CHEROKEE NATION TRIVIA: March 1999 the beginning of the CN Constitution Convention, opening remarks: MR. CORNSILK: Mr. Chairman. MR. HANNAH: Mr. Cornsilk, youre recognized. MR. CORNSILK: I would like to offer a friendly motion to the delegates, that being that since this is such a historic occasion, and perhaps twenty years from now people will wonder why we did what we did, that all of our personal notes be submitted to the Commission for archival. MR. HANNAH: Thank you, sir. Will be submitted as a friendly amendment to each of the delegates. I would also raise that one of the delegates this morning, just by way of conversation, brought what I thought was a most interesting suggestion for us. No official action obviously being offered by the Chair, but simply is a thought. That as we conclude our proceedings, that each of the delegates that have participated here during this time write a letter to the delegates of future constitutional conventions. And that those letters would be collected and sealed and kept among the archives of the Cherokee Nation, so that they might be open, should in fact the citizens of our Nation so elect to direct our Tribal Council and its government to convene a constitutional convention some twenty years hence. That those delegates might open those letters, and that they might read of your admonitions, your emotions, your concerns, and that somehow the words and experiences that you are mustering through these days could somehow be translated to those future framers that would take us on through this coming century. I thought that would be a fascinating idea. And I would like for each of the delegates as we continue through our deliberations, give thought to the fact that we are genuinely here to address the future of the Cherokee people. I know that yesterdays debate focused a great deal on activities of the past and activities that have been. And it is right and just that we examine, obviously, the challenges that have been before us because those, obviously, who fail to understand their history are often times relegated to repeating their history. I also would like to focus as much of our attention towards the good work that is before us in preparing the Cherokee people to move effectively into this next century. As I have said before, and will continue to say, this Constitution in many ways is not for the individuals that are seated in this room; it is a Constitution that will be for our children, for our descendants, and we need to be about that work.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 02:59:58 +0000
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