How much does Justice cost?

“Polly Gentry's skin is black. But she says she is an Indian. A black Indian. For generations, a little-known chapter of America's racial history shows, she and other descendants of escaped slaves have been members of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. Even on the tribal council, descendants of slaves have sat alongside descendants of native people.  Until last summer. Then, in the middle of a bitter legal battle over $56 million in federal funds, Seminoles with native blood voted to strip the people who call themselves black Seminoles of tribal membership. Suddenly, Ms. Gentry said, ‘My skin makes a difference.’("Black Seminoles”)." When I read this article, I could not believe how upset I got at the fact that the Blood Seminoles would not accept the Black Seminoles because of a settlement. I was upset at how easily injustice could be bought.

I may be slightly biased because I feel that although African Americans were enslaved for hundreds of years, we have yet to see any type of reparation for our people being uprooted and forced to live as property. I think that it is unfair for us to receive absolutely nothing and for the Blood Seminoles to receive such a bountiful amount and then in my opinion be too greedy to share it with their fellow Black Seminoles. I also really do not buy the Blood Seminoles reasoning for excluding the Black Seminoles. I believe that they are just money hungry and have allowed the money to blind them from the years have solidarity they had shared with the Black Seminoles prior to the money settlement. I agree with the Black Seminoles when they claim that the Blood Seminoles are now acting not only out of greed but also out of racism. Like most discrimination, the discrimination faced by the Black Seminoles by the Blood Seminoles in stemmed in racism and intolerance. I also think that it is absolutely outrageous that the Blood Seminoles have not only excluded them from compensation but they have also excluded them from the Tribe and from other Tribal rights and activities. I only agree with the Blood Seminoles when it comes to the issue of the Government being too involved with Tribal affairs because I do believe that the Government should never be too involved in personal and community affairs. It just really is not the U.S. Governments place but I do believe that the lawsuit in question is extremely appropriate for the injustice being seen within the Seminole Tribe. And I am sure by now it is clear that I do not agree with Susan Miller’s view of Black Seminoles because I believe that they do exist and should therefore be included in the compensation settlement.

The video above is about the history of Black Seminoles. The information shared in this video touches on the fact that Africans were one of the earliest people to be in Central Florida. They lived as Freedman alongside the Seminoles for years and became apart of different tribes as Black Seminoles.

Works Cited

Black Seminoles. Copyright 2001 The New York Times Company.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OZWVlqP13E