Cherokee Nation Chief Chad Smith once again wants the tribal members to vote yes on the amendment to keep the Bureau of Indian Affairs from interfering with his personal agenda.

What he is not telling the tribal members is vote for the amendment and you vote away all the U.S. federal protections the U.S. Constitution affords everyone in the Cherokee Nation (CN).

The 1975 Cherokee Constitution gives CN employees a right to redress wrongful actions by the CN or its agents as does the Treaty of 1866, which states, “The U.S. Constitution will be the supreme law of the land.”

The “new” CN constitutional amendment takes this away from CN employees and tribal members. Rights are only “granted” to you by the administration.

Why? Why does the CN chief allow the ballot numbers of each ballot be written by each voter’s name in the registration book when you vote? Then has his followers check to see how you voted?

Perhaps, if you are an employee of the CN, you will be fired for voting against him or have tribal services denied if you vote against his administration.

Does this happen when you vote in a city, county or state election? No. Your vote is kept secret.

I challenge any veteran of the Cherokee Nation who has served in the U.S. military, who has fought and defended the rights afforded to every American by the U.S. Constitution, to stop and think before voting for who will lead the Cherokee Nation the next four years — a leader who doesn’t uphold, defend and protect the Constitution of the United States or the Cherokee Nation? A leader who follows his own agenda and not the will of the people? A leader who only serves himself and not the Cherokee citizens?

Or a leader such as Stacy Leeds, who will take the Cherokee Nation on the right path.

Billy R. McCoy

Tahlequah