Native Nations’ IDs and Voting Rights Cases

Native Nations’ IDs and Voting Rights Cases
By Suzan Shown Harjo
September 6, 2012

 The recent issues that have been present in the U.S. news about voting scandals have reached Native people. As with the state of Pennsylvania where individuals are required to show a form of identification in order to vote. This places a large damper on individuals that do no hold just identification. There are several populations that this law has/will effect in the upcoming 2012 election; the non-white, elderly, young and poor, who tend to vote for the Democrats will have an extremely difficult time trying to cast their vote. There hasn't been much about what this will do to individuals with only Native identification. This identification has been used for several years that can take place of a State issued ID. Several Native residents do not hold any form of identification other than their Native ID cards. The question is if it will count as an ID to vote in upcoming elections or even as citizenship. Some Native people are worried that they will no longer have a voice in the upcoming election. I believe that this is a valid issue. There has always been a struggle with the United States and Native peoples. The government has passed several regulations that have caused issues that are still impacted individuals today. Why would anyone want to take away someones voice? It is the only power that most people have to fight the government or the person who is making all the choices. This regulation doesn't only affect Native people, but also other large populations of people that were forced into some of the lives that they currently have. There is no end to the way that people will try and mess over other people. I hope that their Native ID cards count as a form of identification, especially since most of the people can trace their roots back before Euro-Americans ever arrived. I'm not sure what Republicans are up to, but I'm not looking forward to the outcome.