Should the government allow non-tribal citizens to register as Native Americans if they can prove heritage or have the DNA?

Yes, They should. Some of us were adopted, to non tribal people, and would have truely loved to have our tribal heritage and connections. I am Irish, Dutch, Cherokee, and Lakota some others to but that history was lost through adoption.

I grew up with people trying to tell me I was non Native, I don't count cause I am a "Mixed blood" Or trying to force me to always put Caucasion or White because I was not Tribal Enrolled... This is due to the blood quantum that the government forces on people. As far as I am concerned that should not matter. If the Tribe Accepts a person as a member of their tribe they should be allowed membership and benefits as long as the Tribe is fine with it.

I do not feel its right for the government to tell The Tribe who to allow and not to allow.

If it was allowed for a person to be declared a Native American based upon DNA then it would be logical to declare a person as NOT a Native America based upon DNA. In the past, Native American groups have adopted large numbers of non-Native Americans. I don't think using DNA is appropriate to do the classification.

Yeah, I know that this has been a problem in Oklahoma. I think that if DNA testing establishes you as a tribal member then that is that.

Something is off about this question and some past ones like it. In the USA, anyone can claim to be of any heritage with or without proof. You can claim to be a Martian.

You can claim to be the Last of the Mohicans. You won't get fined or arrested even if you insist on filling out a census form that way. The government, for its part, can also classify anyone as anything for its purposes.

But, everyone has to be treated equally. The only reason I can imagine for the subject of this question being an issue, where the government would regulate what you say you are, is with reference to truth in advertising and labeling of products. When it comes to labeling something as a Native American craft product the government needs to protect the customer and the other producers.

A person's DNA is completely irrelevant. What the customer would be interested in is whether it is genuinely part of the cultural tradition and made in a traditional way. And, in addition, that buying it it supports the people trying to continue to live in traditional ways.

There is no scientific way to determine this, so using the Tribal groupings is as good a way as any even though it is tinged with politics. If there is some other reason for this being an issue please spell it out.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.