Thanks for the links, one mad_jack. I hadn’t seen Hazel’s post until now, and it sums up my feelings as well.
In a with friends awhile back, one friend who also had some Native American predecessors was encouraging her daughters to check the NA box on college applications, and apply for any consequent benefits. I strongly disagreed, for all the reasons Hazel mentions. If your forbears left the tribal community to make a go of it in the larger society, without actively remaining a part of the tribe, I don’t think it’s right to expect the all-too-late reparations to NA tribes as personal gain.
I’m proud of my Cherokee and Iroquois roots, but my great great grandmothers set our family’s course when they decided to leave and assimilate. The past three generations have been light skinned enough to never have encountered overt discrimination. Although I checked the NA/Cherokee box on the latest census because of encouragement by the Cherokee Nation to do so for all the political benefit, I wouldn’t dream of taking away any monetary benefits due to those who kept the culture going through great hardship. Hell, I’m poor, and could use the help, but, visually, I look like the dominant culture; that’s a fortunate juggle of the genetic dice, and I’d rather pass my claim to what’s due to people who’d benefit from it more.