal government to bring about this holiday. Our group brought this issue before the full council and was passed and signed by Chief Mankiller on December 13, 1993. Our group passed resolution 1-1 calling on the federal government to stop recognizing Columbus Day as a federal tax paid holiday and designate a federal holiday for Native Americans. It is inappropriate for our tax dollars to pay for Columbus Day, this is the most uncelebrated holiday and seventeen states do not recognize it, the state of South Dakota has taken the lead on this issue and changed it to Native American Day. The Taino Indian Nation of Puerto Rico Chief Cacique Pedro Guanikeyu Torres supports this holiday coming about. The Native American caucus of California represented by Raven Lopez - workman at 909-351-1205 email, info@nacaucus.com is in full support of this holiday coming about and declassifying Columbus Day as a federal holiday. The congressional Indian Caucus in Washington, DC, with over one hundred members represented by Kimberly Teehee at 202-225-3611 email, kimberly.teehee@mail.house.gov has announced to our group that they will draft a bill to be brought before congress this year of 2001. Mrs. Teehee will then send a draft of the bill around the country so that Tribes will have a final input on the wording of the bill. This bill will not ask congress to change Columbus Day to a non tax paid holiday. We implore you to contact Mrs. Teehee and ask for a copy of the bill for your input. We are asking you to support this movement to bring about this holiday. We have collected tens of thousands of signatures from all Americans across the country in support of this holiday. At this time we have an online petition at: http://petitiononline.com/indian/petition.html, calling on the federal government to change Columbus Day to Native American Day, at this time we have over thirteen thousand signatures. With the thousands of petitions we have sent to the Indian Caucus, we have shown that there is national support of all Americans for this holiday to come about, the most frequent comment on our petition is this should have happened long ago. Kimberly Teehee has requested of United Native America to contact all Indian Nations to draft letters or resolutions in support of this holiday, we request that all Nations that support this issue, to send their letter of support to our group and we will forward all support letters to the Congressional Indian Caucus in Washington, DC. It is of the up most importance that we receive letters of support as soon as possible. In polls that we have conducted in newspapers, television and radio, ninety-five percent of the people polled were in favor of changing Columbus Day to Native American Day, as opposed to creating a whole new tax paid holiday, Columbus Day should be celebrated as St. Patrick's Day and Octoberfest, not with our tax dollars. This would give congress a way out of creating another tax paid holiday on the people. This holiday will recognize Native Hawaiians and all US territory Tribal Nations. This holiday should be brought about to pay tribute to all native American leaders and those who endured the worlds longest holocaust. If you would like to review the Cherokee Nation and United Native America resolution please go to this web link: www.unitednativeamerica.com, We appreciate your attention to this issue and await your response. United Native America |